How to avoid the worst Environmental Toxins

Are you focusing on the right things?

Imagine you’re walking along a pristine beach, the white sand under your feet as the translucent blue water gently washes on shore, when you spot a few cigarette butts on the sand.

Conservationist outrage surges as you bend down to pick them up for later disposal.

Satisfied that the beach is restored to its natural perfection, you continue your stroll.

a bit of cleaning restored this beach to its natural perfection

Now imagine you’re walking on a crowded, litter-strewn beach. Disgusting foam from carcinogenic sunscreen sticks to the wet sand as the waves subside, and the smell of cheap beer permeates the air.

You see some cigarette butts again, but to your dismay, having picked them up, the beach still looks the same.

while perhaps fun, certainly not clean

Depressing as it is, that’s exactly what happens when you focus on the wrong things when trying to improve your health.

Your body is full of pollution

The sad reality is that, unless you have lived a pristine, pastoral life since birth in the remote countryside, your body has been and continues to be constantly bombarded by unnatural stressors and toxins of every variety.

Unfortunately, most people pay too much attention to health improvement tools that won’t make much of a difference.

They’re picking up cigarettes when something a bit more all-encompassing is needed.

this ought to do the trick

Focusing on the wrong things

There are many obvious toxic stimuli that people who are into health generally do a good job avoiding.

Pesticides from non-organic food, additives, preservatives, drugs and pharmaceuticals. All very smart to avoid.

However, people will also use only organic spices, never have a drink, or obesess over using only glass dishes.

While doing this obviously won’t hurt, none of those stressors are a big deal relative to some others. Obsessing over minor toxic exposure is like picking up cigarettes on a dirty beach. It’s not going to make a big impact.

So what should you focus on?

Pick your battles

The reality is that you only have limited time, money, and mental energy to care about health optimization.

You must therefore use your resources on the highest-impact mitigation strategies first, and then worry about the little things once your beach is mostly clean.

Here are some stressors that are very damaging, yet often go unnoticed

EMF exposure

Turning off your wifi at night, using wired devices when possible, EMF blocking clothing and environmental shielding (e.g. bed canopies)

Air

This is especially important if you live in a big city. You may even notice that when you keep the windows open, black soot forms on the window sill over time.

You think it stops at the windows? It doesn’t stop until it hits your lungs.

Buy a good active air purifier for your living space, and get a few nice house plants.

Water

I’m always surprised at how few people get water right. They just buy a brita filter and call it a day.

If you have municipal water, a reverse osmosis system is absolutely necessary to eliminate fluoride, chlorine, and other crap.

That’s not enough though, because your skin absorbs even more water when you take a shower. You’ll also breathe in the chlorine gas from the water too.

A whole house water filter is ideal, but if you don’t have a spare $5k, grab a good shower filter as well.