Are You Toxic?
The role of toxins and detoxification in health has been largely ignored by medicine. But thankfully scientists and practitioners are starting to recognize its importance in health.But how do you know if you are toxic?
You probably have symptoms of chronic toxicity that you don’t see as being toxic.
Here is a list, and if any of these sound familiar, keep in mind that detoxifying might be critical for you to get healthy and feel good again.
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When you hear the word “detox” you might think drug detox or alcohol detox or wheatgrass enemas. That’s not what this is all about.
Detoxification or purification in this context is about the science of how your body gets rid of waste. If waste builds up, you get sick. And the key is to figure out how to enhance your body’s capacity to detoxify and get rid of waste while minimizing your exposure to toxins.
And why is this important?
It’s because many diseases of our society are actually related to toxicity. Here are some of the diseases that are linked to toxicity:
- Parkinson’s
- Alzheimer’s
- Dementia
- Heart disease
- Chronic fatigue syndrome
- Fibromyalgia syndrome
- Cancers
- Autoimmune diseases
- Food allergies
- Arthritis
- Digestive diseases, like Crohn’s disease, ulcers, colitis, inflammatory bowel
- Menstrual problems like heavy bleeding, cramps, PMS, menopausal symptoms, mood changes and hot flashes
It might seem that everyone is toxic. That may be true to differing degrees.
Problems with detoxification can be a root cause of many illnesses. Your detoxification system is one of the core systems in your body that must be working well for you to be healthy. If you feel lousy, it’s likely you’re toxic.
If you see yourself in any of these statements, you may be toxic.
- I have hard, difficult to pass movements every day or every other day
- I am constipated and only go every other day or less often
- I urinate small amounts of dark, strong smelling urine only a few times a day
- I almost never break a real sweat
- I have one or more of the following symptoms: fatigue, muscle aches, headaches, concentration and memory problems
- I have Fibromyalgia or Chronic fatigue syndrome
- I drink tap or well water
- I dry clean my clothes
- I work or live in a “tight” building with poor ventilation or windows that don’t open
- I live in a large urban or industrial area
- I use household or lawn garden chemicals or get my house or apartment treated for bugs by an exterminator
- I have more than 1-2 mercury amalgams
- I eat large fish (swordfish, tuna, shark, tilefish) more than once a week
- I am bothered by one or more of the following: Gasoline or diesel fumes, perfumes, new car smells, fabric stores, dry cleaning, hair spray or other strong odors, soaps, detergents, tobacco smoke, chlorinated water
- I have a negative reaction when I consume foods containing MSG, sulfites (wine, salad bars, dried fruit), sodium benzoate (preservative), red wine, cheese, bananas or chocolate, even a small amount of alcohol, eating food with garlic and onions
- When I drink coffee or caffeine containing substances I feel wired up, an increase in joint and muscle aching or have hypoglycemic symptoms (anxiety, palpitations, sweating, dizziness)
- I regularly consume any of the following substances or medications: acetaminophen (Tylenol), acid blocking drugs (Tagamet, Zantac, Pepcid, Prilosec, Prevacid), hormone modulating medications in pills, patches or creams (the pill, estrogen, progesterone, prostate medication), ibuprofen or naproxen, medications for Colitis or Crohn’s disease, recurrent headaches, allergy symptoms, nausea, diarrhea or indigestion
- I have had jaundice (turning yellow) for any reason or I have been told I have Gilbert’s syndrome (an elevation of a liver test called bilirubin)
- I have a history of any of the following conditions: Breast cancer, smoking induced lung cancer, other type of cancer, prostate problems, food allergies, sensitivities or intolerances
- I have a family history of Parkinson’s, Alzheimer’s, ALS (amyotrophic lateral sclerosis) or other motor neuron diseases, or multiple sclerosis
How much toxicity is too much?
To understand toxicity you must understand the concept of total load.
This is a total amount of stressors on your system at any one time and what happens like glass filling over with water. It takes a certain amount to fill the glass and then, after a certain point, you put more in and it overflows.
When our detoxification system is overwhelmed, is overloaded, that’s when we start getting symptoms and get sick, but it may take years of accumulated stress and toxins to get to that point.
The total load includes the load of things like heavy metals, mercury and lead, petrochemicals, residues, pesticides and fertilizers.
- It includes food allergies, environmental allergies, molds and toxins from molds.
- It includes a SAD (standard American diet) diet.
- It includes stress — the mental, emotional and spiritual toxins that affect us, the isolation, the loneliness, the anger, the jealousy, hostility, which all translate into toxins in our system.
- Medications can sometimes be toxins. Often we need medications, but the reality is that most of us are over-medicated and use medications for things for which there are better solutions such as lifestyle and diet.
- Lastly, there are internal toxins, things like bacteria, fungus, yeast, that are inside our gut that may be affecting us, as well as hormonal and metabolic toxins that we need to eliminate.
Now why aren’t we all sick given this incredible load of toxins?
It is because each of us is genetically and biochemically unique. Some of us are good at getting rid of toxins and waste, and others are not.
There are five key steps to optimal detoxification. Here they are:
- Identify and Get Rid of Toxins
- Fix Your Gut – a source of toxic load for many
- Get Moving – to help your blood and lymphatic circulation do its job
- Get Your Liver and Detox System Working
- Detox your mind, heart and spirit
Dr. Bailey will work with you to set up a plan that can help you to correct problems caused by toxicity, maximize your body’s own detoxification capacity, and help you safely eliminate stored toxins. Depending on your symptoms, genetic predispositions and environmental exposures, you may need different levels of nutrients and types of treatment.
But remember, getting rid of toxins and learning how to optimize your detoxification system is essential for creating true health and wellness.
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