In the frenzied time that surrounds the holidays, as we hurry along in all areas of life, it’s as if even the slightest derailment from our plans could potentially throw off the entire season’s celebrations. We all put an awful lot on our plates for perfection year round. In most areas we succeed, or at the very least succeed in satisfying our own individual standards.

But, we often neglect the most important aspect of our life — our health. During the holidays health is seldom at the forefront of our concerns. It is right up there as far as New Year’s resolutions go, but sadly, is often left by the wayside as January comes to a close. Perhaps it is time to be a little more proactive about our health and ask ourselves some important questions. Have I been feeling not up to par lately? Am I getting more frequent colds? Am I more tired? Do I suffer from odd little aches and pains and getting more headaches? Maybe I’ve been feeling a bit sluggish, or my digestion seems slower. It’s probably time to finally listen to our bodies and detoxify our lives.

Collectively, modern society has finally come to understand the importance of healthy eating, exercise and clean living. However, we live in a world surrounded by toxins and pollution. In fact, every year 2,000 new chemicals will be released on the market. Some survive in the environment and our food chain for

a long time. Many of these substances will invariably wind up inside our bodies. Their effects range from immunotoxicity to endocrine disruption and some are even believed to be carcinogenic. They burrow deep inside the body’s cells and stay there. It was reported that newborns had tested positive for chemicals that their mothers were exposed to 30 years earlier.

These are also what are referred to as exogenous toxins, which means that they come from the outside. Also included in this class are food additives, chemicals in body care and household products, different forms of radiation and cigarette smoke. Some of the toxins that accumulate in our bodies and threaten our health, often come directly from within. That is to say that they are endogenous or that they are end products of our own metabolism or a result of stress. In theory, these should be detoxified and drained naturally from our body. That is not always possible, and if left to accumulate, they can be just as dangerous to health as exogenous toxins are.