Could the toxins you’re exposed to on a daily basis sabotage your weight loss efforts? There are some strong links between toxins and weight gain that you need to know.
Some of us detox well, but others not so. Issues with liver, kidney, gallbladder or nutrients involved in detox.
The links between toxins and weight gain
There are several key ways that toxins affect your ability to lose or maintain a healthy weight. These include:
- Heavy metals
- Endocrine disruptors
- Metabolic rate
- Problems with methylation and detoxification
Let’s take a closer look at each of these mechanisms.
Heavy Metals
We are exposed to heavy metals on a daily basis – think barium, cadmium, arsenic, lead and mercury. Heavy metals compete with minerals including copper, iron, magnesium and zinc, which can cause you to become deficient in these key nutrients. When mineral levels are low, it can slow the metabolic rate down.
Heavy metals also contribute to oxidative stress. This leads to low-level inflammation, causing more fatty tissue to develop as well as damaging DNA and interfering with the normal functions in the body.
The body knows that heavy metals are dangerous, so it will try to store it in your fat to protect the rest of the body. Losing weight – and therefore fat – can reintroduce these heavy metals, so the body tries to prevent it from happening.
If that wasn’t enough of a problem, heavy metals that are encapsulated in fat can cause even more issues. They slow the mitochondria of the cells and disrupt the metabolic rate. This then slows the process of detoxifying heavy metals, leading to a greater build-up.
Endocrine Disruptors
When it comes to toxins and weight gain, endocrine disruptors are the #1 cause that comes to mind. We are exposed to endocrine disruptors every day via:
- Pesticides and herbicides
- Phthalates
- BPA and BPA-free plastics
- Detergents and other cleaning products
- Flame retardants
- Foods
- Toys
- Cosmetics and personal care products
- Non-stick cookware
These compounds mimic hormones such as oestrogen. This means they sit on the receptors and have the same effect as the hormones. This can interfere with the positive and negative feedback loops your body has in place to balance hormones. When dealing with endocrine disruptors, you’ll notice stubborn weight gain around the tummy, hips and bum.
Some are also obesogens – chemicals that interfere with metabolism of fats and contribute to obesity. They combine themselves with fat to protect themselves. So the more you have in the body, the more they insulate themselves in body fat, leading to a vicious cycle of fat gain.
Metabolic Rate
The endocrine system is responsible for regulating your metabolic rate. This includes how you metabolise fat, carbs and proteins, convert them into energy or store them away, and hundreds of other processes.
Unfortunately, toxins can throw your metabolism off by:
- Stopping the conversion of thyroid hormone T4 (inactive) to T3 (active hormone)
- Slowing down the metabolic rate as the body tries to protect itself from the toxins
- Slowing down excretion, causing you to hold onto more toxins
- Depleting nutrients including water and fat-soluble nutrients, amino acids and glutathione
This can become a vicious cycle of gaining weight and holding onto toxins. This can lead to fatty liver and many other metabolic-induced conditions. If you’ve been stuck in this cycle for years, it can be difficult to get a handle on it and lose weight successfully.
Detoxification issues
Another contributor to this picture is any condition that affects detoxification – think MTHFR, COMT and pyrolles. Low B12 levels leading to high homocysteine can also be a bit problem.
All of these can add to the low-grade chronic inflammation picture, adding further fat tissue storage. It also adds to insulin resistance, which is another contributor to low-grade inflammation. This adds up to:
- Stubborn fat, particularly around the abdomen
- High blood pressure
- Thyroid issues
- Fatty liver
- Higher body weight overall
What you can do to support weight loss
If you suspect that toxins are playing a role in your weight gain, what can you do to get back on track? There are a few simple steps that can get you started:
Look at what you have control over. What are you exposed to every single day that might contain toxins? This can include your tap water, skincare and personal care products, scented candles and cleaning products. For me, the big one was the plastic nozzle on my coffee machine – every day I would be drinking hot coffee that passed through plastic first!
Make simple swaps. Now that you know what you’re exposed to, make a switch to a non-toxic option. Get a high quality water filter, switch your personal care products and cleaning products to natural products. If you want to make your house smell nicer, opt for essential oils and air purifiers.
Start with some basic detoxifying diet tweaks. These can include:
- Daily green smoothies with ingredients such as celery and cucumber
- 10ml of apple cider vinegar in a glass of water each day
- Filtering your water (this is a biggie!)
- Activated charcoal – 2 capsules before bed can help the detoxification process
- Add in some chlorella – it’s rich in chlorophyll which is a fantastic natural cleanser
For even greater results, add in infrared saunas. They help to target the fatty tissue and release toxins. You might like to do 2-3 per week for a month to kickstart your efforts.
Looking for more guidance about how you can boost your metabolism and lose weight?
You can access my FREE Master Your Metabolism 10 Day Program here.
