The human body is an incredibly complex machine, and it takes a seemingly endless number of processes running properly to keep the body functioning at its optimal level. In this sense, one of the most important factors is paying close attention to what you put in your body in an effort to avoid as many toxins as possible. Unfortunately, our fast-paced, modern lifestyles mean it is virtually impossible for a person to avoid all toxins, which means it’s about trying to limit your exposure whenever and however you can. With this in mind, we’ll now take a look at some of the most common toxins and techniques for avoiding them altogether or removing toxins from within.

Understanding the Different Types of Toxins and Their Origins

The term toxin is incredibly wide-ranging and can refer to a huge number of substances that have the potential to cause damaging effects to the body. Many of the most common toxins first enter the body through what we eat or otherwise ingest, while makeup, cosmetics, and other health, beauty and grooming products can also contain numerous other potentially toxic substances that can be absorbed directly through the skin.

Your body also produces many of its own toxins—usually as a byproduct of some other chemical reaction. In fact, many of the chemicals found in processed foods, cosmetics, and other products don’t actually start off toxic. Instead, they only become so after undergoing some chemical change within the body. As well, there are many toxins that are perfectly harmless in low doses but may still build up to potentially dangerous levels if the body is unable to process them and thus get them out of your system.

Drugs and Alcohol Are a Primary Source of Harmful Toxins

Alcohol use is generally considered to be minimally harmful if you only drink occasionally and always in moderation. Similarly, some illegal drugs and most prescription medications also have a minimal negative impact on the body when only used sparingly or according to your doctor’s recommendations. The problem is that once a person starts using drugs or alcohol more regularly, they become both psychologically and physically dependent on the effects, meanwhile requiring increasingly stronger doses to achieve the same effect.

Constantly using drugs or alcohol on an almost daily basis means your body doesn’t ever have time to eliminate all of the harmful toxins that build up. The problem is that the body can never catch up when you use drugs or alcohol constantly, and this could lead to a dangerous toxin build-up that has the potential to cause far-ranging health problems. For many people in this situation, the only solution is to enter addiction recovery programs aimed at helping them keep away from harmful toxins long enough to successfully remove them from their system.

Watch What You Eat and Wear

Many people wrongly focus their time and energy on removing toxins when the far better strategy is to find better ways to avoid them in the first place. Luckily, this actually isn’t that difficult, and there are numerous ways to achieve this same goal.

Concerned about potential toxins in your food? Avoid processed foods as much as you can and consider buying organic whenever possible. Worried about your cosmetics and other health and beauty products being harmful? Make sure to always read the ingredients list before buying any product, and if you don’t recognize the name of any ingredient, research it online to see if it potentially has any harmful side effects. It also helps to inform yourself of some of the most harmful ingredients found in common household products, and then choose whichever ones don’t contain them.

Of course, things are a bit more difficult when the problem is related to drugs or alcohol. In this case, most people usually require professional help in order to overcome their substance abuse issue and finally rid their body of all the harmful toxins it brings with it. In this sense, addiction treatment centers are generally your best bet for finally getting yourself and your body clean.

No matter what their source, the fact is that all toxins have the potential to be harmful to your body. Moreover, humans now face far more potential toxins and in far greater number than at any time ever in history. In this sense, it is vital that you take a bit of time to consider your own lifestyle and how it might be contributing to increased toxin exposure and thus a greater chance for health problems.