by Fred Harvey, MD 

We live on a toxic planet in a toxic time. In fact, toxicity is one of the causes of inflammatory degenerative diseases, so we need to be aware of encounter toxic challenges in our environment. I often talk about how to deal with chemical toxicity. The first rule of detoxification is to start with eliminating the source of the toxic exposure. This is often simple to identify such as the mercury in fish or additives in processed foods.  

Follow the EWG.org “Dirty Dozen” and “Clean Fifteen” for better produce selections. Then add a homeopathic remedy like Drainage to stimulate elimination of the toxins, or support the liver and kidney biotransformation and excretion with nutritional supplements like Liver Protect to increase glutathione, Dual-Phase herbal liver support with Medcaps DPO, cell rejuvenation with NRF 2 Activator, and foods like celery juice. A high-fiber diet increases bowel frequency which eliminates more toxins, and Opticleanse Plus has eight grams of fiber per serving. Increased water intake also forces transformed toxins out through the kidneys.  

In our current environment, we are subjected to horrendous emotional toxicity. It is sometimes more difficult to eliminate the toxic source in this situation. The fabric of society seems to be toxic. Angry and fearful people are everywhere, and some might even live in our homes. If we find ourselves being sucked into the maelstrom of emotional toxicity that is polarizing our nation around race, police brutality or from the reactionary response to COVID isolation, we need to step back. Eliminate or reduce exposure to inflammatory analyses and opinions. Avoid doom scrolling and obsessing over the news cycle.  

It is unlikely that we will effect change by fretting over issues beyond our control. So we need to remove ourselves from the presence of emotionally toxic people. When we cannot do that, another option is remove ourselves mentally by meditating, listening to music or reading material that is unrelated to politics or divisive issues. Unplug from violent movies and television programs. Take a walk in the park, on the beach or anywhere in nature. Earthing is a powerful tool to calm and ground us—literally. We need to spend time outside barefoot and feel the earth under our feet. These lifestyle changes can be difficult, so to offer support in this growth journey, a Functional Medicine Health Coach can be of assistance.  

Health Coach Sara Winer is available to coach you. It is simple to detoxify yourself when you become conscious of lifestyle choices. If you have any questions or want more information, call The Harvey Center for Integrative Medicine at 941-929-9355 or visit HaveyCenter.com. HCIM is located at 3982 Bee Ridge Road, Sarasota.