Toxins: A Major Source of Inflammation

Have you ever walked down the cleaning aisle at the supermarket? What was your experience? I hate it! In fact, I completely avoid that aisle. If I need something, I hold my breath, quickly get what I need and beat a hasty retreat from that toxic soup.

The soaps, bleaches, softeners and fragrances in the cleaning aisle are all in sealed containers. Yet, they still give off an overwhelming, nauseating stench that may make a person sick for hours. What happens when we bring those containers home? They continue to give off toxins. Only now, the containers are open and the process happens 24 hours a day, seven days a week.

Our toxic environment
In North America we are inundated with toxins every moment of every day. Pollution in our air, water and food challenges our ability to detoxify and adapt. Worse still, the place we think of as a haven from stress – our home – is likely the most toxic environment we face in our daily routines. Toxins released from household chemicals, fabric, carpet, fragrances and pesticides seep into our body in tiny amounts even as we sleep.

Toxic waste, like barnacles on the hull of a ship, drags us down. It slows the efficiency of our mitochondria (the energy-producing engines inside our cells). Noxious chemicals create fatigue, headaches, digestive disturbances and moodiness. Eventually, toxins become the focus for inflammation.

Inflammation
Your body uses acute inflammation to try to neutralize toxicity. Think of your reaction to a bee sting: redness, swelling, heat and pain. This is not caused by the toxins in the bee venom. It is the reaction of your body as it tries to eliminate the toxicity:

• Redness is the increase in blood supply to bring in immune system antibodies and remove the neutralized venom.
• Swelling is the lymphatic fluid that dilutes the concentrated poison while providing proteins for repair of the tissue damaged by the toxins.
• Heat comes from immune system activity as it battles the invading contaminant.
• Pain causes us to guard that area from further damage.

Chronic inflammation occurs when the toxins are not completely removed from an area. A good example of this may be found in simple lawn chemicals, like fertilizers and pesticides. Certain fertilizers are potassium-based. Potassium is important for human health. When we are exposed to these fertilizers, our cells may accept the potassium along with the toxic “attachments.” Your immune system will constantly attack these contaminated cells until it destroys them. Clusters of diseases like Parkinson’s disease and multiple sclerosis have been linked to these fertilizers.

Home sweet home – isolate and insulate
Neutralizing toxins in the body begins with isolating ourselves from chemical exposure. We must be diligent if we are to protect our family from toxic overload. Chemicals should be stored out of the living area in a place that is well-ventilated. This is especially true if there are children in the home, as developing brains are up to 10 times more likely to suffer damage from toxins than an adult nervous system.

Insulating ourselves against toxic exposure is equally important. Two nutrient classes shine when it comes to protection from pollution:

• Essential fatty acids – Many of the toxins we face are fat-soluble. We need “clean” fats in abundance to displace toxic fats in our brain, liver and other regions of our body.
• Antioxidants – Antioxidants neutralize toxins and Betalain antioxidants found in Nopal figs have two added benefits over standard antioxidants:
  • Betalains drain away the toxin from an affected area
  • Betalains shore up the cell membrane to help promote healing.

Betalains turn out to be our best tool in combating the causes of inflammation: toxins, stress, injury and nutrient deficiency. Use this excellent tool liberally to help you resist the increasing onslaught of toxins both inside and outside of our home sweet home!

Take Control of Your Health Breathe deeply Remove toxins from your living area Use HEPA filters for cleaner air Drink pure water Granular carbon filters remove many toxins Ultraviolet light kills many pathogens Mineralized, alkaline water displaces poisons Eat nutritiously Select organic foods Pre-soak fruits and vegetables Focus on high-antioxidant fruits and vegetables Supplement with Nopalea Betalains help your body neutralize toxins Betalains help your body drain away toxic waste Betalains help your body repair tissue damaged by toxins Supplement with OmegaPrime; at least two capsules per day helps you resist fat-soluble toxins

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Osteoporosis & Grandparent Guilt

Osteoporosis affects over 10 million people in North America. Two million of these are men. Osteopenia, a reduction in bone mass that usually occurs before osteoporosis, affects over 44 million people, 32% of whom are men.

One out of every two women and one in four men age 50 and older will have an osteoporosis-related fracture in their lifetime. Each year, 80,000 men have a hip fracture and one-third of these men die within a year.

Osteoporosis is responsible for more than 1.5 million fractures annually, including approximately:

• 300,000 hip fractures
• 700,000 vertebral fractures
• 250,000 wrist fractures
• And more than 300,000 fractures at other sites.

No wonder many grandparents are hesitant to lift their grandchildren!

Grandparent guilt
Osteoporosis can effect more than your bones.  For many grandparents, there is a psychological effect too!  The issue of “grandparent guilt” has been discussed for many years. It arises when a grandparent cannot do the things he or she feels is necessary to fulfill their role. Concerns like osteoporosis, arthritis and even incontinence are listed as common reasons for not fully engaging with grandchildren.

Watching the exuberance of youth reminds us of a time in our life when we were more carefree. An old Chinese proverb says, “Even the old horse in the stable yearns to run.” This wistful longing for a body that matches the mind (forever 19) can lead to melancholia and guilt.

But guilt is not necessarily a bad thing.

Benefits of guilt
Guilt is a very misunderstood emotion. Feelings of guilt often arise from unrealistic expectations that we set for ourselves or that others set for us. So it’s important to examine what’s expected within the context of our life.

We can use guilt constructively to remedy situations we feel badly about. Guilt can prompt us to change our behavior. For example, do you believe that aerobic exercise and resistance training could benefit you? Guilt concerning what you should do, what you are able to do and what you have been doing may prompt you to intensify your efforts to exercise more. This will leave you happier, healthier and more able to engage with those rambunctious kids – a very good result!

Use this technique to examine other aspects of your life as well. Ask yourself:

• What do I want?
• Why do I want it?
• What’s so important?
• What should I do?
• What will I do?
• When will I do it?
• Who will support me as I meet this new challenge?

Foundation for longevity
A few helpful hints from centenarians (people over 100 years of age) can help us all stay engaged with grandchildren and others as we go through life:

• Reduce stress
• Stay connected with other people
• Cultivate optimism
• Watch your diet
• Exercise: even a little helps
• Floss your teeth

Proper supplementation aids vitality as well:

• Bone Builder for strong bones
• Sublingual B-12 for brain health
• Vital C for antioxidant and immune support
• OmegaPrime to help increase circulation and reduce inflammation

Conclusion
Another old Chinese proverb says, “A journey of a thousand miles begins with a single step” (literally, “from where you stand”). Use that twinge of guilt to awaken you to greater possibilities for yourself and those you love. Decide what you want and why you want it. Then, take the first step!

Take Control of Your Health Listen to your feelings Dare to dream Take care of yourself Build a solid foundation on the 10 Essentials Use Healthy Aging supplements

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