How to eliminate toxins and pathogens

Toxins and pathogens can create inflammation, disease, hormonal imbalance, liver damage, fatigue, mood swings and a plethora of symptoms.  They can enter our bodies via the skin, lungs and digestive tract, so it's important to be aware of how you get exposed to them daily.  

By learning to avoid them as much as possible, we can reduce our toxic load and have better health. 

Toxins can be things like:

• Drugs
• Alcohol
• Cigarette smoke
• Caffeine
• Heavy metals
• Pesticides
• Pharmaceutical drugs 

Pathogens are harmful microorganisms like:

• Virus and bacteria
• Fungus
• Parasites

Let's discuss the ways we can combat harmful toxins and pathogens in our modern lives and eliminate them from our bodies once they are there.

Our bodies are well equipped to eliminate toxins via our skin, bowels, liver, kidneys and breath and they do an efficient job when these organs are working well.  

But when these organs are not functioning well or we are exposed to high levels, our bodies can become over burdend with toxins and illness and disease can take hold.

Toxins can damage the cells in our bodies, destory beneficial gut bacteria, disrupt hormones and your immune system.  Some are neurotoxic and upset mood and thinking and others create birth defects, are carcinogenic and create asthma and skin rashes.  So what should be do about them?

It's important you're having 1-2 bowels motions a day, which ensures the fast transit time of waste from the body.  If waste is not passed regularly and left in the body too long, it can be reabsorbed back into the body and cause toxicity and inflammation.

Ways to promote good bowel function is to:

• Exercise
• Eat lots of fruits and vegetables
• Drink lots of water
• Try herbals teas like senna
• Consume probiotics 

If you're unable to easily and regularly pass stools, then it's time to consider some natural remedies to help.  Such as senna tea, enemas, natural laxatives like pear or prune juice.  This is covered more in detail in my program.  A toxic bowel = A toxic body.

Tap water may contains toxins like chlorine, fluoride, heavy metals and microorganisms. 

Filtering your water or buying spring water is a good way to reduce these things entering your body.  Boiling water can also assist with the removal of some toxins and pathogens.

Good air quality is important for optimal health.  

Avoid chemical air fresheners and when buying new products (particularly plastic items), put them outside to off-gas before bringing them into your home.  When using paints or other chemicals be sure you have good ventilation to move the toxic vapours.  

Open your windows to promote good airflow through your home.  

In colder climates, put potted plants indoors, which filter and clean the air naturally. If working indoors take regular breaks outside and get as much fresh air as possible and if you smoke, it's time to give up the habit.

A strong immune system contains a good balance of beneficial bacteria and makes us resistant to pathogens.   

Unfortunately, due to high stress lifestyles, poor diet and unbalanced bacteria, we are unable to fight off the bad guys leaving us open to inflammation and disease.

We can get infected with pathogens via our food, water, air and skin.  Some common ones are:

• Parasites: Giardia, pinworms, flatworms, tapeworms, dientamoeba fraglis, malaria, blastocystis hominis and cryptosporidium.
• Viruses: Rotovirus, hepatitis, herpes, mumps, measles, chickenpox, cold and flu & HPV.
• Bacterial: E coli, listeria, salmonella, helicobacter pylori, cholera, borrelia (Lyme) tetanus.
• Fungal:  Moulds and yeasts, candida , tinea, stachyboyrys Atra (black mould)

Here are some ways to combat pathogens.

Wash your hands with soap and water to prevent picking up pathogens in the environment.

Young children are prone to picking up pinworms, because they tend to put toys in their mouths and have poor toilet hygiene.  Also, keep your home free from black mould, which produces harmful mycotoxins that are hazardous to human health.

Certain foods like coconut, garlic, cloves and paw paw seeds can help our bodies eliminate pathogens.  

There are also some herbal preparations from health food store that can also help, like black walnut, pau d'arco and wormwood. 

Stress changes the bacterial balance in our gut and weakens the immune system, leading to an imbalance of good and bad bacteria.  And as you know, a strong immune system means a healthy body.

Many viruses lay dormant in the body (like herpes) until conditions are favourable or the immune system is compromised before they take hold.  Stress is often the trigger that opens the door for this to happen.   

Maintaining low stress levels will help keep our immune system strong to it is able to effectively control pathogens within the body.

70-80% of the immune system is in the gut, so its vitally important to have the correct balance of bacteria in the body.  

Consuming fermented foods like sauerkraut, kefir, miso and yoghurt, which are filled with beneficial bacteria will help promote good bacteria in our gut.  There are also probiotic supplements available, however they tend to be more expensive.

A plant-based diet rich in vitamins and minerals, helps strengthen our body and immune system, so it can effectively fight off pathogens.  A high fibre diet will also promote the growth of beneficial bacteria needed for health and immunity. 

As we rid our bodies of unwanted pathogens and toxins, inflammation and symptoms will start to reduce and we can have improved health and wellbeing.