Industrial facilities released 3.4 billion pounds of toxic chemicals into the environment in 2019, according to the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA). More than 86,000 chemicals have been released into our environment since the beginning of the Industrial Revolution.
The average baby is born with 287 toxins in their umbilical cord, according to the Environmental Working Group. If a newborn has that many toxins in their system, imagine how many the average adult must have.
And very few of those chemicals have been tested for their effect on our long-term health. The fact is, we don’t know how many of those chemicals are building up in our bodies, making us sick and fat.
Where are all of these toxins coming from? They’re in the air, from emissions from cars, factories, and even fire places. They’re on our food. They’re in the our pans and dishes. They’re in our cleaning products. They’re in our skin products. Did you know the average woman applies 515 chemicals to her face every day? Makeup, deodorants, lotions, perfumes and other beauty products all contribute to the toxic brew.
Unfortunately, traditional medicine generally ignores the impact of toxins on our health. Fortunately, scientists and Functional Medicine practitioners are paying attention and there is increasingly more information on how to avoid toxins and how to detoxify.
But how do you know if you’re toxic? Start with the symptoms. Many people are walking around with the toxic symptoms and don’t even know that toxins could be to blame.
The following is a list of common symptoms related to chronic toxicity:
- Fatigue
- Headaches/Migraines
- Gastrointestinal Issues like gas, bloating, diarrhea, constipation, heartburn
- Brain fog
- Sinus congestion, sinus problems
- Weight gain
- Rashes
- Acne
- PMS
- Dark circles under the eyes
- Food cravings
- Bad breath
- Canker sores
- Muscle and joint aches and pains
Even worse, there are many diseases related to chronic toxicity including:
- Cancer
- Parkinson’s disease
- Heart disease
- Dementia
- ADHD
- Chronic fatigue
- Autoimmune diseases
- Irritable bowel diseases like Crohn’s and ulcerative colitis
- Infertility
So how do you know if you have chronic toxicity and what can you do about it?
The good news is, we can test for toxicity. I run tests like the NutrEval, the Ion panel, GPL-TOX, or Total Tox-Burden that can test for heavy metals, environmental toxins, and mycotoxins. Once you know what toxins you’re dealing with, you can use specific supplements, foods, and things like regular saunas to detoxify.
Stay tuned, next week I will talk about how to avoid toxins in your foods and the best foods to help you detoxify.
Want to test for toxicity or explore a symptom you haven’t been able to resolve? Book a Free Discovery Call with Dr. Carolyn Finnegan, Functional Medicine Doctor.
