Things you should know:
4 billion pounds of chemicals are released into the environment each year
- 700 new chemicals are introduced into the marketplace each year without adequate testing
- The average adult carries within their body at least 700 toxins
- A newborn’s body can contain over 200 toxins
One of the most important things you can do to protect your health is to detoxify your body. Toxins not only impact your body – they also impact your brain.
I’ve presented on toxins at various events and written a blog post on how to detoxify your kitchen. So now let’s talk about toxins and their impact on your brain. This is part 1 of a 2 part series.
What is brain toxicity?
Brain toxicity is a condition which produces impaired brain function due to the brain’s exposure to and absorption of toxins. What are toxins? Toxins are solvents, chemicals, heavy metals (like mercury and lead), and neurotoxins such as the mycotoxins produced by mold. Toxins are ubiquitous. They are found in countless everyday items. We are exposed to them on a daily basis in one form or another. We inhale chemicals from common house cleaners, air fresheners, perfumes, paints, and gases. We encounter pesticides used on crops and fungal mycotoxins eaten with our food. We are exposed to heavy metals found in foods and products (including nutritional supplements).
Unfortunately, the brain absorbs and retains these toxins. If this is left unaddressed, the toxins can build up and damage the brain.
Removing toxins from your environment
Detoxifying your environment is a simple step you can take to immediately improve your health. Inspect your home to remove toxic substances. Replace household chemicals with all natural, safe alternatives, such as vinegar and water. Refer to my post 4 Simple Steps to Detoxify Your Kitchen.
What are the symptoms of brain toxicity?
Symptoms of brain toxicity can be neurological, psychiatric, and physical.
Neurological symptoms: Confusion, memory and concentration problems, impaired control of the limbs, bladder and bowels, sleep disorders, eye and vision problems, balance and hearing problems, muscle weakness.
Psychiatric symptoms: Anxiety, panic attacks, depression.
Physical symptoms: Upper and lower respiratory problems, chronic sinusitis, Multiple
Chemical Sensitivity, liver or kidney problems, fibromyalgia, pain disorders.
The Brain’s Cleaning Process
The brain, like the rest of our body, has a remarkable ability to heal itself and get rid of toxins. Circulating throughout the spinal column and brain is a substance called cerebrospinal fluid (CSF). CSF has several purposes, such as protection, buoyancy, and homeostasis, but the most important thing it does is clear waste from the brain.
In 2012 researchers discovered a new maintenance system called the glymphatic system. This system acts as a waste clearance pathway for the central nervous system (CNS) by using the cells’ mitochondria to remove cellular waste from the brain. In the glymphatic system, CSF removes toxins from the brain.
Check out part 2 of this series when I’ll discuss 4 important steps you can take to detoxify your brain now!
