When it comes to managing chronic conditions like endometriosis, reducing hidden toxins in your diet is key to minimising inflammation and improving overall health. But the truth is, even fresh, whole foods can contain harmful chemicals. Here’s what you need to know about where these toxins come from and how to reduce your exposure.
Where are hidden toxins coming from?
Many of the foods we purchase at the supermarket—fruits, vegetables, and even meat—are not as clean as we think. Farmers face enormous pressure to harvest quickly and in large quantities. To protect crops from diseases and increase yields, they often turn to chemicals like glyphosate, commonly known as Roundup.
Glyphosate is one of the most widely used pesticides, and it’s known to disrupt cell processes in the body, increase toxic load, and contribute to inflammation. While a healthy body can typically detoxify itself, if you have a chronic disease like endometriosis, you will struggle to eliminate these harmful substances, worsening your inflammation and making it harder to manage symptoms.
Washing isn’t enough
Unfortunately, simply washing your fruits and vegetables won’t remove these chemicals. Farmers use a waxy coating to prevent rain from washing pesticides off crops, meaning they stick to the produce long after harvest. You can often feel this waxy residue, especially on apples, even after washing them.
For some fruits and vegetables, soaking them in a saltwater or baking soda solution can help reduce the toxic load. A 10% saltwater or baking soda solution (1 part salt or baking soda to 10 parts water) or a 25% vinegar solution (one part vinegar to three parts water) can help dissolve these chemicals. Soak for 20 minutes and rinse of well with filtered water.
Organic food: the best solution
The most effective way to reduce your exposure to hidden toxins is to opt for organic produce whenever possible. Organic farming avoids the use of harmful pesticides and herbicides. However, organic produce is often more expensive due to the labour-intensive practices required to grow crops without chemicals.
If going fully organic isn’t an option for you, you can prioritise certain foods that are most heavily sprayed with pesticides. For instance, spinach, apples, strawberries, blueberries, grapes, and cherry tomatoes are among the most toxic-laden produce items. Starting with organic versions of these fruits and vegetables can make a significant difference in reducing your toxic load.
Foods you can worry less about
The good news is that some foods naturally carry fewer toxins, often because we don’t eat the skin. Bananas, melons, mangos, onions, pineapples, avocados, and kiwis are generally safe to buy non-organic. In these cases, the outer layers of the fruit or vegetable help shield the inner flesh from exposure to chemicals.
Meat and hidden toxins
It’s not just fruits and vegetables that carry hidden toxins—meat can also be a culprit. Non-organic meat often contains antibiotics and hormones that accumulate in the animal and end up on your plate. Reducing or avoiding processed and non-organic meats can help minimize your intake of these hidden toxins.
Start small, every bit helps
Reducing hidden toxins in your diet doesn’t have to be overwhelming. Start small by choosing organic versions of the most highly sprayed foods or soaking your produce when organic isn’t an option. Over time, these small changes can significantly reduce your exposure to harmful chemicals and help your body manage inflammation more effectively. And make sure to choose organic versions of your nut milks and butters!
By becoming more mindful of hidden toxins, you can take a big step toward supporting your overall health, especially when managing your endometriosis.
If you’d like to have a personal chat about options to reduce or remove toxins in your diet, book your complimentary Endometriosis SOS Call.