4 Ways to Know if Your Body Is Overwhelmed By Toxins

By Mary West

Guest Writer for  Wake Up World

We live in a toxic environment, being exposed to an estimated 2.5 billion pounds of  chemicals  each year. Once these  toxins accumulate in the body, they may manifest in an array of symptoms.

It is impossible to escape this continuous bombardment of harmful chemicals; we come into contact with substances that can negatively impact our system several times a day.  We breathe  toxic chemicals in the air, ingest them in our food and  absorb them through our skin.

Synthetic ingredients are found in fragrances and lotions, and sodium laurel sulfates are present in some toothpastes, soaps and shampoos. And the chemical assaults in the home don’t end there.

Our homes are laden with the  toxins  found in household cleaning products, “air fresheners” and  pesticides, and some clothing, furniture upholstery and carpeting are even treated with toxic, hormone disrupting flame-retardants.

And our food? Well, it’s no secret that our food is loaded with chemical additives such as MSG, dyes and sucralose, while food  containers  can contain BPA. OUCH!

Think you can cleanse with just a healthy dose of H2O? Think again. Water systems are contaminated with lead and have been treated with fluoride, chlorine and many other chemicals.

4 Signs of Toxicity

1.  Constipation

Bowel evacuation is the body’s natural way of eliminating waste. If you do not have a good-sized bowel movement every day, toxins are being reabsorbed into the blood stream and affecting your health.

2. Bad breath

This problem can indicate that your colon and liver are not eliminating toxins well.

3. Extra sensitivity to smells

If you have strong reactions to smoke, perfumes and other smells, you may be experiencing toxic overload.

4. Overweight

Difficulty in shedding extra pounds can be due to eating the wrong foods, but toxicity can also play a role. Some toxins like dioxins and pesticides are stored in the fat cells. When the body is storing a large quantity of these harmful chemicals, it poses a greater challenge to weight control.

Symptoms of Toxicity

The maladies that can ensue from chronic toxicity are too numerous to mention, but here are a few. Toxic overload can cause headaches, joint pain and rashes along with difficulty concentrating, food cravings and acne. Diseases related to toxicity include cancer, depression and attention deficit disorder in addition to autoimmune conditions, Alzheimer’s disease and arthritis.

11 Easy Ways to Detoxify

1. Drink  green tea, which is a natural purifier.

2. Drink plenty of filtered water to flush toxins out of your system.

3. Eat foods high in fiber, which include fruit, vegetables and grains as well as nuts and seeds.  Cruciferous vegetables  like cabbage, Brussels sprouts and broccoli are especially helpful. Two tablespoons of ground flaxseeds per day is beneficial as well. Incorporate garlic, parsley and cilantro into your diet, as they are natural detoxifiers.

4. Avoid processed foods and refined carbohydrates like white bread and pasta. Get in the habit of reading food labels to avoid those that are high in additives.

5. Exercise regularly to eliminate toxins through perspiration.

6. Dry-brush your skin with a natural bristle brush or loofa sponge. Use brushing strokes that more toward the heart rather than away from it. If you need some dry brushing tip,  check out this article.

7. Practice deep-breathing techniques.

8. Reduce alcohol intake and avoid taking unnecessary drugs.

9. A 24-hour fruit fast is very beneficial for internal cleansing and eliminating toxins. In this type of fast you only eat only fresh raw fruits, instead of those that are canned or cooked.

10.  Fit for Life  authors recommends a daily fruit fast by eating nothing but fruit and fresh fruit juices every morning until noon. It is a means of everyday cleansing.

11. The use of a castor oil pack is a time-honored method of  detoxification.

Article Sources:

http://www.healthyaeon.com/2013/10/4-signs-there-are-too-many-toxins

http://drhyman.com/blog/2010/05/19/is-there-toxic-waste-in-your-body

http://www.foundthemarbles.com/2013/04/how-to-eliminate-toxins

Previous articles by Mary West:

• Hugs: The Ultimate Mind-Body Medicine

• Study Finds Exercise Literally Makes Your Brain Grow

• Can One Extra Hour of Sleep Affect Your Day? The Answer Might Shock You
• Big Pharma’s Clinical Drug Trials Are Killing Thousands Overseas
• The Link Between Antidepressants and Murder
• 4 New Reasons to Avoid Pesticides
• Toxic Gene Discovered in GM Crops Shows Approval Process Is Fatally Flawed
• 5 Newly Discovered Health Powers of Asparagus
• Coconut Oil Could Help Fight Tooth Decay
• 8 Ways to Maximize Telomere Length and Increase Life Expectancy

About the author:

Mary West is a natural health enthusiast, as she believes this area can profoundly enhance overall wellness. Ms. West is the author of  Fight Cancer Through Powerful Natural Strategies, and  the creator of  alternativemedicinetruth.com,  a natural healing website where she focuses on solutions to health problems that work without side effects.

This article was republished with permission from  Live in the Now, one of the fastest growing natural health newsletters. Visit  LiveInTheNow.com  to browse their complete library of articles, or join the nearly 60,000 readers subscribed to  their Newsletter.