|
home »
pregnancy & conception »
detoxification
Detoxifying the body of heavy metals and toxins for pre-conception planning
For women planning to have children, preparing your
body could be one of the most important and fulfilling
experiences you can have for yourself and your child.
Giving conscious attention and intention to the health
of your body in advance of creating a new life is
indeed a gift to the future, one for which we all
should give thanks.
It is highly beneficial to detoxify the body of
heavy metals and environmental toxins before pregnancy
as toxins can be damaging to the fetus and can cause
birth defects, infertility, and miscarriages. However,
it is very important to NEVER detoxify the body during
pregnancy or while breastfeeding. Detoxification
should only be undertaken before a woman conceives.
Development
Children (and fetuses) are particularly vulnerable
to toxins. As their biological systems are still
developing (especially in the womb and as newborns)
they do not have all of the necessary capability
to detoxify. Further, proportional to body weight,
children eat, breathe, and drink more than adults,
and thus take in far higher concentrations of the
toxins in our environment and are more susceptible
to damage.
Breastfeeding
There are significant benefits to breastfeeding. Our
intention is not to add to the fear around toxins
in breast milk – there is enough out there
already. However, the reality is true – we
live in a toxic world and those toxins are stored
in our bodies – and get into the breast milk. Because
of this, people typically assume that cow milk-based
formula is a better option. However, keep in
mind, cows are no less exposed to these environmental
toxins and in my opinion probably have the same level,
if not more, toxins. Therefore, breast milk
is always the best option over formula when possible. For
those that have the ability, detoxifying the body
before pregnancy and breastfeeding is a rewarding
step to take.
If you haven’t detoxified before getting pregnant – not
to worry - breast milk is still the healthiest food
for your baby.
Also, remember to never detoxify while nursing. Detoxification
could dump those stored toxins directly into the
blood stream and in contact with breast milk.
Avoiding current toxin exposure
If you’re already pregnant, nursing, or unable
to detoxify for any reason, you can still have a
significant impact by avoiding current exposure to
toxins.
Here are a few ways to avoid exposure to toxins:
- Use only humane and environmentally safe household
cleaning products.
- Do not use perfumes or products with synthetic
fragrances.
- Avoid all foods with preservatives and artificial
ingredients.
- Beware of vaccinations – most contain mercury,
aluminum and formaldehyde.
- Do not have mercury fillings removed or put in
when you are pregnant.
- Assess your home for lead paint (and remove)
- Use plastic and Styrofoam sparingly (when it
is in contact with your food), if at all. Never
heat or microwave anything in plastic.
Detoxifying your body before you become pregnant is a crucial
Heavy metals such as mercury and lead are known
to cause brain damage, especially in small children. Heavy
metals also disrupt important biochemical pathways
and can cause imbalances and disorders. Environmental
toxins such
as plastics, plasticizers, industrial chemicals (PCBs,
dioxin, benzene) are known endocrine disruptors,
can cause brain imbalances such as seizures, and
can harm the fetus and cause miscarriages. As
endocrine disruptors, they can be a significant cause
of infertility.
Cleansing diets are a key piece of detoxification. Additionally,
there are a variety of natural detoxifiers that can
compliment the process as well - depending on the
individual situation. Far infrared sauna is also a wonderful and pleasant
way to aid detoxification.
Healthful Living offers nutrition consultation for
detoxification as well as many other ways to avoid
toxic exposures and foster a healthy baby.
Learn all the essentials in Julie's Nutrition
for Pregnancy class.
| 
