Here is a small sample of the most commonly used toxins that are linked to autoimmune disorders:
“There is no doubt that autoimmune diseases are on the rise and our increasing environmental exposure to toxins and chemicals is fueling the risk. The research is sound. The conclusions, unassailable.”
– Dr. Douglas Kerr, M.D., Ph.D., Johns Hopkins School of Medicine, from the foreword to The Autoimmune Epidemic
Our health is the sum of our relationship with the environment – what we eat, drink, absorb, think, breathe, put on our skin, and how and where we live. Unfortunately, our environment is becoming ever more toxic. Numerous industrial chemicals are present in human blood, urine, tissue and breast milk.1 Yet — only a fraction of these chemicals have been tested for safety. 2 If you have an autoimmune condition(s) or a genetic predisposition to get one, you are at greater risk of harm from toxins than the general population.
Toxins are among the top 6 triggers for autoimmune disease,3 and, given the massive and growing number of chemicals we are exposed to, toxins may soon top the list of triggers:
You may have heard the phrase, “body burden.” It refers to the total amount of toxic chemicals stored in the human body. You can visualize the body burden as a heavy load that has the potential to bring a pack animal to its knees. Just one more straw can “break the camel’s back.” The average American adult is saturated with 400 toxic chemicals – and that’s a low estimate since only 543 chemicals were tested out of more than 80,000 that are used in consumer products.4 Even babies born today enter the world with an average of 287 chemicals in their umbillical cord blood.5 Talk about an unfair start!
Our bodies are designed to detoxify themselves. But, when the toxic load becomes a crushing body burden, accumulated toxins can cause a cascade of health problems including leaky gut, DNA damage, inflammation, autoimmune reactivity and finally, full blown autoimmune disease.
Here is a small sample of the most commonly used toxins that are linked to autoimmune disorders:
Bisphenol A (BPA) is a chemical used to harden plastic. It’s used in water bottles, food containers, utensils, and toys. BPA can leach into the water and food — especially when containers are heated. It appears to cause many immune reactions involved in the development of autoimmune disease. Don’t be fooled by marketing though, newer forms like BPS, and BPF are also toxic. 11
At least 46 commonly used drugs can induce lupus. The list includes drugs to treat heart disease, thyroid disease, hypertension, and neuropsychiatric disorders. Some anti-inflammatory agents and antibiotics are on this list, as well as biologics used intravenously to treat rheumatic diseases. 12
Frequent or extended exposure to pesticides may increase the risk for developing autoimmune diseases like lupus and rheumatoid arthritis, according to the results of a long-term study of 77,000 postmenopausal women.13
Excitotoxins are chemicals that over-stimulate neuron receptors and our taste buds. Commonly used excitotoxins like monosodium glutamate (MSG), soybean extract and aspartame (Equal) found in diet sodas, sugar-free chewing gum, etc., can trigger autoimmune disease.14
On an average day, a woman uses 12 personal care products containing 168 unique ingredients, possibly exposing herself to all of the top seven carcinogenic impurities common to personal care product ingredients. Men use fewer products but are still exposed on average to an average of 85 man-made chemicals per day. 15
We need to help our bodies by unburdening our toxic load so we have a fighting chance against the growing environmental onslaught. The best approach is proactive, gentle, and continuous detoxification rather than a few harsh and quick cleanses per year. Work with a holistic (integrative, Functional and/or naturopathic) practitioner if you can to investigate your toxic exposures, nutrient deficiencies, and check your methylation status. The “methylation cycle” is a biochemical pathway that manages many essential functions, including detoxification.
Reducing your body’s toxic burden can free your body to more quickly build new cells, get rid of old cells, and repair cellular damage. This will increase your body’s detoxification ability, help you eliminate stored toxins, and alleviate autoimmune disorders related to toxicity.
Use non-toxic personal care and home cleaning products. A good rule of thumb is: Don’t use it if you don’t recognize the ingredients. A step further: Don’t use it if you wouldn’t eat it. Check out the Environmental Working Group (EWG)’s Skin Deep® database for information on more than 70,000 personal care products.
Whole foods that contain sulforaphane, the cancer-protective nutrient in broccoli, have been shown to boost liver detoxification.16
Drink filtered or spring water and use a filter in your shower & bathtub. Tap water contains toxins and contaminants including fluoride, chlorine, aluminum, arsenic, herbicides and even prescription medications. 17
Catechins in green tea (a type of disease-fighting flavonoid and antioxidant) have been shown to promote optimal intestinal microflora and pH and to support healthy bowel function—three qualities that further support optimal detoxification. 18 Note: Some people don’t deal well with green tea — listen to your body
Use stainless steel or glass water bottles. Avoid drinking hot beverages from paper, plastic or foam cups. Paper cups are often lined with plastic, increasing your toxic exposure.
Move daily and work up a sweat. Exercise produces an enzyme in muscles that purges the body of harmful substances. This may explain why aerobic exercise elevates mood and reduces stress.19
Reduce or eliminate your use of prescription and over-the-counter medications. Drugs, after all, are a top trigger for autoimmune disorders! 20 Work with your doctor to gradually reduce your dosages and quantities of medications as you experience the beneficial effects of healthful lifestyle changes.
If you have access to a gym, use a sauna a few times a week. Far or near-infrared saunas support detoxification safely without the high heat of a regular sauna.21 You can find portable, reasonably priced ones online.
Always use a headset with your cell phone. Don’t use your laptop on your lap (especially pregnant women and anyone who wants to have children)22. Put your electronics on airplane mode when not in use and when you sleep. Better yet, keep electronics out of your bedroom.
As Donna Jackson-Nakazawa, author of the important book, The Autoimmune Epidemic, eloquently writes,
“We are our environment. What we put into it, we also put into ourselves. What we do to it, we also do to ourselves. With our eyes open to that knowledge we can begin to make critical and profound choices, embarking on a journey of small steps that will slowly start to make all the difference between health and disease.”
What small steps will you take today to ease your body burden?
Take good care!
Want my personal help beating an autoimmune condition(s)? If you live in the continental U.S. (except N.Y. due to state laws) and are ready, willing, and able to invest in your best health, I offer Beat Autoimmune & Thrive Functional Medicine Programs over Zoom. I collaborate with skilled naturopathic doctors (NDs) who are experts in resolving root causes like gut issues, chronic infections, and toxic burdens which are almost always part of the autoimmune puzzle. Together we provide comprehensive, customized treatment plans, and collaborative, caring support. If you are ready to beat autoimmune and reclaim your best life please book a 30–minute consultation with me to gain clarity, confidence, and explore the possibility of working together. 
This comprehensive book is the first to explore all six of the critical lifestyle factors that are the root causes of autoimmune conditions – and the sources of regaining health. Foreword by Mark Hyman, MD
Palmer is a certified Functional Medicine Health Coach who has helped thousands of people reverse autoimmune conditions based on her own two-decade battle to successfully beat multiple sclerosis (MS). She’s the author of the Amazon #1 bestselling book, Beat Autoimmune, which has a powerful foreword by Functional Medicine pioneer, Mark Hyman, MD.
