People who understand that there is only one disease, malfunctioning cells, are decades ahead of their doctors. While this may sound mundane, it is actually quite profound. Likewise there are only two causes of disease: deficiency and toxicity. When deficient, cells aren’t getting everything they need to support normal cell function. When toxic, cells are getting something they don’t need, which damages normal function.

Most people immediately think of toxins as things coming from outside the body, like pesticides and prescription drugs. But the truth is most of our toxic load comes from the body itself. Normal healthy metabolism produces lots of metabolic waste products, just as a factory produces industrial waste. Abnormal metabolism produces even more toxins. In fact detoxification is the biggest single item in our biochemical budget, not only for handling outside toxins, but for getting rid of metabolic products like used hormones and neurotransmitters. Otherwise, these can build up in the body and cause cellular malfunction and disease.

At some point, we have to get rid of nearly every molecule that the body encounters. To do this, our detoxification system involves a complex process to render a molecule inactive. This system is entirely dependent on the foods we eat for the raw materials it needs.

Our detoxification systems are designed to keep us in good health. Problems occur when we eat poor diets and fail to supply the system with what it needs or if we overload the system beyond its capacity with too many toxins. In today’s world, virtually every American is in some degree of toxic overload.

To achieve optimal health we have to nutritionally support the detox systems and reduce their loads to manageable levels. The first step in learning how to reduce our toxic loads is to recognize that the tens of thousands of man-made chemicals that make our every day living possible are not harmless. Many of these chemicals are invisible, odorless, and tasteless so we may not even be aware of their presence. We are exposed to toxic man-made chemicals from everyday items like magazines, newspapers, carpets, pillows, mattresses, clothes, cosmetics, toothpaste, and processed foods.

Toxic chemicals are responsible for many of our 20th century disease problems, especially the new syndromes that mystify our doctors. Fatigue, headaches, digestive upsets, flu-like symptoms, aching joints can all be caused by environmental chemicals. High blood pressure and even fatal cardiac arrhythmias can be caused by chemicals ranging from solvents to pesticides. People who wake up feeling sluggish may not realize that the cause is right under their nose, the polyester chemicals coming off their pillow.

Short of going back to living in mud huts, what can we do to protect our health? The answer is a lot! We can minimize our toxic loads. We can supply our body’s detoxification systems with the raw materials needed for efficient operation. This means eating a varied diet of fresh, whole organic foods, avoiding processed foods, and foods with known high toxic contents like meat and dairy. We can supplement our diets with high quality nutrients like folic acid, vitamin B6, magnesium, essential fatty acids, vitamin B12, methionine, reduced glutathione, alpha ketoglutarate, dietary fiber, and vitamin C. Minimize toxic loads by avoiding pesticides, prescription drugs, tap water, and packaged foods with their additives and packaging chemicals. Don’t breathe the fumes when putting gasoline in the car. Buy clothes, furniture, carpets, bedding, and personal care products made from all natural materials.

By getting adequate nutrition and avoiding toxins, average people can reduce their toxic loads to levels their bodies can handle, thereby pushing their personal equations toward health.

Are you using non-stick cookware? Are you aware that non-stick coating is made with chemicals that the EPA has found to be cancer causing or likely to cause cancer? 

Overheating non-stick coatings releases dangerous toxic gases that cause flu-like symptoms in humans and kill birds. However, DuPont is quick to assure us that this poses no health threat to us. In addition their website tells us, “DuPont non-stick coatings on cookware are formulated and quality tested to resist peeling or chipping which will occur if cookware is misused. However, in the event that particles from DuPont non-stick coatings are accidentally eaten, there is no danger. These particles are harmless. They are nontoxic and inert. If eaten, they pass directly through the body and are not absorbed. The FDA has stated that eating particles of non-stick coating poses no health threat.” 

So why does the EPA say one thing and the FDA another?    

And if these particles “pass directly through the body” why does a new study of 45 nursing mothers (research from the University of Massachusetts at Amherst) reveal that the breast milk from every woman tested was found to contain perflourinated compounds (PFCs) used in non-stick cookware and stain resistant fabrics?    

Do you really want to breathe and ingest these chemicals? 

If low-fat cooking is your goal, try vegetable or animal broth instead of fats or steam your food. If a non-stick cooking surface is essential, properly season a cast iron pan. You’ll be surprised how well it works!