What are Toxins?

The word or concept of 'toxins' may seem like an urban myth, a word the health industry has come up with to convince us to undergo detox diets and programs. However, evidence suggests that the presence of toxins within our environment are, in fact, very real.

The Nemours Foundation describes body toxins as, "A toxin is a chemical or poison that is known to have harmful effects on the body. Toxins can come from food or water, from chemicals used to grow or prepare food, and even from the air that we breathe. Our bodies process those toxins through organs like the liver and kidneys and eliminate them in the form of sweat, urine, and feces."

We have included a chart here to dissect the various forms of toxins into different categories, making it easier to identify their sources and health risks involved.

Name of toxins and toxic effects
Toxin	Source	Effect
Dioxin	Air	Cause serious injury to Hormones and the endocrine system
Furans	Air	It is the number one toxic to endocrine system and cause cancer
Heavy Metal - Mercury	Dental fillings, vaccines for children and adults, many species of fish, thermometers, fluorescent	Abnormal development and behavior disorders, cause cancer
Heavy Metal - Arsenic	Seafood, fish	Chronic arsenic poisoning can damage skin and nerve, cause skin cancer and vascular disease; is a carcinogen
Heavy Metal - Lead	Food, air, water, dust or soil, preserved eggs, alcoholic beverages cork, glazed pottery and crystal glass tableware	Damage the kidneys, cardiovascular system, immune system, blood-forming organs, central nervous system and reproductive system. Short-term intake of high levels of lead can cause gastrointestinal discomfort, anemia, encephalopathy and death, affecting children's cognitive and delay mental development.
Heavy Metal - Cadmium	batteries manufacturing , dyes, paint pigments and plasticstabilizers manufacturing plant wastewater contaminated vegetables, rice	Acute cadmium vapor fume fever is likely to occur or cadmium in cadmium alloy workers who weld metals, easily lead to toxic pulmonary edema, dyspnea, and acute renal failure occurred. Chronic cadmium poisoning lead to damage renal tubular, rickets and spontaneous fractures; is a carcinogen, may trigger the elderly prostate cancer
Polychlorinated biphenyls =PCBs	toxic substances were released by burning plastic bags or Styrofoam	Can cause cancer or reproductive problems. Its toxicity can affect the skin, eyes, mucous membranes, and the digestive and nervous system too.
Pesticides	Food, air, water, dust or dirt	Neurotoxin, it can affect the nervous system, is not conducive to reproductive health and cancer-related
Phthalates	Beauty products, children's soft toys	Is an endocrine disrupting chemicals, long-term intake may lead to precocious puberty in girls, overweight; affect male's fertility, damage liver and kidney
Volatile and semi-volatile organic chemicals	Aromatic products	Adverse effects on the nervous system and cause cancer