Mark Hyman: How to Reduce Your Toxic Burden and Prevent Exposure

Podcast Release Date: 11/28/22

Podcast duration:45:26

A summary by Brandon Johnson DC

5 Key Takeaways

1. Eating a healthy diet is the most effective way to help our body process environmental toxins

2. Eating or supplementing with antioxidants can support our immune system and decrease toxic load

3. Obesity decreases the ability of the body to process toxins

4. Traditional medicine does not address chronic toxin exposure

5. The FDA (food and drug administration) often approves chemical use on humans before long term testing can be completed

Dr. Hyman begins this episode with a discussion about toxins and how prevalent they are in American society. These toxins range from pesticides on our produce to mold in our closet. According to Hyman and his colleagues, toxins are also found in most of the processed foods on grocery store shelves.

Ways Reduce Toxin Exposure

1. Nutrition looks to be the best way to help process environmental toxins

   1. Eat clean, sustainable grown food

      1. Food that has not been altered from its original state

2. Whole foods contain more micronutrients

   1. Cruciferous vegetables

      1. Have sulforaphane that activates anti oxidant defense systems (immunity)

      2. Help change gene expression that reduce obesogenic chemicals (chemicals that make you fat)

         1. Cauliflower

         2. Broccoli

         3. Kale

3. Do not store food in plastic

   1. Not just BPA (most common toxin found in plastic)

   2. Many plastics contain as many as 15 endocrine disrupting chemicals

      1. Bpf

      2. Bpi

4. Cosmetic products

   1. Look for brands with fewest ingredients

   2. Approved by environmental offices

5. High quality air filter

6. Sana great for detox

   1. Helps the body expel chemicals through pores

7. Eat fiber dense foods

   1. Insoluble fiber helps push chemicals through the gut

Supplements that Help the Body Process Toxins

1. Vitamin c

   1. Increases immune function

2. Resveratrol

   1. Powerful antioxidant

3. Pro-biotics

   1. Helps maintain healthy gut microbes to reduce toxic gene expression

4. Vitamin E

   1. Reduces free radical production (disease causing agents)

5. Glutathione

   1. Most effective antioxidant compound

After discussing ways to help reduce toxin exposure, the specialists begin to dwell on chemicals found in society and how they might negatively affect well being. They sate that we have a "shoot first ask questions later" mentality in regards to chemical use. The FDA often approves substances before long term testing is completed.

Society and Toxic Load

1. 11 million people die per year from eating bad food

2. 9 million people die from toxin exposure

3. Traditional medicine does not address chronic toxin exposure

   1. Doctors are taught minimal in regards to managing toxic load

4. Study looked at the blood in 10 new born umbilical cords

   1. Blood contained 287 known toxins before they took their first breath

   2. Contained 211 neurotoxins

5. USA does not have the same testing of chemical use as the European Union

   1. Some commonly used chemicals in the USA are illegal in Europe

6. Industries are incentives to mitigate and downplay negative side effects of their chemicals

   1. Industries argue for personal responsibility to toxin exposure

   2. Difficult to do that when chemicals are in water and everyday products

7. FDA released a statement saying that some demographics should not get mercury fillings at the dentist:

   1. Pregnant

   2. Juvenile

   3. Neurological issues

   4. Kidney issues

8. Silver fillings are more than 50% mercury

   1. Increase inorganic mercury levels

   2. Fillings can off-gas mercury for more than 40 years

9. Farmers seem to have the highest toxic load in society

   1. Study revealed that pesticide use has led to 41 million IQ points lost in farm workers

   2. Highest rates of dementia and Parkinsons by occupation

Factors that Surround Toxic Load

1. Timing of exposure can alter symptoms

   1. Young children and embryos are more vulnerable to toxins

2. Lead causes brain damage prenatally

   1. Often takes 10 years or more to prevent symptoms

   2. May be linked to behavior problems

3. The dose makes the poison

   1. Even water can kill you if too much is consumed

4. Obesity reduces the ability of the body to process toxins

5. Genetics are linked to detox

   1. Some people can eliminate toxins more effectively than others

   2. Toxins are often stored in organs and fat tissue

Categories of Toxins

1. Obesogenic

   1. Chemicals that cause weight gain and slow metabolism

   2. Contribute to diabetes

2. Autogens

   1. Worsen autoimmune diseases

   2. Linked to issues with hormones, fertility and cancer

How to Detox?

1. Identify the toxins in labs ( blood, urine, hair ect)

2. Identify where the toxins are in your environment

3. Remove the toxins

4. Increase your bodies ability to process toxins