Reclaiming Health from Toxins: My Journey and How You Can Start Too
DOROTHY A. HARRIS | Compass Your Purpose
Holistic Leadership Development Coach • Reiki Master • Author
Toxins are cleverly manufactured into nearly everything we consume as well as in most products we use on our skin, nails, and hair. Let's not forget about the hidden toxins in our clothing and even bed linens, as well as in non-stick cookware. This is only a small list of places where toxins are hidden.
Many fabrics, like polyester, are made from recycled plastic. When worn, tiny plastic particles are constantly rubbing off onto your skin, and we can breathe them in or absorb them through our mucous membranes. Wearing plastic fabrics in the sun or during exercise, especially as your body heats up, can cause these toxic chemicals to seep into your body even quicker. I used to think rayon was a wonderful fabric because it felt cool in the summer, but my research revealed it's manufactured with very toxic chemicals as well. And consider baby clothes and crib linens – they are often treated with fire retardants!
Years ago, as I started to learn about the escalating toxins in our environment, air, soil, and water, I began to think about how I could reduce the toxic load on my own body because my health was eroding so badly. I made conscious choices: I stopped burning most candles, I quit using scented wax melts due to the endocrine disruptors in them. I stopped coloring my hair, gave up artificial acrylic nails, and quit using nail polish and harsh removers. Now, the only products I use on my skin are simple, organic natural coconut oil and castor oil. To wash my body and hair, I use organic soap bars to cleanse with.
I also committed to reading food labels and researching ingredients. This led me to stop eating processed foods and giving up harmful beverages – no chocolate, no candy, no crackers, no chips, no pretzels, and essentially, no to most items in those central grocery aisles. Do you realize how damaging sugar is to your body or to the body of your children? Sugar literally destroys the extremely hard enamel of our teeth; it burns right through it, leaving cavities and rotting the teeth. Can you imagine what that's doing to the soft tissues of your stomach and intestines? In a way, it's like eating acid. Be aware that sugar is often disguised under many different names on food labels, cleverly designed to confuse the consumer.
Today, I prioritize organic foods and proudly grow my own garden. If and when I consume meat, I purchase it from a local farmer/butcher, or I pay friends who hunt deer or hog, and then cover the processing costs. I've also eliminated alcohol, coffee, tea, energy drinks, (NO Caffeine), sodas, Gatorade, fruit drinks, and similar beverages from my diet. And to help my body cleanse, I drink lots of spring or filtered water every single day to support all my organs. Furthermore, I only cook with safe cookware, avoiding non-stick cookware altogether.
I made these significant changes because my health was previously debilitated by many condition issues including, thyroid, severe migraines, arthritis, pain and stiffness and more. My deepest desires were to be pain free, be more active, participate fully with my grandchildren, and set a healthier example for my entire family to follow. In fact, over 15 years ago I even quit smoking cold turkey! This was a huge step, and it took an internal shift and a lot of mental preparation to finally give it up, but my health and my family were worth the effort. In hindsight, it was a small price to pay for the tremendous benefits it reaped.
After improving my own health over several years, making many changes and seeing incredible results, I then made the decision to cold turkey quit taking 11 doctor-prescribed medications. Today, I don't use any medications. Instead, I use food as my medicine along with daily exposure to the sun when possible, and journaling positive affirmations and new goal ideas and more.
Since becoming mindful of my health and the toxins I was being exposed to, my well-being has tremendously improved, and I'm continuously seeking new ways to enhance it further. All that I have done is a simple concept, but it's not easy to execute. I had to find many profound reasons to truly desire health. Once those reasons were clear, moving forward on my goal became much easier.
I would love to see more people being proactive and taking initiative in caring for their own health and well-being and that of their families as well. I truly hope this personal journey helps to inspire you to make positive changes in your life too!
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