Not my story but an E course I share with you , Today we start with part 2 a NON TOXID life Night Moth When most people think about “getting healthy” they will usually spend time working on their diet and exercise routines. Both are important, to be sure. But many people forget about another aspect of healthy living: Dangerous Toxins. We live in a very toxic world. In fact, I often find myself wondering what life was like 500 years ago before machines, factories, cars, and other modern “marvels” hit the scene. Even with the current everything green movement, there are still a thousand ways to be bombarded with harmful chemicals and pollutants every day. My motto still stands: Progress not perfection. Unless you are willing to move far, far away and live a very different lifestyle you are going to be dealing toxins everyday. The key is to reduce that toxin load as much as possible. Today’s Assignment: Learn why toxic chemicals might be making you fat here. Most of us know that toxic chemicals bring all sorts of health hazards with them. But did you know that they may also be adding unwanted weight to your beautiful physique? (And trust me, it is beautiful.) And since today is the start of a New Year and approximately 7 gazillion Americans will be making a resolution to lose weight, I thought it might be useful to give a quick heads up one major factor that often goes unnoticed. Toxic chemicals and weight gain There is increasingly more research that is showing just how environmental toxins can directly lead to weight gain. In fact, Dr. Paula Baillie-Hamilton suggests the root cause of all weight gain is directly related to our own natural weight control system being overloaded and poisoned with toxic chemicals that we encounter through our skin care, food, cleaning products and general environment. Scary, right? Scientists recently uncovered a surprising and disturbing fact: environmental toxins make you fat and cause diabetes. Inside the body, these chemicals monkey with our ability to balance blood sugar and metabolize cholesterol. Over time, the changes can lead to insulin resistance. – Dr. Mark Hyman Here’s some of the nitty gritty on how toxic chemicals are making us fat: •Synthetic toxic chemicals are highly fat soluble therefore when the body is exposed to these substances it then gets busy creating fat tissue as a storehouse for those toxins that cannot be processed and eliminated from the body. •Because of their affinity to fat cells, after toxins attach to the outer cell membrane (a lipid bi-layer, or two layers of fat), it causes the cells to continually release Leptin. When Leptin is elevated too often, just like Insulin in Type II Diabetes, the receptors burn out and the message is not heard. Remember, Leptin is the hormone that tells the brain to burn fat for energy. Therefore, weight gain that does not respond to exercise or diet is inevitably due to Leptin resistance. •Toxic chemicals in the body also cause the release of chemicals called cytokines that damage Leptin receptors in the brain (hypothalamus). Once the receptors to Leptin have been damaged, Weight Loss Resistance is only the first of many problems. Learn how toxic chemicals are making us fat. And consider this scary fact: A group of insecticides and herbicides used in the growing of food, cosmetic, and medicinal ingredients, known as Carbamates, are also used as growth promoters in battery-farm situations because they slow down the metabolic rate. So, the same synthetic chemicals used on conventional fruit and vegetables are used to fatten livestock! So what to do? Weight is such a tricky beast… and unfortunately our society doesn’t help with it’s thinness worship and constant attacks on real beauty. My own weight issues disappeared when I switched to a real foods diet and ditched the toxic chemicals in my house. But it’s not always that easy. Stress, metabolic issues, emotional trauma… these are all factors that contribute to weight gain. But, if losing weight (in a HEALHY way, of course) is a New Year’s Resolution you’d like to keep, you really need to look at environmental toxic chemicals. The body wasn’t designed to deal with the massive attack of toxins that we have to face every day. Where to start. Toxic Free by Robin Konie of thankyourbody.If the idea of ditching all your commercial cleaning and beauty products is overwhelming, fear not! I’ve been working for months to get this little gem to you. And I’m so excited to tell you about my new ebook: Toxic Free. This is the book to get you started on your path a toxic free home. With 70 recipes, tips to get started, and all the info you need to find the best ingredients, this book will help you get rid of those toxic chemicals and rid your body of the heavy task of dealing with them. (Oh yeah, and it will save you lots of money in the long run, too.) Score! Learn more about Toxic Free here. thankyourbody/toxic-free/ this link shows where to buy the book if interested Night Moth And then read about some of the hidden sources of toxins (and what you can do about them) here, Hidden toxins in your home: Seek and destroy! With so much attention on eating right, staying active, and looking for more natural ways of living, we often neglect one major health hazard that is lurking about in our homes: Toxic chemicals. These hidden toxins are everywhere. Makeup, sunscreen, cleaning solutions, and all the other array of “products” that we use on a daily basis may help us feel beautiful and clean, but at what cost? Hidden toxins are hurting our health! Despite the many “natural,” “herbal,” or “organic” claims that are plastered over many of today’s top brands, most of the thousands of products available to us are full of harmful chemicals. There is very little (read: all but zero) regulation on these products, but there is a growing amount of research that has linked many of the common chemicals used in these products to cancer, infertility, and other health problems. Most people wouldn’t buy food with words like ethoxylated nonyl phenols, trisodium nitrilotriacetate, or ammonia listed in their ingredients. And yet we sometimes forget that the products we use in our daily life do find their way into our bodies. Remember, folks, your skin is the largest organ of the body. It is also a doorway into the body. Avoiding hidden toxins: What to look for when purchasing products While trying to dump your chemicals may seem a bit overwhelming at first (and maybe unrealistic), even taking small steps can help. Remember, it’s about progress not perfection (one of my favorite little sayings). Here are a few ideas to guide you as you choose your products: •Consider your daily routine and ask yourself if you really need all those products. While we sometimes believe there really might be some “magic” formula for perfect hair or a glowing complexion, paring down to a more basic routine is really the best beauty regiment out there. •Consider the safety of the products you do purchase. The Environmental Working Group has several databases showing the best products to buy in terms of their toxicity and harm. Check out their lists to buy the products that are safest. •Read the directions. We may not be able to decipher all the chemicals on our bottles (and there are some that aren’t necessarily bad), but we can get some hints by reading over the directions. For example, if a cleaning product tells you to rinse your countertop before serving food after you’ve used it, it’s probably a good sign that it’s not the best. Another great hint: if you see a skull with crossbones: Ditch it. When it doubt, do without (Or make it yourself!) Not sure where to start? There are so many great resources available today to start working toward a more greener living and finding those hidden toxins. Blogs, Pinterest (check out my all-natural cleaning board), a simple Google search. It really doesn’t take much effort to make some positive changes. Here are a few hints to get your started: Make your own natural and safe cleaning solutions. I’ve found that you really only need a few key ingredients (essentials like Vinegar, Super Washing Soda, Castile Soap, and Borax) to get a lot of clean for your buck. Of course, you can always get fancy-schmancy and add herbs and essential oils to really make your cleaning mark. Check out earthjustice.org for some great cleaning recipes and other helpful information. Consider making your own personal care products. Did you know you could make your own deodorant? I’ve had great success using this recipe. I’ve also been making my own shampoo for sometime. And toothpaste (don’t tell my sister-in-law dental hygienist, okay?). And I use coconut oil for both a moisturizer and hair serum. In fact, the only products I think I buy at this point in an actual “personal care” aisle are my toothbrush and dental floss. Weird? Maybe. Economical? Indeed. Empowering? You bet. Free from hidden toxins? YES! Be sure to check out my book Toxic Free for 70 recipes for both personal and home care. If making your own cleaning products doesn’t appeal to you, be sure to check out some quality, safe, and non-toxic cleaning products for purchase in here. Raid your kitchen. Use coconut oil instead of baby lotion. Oatmeal for a facial mask. Sugar to exfoliate. Olive oil can clean your face. Egg yolks, avocado, maca powder, applesauce… Seriously, there are so many resources to beautify yourself naturally. And it only makes sense that the things that are safe to go in our bodies and the same things that are safe to go on it. Check out these other great pantry beauty “products” that come with no toxic harm. Embrace your natural beauty. This one can be hard in a world that tells us we need a cupboard full of products to make us beautiful. Ever since I was young I’ve felt a need to cover my acne-prone face. I couldn’t imagine leaving my house without “dolling” myself up first. Thankfully, my husband gave me enough confidence to help me realize that my makeup wasn’t making me more beautiful. And I’m not a doll. I’m a person. It took some time, and little baby steps, but I eventually threw out almost all of my makeup. (I still occasionaly wear a light organic mascara and some tinted Burt’s Bees lip balm. But that’s it.) And you know what? I feel great. I don’t look much different than before. My skin feels and looks so much better now that it’s free from hidden toxins and garbage. And I have more time in my morning, and I’m not wasting money on makeup, either. Talk about freedom! Win, win, win, win, win. (Yes, that’s a lot of winning.) Want to learn more? Are you willing to start the journey towards a more toxic-free life? there is a video with this part so heres the link to the page where you can find it thankyourbody/hidden-toxins/ Reduce home toxins by 60% (and you’ll never guess how easy it is!) Ready to reduce home toxins by 60%? Yeah, I thought so. And you’ll love how simple the solution is. Ready for it? I’m going to tell you right here in the first paragraph: Take your shoes off. That’s it! Reduce home toxins that easily. Seems to good to be true, right? But it is. The truth is that research has shown that 85% of the soil and contaminants inside your home can be found within 10 to 12 feet of the exterior doors. Think about all the places your feet go throughout a day. The grocery store. The gas station. The park. Now think about how many other feet are also trekking around those places. Feet that have been who-knows-where. What’s coming in? Research has shown that there may be a whole lot more coming into your house than you might be aware of. Things like insect fragments, lead dust, pesticides, pollen, dust mites, animal dander, hair, human skin flakes, fungal spores or cigarette ash. In other words, a lot of gross and a lot of home toxins. In fact, a recent study indicates that cockroach exoskeletons and droppings found in household dust can trigger asthma. Reduce home toxin by 60% with this super simple trick. Fact: Around 30 to 40 percent of the contaminants inside your home are brought in from outdoors. This can be especially problematic for children who are crawling and sitting on the floor a lot who are exposed to home toxins even more. Reduce home toxins: Take your shoes off. In a recent warning about lead exposure, the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) specifically recommends taking your shoes off when you come inside. According to a report called the Door Mat Study, lead-contaminated soil from the outside causes almost all the lead dust inside homes, and it notes that removing shoes at the door cuts lead dust by 60 percent. Even better: This study also explains that this simple act of taking off your shoes may reduce exposure to lawn and garden pesticides, wood smoke, industrial toxins, mutagens, dust mites, and other allergens, too. Reduce home toxin by 60% with this super simple trick. Other barefoot benefits Growing up, we always took our shoes off in our house (although it was because my mom had five kids and cleaning fetish). In college, as a modern dance major, I had to take my shoes off before entering the studio every day. I soon grew to love being free from restrictive shoes. Going barefoot (or even wearing socks) allows your feet to move through its whole range of motion. It’s better for your feet, posture, and health. (And then there’s the whole earthing thing, too!) Oh yeah, removing your shoes will also: •Decrease time cleaning. (The professional cleaning industry estimates that we track 85% of the dirt in our homes in from the outside on our shoes or paws of pets. ) •Reduce wear and tear on flooring, especially carpets. So there you go! A super simple way way to reduce home toxins by 60% while providing all sorts of other benefits, too. Plus, I love my little shoe bench. In my book that’s a SUPER WIN! 3 ways to improve your indoor air quality The air you breathe matters. A lot. And I’m not just taking about the great outdoors. Nope. We’re talking indoor air quality here. According to the Environmental Protection Agency, indoor air quality may be anywhere from 2 to 5 times poorer than outdoor air quality. In some cases, it’s more than 100 times worse (source). Yikes! This becomes even more of a concern during the winter months when we spend less time outside. And let’s be honest, most of us spend more time indoors than we do outdoors no matter what the season. Some of the immediate reactions to poor indoor air quality include: •Frequent sneezing and coughing at home •Waking up congested or with a headache •Irritated throat, nose or eyes Long term reactions include things like asthma and respiratory infections. 3 simple ways to improve your air quality (and why you need to!) Poor indoor air quality: Common culprits •Smoking indoors, smoke drifting in from outdoors, or smoke being carried indoors on clothing •Other things that burn, like oil, gas, kerosene, charcoal briquettes, wood or candles •Central heating, cooling or humidifying systems •New or recently installed building materials and furnishings, including carpets and certain wood pressed products •Household cleaning and maintenance products •Personal care products, like hair spray or soaps •Too much moisture in the house •Tracking pesticides and pollens in on shoes and clothes •Improper circulation of fresh, outside air The quality level in your home is determined by how much and how often pollution is getting into the air. For example, if you have a properly adjusted gas stove, it will emit significantly less carbon monoxide than one that is not properly adjusted. And of course, good ventilation contributes to improving air quality. Improving indoor air quality Aside from the obvious solutions (don’t smoke indoors, replace air filters, check for mold, etc), there are three simple ways that you can improve your indoor air quality right now. And they don’t require fancy technology, either. Awesome. 1. Open your windows 3 simple ways to improve your air quality (and why you need to!) Circulating fresh, outdoor air through your home not only removes stale air but it also moves pollutants out. It brings in fresh oxygen and makes your home feel better really fast. But it’s cold outside! During the winter months it’s especially important to circulate air. I will open 1 or 2 windows for 10 – 15 minutes once or twice a day. It generally doesn’t affect my heat, but I do notice a difference in the air almost immediately. (I’ll often turn my heater off during that time so that it doesn’t turn on and push money out the window.) You can also choose one room, close the heat vents and open the windows for 20 minutes with the door closed. When you are done, close the windows and then open the door to let that fresh air in throughout the whole house. Note: If the air outside is really bad you may want to hold off on opening the window. For example, in Utah (the land where I live) we usually get a nasty inversion during January. I will always check the air quality outside before opening my window during those “yucky” days. Check your outdoor air quality here. (for U.S. Residents) 2. Go green: House plants to the rescue. 3 simple ways to improve your air quality (and why you need to!) In the late ’80s, NASA and the Associated Landscape Contractors of America studied houseplants as a way to purify the air in space facilities. Since plants are nature’s lungs, it makes sense that they would be good to have in the home. Best of all, many houseplants not only filter the air but can also absorb air toxins like benzene, formaldehyde, and trichloroethylene. According to the NASA study, here are the top plants to improve indoor air quality: •English ivy (Hedera helix) •Spider plant (Chlorophytum comosum) •Golden pothos or Devil’s ivy (Scindapsus aures or Epipremnum aureum) •Peace lily (Spathiphyllum ’Mauna Loa’) •Chinese evergreen (Aglaonema modestum) •Bamboo palm or reed palm (Chamaedorea sefritzii) •Snake plant or mother-in-law’s tongue (Sansevieria trifasciata‘Laurentii’) •Heartleaf philodendron (Philodendron oxycardium, syn.Philodendron cordatum) •Selloum philodendron (Philodendron bipinnatifidum, syn.Philodendron selloum) •Elephant ear philodendron (Philodendron domesticum) •Red-edged dracaena (Dracaena marginata) •Cornstalk dracaena (Dracaena fragans ’Massangeana’) •Janet Craig dracaena (Dracaena deremensis ’Janet Craig’) •Warneck dracaena (Dracaena deremensis ’Warneckii’) •Weeping fig (Ficus benjamina) •Gerbera daisy or Barberton daisy (Gerbera jamesonii) •Pot mum or florist’s chrysanthemum (Chrysantheium morifolium) •Rubber plant (Ficus elastica) The NASA studies generated the recommendation that you use 15 to 18 good-sized houseplants in 6 to 8-inch diameter containers to improve air quality in an average 1,800 square foot house. The more vigorously they grow, the better job they’ll do for you. (source) But even if you can’t get that many right now, any houseplants are better than none. 3. Ditch the toxic chemicals Homemade Glass Cleaner: Simple. Effective. Nontoxic. The fumes and chemicals from common household cleaning products are big-time offenders of indoor air quality. Ironically, things like commercial “air fresheners” are some of the most toxic stuff around (and often have labels on them informing the use not to inhale… even though the product is designed to be sprayed in the air?) There are so many basic recipes out there to help you get rid of the toxic stuff for good while improving indoor air quality, too. If you aren’t sure where to start, consider checking out my new ebook: Toxic Free. It’s perfect for those looking to remove harmful toxins for good. You’ll also simplify your life and put a few extra bucks in your pocket to boot.
Posted on: Sun, 30 Nov 2014 09:30:00 +0000