Do any of these 6 toxins age you? Check now

 

Do you have any idea how many aging chemicals and toxins you’re exposed to on a daily basis? The answer is a lot higher than you’d think! No matter how clean you try to live your life, the truth is that our modern environment is filled with toxins and chemicals that accelerate the biological aging process. For many of them, you may be unaware of just how much they’re speeding up your body’s deterioration. For some, you can reduce your exposure but it may be difficult to completely eliminate them.  What toxins and chemicals am I talking about? Mold: Even if you can’t see mold in your home, it’s often present, simply invisible (at the moment) and growing in your walls, floors, and ceilings. Mold can have a number of pretty ugly negative effects, particularly on your skin. The inflammation triggered by mold exposure can slow the production of collagen, leading to the breakdown of your skin’s structure, which in turn causes sagging and wrinkles. The inflammation can also cause uneven skin tone, dampen your skin’s natural brilliance, and even deprive it of moisture. On top of that, the toxins absorbed into your body (via the mold-laced air you breathe) can impact your liver, overworking it and reducing its ability to purge other toxins and chemicals. Tobacco: Smoking, as you know, is directly linked to a wide range of health problems—everything from lung cancer to heart disease to COPD to diabetes. But what you might not know is that exposure to cigarette smoke can also age your skin. The smoke dries out your skin and triggers inflammation, both of which combine to make your skin less effective at making repairs. Smoking leads to the formation of wrinkles, fine lines, and graying, dry skin. However, even if you don’t smoke, you’re often exposed to second-hand smoke, which can be even more toxic when inhaled. The damage done by those toxins to your lungs and your liver can lead to accelerated biological aging and reduced function of these two critical organs. Emotional toxins: Emotional toxins come in all forms: anxiety, fear, stress, and anger, to name a few. Toxic emotions often trigger the release of cortisol, the stress hormone. Cortisol can impact your brain and reduce cognitive function, can cause widespread inflammation, can reduce the function of your organs, and so much more.   Alcohol: Alcohol triggers widespread inflammation in your body because it’s essentially a low-grade “poison”. Your liver has to work hard to purge the alcohol poisons, which can over-tax your liver and prevent it from purging other toxins and chemicals from your bloodstream. Alcohol intake also leads to an increase in visceral fat, which can elevate your risk of long-term health problems, including diabetes, heart disease, and metabolic disease. Drinking more than the absolute minimum recommended alcohol (1-2 drinks per day) is going to do a great deal of damage that’ll accumulate over the years and speed up your biological aging. Chemicals and pollutants: No matter how clean you try to live your life, you’re still exposed to chemicals every day: in your furniture, your cleaning products, the aerosolized items you use, even in the city air you breathe. Research has proven that even everyday chemicals and contaminants can accelerate your biological aging and cause your body to break down faster. Get away from urban areas as often as you can, and spend more time out in rural areas where there are fewer chemicals and toxins you can be exposed to. Electromagnetic Fields: EMFs are emitted by everyday devices—phones, Wi-Fi routers, laptops, and even smart meters. Though invisible, these frequencies can place stress on your cells, increasing oxidative damage and inflammation over time. Some studies suggest that chronic EMF exposure may interfere with sleep, hormone balance, and immune response—all of which are crucial for healthy aging. While it’s nearly impossible to avoid them, you can reduce exposure by turning off Wi-Fi at night, keeping devices away from your body when possible, and using wired connections instead of wireless whenever you can. The sad truth is that our modern society creates an environment where you’re exposed to these biologically aging toxins every day. The best thing you can do is be aware of them and do your absolute best to reduce your exposure as much as possible.

Yours in good health, Andrew Peloquin Editor-in-Chief, The Longevity Journal