By Carla Oates
Your “toxic load” refers to the number of harmful chemicals and toxins that have accumulated in your body, either by means of ingestion or absorption through your skin.
Like it or not, we encounter many of these substances in our daily lives—whether that’s from second-hand cigarette smoke, urban pollution, conventional cleaning products or morning makeup routine. Even the fresh produce we consume and the water bottles we buy may contain harmful substances that can accumulate in our bodies over time.
While our elimination organs work hard to detoxify our bodies of unwelcome chemicals, hormones and toxins, they can become overloaded, especially if our exposure to these substances is ongoing. This can also lead to gut dysbiosis, which is characterised by a decrease in microbial diversity and an increase in unfriendly bacterial species, leading to an overall imbalance. And as we know, an unhappy gut can lead to a whole host of unpleasant symptoms, including fatigue and digestive discomfort.
Thankfully, there are a few simple things you can do to reduce your toxic load and ease the burden on your body.
Embrace Eco-Friendly Cleaning Products
Swap harsh chemical cleaners for natural, plant-based products and you’ll do your body a world of good. While occasional contact with commercial cleaning products is unlikely to cause any harm, it’s best to avoid daily use and make the switch to toxin-free products. Many common cleaning products contain chemicals that are known to be harmful, especially for pregnant women and children. Certain chemicals in the ‘phthalate’ class, for example, have been linked to breast cancer, asthma and fertility issues. Green cleaning products that use botanicals, essential oils, plant-based soaps and sugar-derived alcohols are readily available and kind to your body. Or, why not make your own using vinegar and bicarbonate of soda!
Get Your Greens
Cruciferous vegetables like cabbage, broccoli and kale are rich in cleansing, sulfur-containing phytochemicals that release detoxification enzymes. Incorporating more of these foods into your daily diet may aid your body’s natural elimination process. For the days when you’re unlikely to hit your veggie intake—or your body needs some extra support—consider supplementing with a supergreens powder like DAILY SUPERGREENS Inner Beauty Support. Containing a concentrated dose of Certified Organics greens—including broccoli sprouts, barley grass, spinach, kale and spirulina—as well as prebiotic resistant starch from green bananas and probiotics for a healthy belly, CLEANSE is the ultimate way to boost your greens intake.
Ditch the Perfume
If you’re attempting to embrace a more natural lifestyle and reduce your toxic load, you may have already moved on from the use of commercial perfumes—and with good reason: some perfumes contain known hormone disruptors and can irritate the skin. If applying perfume is your thing, go the natural route or create your own therapeutic, toxin-free scent using pure essential oils.
Detox Your Beauty Cabinet
It’s entirely possible that the products we use to enhance our outer beauty may be doing the opposite to our insides. In Australia, cosmetics are regulated by the Australian Industrial Chemicals Introduction Scheme (AICIS)—and if a product has made it to the shelf, this ultimately means it’s been deemed safe to use. However, many of the chemicals used in skincare and makeup are known to be dangerous in high concentrations. While conventional cosmetics may only contain small doses of these chemicals, we’d rather avoid them altogether. Make the switch to clean beauty products to avoid allergic reactions and endocrine-disrupting chemicals, which may have negative side effects, even at small doses.
Nourish Your Gut
Your gut plays an integral role in the detoxification process. While attempting to reduce your toxic load, it’s important to keep your bowels moving regularly, as this is the main way your body expels waste and toxins. If your bowel movements are a little sluggish, or you suffer from leaky gut, IBS or similar conditions, nourishing your gut health is a crucial step on the path to reducing your toxic load. Drink warm water upon waking, incorporate chia seeds and freshly ground flaxseeds into your diet to gently sweep through your intestines, and of course, exercise regularly to boost your microbiome.
Keen to embark on a committed cleanse? Get your complimentary copy of our 14-Day Cleanse Program e-Book now!