Talk about environmental toxins!!! This past weekend I went to brunch with a friend and we sat at the counter watching them make our breakfast. All right, I’m not perfect! I ordered eggs benedict with no bun, and had asparagus and avocado with my eggs and hollandaise (yes, it was yummy!).

As I watched, they poached the eggs in a cheap aluminum pot, used teflon pans for making omelets, poured out at least 2 tablespoons of oil into the teflon pan – from a plastic bottle, and the oil was cheap canola oil full of GMO’s. I could go on, but if you have any awareness of toxins, you know that those steps in making my breakfast infused it with plenty of toxins. Even if you’re cooking at home, the water we use, the soil our produce is grown in, and the environment around us all contribue to our toxic load. You can’t escape it.

In this series on detox, we’ve covered glyphosate and heavy metals, both of which can be extremely dangerous. Avoiding exposure is often the best way to protect yourself from these toxins. However, environmental toxins are found in our air, water and food supply and are much harder to avoid. These include air pollution, beauty products, plastics and mold. Find out if you may be experiencing signs of environmental toxicity, and how you can heal.

Environmental Toxins

There is an abundance of toxins that fall into this category, ranging from inorganic strawberries coated in bromide, plastics from containers our food is served in, and other toxins that are nearly impossible to avoid. Even our meat is usually wrapped in plastic wrap when sold to us. Whether it’s mold lurking in our basements or chemicals in the shampoo we use, constant exposure to these agents adds to our toxic load. This makes us susceptible to a host of conditions like chronic pain, digestive problems, fatigue, and even cancer.

Some of the most common environmental toxins are as follows:

• Formaldehyde
• Carbon monoxide
• Cigarette smoke
• Nitrogen dioxide (emitted by electronic utilities and vehicles)
• Mold
• Bacteria in stagnant water
• Methylene chloride (often found in spray paint)
• Ozone
• Radon
• Asbestos (insulating material)
• Lead
• Pesticides and herbicides
• Mercury
• BPAs (found in plastics and cookware)
• Phthalates (personal care and beauty products)

Symptoms of Exposure

Because there are so many different types of exposure, symptoms are widespread. Some of the most common include:

• Insomnia
• Chronic fatigue
• Food sensitivities
• Ringing in ears
• Hormonal imbalances
• IBS
• Muscle or joint pain
• Hypertension
• Chronic respiratory infections
• Asthma
• Autoimmune conditions
• ADD/ADHD
• Autism
• Depression
• Cancer

How to Protect Yourself

When in optimal condition, our bodies do a great job at filtering out these toxins. However, several things can make us more susceptible including: repeated exposure, a weakened immune system cause a toxic buildup that causes many of the symptoms above, and genetic imbalances that set us up to have difficulty with detoxification. To minimize your toxic load, pay attention to the products you use in your home. Be mindful of beauty products and cookware that you use each day. The Environmental Working Group (EWG) is a great resource for finding products that are safe to use.

The Importance of Detoxification

Because we are all exposed to environmental toxins, a cleanse that both supports your immune system and detoxifies is a great way to enhance your health. We host a cleanse twice a year, in spring and fall, for just this reason. For more information about my custom 14-Day Seasonal Cleanse, sign up here.