To assure good health, Dr. Crinnion advises also committing yourself to reducing your exposure to toxins. Some of these are strategies that you’re familiar with, but they’re definitely worth a reminder… while others will almost certainly surprise you…
Reduce Your Chemical Exposures
- Don’t wear your outside shoes indoors. Along with the dirt and dust from outdoors comes residue from diesel auto exhaust, lead, pesticides and other toxins.
- For floors, choose wood, tile and stone, which are less likely to harbor and generate toxins than carpets.
- Keep your house clean, minimizing dust-collecting knickknacks so environmental toxins don’t have the chance to accumulate.
- Filter, filter, filter. Filters should be changed every six weeks in homes with a central forced-air heating/cooling system. If you have a different type, consider installing a portable air-filter system. Filter your tap water, too.
- Minimize use of products that contain harmful chemicals. Buy unscented, eco-friendly cleaners and laundry detergents. Drink and serve food from glass containers — many plastic ones are made with toxic chemicals that can leach into your food.
Don’t Eat Toxins
- Organic fruits, vegetables and meats contain the fewest toxins. It’s especially important to buy organic apples, bell peppers, blueberries, celery, cherries, imported grapes, kale, collard greens, nectarines, peaches, potatoes, spinach and strawberries, as these in nonorganic form are most likely to be drenched in pesticides.
- Generally less toxic produce (meaning it’s not as important to buy organic) includes asparagus, avocado, cabbage, cantaloupe, eggplant, grapefruit, honeydew melon, kiwi, mango, onions, pineapple, sweet corn, peas, sweet potato and watermelon.
- Be picky about fish. Farmed fish can contain significant levels of toxic PCBs, chemicals that can wreak havoc with your health, so eat only wild salmon and other varieties. (This rules out most of what’s sold in restaurants and supermarkets.) Avoid fish with a high mercury content, including swordfish, shark, tuna and orange roughy — check http://www.ewg.org/safefishlist to see what’s safe to eat and what’s not.
- Buy organic butter. Nonorganic butter can be high in PCBs!
By minimizing exposure to toxins and supporting your body’s innate healing processes, you can gradually take control of toxins and restore your health. In just weeks, expect increased energy, less brain fog and fewer allergy symptoms such as congestion. Over time, if you keep up the good work, it will only get better.
