Posted on

10 STEPS TO TOXIN-FREE LIVING

LEARN HOW TO REDUCE YOUR TOXIC BURDEN AND ELIMINATE TOXINS FROM YOUR DAILY ROUTINE

In the hustle and bustle of modern life, we are constantly exposed to numerous toxins. They lurk in our homes, our food, our water, and even our personal care products. Even though it is nearly impossible to avoid all toxins, there are steps we can take to minimize our exposure and lead a healthier life with less toxic burden. Here are ten simple and effective ways to eliminate toxins from your daily routine.

1. Assess Your Environment

The first step to toxin-free life is understanding where potential threats may be lurking. Toxins can be found in a number of common household items including cleaning products, personal care items, and pesticides. By identifying these sources, you can make positive choices for a healthier lifestyle.

2. Transition to Natural and Eco-friendly Alternatives

Once you’ve identified potential sources of toxins, the next step is to replace them with natural, eco-friendly alternatives. Trade in your chemical-laden household cleaners for non-toxic options like vinegar, baking soda, and essential oils. Not only will these alternatives keep your home clean, but they also won’t release harmful toxins into the air you breathe.

3. Opt for Organic Foods

Food is another major source of toxin exposure. By choosing organic produce, you can minimize your exposure to pesticides, hormones, and synthetic fertilizers that are often used in conventional farming.

4. Filter Your Water

Water is life, but unfortunately, it can also be a source of toxins. Investing in a high-quality water filter can help remove contaminants like chlorine, heavy metals, prescription medication, and pollutants from your drinking water.

5. Detox Your Personal Care Routine

Your personal care routine can also be a source of toxin exposure. Consider switching to natural skincare, haircare, and cosmetic products that are free from harmful chemicals like parabens, phthalates, and synthetic fragrances. These natural alternatives can be just as effective and are much gentler on your skin and hair.

6. Purify Your Indoor Air

Air quality is another important factor in your journey to a toxin-free life. Air purifiers with HEPA filters can help remove pollutants and allergens from your home. Additionally, certain indoor plants are known for their air-purifying properties and can make a great addition to your home decor.

7. Limit Plastic Use

Plastics can contain harmful chemicals like BPA and phthalates, which can leach into your food and drinks. By minimizing your use of plastic and opting for glass or stainless steel containers, you can further reduce your exposure to these toxins.

8. Choose Natural Fabrics

The clothes you wear can also contribute to your toxin exposure. Opt for clothing made from organic cotton, hemp, or bamboo to reduce your exposure to toxins found in synthetic fibers and chemical dyes.

9. Practice Mindful Eating

What you eat and how you eat it can also play a role in your toxin exposure. Choose whole, unprocessed foods whenever possible and limit your consumption of processed and packaged items that often contain artificial additives and preservatives.

10. Support Your Body’s Natural Detoxification Processes

Finally, remember to support your body’s own detoxification processes. Regular exercise, rest, adequate hydration, and a balanced diet rich in fruits, vegetables, and fiber can help your body eliminate toxins more efficiently.

By adopting these ten steps into your daily routine, you can significantly reduce your exposure to toxins and pave the way for a healthier, cleaner lifestyle.

Posted on

Can Understanding Epigenetics Help You Live a Healthier Life?

You probably already know that lifestyle choices can impact health. You may have also heard that our genes play a role in our health and susceptibility to disease. But what you may not know is that these two factors are actually interconnected. And if you change your internal and external environment, you may have the ability to change your life and your gene expression. Learning more about epigenetics may help you understand how to do just that.

What is Epigenetics?

Epigenetics is the study of how certain genes are turned on or off in response to the environment. It was once thought to be a static process but recent research has shown that may not be the case and that the environment can have a significant impact on whether or not genes are activated.  Gene expression can be influenced by a number of factors, including diet, stress, exposure to toxins, and even one’s own thoughts and emotions. By understanding how epigenetics impacts DNA, we may be able to find new ways to protect our health.   

Genes and Your DNA

DNA is often referred to as the blueprint of life because it contains the instructions needed to build and maintain a living organism, including all the parts of the body. But how does DNA carry out these instructions? The answer lies in genes.

A gene is a segment of DNA that contains the information needed to produce a particular protein.  Proteins are the building blocks of life and essential for nearly every function in the body, from providing structure (think cell walls) to helping with chemical reactions in the body (think enzymes).  In order to create a protein, DNA must first be transcribed into RNA.  This RNA is then translated into a protein according to the instructions contained in the DNA sequence.  

Epigenetics studies how gene expression can be controlled without changing the DNA sequence, which means the instructions do not change, but there can be a change in how genes function and whether or not the DNA is available for the body to read. The code must be visible in order to create the protein from the instructions, so if external factors have a direct influence on enabling or disabling the code, they have the ability to activate or deactivate our DNA.

What Does This Mean For Our Understanding of Disease?

Having the ability to turn genes on or off can have a significant impact on health.  It means an individual isn’t just a victim of his or her genes and may have more control than previously thought.  Just because there is a family history of a particular condition or disease, it isn’t a guarantee that disease will manifest.  

Identical twins who have the same exact DNA play an important role in genetic and epigenetic research.  If DNA and genes from birth predetermine the diseases that will manifest throughout a person’s life, then there wouldn’t be any variance between diseases in identical twins.  But that is not what researchers have found.  There can be a difference in which diseases manifest even in identical twins.  Therefore, gene expression isn’t fixed at birth and any differences found between identical twins is a result of environmental differences.  

If our lifestyle choices and environmental factors impact whether or not disease is able to manifest in the body, we may have more power and incentive for maintaining our health and wellbeing.  Understanding epigenetics can give us a reason to evaluate our surroundings and begin to take control of the factors that may impact gene expression. 

What Can We Do?

While our DNA is fixed at birth, epigenetic changes can occur throughout our lives in response to our diet, lifestyle, and exposure to toxins. These changes can impact our health both positively and negatively. For example, epigenetic changes have been linked to an increased risk for cancer and other diseases. However, epigenetics can also be used to improve our health. For instance, certain dietary supplements and lifestyle choices can help to promote healthy epigenetic changes that can protect against disease.

Practicing the key foundations of a healthy lifestyle can have an impact beyond just looking and feeling good, it may actually impact us on a cellular level as well.  There are a few key things we can do to make sure our genes are functioning optimally and to help protect our health.

  1. Get enough sleep – Research has shown that sleep plays a crucial role in gene regulation and chronic sleep deprivation has been linked to a number of health problems including obesity, diabetes and heart disease.  While the mechanism by which sleep affects gene expression is not fully understood, it is clear that getting enough rest is essential for maintaining our health. So if you’re looking to improve your health, make sure you’re getting plenty of rest!
  2. Eat a healthy diet – A healthy diet is important for many reasons, and one of those is its impact on gene function. Nutrients play a crucial role in gene regulation, and deficiencies can lead to problems with gene function. Eating a diet rich in whole foods, including fruits and vegetables, healthy fats and lean protein can help ensure that our genes are getting the nutrients they need to function properly.
  3. Exercise regularly – Physical activity has been linked with positive changes in gene expression.  It has also been linked with positive changes in the body including improving biochemical processes such as methylation and hormone regulation, improving sleep quality, improving muscle tone and physical fitness and managing stress.   
  4. Avoid toxins –Toxic compounds are found regularly in our environment and can have a direct impact on gene function.  The best thing to do is educate yourself on the toxins that surround us and do your best to minimize your exposure. 
  5. Manage stress – Chronic stress has been linked with negative changes in gene expression as well as an increased risk of heart disease, depression, and anxiety.  Look for ways to manage stress in your life such as incorporating exercise, meditation or daily breathing exercises to minimize the negative impacts of stress.

Additionally, epigenetic testing can be used to identify individuals who are at a higher risk for certain conditions. This information can then be used to make lifestyle changes that may help to prevent or delay the onset of these conditions. Ultimately, epigenetics is a powerful tool that can be used to improve our health and wellbeing.

I hope you realize now that you may have more control over your health than you previously thought.  There are certainly factors beyond our control, but it’s worth it to evaluate what’s in your control and take the steps to protect your health the best way you know how.  Strive for progress, not perfection and know that knowledge is key. The more you educate yourself, the better choices you can make.