Toxic?
The fact is we are bombarded each day with so many things that are toxic to our bodies. Even if we are eating the best foods, clean of all the chemicals and pesticides, there are more chemicals that we are bombarded with each day other than just in our foods.
There are so many toxins that we can’t even control. Every time we walk out our door and breathe the air we are being filled with toxins. We even get it in our homes, from furniture too, carpeting, cleaners, clothes, and just the structure of our homes. It is like how can we get away from it. The reality is we cannot get away from it all but we can control as much as possible to give our bodies less to fight off.
What can I do?
I cannot exhaust everything that can make the difference in this writing but I am going to share what I can. In part 5 I talked to you about the importance of breathing and how important it is to our health. Even though we can’t get away from all the toxins in the air there are areas that are less toxic. If you have the privilege of living in the country, rather than the city, the air is fresher. There is a lot more of God’s green creation that helps to purify the air, like the trees. You can also help to purify your home with having plants that give off oxygen for us. I also love to bring in the outdoors by diffusing essential oils. There are different ones that kill off bad bacteria that is in the air. My favorite is a Protective Blend.
What we eat can also be a factor in ridding our body of toxins. There is so much of our food today that is full of toxic substances. The more we stay away from processed foods the better. But even the fresh foods that God has given us to eat are covered with toxins. The more we can eat organic and non-GMO foods the better. And it is best to wash all our fruits and veggies with soap to get rid of what we can of the bad bacteria.
I make up a foaming wash that I use that works great not only for washing fruits and veggies but also to wash my hands. I take a 10-12 ounce foamer and put around 2 T. of Dr. Bronners Castile non-scented liquid soap in and then add 3-4 drops of Protective Blend. Then I fill the rest with water and I have a great fruit and veggie wash.
The rest we get…
The rest we get is very important when it comes to reducing our toxic load as well. In part 7 of this series, I went into more depth about getting good rest and the benefits of it. But in short, it also helps our bodies to deal with the toxic load. And if we are not doing all things that help with the toxic load our bodies get to the point that they can’t take it anymore and they become very sick. For more details what sleep does and how you can get more rest make sure to read part 7.
We also need to be exercising. Exercise keeps our blood moving through more quickly so that the impurities are filtered out. And also when we get moving it we start to sweat and actually sweat out toxins. Our body systems work together and we need to be doing all we can to support all our body systems.
Emotional stress…
Emotional stress is very toxic to the body. We have to learn how to reduce our emotional stress. All the things I mentioned above will really help with our emotional toxicity but there are other things that also will help in this area. I will be diving into this more in part 10 in this series so stay tuned.
We need to flood our bodies…
We also need to flood our bodies with water. Now you can over drink water but on the majority, we do not have trouble with too much water in our society. I hate to break it to you but coffee, sodas, or any other drink other than water does not work. Imagine trying to wash your dishes with any other substance other than water. They would not be clean. The same is true of our bodies. We need water to keep our bodies clean and cleansed of the toxins.
It is easy to figure out the minimum amount of water you should drink each day. Just take your weight and divide it by two and drink that in ounces. So if you way 150 you would drink 75 ounces a day which is around 9-10 cups of water. Now for me, I drink more than the minimum.
Some people have a really hard time drinking water. There are some little tricks that you can do that can help. You not only help you get rid of the toxins but also give some flavor to your water. Some people like to squeeze fresh lemon or lime in their water. Now I am not talking about lemonade, just the pure lemon. What I like to do is add a few drops of essential oil like Lemon, Lime, Wild Orange, etc. It gives some flavor and helps detox me at the same time.
You might be saying, “I thought you just said not to add anything to your water.” I did say that but it depends on what you add. Essential oils like Lemon are actually added to many cleaning products such as dish soap. If it can help detox my dishes it can detox me. I am sorry coffee, soda, etc do not detox our dishes or our bodies. There is a warning with this. Not all essential oils are created equal so be careful which ones you choose to put on your body or take internally. Purity is the key! And even if you put it on your skin you are taking it into your body.
What about…
What about cleaners that are in our home? Can they be toxic to us and cause our bodies to become toxic? Absolutely! That is why have made a big change in my cleaning products. It has been a process. But it has been so worth it. I have tried different “healthy” laundry soaps and even though the smell is better than the ones you buy in the store, what I use now is even better for me.
And what I do for my dryer is wool balls with drops of my favorite essential oil on them. You can change it up now and then with different ones. I also have changed to a multi-purpose concentrated cleaner that I can mix up in different ways for different cleaning needs. Also, there are DIY’s that I have used or want to try for the toilet, shower, sinks, etc. My body handles these so much better.
And then there are the things that we put on our bodies like deodorants, lotions, soaps, shampoos, teeth, etc. To have a healthy deodorant is a must. Using the deodorants that are antiperspirants is very unhealthy. You want to the toxins to come out not be left in your body. I have never used an antiperspirant but I have struggled with finding a healthy deodorant that actually works. But now I have one and it is naturally infused with essential oils. There is also an option for people who can’t use baking soda for absorbance.
I have changed my toothpaste to a natural one that does not have fluoride. I love it and it has been a miracle for my mom. She had been dealing with receding gum issues but the dentist told her that her gums are now reattaching. I am so grateful!
I have also changed my shampoo and conditioner and what I actually put on my hair. There are so many toxins in hair products and it goes right into your body. It makes me cringe to think about it because it goes right into your brain.
What about perfumes? There are so many options with essential oils with DIY recipes for perfumes and it is way healthier for your body. You will smell great and the oils are a blessing to your body. Depending on which oils you use they can be relaxing during a stressful time at work, give you energy when you need a boost, etc. I have several blends of oils that I get to use as a perfume. One of my favorite essential oil blends for perfume is Hope. I love the smell. But another reason I love it is that the proceeds help support organizations like Operation Underground Railroad that are fighting against sex trafficking worldwide.
Lotions are another area of so many toxins. I love the lotion that I use now because it has no scent. Whenever I use some lotion I can choose to leave it with no scent or I can add one of my favorite essential oils to it. For me, I love it when I know that I am using things that do not fill my body with toxins.
I am so grateful for the options that we now have to keep us healthier. If we want to support healthy immune function we do need to make the appropriate changes in order to accomplish our goal.
Dear Father,
Thank You that You have ways for us to stay healthier. It can be hard to follow a plan that is healthier for us. Please give us the courage and the strength to make the changes that will make us healthier. It can be more expensive for us to make those changes but Lord I have found that as I follow your plan for a healthier lifestyle You always come through with the blessings I need to accomplish my goal to be healthier. Thank You for leading and guiding in each our lives.
In Jesus Name,
Amen
Start out making some changes today in your toxic load. Just take it a step and a time and you will get there.
Love you all.
What changes have you already made in your life to eliminate your toxic load? Share in the comments.
This is part 9 in a several part series “Maintaining Healthy Immune Function”. There are many things I will be sharing with you on how to support your immune system, both physically and spiritually. Although what I am sharing is not exhaustive, I am sharing just a taste from my own experience. In part 8 I talked about the rest that can bring complete rest and how it helps us maintain healthy spiritual immune function. Coming up in part 10 I will be talking about toxic load when it comes to our spiritual lives. Toxic things bombard us each day that can affect our spiritual lives. What can we do to help reduce toxic load so that we can “Maintain Healthy Spiritual Immune Function?” Stay tuned!