Environmental toxins and your gut flora

Environmental toxins

Environmental toxins are harmful substances that we’re exposed to in our day-to-day environment. These toxins can come from various sources, such as polluted air, pesticides in food, chemicals in household products, and even some beauty products. When these toxins accumulate in the body, they can disrupt the balance of the intestinal flora and negatively affect our health. It can lead to inflammation, an impaired immune system and an increased risk of chronic diseases. So, it’s important to be aware of and actively work on reducing exposure.

Some chemicals that have been given attention in recent years for their effect on health are parabens and phthalates. They can be found in, for example, skin creams, make-up, and plastic toys. Pesticides (harmful toxins used in pest control) and several other chemicals have also been linked to a range of diseases, including diabetes, neurological disorders and various types of cancer.

You would naturally think that by buying organic you’re avoiding toxins such as pesticides, but it’s more complex than that. To some extent, there are differing opinions about whether all organic food is actually good for us.

 

”The Dirty 12”

Although it’s not possible to completely avoid pesticides, the amount of pesticides in different foods varies.  Some ingredients have been referred to as “The Dirty 12”. 12 fruits and vegetables that are sprayed so much that you should always buy them organic. They are:

Apples

Strawberries

Grapes

Celery

Peaches

Nectarines

Spinach

Red and green peppers

Cucumbers

Cherry tomatoes

Sugar snap peas

Potatoes

 

Fruits and vegetables with small amounts of toxins

What should you choose instead? There are a lot of vegetables that contain so little pesticides that they don’t even need to be bought organic. This applies to, among others:

Avocados

Sweetcorn

Pineapples

Cabbages

Sweet peas

Onions

Asparagus

Mangos

Papayas

Kiwis

Aubergines

Grapefruit

Cantaloupe melons

Cauliflowers

Sweet potatoes

 

Sources

Become a poison hunter

Stig’s commandment – Avoid/minimise contact with environmental toxins