How Toxic Waste Affects Our Natural Environment

Canada and all of the developed countries in the world produce some kind of toxic waste(s). It doesn't matter whether it's a chocolate bar wrapper or a canister of highly radioactive plutonium, they're potentially dangerous to us and/or our natural environment unless properly disposed of. Toxic waste is defined as any waste that is hazardous to human health or to our natural environment. 

According to the Institute of Chemical Waste Management, about 15% of our garbage is classified as toxic, and only 85% (approximately) of that is disposed of properly. The rest is either illegally dumped or accidentally mixed up with non-toxic garbage. That 15% may not seem like a lot, but when you consider the millions of tons of toxic waste that we produce every year, that 15% is enormous. The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) estimates that we produce one ton of toxic wastes for every single person living in Canada every year. That means that the 15% represents about 4.2 million tons of toxic waste. Toxic wastes which are dumped in improper sites can seep into underground water supplies and contaminate huge areas. If the land that is intoxicated supports plant life, most of the plants and trees will die off. 

If the area is lived on by humans, it could cause serious illness or death. For example, an area by Niagara Falls (US side) was used during the 1930s by a chemical company to dump it's wastes. Most of them were hazardous, and the containers that held the chemicals later (after the company had gone out of business) began to leak. The chemicals spread for miles killing off plants and causing cancers and deadly diseases in humans. Included in these wastes was a chemical called dioxin... one ounce of it used under the right circumstances was enough to kill off everyone in living in Toronto. One of the most popular places to dump toxic wastes is in the oceans. People figured that the oceans were so huge that garbage would just "disappear", and sink to the bottom. Well, they were wrong. 

Chemicals have turned up in dead whale bodies and dead fish in high enough concentrations to kill people. Medical wastes such as used needles and vials of blood (some carrying the AIDS virus) have washed up along the Atlantic coast and in one of the Great Lakes. Mutated and disfigured fish as well as other water animals have washed up dead or been caught by fishermen. The list of stories goes on, and it's still growing. Canada and the USA have created laws and regulations to try to stop the illegal dumping of toxic wastes and the destruction of our environment. The US has created a multi-billion dollar fund called "SuperFund" to try and clean up areas that have been contaminated. Canada is also working along those lines. The government has made a prioritized list of recognised hazardous dump sites, and is forcing the company that owns the land to pay for the clean-up of the area. 

If the company no longer exists, or the exact origin of the waste is unknown, the government will pay for the clean-up. Some toxic wastes can actually been turned into something useful, or in other words 'recycled'. For example, several kinds of metals can be recycled. Lead and silver (both are heavy metals, which are classified as toxic wastes) are both recycled and used again. About 1/2 of the lead used in the country is recycled, and about 1/4 of the silver is recycled. Other toxic wastes can be chemically 'transformed' into new products. This is done by adding chemicals to the waste, which causes it to change into something new. Philadelphia and Chicago transform sewage sludge into fertilizer, which is put to use on farms. A huge pile of toxic waste looms over Canada. This waste is not the product of some Natural disaster like a tidal wave or a hurricane. It is a man-made pile of deadly garbage that threatens our very existance. Who is responsible for this pile? The answer, is 'us'. We are the people who buy the cheap food which was grown with the help of chemical pestisides. We are the people who demand the electricity created by the nuclear power plants. We are our own worst enemies.

Tips To Remove Toxins From Your Life & Revamp Your Health

Our world has changed dramatically over the last 100 years. With amazing advancements in technology, sanitation and life saving surgical procedures, the progress has surely been a blessing. In some respects though, this accelerated development of our society has also been a curse; the epidemic rise of chronic and autoimmune diseases are causing millions to suffer needlessly and bankrupting an already fragile and overspent world economy. One of the many factors at the root of this rise of chronic and autoimmune diseases are toxins, which have risen astronomically during this time period. Toxins, which were never known to humanity until relatively recently, are pervasive in our environment and in our bodies.

These toxins are harming your thyroid and your hormones, but in reality toxins are linked to just about every chronic and autoimmune disease. For example, diseases like diabetes and heart disease may be caused at least in part by toxins. So how do we stay healthy despite the ubiquity of these substances?

First, let's focus on reducing toxins in your everyday life:

1. Eat organic.

One easy way to minimize toxins is to eat food that hasn't been sprayed with pesticides and herbicides. If you can't get an organic option, make sure to thoroughly wash your conventional produce.

2. Clean green.

Conventional dish soaps, laundry detergents, fabric softeners and household cleaners contain harmful chemicals for your health. Look for products labeled nontoxic, and ones that plant-based ingredients. The Environmental Working Group (EWG), one of the most respected nonprofit groups doing work on this topic, has a great guide to nontoxic cleaners.

3. Get fresh air.

Instead of using toxic air fresheners and candles, essential oils are a great alternative, and have healing benefits as well! Perfumes and cologne may smell nice, but many contain toxic ingredients. Using essential oils instead is a great, healthy way to smell your best!

4. Bring nature indoors.

One way to clean the air you breathe is by having fresh household plants inside your house and work space.

5. Be naturally beautiful.

Remember, your skin is your biggest organ. If you can't eat what's on your skin, don't use it. Your skin absorbs all the toxins that are in conventional soaps, shampoos and makeup products. Instead of conventional store-bought lotions, try using almond, jojoba or coconut oils! There are also great nontoxic beauty options out there; here's a fantastic guide from the EWG for nontoxic beauty products.

6. Wear natural sunscreens.
Knowing that your skin is highly absorptive, can you imagine the absorption rate when you're sweating in the sun and reapplying often? The EWG found that 84% of sunscreen products are harmful to consumers. You read that right: More than four out of five sunscreen products actually harm the people who use them. Due to the scare tactics against even moderate sun exposure, many have gone to the other extreme, and lather up with chemicals that they would certainly never eat for dinner. Many are also vitamin D deficient because of this. The EWG has a great list of safe, nontoxic sunscreens.

7. Drink clean water.
One study found more than 300 pollutants in U.S. tap water. Add a quality water filter in your house to remove at least the majority of common toxins that are found in the water supply.

8. Reduce microwave use.
Microwaves can significantly reduce nutritional content of food. One study found that broccoli cooked in the microwave lost up to 97% of its beneficial antioxidants. By comparison, steamed broccoli lost only 11% or fewer of its antioxidants. Another study demonstrated that garlic lost many of its beneficial qualities after being microwaved.

9. Dump Teflon cookware.
The chemical compound used to make Teflon can be very difficult for the body to eliminate. Instead of using Teflon cookware, try cast iron or nontoxic ceramic.

10. Cook with healthy oils.
The oils you use for cooking all have a specific tolerance for heat, called a smoking point. Using cooking oils that oxidize and become toxic at relatively low temperatures isn't a good idea for your health. Coconut oil and ghee are great options for cooking.

So now that you have started the process of detoxifying your life, here are some tips to start cleaning out your body and resetting your health to overcome your health problems:

11. Sweat more.
Sweating it a great way to start cleaning toxins out of your body. Using an infrared sauna or doing hot yoga are great ways to get your sweat on.

There are tons of detox products out there on the market, and many aren't worth your time and money, but it's worth exploring your options. My goal is to clinically investigate root cause toxicity issues and personalize a comprehensive program to address individual issues. All of my patients are different, with different problems and goals, so their customized detox program has to be tailored just for them.