What Are Toxins?

Our bodies are exposed to toxins on a daily basis – polluted waters, solvents in gasoline, pesticides in our food, chemicals in our beauty products and cleaning supplies, pollution in the air we breathe, and much more. In fact, humans today are exposed to more toxins than ever before. Despite the body’s best effort to eliminate these toxins through its very efficient systems, the onslaught of exposure can cause a build-up of toxins in the body’s tissues over time. The symptoms can vary from mild symptoms (nausea and headache) to severe symptoms (coma, convulsions, or death).

Toxicity is divided into seven categories with each having its own symptoms.

Dermatological – Dermatological toxicity affects the eyes and the skin with symptoms such as itching, rashes, redness, and swelling. Gastrointestinal – Gastrointestinal issues can occur when you have been exposed to toxic chemicals. These symptoms affect the stomach and the intestines and cause diarrhea, nausea, and vomiting. Hematological – Hematological symptoms affect the blood. The common symptoms of hematological toxicity include anemia, weakness, and fatigue. Neurological – Neurological symptoms affect the brain and spinal cord. You can experience behavior problems, confusion, coma, convulsions, dizziness, depression, and headaches. Renal – Renal issues involve the kidneys. The common symptoms of renal toxicity include frequent urination and low back pain. Reproductive – If you have toxicity in the reproductive system, your reproductive organs can be affected. Infertility can occur and the risk of miscarriage increases exponentially. Respiratory – Respiratory toxicity affects the lungs, nose, and trachea. Respiratory signs include choking, coughing, irritation, and tight chest.

Detoxification refers to the process of removing chemicals and toxic substances from your body. Detoxification helps purge the body (the liver and the colon in particular) of the toxins and reduces the risk for many diseases in the long run. There are several different types of detoxification, and while some of them target the entire body (such as detox diets or chelation therapy), others target specific organs or areas in particular (colon cleanse). Detoxification therapies can be used to aid the body in eliminating dangerous toxins before they cause major health problems and even disease.