Over the past few days, I was surprised how many times people have asked “what are body toxins” in the course of normal conversations.
I don’t know if people are just more away from what we have been putting in our bodies or if it’s a new buzzword that someone is using. With all these questions, I have decided to write this article.
What is a Toxin
Dictionary.com defines a toxin as “any poison produced by an organism, characterized by antigenicity in certain animals and high molecular weight, and including the bacterial toxins that are the causative agents of tetanus, diphtheria, etc., and such plant and animal toxins as ricin and snake venom.”
Well, there you have it. But what does this really mean to us normal people? I will break it down and give some examples along the way.
There is one big scary word in that definition that I need to define before I continue.
An Antigen “is any substance that can stimulate the production of antibodies and combine specifically with them. “
The first thing that pops into my head is being assimilated by the Borg (any of you Trekkies out there will know what I mean).
What are Body Toxins?
Body toxins are simply anything that finds its way into our body that does not need to be there or can-do harm.
They are all around us and we can only reduce our exposure but cannot keep them out entirely. They can come from a variety of sources that I will cover in the next section.
We can see immediate results of some of these toxins when people have an allergic reaction to pollen or animal dander for example.
Do you know anyone with hay fever or who may be allergic to cats or dogs? These are usually short-term in most cases. What I want to talk more about is the types of toxins that will affect us over time.
Sources of Toxins
Some sources of toxins:
Breathing can introduce many toxins into our bodies. These are easily inhaled and spread throughout the body in moments. They can cause damage to our lungs and work their way into other parts of our bodies and into our vital organs. These come from:
- Smoking – whether it’s you or someone you are around. Did you know that some reports are showing over 4,000 chemicals, which includes 43 known carcinogens in cigarettes?
- Factories – ever gone by coal or other factory and seen how much soot is built up on things around the area? Imagine that in your lungs.
- Pesticides – when farmers are spraying their crops, do you think that the chemicals are only harming the bugs and insects? What will small amounts do to us over time?
- Fires – how many toxins are released into the air from a wildfire or even a house fire? Tires alone have over 15 known cancer-causing elements according to various medical reports. Why do you think there is such a great concern when tires are involved in a fire?
We can ingest toxins when we eat or drink something. How we pollute our bodies:
- Factories have been getting much better about dumping into and polluting our waters, thanks to the efforts of the EPA. This goes far beyond the mercury levels that we have to watch for in our fish, but would you like to
drink from or eat something that came from a waterway that has been so polluted that it actually caught on fire? How much waste does it take to catch a river on fire? Some places will dump raw sewage in the waterways during heavy rain or system backup. Now we get to experience what it was like living in the dark ages! - In order to keep up with the demand for food, many cattle ranchers are using larger amounts of growth hormones. Chickens are not usually injected due to breeding programs to get larger more egg-producing birds. With this in mind, what do most animals end up eating? How about some of that grain that the farmers used pesticides on? We just can’t get away from that stuff!
- Now let’s look at food in general. Take something as simple as bread. Should be safe food, right? But there are several things used to help preserve or extend the life of a loaf of bread. Most are harmless. What about all those processed foods? How many preservatives and additives go into those? Let’s just say a lot.
Those are just two basic ways. We can easily get toxins absorbed through our skin from lotions, creams, cleansers, cosmetics, or accidentally spilling something on us. Let’s just say more than we really want to know.
What do Toxins do?
Once a toxin has been introduced to our body, the body will fight back and try to flush it out. If we are drinking plenty of clean purified water, this will reduce the number of toxins in us. There are other natural ways to cleanse our bodies. Some herbs or other natural foods can have a great effect on toxins.
If toxins build to a point, then you will need to seek a healthcare professional. Sorry, but sometimes if we let toxins build up long enough they will cause health problems and new toxins known as medications will need to be introduced into our bodies.
Don’t get me wrong here, I am not taking a completely holistic approach to life, but as I have said before, there are times when drugs will save your life.
Without going into too much detail here, toxins can affect your body in different ways:
- They can prevent organs from functioning properly
- You may feel tired or sluggish
- You may suffer from frequent headaches or diarrhea
- You may get more frequent colds or other illnesses
There is Still Hope
I have only provided a few examples, but as you can see, if our bodies become too toxic, our health and immune systems can be affected. Our body can only do so much by itself. This is why we need to help it once in a while to purge those toxins with a simple cleanse.
Thank you for reading and please leave any questions or comments below.
Can a Cleanse Remove Toxins From My Body
Cleansing can be a great way to support your body’s detoxification process.
Toxins can contribute to a range of health issues, so naturally, something that promises toxin removal can sound attractive. But the human body cleanse is actually a complex process and it’s important to consider if attempting a cleanse is a safe or effective choice for you.
Like anything, there are pros and cons, but if you do decide to cleanse your body, make sure to take the time to research different options so that you can make an informed decision.
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