Whilst avoiding toxins entirely is impossible if ‘inner city’ is where you call home, there are certainly numerous things that you can do to reduce the amount you come into contact with on a daily basis. From eating organic food and drinking filtered water, to switching to natural skincare and beauty products – below we’re sharing 5 tips for reducing your toxic load.

BUY ORGANIC
Whilst we know it’s not always possible, eating organic food when the option is available can significantly reduce your daily intake of pesticides. When referring to the pesticides sprayed onto non-organic crops, we are referring to a whole host of chemicals used to eliminate agricultural pests and prolong the life of these foods. The most commonly used are insecticides (to kill insects), herbicides (to kill weeds), rodenticides (to kill rodents), and fungicides (to control fungi, mould, and mildew). In addition to pesticides used to ‘protect’ non-organic fruit and vegetables, if you eat meat and dairy, ensuring these are organic is even more important to avoid ingesting artificial hormones. Our favourite way to buy organic is at our local farmers market. If you want to learn more about why you should choose organic produce, Carole Bamford, Founder of Daylesford Organic talks so passionately about the benefits in our article here.

FILTER YOUR WATER
Whilst buying organic food is all well and good, the quality of the water you’re drinking and adding to your cooking is just as important. With all the toxic chemicals that can be present in tap water (most notably chlorine, fluoride and heavy metals), the easiest way to ensure your water is pure and free of chemicals is to have a water filteration system installed into your home. If that’s not an option, a filtered water jug or drink bottle is the next best thing.

BANISH PLASTIC
Whilst after reading the point above, store-bought bottled water may seem like the easiest way of avoiding any toxins lurking in our water supply, the ‘pure’ water cased inside plastic bottled water is not always as pure as it may seem. Unfortunately, plastic materials contain a toxic compound known as BPA (bisphenol-A), an estrogen-mimicking substance used in plastic production that has been linked to the onset of breast cancer, early puberty and infertility. Stick to BPA free water bottles made from glass or steel.

PURCHASE COSMETICS CONSCIOUSLY
Here at Hip & Healthy, we take a holistic approach to wellbeing, meaning that the same way we look at food labels, we do our beauty products. The skin, being our largest organ, absorbs what we apply to the surface, into our bloodstream. Using products that contain parabens, fragrances and synthetic ingredients result in a toxic-load that could otherwise be avoided if natural and organic products were favoured over mainstream varieties. According to a recent study, the average woman’s daily grooming and makeup routine consists of an astounding 515 different synthetic chemicals, applied to her body every single day. By favouring natural and organic beauty products, you’ve already minimised your exposure to over 500 detrimental chemicals each day.

DITCH THE BLEACH
Exactly what we’ve talked about above with cosmetics, the same goes for your cleaning products. So many cleaning products have incredibly harsh chemicals that get absorbed through your skin if you don’t wear gloves and adversely affect the air you breathe in your home. We encourage you to choose alternatives that still effectively clean your home but are also kind to your body. Check out our go-to brands for natural cleaning products. 

GET IN YOUR GREENS
Yet another reason to love your greens – upping your dose of leafy greens is a great way to combat the effects of heavy metals and chlorine our body is exposed to through the foods we eat, the water we drink, the cosmetics we use and even the air we breathe. Eating leafy greens has a cleansing effect on the body, detoxing our systems on a cellular level and helping the body to flush out those unwanted toxins that we come into contact with on a daily basis. Put simply – the more greens you eat, the less toxic you become. Whilst leafy greens are great – for something a little more potent and extra detoxifying, try adding Spirulina and Chlorella to your morning green juice or smoothie. Check out our Jolly Green Giant Smoothie!

Read more: Feeling Zen: Tips To Become A Master Of Your Morning