Are You Eating Toxic Foods? Tips on Detoxing

Q: What commonly makes foods toxic?

A: Foods can be deemed toxic if they contain things such as pesticides, heavy metals and other environmental toxins such as PCB's and dioxins found within them. Unfortunately, our food is more toxic than we think. Even seemingly non-toxic organic food can be high in heavy metals, causing a number of health concerns.

Foods can also be considered toxic if they are difficult to digest by an individual. A common culprit is wheat products. Most people now have difficulty digesting wheat because this grain has been altered over the years to become more pest-resistant. For this reason, it can cause digestive ailments for many of people. Packaged food containing a number of preservatives is also toxic. We should focus on eating whole foods as much as possible to stay healthy and prevent disease.

Q: What affect can eating toxic foods have on our health?

A: Toxic foods can cause a whole host of health issues ranging from digestive complaints to cancer. Toxins accumulate in our organs and unless we do something to remove these toxins (such as regular detoxification), they can cause ailments. This is especially true for heavy metal toxins such as mercury found in fish. Mercury is toxic to the kidneys, brain and nervous system and can cause diseases such as Alzheimer's and heart disease. Environmental toxins such as PCB's and dioxins are toxic to the liver and kidneys and can cause diseases such as cancer and auto-immune disorders.

Q: What types of toxic foods do we eat on a regular basis?

A: Some of the most commonly consumed toxic foods include sugar, caffeine, wheat, fish and dairy products. Refined sugar is not natural by any means and is toxic to our digestive tract and pancreas. Caffeine is healthy in small doses, but many are addicted to caffeine and have more than one serving a day (which I usually tell my patients is OK). Coffee, in particular is toxic to the liver and can cause a lack of energy and nausea. Dairy products can also be toxic because of the antibiotics given to the cows to ward off infection. Hormones found in milk and dairy products are also a problem if we over-consume these foods daily. More than one serving of dairy is usually too much and I advise my patients with chronic colds and sinusitis, or children with chronic ear infections to avoid dairy all together.

Q: How can we avoid consuming toxic foods?

A: The first step is to become more aware about the sources of toxins in foods. In my book, The Healthy Millionaire, I go into great depth about the sources of toxins in food and our environment and how to avoid them. It is always best to eat whole foods and less processed foods. Processed foods are more toxic because they typically need to be preserved for a longer shelf life, and preservatives are toxic.

If you do feel the need to give your system a cleaning, check out these helpful posts:

Delicious liver detox salad

A naturopath's tips on detoxing

5 tips on cleaning up your diet after the holidays

Detox to lose weight: 8 tips on foods to eliminate