Toxins to Avoid

When there is cancer diagnosis, the immune system is compromised, it's sick. When the immune system is compromised, everything that goes in and on the body should be toxin free. Start reading labels and researching ingredients.

Be aware that the FDA and EPA do not have your back. For one, the personal care and cosmetic product industry is not regulated at all. Zero regulations for ingredient safety. Second, it's worth noting that the FDA allows over 10,000 chemical additives in our food supply. The EPA is loyal to chemical companies -- big business. These chemical additives that go into our food are not independently tested for safety. The FDA accepts the biased studies from the chemical or food manufacturer and then labels it as "GRAS" which means "generally recognized as safe". Why would anyone want something with questionable safety going into their body?

It's not just food additives we need to be concerned with -- don't forget personal care products. Our skin is our largest organ. Everything we put on it will end up in our bloodstream.

Remember: every drug or chemical that was recalled due to death or injury was once deemed safe by the FDA.

* The below lists do not include all toxins, just the most critical ones. Please visit the Environmental Working Group for more information. 

Artificial Flavoring & Coloring

Your exposure to artificial flavorings is almost unavoidable. Their prevalence is widespread in a variety of food products and are used to enhance the taste or mimic natural flavors. Extremely limited research has been conducted on the toxic effects of artificial flavorings, posing the question… what are the long term health consequences? Food coloring from the presence of food dyes is also used to present a desirable color to the consumer, which mimics its natural state. Some of the most critical food colorings you should avoid include red and yellow food dyes. Some of the known chemicals used in artificial flavoring such as alpha-diketone and diacetyl are known to cause problems like respiratory complications and may trigger fibrosis. Convincing evidence supports that artificial food colorings cause severe reactions associated with hypersensitivity, increased cancer risks, and thyroid dysfunction. These toxins can be found in cheeses, coffee, baked goods, snacks, oil, juices, prepared foods, and most processed foods.

Artificial Sweeteners

These synthetic sugars stimulate the sweet receptors on our tongue by up to 7,000 times stronger than natural sweeteners. Artificial sweeteners were first discovered during a mistake in a lab decades ago but since has taken off in various forms in the marketplace. Eliminate artificial sweeteners from your diet and use healthier and natural options like honey, maple syrup, and organic green stevia. These toxins are associated with reduced HDL “good” cholesterol and antioxidant activity, metabolic dysfunction, leukemia, brain tumors and lymphoma. They can be found in diet foods and beverages. Examples include acesulfame potassium and aspartame. A few popular marketed brands include Sunett, Sweet One, Equal, and NutraSweet.

Benzoate (Sodium Benzoate)

This chemical is designed as an antibacterial and antifungal agent. It is added as a food preservative and it is best to be avoided. Benzoate creates digestive upset by suppressing digestive enzyme activity. Symptoms associated with benzoate consumption include gastrointestinal upset, headaches, and inflammatory responses such as asthma, ADHD, and hyperactivity. Benzoate can be found in low-sugar foods, condiments, milk, salad dressings, margarine, syrups, cereal, fruit jams, etc.

BHA And BHT (E320)

Butylated hydroxyanisole (BHA) and butylated hydroxytoluene (BHT) are preservatives found in cereals, chewing gum, potato chips, and vegetable oils. This common preservative keeps foods from changing color, changing the flavor or becoming rancid. Affects the neurological system of the brain, alters behavior and has a potential to cause cancer. BHA and BHT are oxidants which form cancer-causing reactive compounds in your body. This toxin is found in potato chips, gum, cereal, frozen sausages, enriched rice, lard, shortening, candy, jello.

Carrageenan

Eliminating this food additive from your diet is critical and is especially a concern for newborns. Carrageenan is easily absorbed through the gastrointestinal (GI) tract and poses a significant harm in its metabolized forms in the body. Extracted from certain seaweeds, carrageenan is intended for use to replace fat and thicken foods and beverages. Carrageenan is a possible human carcinogen to cause cancer, GI disturbances including disease, and weakened immunity. It is found in infant formula, deli meats, many dairy alternative products, some milk products and many prepared and processed foods and condiments -- salad dressing, seasonings, etc.

High Fructose Corn Syrup

High fructose corn syrup (HFCS) is a highly-refined artificial sweetener which has become the number one source of calories in America. It is found in almost all processed foods. HFCS packs on the pounds faster than any other ingredient, increases your LDL (“bad”) cholesterol levels, and contributes to the development of diabetes and tissue damage, among other harmful effects. It's found in most processed foods, bread, candy, flavored yogurts, salad dressings, canned vegetables, cereals.

Monosodium Glutamate (MSG / E621)

MSG is an amino acid used as a flavor enhancer in soups, salad dressings, chips, frozen entrees, and many restaurant foods. MSG is known as an excitotoxin, a substance which overexcites cells to the point of damage or death. Studies show that regular consumption of MSG may result in adverse side effects which include depression, disorientation, eye damage, fatigue, headaches, and obesity. MSG affects the neurological pathways of the brain and disengages the "I'm full" function which explains the effects of weight gain. It's commonly found in restaurant Chinese food, many snacks, chips, cookies, seasonings, most Campbell Soup products, frozen dinners and lunch meats.

Partially Hydrogenated Oils

Hydrogenated oils are one of the worst offenders to our health and their prevalence is also widespread in many of the foods we eat. Hydrogenated oils stimulate inflammation in the body leading to the damage of cellular membranes and a wide array of chronic diseases to follow. its use results from manufacturer’s desire for cheap production. A compound is bombarded with hydrogen in a lab in order to create a denser oil to be used as an alternative to butter. Trans-fats should be eliminated entirely from your diet. Hydrogenated oils contribute to diabetes, heart disease, slow metabolism, and cancer. You can find them in shortenings such as margarine and products containing fat and oils including crackers, baked goods, fried foods, frosting, and microwave popcorn. Eating omega-3 rich fats found in foods produced with olive oil and coconut oil is an excellent way to avoid the dangers of hydrogenated oils.

Potassium Bromate

An additive used to increase volume in some white flour, bread, and rolls, potassium bromate is known to cause cancer in animals. Even small amounts in bread can create problems for humans. It's found in packaged and commercially manufactured bread.

Sodium Nitrate/Sodium Nitrite

Sodium nitrate (or sodium nitrite) is used as a preservative, coloring, and flavoring in bacon, ham, hot dogs, lunch meats, corned beef, smoked fish and other processed meats. This ingredient, which sounds harmless, is actually highly carcinogenic once it enters the human digestive system. There, it forms a variety of nitrosamine compounds that enter the bloodstream and wreak havoc with a number of internal organs: the liver and pancreas in particular. Sodium nitrite is widely regarded as a toxic ingredient, and the USDA actually tried to ban this additive in the 1970's but was vetoed by food manufacturers who complained they had no alternative for preserving packaged meat products. Why does the industry still use it? Simple: this chemical just happens to turn meats bright red. It's actually a color fixer, and it makes old, dead meats appear fresh and vibrant. It's found in hotdogs, bacon, ham, lunch meat, cured meats, corned beef, smoked fish or any other type of processed meat.

Trans Fat

Trans fat is used to enhance and extend the shelf life of food products and is among the most dangerous substances that you can consume. Found in deep-fried fast foods and certain processed foods made with margarine or partially hydrogenated vegetable oils, trans fats are formed by a process called hydrogenation. Numerous studies show that trans fat increase LDL cholesterol levels while decreasing HDL (“good”) cholesterol, increases the risk of heart attacks, heart disease, and strokes, and contributes to increased inflammation, diabetes, and other health problems. Oils and fat are now forbidden on the Danish market if they contain trans fatty acids exceeding 2 per cent, a move that effectively bans partially hydrogenated oils.