In our daily lives, we are exposed to numerous toxins that can enter our bodies through ingestion or skin absorption. Due to our busy modern lifestyles, it can often feel like we have no control over protecting ourselves from these toxins, which is why the term 'detox' has become so popular in the health and wellness industry. While detoxes are commonly thought of as juice cleanses or harsh detox products, they can also refer to diet and exercise regimes designed to eliminate toxins, improve health, and promote weight loss. In reality, our bodies have a natural detoxification system that, if properly supported, can be highly effective in eliminating toxins.

However, if our elimination systems become overburdened and we accumulate a high toxic load, we can experience a range of symptoms, from mild to severe. Therefore, it is important to be mindful of our toxic load and take steps to reduce the amount of toxins we come into contact with daily.

Toxic load refers to the number of harmful chemicals and toxins that have accumulated in our bodies, which varies from person to person depending on lifestyle and environmental factors. Toxins can come from sources such as second-hand cigarette smoke, processed foods, urban pollution, conventional cleaning products, supplements, personal care products, fresh produce, and even water bottles.

While our bodies have natural detoxification processes, ongoing exposure to harmful substances can lead to an overload of our elimination organs, resulting in gut dysbiosis and a range of related symptoms such as lethargy, fatigue, weakened immune system, digestive discomfort, bloating, leaky gut, skin issues like rashes, acne, eczema, rosacea, and systemic inflammation.

To reduce our toxic load and promote natural detoxification, we can take some simple steps.

Switch Your Home Products

We can switch to eco-friendly cleaning products and avoid harsh chemicals that can cause harm, especially to pregnant women and children. Certain chemicals in the ‘phthalate’ class, for example, have been linked to breast cancer, asthma and fertility issues. Green cleaning products that use botanicals, essential oils, plant-based soaps and sugar-derived alcohols are readily available and kind to your body. Or, alternatively you can make your own standard cleaning products using vinegar, bicarb soda and high-quality essential oils.

Eat Your Greens & Eat Organic

We can also incorporate more cruciferous vegetables like cabbage, broccoli, and kale into our diet, which contain sulfur-containing phytochemicals that release detoxification enzymes. Eating organic produce can also reduce exposure to chemicals and pesticides.

Ditch The Synthetic Body Care Products 

It is possible that the beauty products we use to improve our appearance on the outside may actually be harmful to our insides. In Australia, the regulation of cosmetics falls under the Australian Industrial Chemicals Introduction Scheme (AICIS). This means that any product available for purchase has been deemed safe for use. However, many of the chemicals used in skincare and makeup can be dangerous when used in high concentrations. Although traditional cosmetics may only have small amounts of these chemicals, it's best to avoid them altogether. To avoid allergic reactions and endocrine-disrupting chemicals, which may have negative effects even in small amounts, it's recommended that you switch to clean beauty products.

Switch To A Natural Perfume

If you're trying to adopt a more natural way of life and lower your exposure to harmful substances, you might have already stopped using commercial perfumes. And that's a wise decision because some perfumes contain chemicals that can disturb your hormonal balance and irritate your skin. If you're a perfume lover, it's best to choose natural alternatives or make your own fragrance using pure essential oils, which have therapeutic benefits and are free of toxins.

Prioritise Your Gut Health

To decrease the toxins in your body, it's vital to understand the significance of your gut in the detoxification process. Bowel movement is the primary way for your body to get rid of waste and toxins. If you have a slow-moving bowel or any gut-related conditions like leaky gut or IBS, taking care of your gut health is crucial in reducing your toxic load. You can start by drinking warm water as soon as you wake up and incorporating whole grains, chia seeds, and freshly ground flaxseeds into your diet to help clean out your intestines. Regular physical activity is also important to enhance your microbiome.

Consider taking a product such as the Inside & Out Gut Program to restore your gut microbiome, detox the body and get your health back on track.

Acacia's Favourite Toxin-Free Products

Cleaning products - Koala Eco was founded by husband and wife duo in 2017. Born out of a desire to find eco-friendly, non-toxic products that were both efficacious and safe for even the littlest members of every household.

Perfume - Your Bliss Perfumes. A beautiful female-founded, Australia made brand that creates all-natural, toxin free perfumes that smell incredible!

Makeup - Inika believe it’s important to know what you are putting on your skin, which is why they create 100% natural products that are effective and completely free of synthetics. They are the highest certified beauty brand worldwide.

Skincare - All Amperna formulations are free from nasties, including sulfates, parabens, aluminium, synthetic fragrance, synthetic colours and bleaches. AMPERNA® products are made in Australia and tested by real people in the real world.

Bodycare - Yours Only products were formulated for sensitive skin and have been dermatologically tested on hypersensitive humans, not animals. They don’t add any common irritants like salicylates, gluten, nuts, soy, fragrance, parabens, triclosan, mineral oils, petrolatum, sulfates, colourants and animal-derived products.