Must Know Facts About Toxins

Saturday, January 2, 2016, 10:30 [IST]

You must have heard the word “toxins” umpteen times. If you look for ways for a systematic healthy living then you might have come across about the word detox as well, or cleansing of the body, which helps in eliminating the toxins that have been accumulated in the body.

So, what are toxins? Toxins are always there in the body, and they usually find their way through the food that we consume or the products that we buy to clean our homes. Even the toys that children touch or the air that we breathe have toxins in them.

It is said that there are nearly 82,000 synthetic chemicals that are found in some of these elements (food, cosmetics and cleaning products). On the other hand, only certain of these essentials are usually tested for safety.

A research has also showed that toxins are really everywhere and they do impact our body harmfully.

It is never possible to go off the grid and live in an environment where there is no stress and no toxic pollution in the daily living. Think again! The price of modern and comfort living do have their own consequences.

We are living with toxins that our environment tends to produce, and they, in turn, affect our health badly. Some toxins can be controlled but not all; here are some of the 8 truths about toxins that you need to know. Have a look.

Biological Process

It is a known fact that toxins are poisonous. The poison is produced from biological processes. The nicotine that is found in tobacco is also toxic. Even the metabolic waste that is generated from the cells in our body can be noxious.

All Over The Place

Toxins are everywhere. One of the 8 truths about toxins is that they can be found in our favourite foods that we try to ingest, such as through food additives, food dyes (RED 40) and chemical flavourings (MSG and aspartame) or prescription medications. Even the water that we gulp down happens to have toxins.

Some of the pollutants in water are arsenic in nature, which is carcinogen and mercury that can create nervous system disorders.

Air We Breathe

The toxins can get into our system through the air that we inhale. For example, the carbon monoxide produced by vehicles. Even the chemicals from the daily products that we use for cleaning our own house do have toxins. These are some of the truths about toxins that you need to know.

Fruits Have Toxic Content Too

Fruits like apples, peaches, pears, apricots, cherries and other pitted fruits have toxins that are natural. Some of the pits contain a classification of compounds known as cyanogens.

The cyanogens can be lethal, but we try to eat these kind of fruits, as it is indispensable for our health, so it is never an issue.

Heavy Doses Are Poisonous

We are aware that even an infinitesimal amount of potential poison can be chary, yet, sometimes, we do need certain toxins for our body to function, for example vitamin A.

If you take great doses of it then it can turn out to be toxic; however, even avoiding it can make you suffer from vitamin A deficiency. When there is a deficiency, it can lead to possible health problems. This is one of the 8 truths about toxins that you need to know.

Pesticides And Herbicides

Pesticides and herbicides can be leery, as they are mostly sprayed on the food that we consume. These are toxins that are naturally absorbed by our bodies. Pesticide residues are usually dusted onto our freshly and non-organic produce.

Fruits and vegetables that usually have high doses of pesticides includes strawberries, apples, bell peppers, celery and lettuce and some imported grapes.

Air Pollutants

Air pollutants like ozone and nitrogen dioxide could give humans a range of health problems. Some of the health problems can be respiratory inflammation and cancer.

Organic Vegetables And Fruits

Organic fruits and vegetables can never be safe from toxins. They contain E. coli and Salmonella species. These toxins can cause acute illnesses.

Potatoes that come with green spots contain compounds called glycoalkaloids, which is literally toxic. Carrots contain carotoxins and myristicin, which happen to be toxic. Yet the good news is that, they are present only in small doses, hence are not very dangerous to be consumed.

Some of the truths about toxins that you need to know are that even an excessive exposure to irradiation from cell phones, Wi-Fi, power plants, microwave ovens and medical x-rays can be harmful to us. They do affect our health!