Am I the only one or is anyone else sick of all of the crap (pardon the expression) bombarding us in our world? Our water ways are gunked up, our food has been poisoned, the products we purchase contain harmful chemicals, the air we breathe is contaminated and the list goes on and on!! Just thinking of it all is enough to send a person in to overload. Is it a wonder the current generation being born will have a shorter life expectancy than their parents? Between the unseen toxins accumulating in our body and the lack of activity we get, it is a wonder we have any health and vibrancy left at all! Do you ever feel sick and tired of feeling sick and tired? Maybe it is time for us to do something about it!! It is time for a detox!! Let me stretch your mind a bit in to what it means to de-tox and why cleansing your body is so important!! Now more than ever!
A toxin is a poisonous substance that is a specific product of the metabolic activities of a living organism and is usually very unstable, notably toxic when introduced into the tissues and typically capable of inducing antibody formation. In a nutshell, a toxin is something harmful to the body. It only makes sense to keep our exposure to things that could increase toxins in our body to a minimum and to rid our body of these substances if at all possible.
There are more than 80,000 chemicals registered through the National Toxicology Program (NTP), a division of the Department of Health and Human Services, in the U.S. According to NTP, there are 2,000 new chemicals introduced each year, and we do not know the effects of many of these chemicals on our health, yet we may be exposed to them while manufacturing, distributing, using and disposing of them or when they become pollutants in our air, water, or soil. Many of these substances are thought to be harmless, yet as more and more chemicals are introduced, the amount of toxins we are exposed to continues to rise.
Prevention is always the goal, but that is not always possible. We can limit our exposure to pollutants, eat organic food, filter our water and work to control the contaminants we allow into our home by using green and eco-friendly products. When the body is exposed to a toxin, the natural response is to want to rid itself of this foreign substance, and a process called inflammation takes place, which results in an increase of cellular activity in a particular area and can result in a localized response of swelling, redness and temporary irritation. Inflammation is part of the body's natural immune response and initially can be beneficial.
However, when the body is bombarded with more toxic substances than it is capable of getting rid of, a chronic and systemic inflammatory response can result. More inflammation is created in response to the existing inflammation. Chronic inflammatory diseases are very prevalent, and include obesity, diabetes, heart disease, cancer and autoimmune disorders. It is estimated that nearly 80 percent of all Americans suffer from at least one chronic inflammatory condition. Controlling inflammation is a big key to controlling this vicious cycle, and eliminating toxins from our system is the first step.
Because preventing toxins from getting in to our bodies is such a key component to detoxing our world, essential oils can play an important role. Essential oils can be used as a safe and effective alternative to many products we use resulting in fewer contaminants getting into our bodies. Essential oils are fragrant compounds found in plants that are used as the plants’ own defense mechanism. The nature of an essential oil varies from plant to plant, within botanical families and from species to species. The delicate combination of aromatic constituents found in any given essential oil are what make it unique and give it specific properties.
Use essential oils as a part of making your own cleaning products—citrus oils such as lemon and wild orange work well as degreasers and disinfectants—rather than depending on all of the dangerous chemicals found in commercial cleaning products. Use essential oils as bug repellent—some of the best include arborvitae, lemongrass and geranium—rather than the harmful sprays containing DEET, which is known to act as a central nervous system depressant. Rather than using air fresheners or candles which can lead to harmful fumes, diffuse essential oils to freshen the air. Select natural personal care products that don’t use ingredients such as parabens (preservatives) and a host of petroleum-derived ingredients. Better yet, make them at home with essential oils.
Stay tuned to my blog and I will go in to some more details of how to use essential oils to cleanse your body of the nasty toxins that have been building up for so long!! If you are interested in learning more about how you can incorporate the usage of essential oils for a healthier, more vibrant life then connect with me today! I would love to help you get started!!