Working as a Naturopathic Doctor with a focus on pregnancy and fertility gives me a unique opportunity to influence the health of the future generation while simultaneously optimizing the health of the women and men in my practice. This is an opportunity I like to seize – a chance to make the next generation as vibrantly healthy as they can be!
Pre-Pregnancy Detoxifying
I am not a fan of the detox fad. I feel like it implies that our bodies are dirty or incapable of maintaining health – the very opposite of what I believe. But as with so many fads, there is an essential nugget of truth at the center of it – we are living in a world that is overwhelming our bodies with chemicals – in the air we breath, food we eat, clothes we wear, soaps we use to ‘clean’ our bodies. And our bodies can accumulate these chemicals, and they can cause changes in our hormones, in our cells and in our organ function.
The time prior to pregnancy is a wonderful time to detoxify your life. Not just your body, but your environment, thoughts and behaviours as well. A time to prepare for a fresh new beginning – the beginning of a life and a family.
Detoxifying Your Environment
A landmark study done by the Environmental Working Group found 287 chemicals in the umbilical cord blood of babies born in the United States – chemicals that are known to be toxic to the brain and nervous system, lead to developmental abnormalities and cancer.
This study highlights the importance of making changes now – of reducing our exposure to chemicals to decrease our future child’s exposure.
Here are three easy ways you can detoxify your environment prior to pregnancy
Use only natural cleaning products – the Environmental Protection Agency has found that in many homes the level of pollutants are three-to-five times higher than they are outside.Minimize your indoor chemical burden by using only all natural cleansing products and avoid these big offenders: upholstery shampoo, furniture polish, all-purpose sprays, bug sprays, bathroom cleansers, room deodorizers, fabric softeners.
- Avoid plastic wrap and plastic storage containers. Almost all plastics contain chemicals that have been shown to disrupt hormone balance and can impact fertility and potentially increase the risk of miscarriage.
- Change your personal care products, cosmetics and sunscreens. All of these products can contain a plethora of chemicals all with potential negative health effects. The Environmental Working Group maintains amazing databases of these products that can help you to make healthy choices for your self, and your environment. Be sure to check out their Cosmetics Database and their annual Sunscreen Guide.
Detoxifying Your Body
The two best ways we can detoxify our body is 1) decrease our exposure to chemicals and 2) support our body in eliminating them.
My top four suggestions for detoxifying your body are:
Eat organic produce. Hundreds of pesticides and herbicides are sprayed on conventional produce at various stages of their growth and production. Nearly two-thirds of produce contains pesticide residues – an alarming number with unknown consequences on long term health. The simplest way to decrease exposure and minimize risk is by selecting organic produce. Following the Clean 15 and Dirty Dozen recommendations from the Environmental Working Group is great place to start for understanding which produce you should always purchase organic, and which have lower potential for pesticide residue.
- Drink an abundance of clean water. Water is the way that our bodies move nutrients into cells – and toxins out. Drinking fresh, clean water throughout the day can greatly enhance your detoxification – and can improve energy and concentration as well.
- Exercise regularly. Exercise supports the lymphatic system – one of the most important systems in detoxifying the body. In order for our lymphatic system to work, we need to move our muscles, forcing movement of lymph back towards our heart. Daily movement practice should be part of any detoxification plan, and any healthy lifestyle.
- Do a personalized cleansing program once or twice a year. A personalized cleansing program developed by a Naturopathic Doctor can help identify specific detoxification goals for your body and help you to achieve them. Individualized programs are especially important prior to pregnancy – enhancing detoxification while maintaining optimal nutrient status will support your body now, and your baby’s in the future.
Detoxifying Your Thoughts and Behaviours
No detoxification is complete without as assessment of your thoughts and behaviours. Each of us has thoughts, attitudes and behaviours that impact our health – both positively and negatively. Time spent in personal introspection or working with a counselor can help us to identify patterns of thoughts or behaviours that we would like to modify. The time prior to pregnancy is an ideal time to explore our own feelings on parenthood, our relationship with our parents, and ourselves. It is a great time to let go of thoughts and behaviours that are not contributing to an abundant state of health – to detoxify our thoughts and behaviours and prepare ourselves for our future as parents.
Disclaimer
The advice provided in this article is for informational purposes only. It is meant to augment and not replace consultation with a licensed health care provider. Consultation with a Naturopathic Doctor or other primary care provider is recommended for anyone suffering from a health problem.
