What to Avoid or Help Reduce Toxic Exposure:

Staying away from toxins as much as you can is a critical step toward healing your body. The following steps will give you some outlines on what to avoid.

Step 1: Get Rid of Toxins from the Environment:

Here are some common environmental sources of toxins to avoid:

   • Silver dental fillings or amalgams
   • Mercury-containing fish (tuna, swordfish, shark, king mackerel, and tilefish)
   • Mercury in water, latex paint, vaccines, and contact lens solutions
   • Lead from old paint, blinds, and canned foods
   • Aluminum—common in deodorants, antacids, and baking powder
   • Toxic mold exposures—common in basements and bathrooms
   • Occupational exposures and indoor air pollution or sick building syndrome
   • Pollution or chemical contamination of water, air, or food
   • Possible toxic effects of hidden infections, allergens, and medications
   • Common household or environmental exposures from garden chemicals, household cleaners, dry cleaning solvents, secondhand smoke, plastics, and phthalates in food and water containers
   • UV radiation, which can be limited by using sunscreen and wearing sunglasses

Step 2: Rid Your Diet of Toxins:

   • Trans fats
   • High-fructose corn syrup
   • Processed foods and suspect additives (including aspartame, colors, additives, and preservatives)
   • Sugar and refined flours
   • Excess salt
   • Caffeine
   • Charbroiled meats
   • Alcohol
   • Common food allergens such as gluten, dairy, eggs, soy, corn, and yeast

Step 3: Get Rid of Unnecessary Medications (some medications can be toxic, here are a few of the potentially harmful ones):

   • Acetaminophen (Tylenol) - depletes glutathione and prevents liver detoxification
   • Nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (Advil, Aleve) – damages the gut
   • Acid-blocking medications (Protonix, Prilosec, Nexium, etc.) - blocks stomach acid and protein digestion

Step 4: Find and Get Rid of Hidden Infections:

   • H. pylori in the gut
   • Chlamydia and Mycoplasma
   • Viruses
   • Lyme disease
   • Periodontal disease and infected root canals
   • Yeast and fungal infections
   • Intestinal imbalances from yeast, parasites, and bacteria
   • Chronic fungal sinusitis