How is everyone feeling? A little tired or full or beans?
If you´ve looked through the PDF guide and listened to any presentations on the membership page, you will this programme is not just about food, but learning to reduce your toxic burden where possible. It’s not expected that you make drastic changes overnight, but when it comes to replacing items, think of less toxic or toxin free replacements.
Toxins have a big impact upon metabolism and are considered to be one reason why people are getting larger.
If your liver and detoxification pathways are overburdened you will have difficulty in breaking down and eliminating the toxins, so the body packs them away in fat cells.
This is a protective mechanism to keep toxins away from the brain and other vital organs. These toxic chemicals could be heavy metals, chemicals from cleaning/hygiene products and even foods that you can not fully digest.
Once the body has created these toxic fat cells, it isn´t so willing to part with them. A toxic body may intentionally hold onto excess body fat or fluid to prevent the body being re-exposed to the same toxins during elimination.
In other words your body may be protecting you from toxic exposures by keeping these toxins out of circulation so they cannot get to the brain, in effect forcing you to hold onto extra weight/fat mass.
When you end your exposure to the foods you are sensitive to, your body is better able to focus on getting rid of the excess fluid it has been retaining and burning the fat where the toxins are stored. For example, this has been seen with individuals who were sensitive to gluten and cut it out for 60-90 days, seeing a reduction of 15-30 pounds.
How does this work?
Toxins that disrupt your body’s hormonal systems and affects how your body extracts and uses energy are called endocrine-disrupting chemicals, or EDCs. The Endocrine Society defines an EDC as “an environmental chemical, or mixture of chemicals, that can interfere with any aspect of hormone action.” These hormonal disruptions can trigger downstream problems in your metabolic health. You may have heard of them as OBESOGENS.
These chemicals interfere with the way the body’s hormones work. Some EDCs, act like “hormone mimics” and trick our body into thinking that they are hormones, while others block natural hormones from doing their job. Some can increase or decrease the levels of hormones in our blood by affecting how they are made, broken down, or stored in our body. Others can change how sensitive our bodies are to different hormones.
As these chemicals can disrupt many different hormones, they have been linked to numerous adverse human health outcomes including alterations in sperm quality and fertility, abnormalities in sex organs, endometriosis, early puberty, altered nervous system function, immune function, certain cancers, respiratory problems, metabolic issues, diabetes, obesity, cardio problems, in children; growth, neurological and learning disabilities, and more.
A 2017 review argued that EDCS may cause metabolic dysfunction that leads to obesity “despite normal diet and exercise patterns.” https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5359373/
And a 2021 review found that obesogens are an ”important yet overlooked factor in the obesity pandemic” and can have transgenerational effects. They can cause obesity in the children or grandchildren of the people exposed to them. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/33449914/
Other research suggests that EDCs may have a metabolic effect on unborn babies. A study of 707 children in the USA found that those whose mothers had significantly higher levels of one particular urinary phthalate marker were twice as likely to be overweight or obese. https://journals.lww.com/epidem/Fulltext/2016/05000/Prenatal_Phthalate_Exposures_and_Body_Mass_Index.21.aspx
So what do we do?
Choose care products carefully. From soap, toothpaste, and perfume to makeup, deodorant, and shaving cream, personal care products are a huge potential source of toxins. When you’re buying products, avoid known EDCs such as triclosan, phthalates, and PFAS. “Natural” personal care products are sometimes better, but it’s always important to check the label.
Let´s take a look at some baddies found in SKIN CARE. If you use completely toxin free products, you may skip this part 😉
Phthalates – Endocrine disruptors which have been linked to infertility, low sperm count, endometriosis, PCOS, breast cancer, diabetes and obesity. Avoid products with “fragrance” unless the individual fragrant compounds have been specified.
PARABENS: Similar to Pthlates as an endocrine disruptor with hundreds of research studies on the detrimental effects.
SULFATES – Some are contaminated with a compound called 1,4 DIOXANE, a known human CARCINOGEN. Be on the lookout for SODIUM LAURETH SULFATE- The – eth indicates potential contamination. These compounds can also be irritating to the skin.
ETHANOLAMINES (DEA/TEA/etc) These chemicals are known as penetration enhancers and increase the rate at which they or other ingredients are absorbed into the skin
NITROSAMINES: Not an ingredient but found in DEA, TEA (above)- Found in countless personal care products and have been linked with cancer, endocrine disruption and organ system toxicity.
FORMALDEHYDE RELEASERS: These are chemicals that when combined released formaldehyde, a known carcinogen. We don´t want these in our bodies. Includes: quaternium-15, DMDM hydantoin, ueas (imidazolidinyl or diazolidinyl, benzyl hemiformal.
PFAs: polyfluoroalkyl substances. These are manmade and used in a variety of consumer and industrial products. They are often referred to as “FOREVER CHEMICALS” because most don´t break down.
So make switched where you can as this will reduce your personal TOXIC BURDEN and have positive impact upon long term health.
