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Toxins and Your Health: What You Can Do to Lower the Load

  • Writer: Coastal Functional Medicine
    Coastal Functional Medicine
  • Oct 23
  • 3 min read

Updated: Oct 25

Written by Lynette Scalora-Palacios, NC, FNLP and Dr. Sandra Fleming, MD, IFMCP


Every October, we’re reminded that early detection saves lives, but prevention matters just as much. Emerging research is shedding light on a critical but often overlooked factor: toxic environmental exposures that can influence breast cancer risk.

 

The Bigger Picture: What the Research Shows

 

A new global review by Deep Science Ventures, “The Invisible Tsunami,” warns that chemical toxicity is far more pervasive and underestimated than we think.

 

  • Over 3,600 synthetic chemicals from food packaging materials have been found in human bodies.

  • PFAS, known as “forever chemicals,” are now found even in rainwater worldwide.

  • Over 90% of people breathe air that exceeds WHO pollution standards.

  • Pesticides are linked to cancers including breast, bladder, liver, and leukemia, and prenatal exposure raises childhood cancer risks by more than 50% (Deep Science Ventures, 2025).

 

Despite this growing evidence, U.S. regulatory frameworks remain outdated, allowing hundreds of new chemicals and food additives to enter our environment with minimal safety testing. The result? Increasing rates of cancer, declining fertility, and chronic disease, alongside widespread ecosystem damage.

 

These findings highlight an urgent need for awareness, advocacy, and individual action—especially since many harmful exposures occur in our homes, diets, and personal care routines.



What is a Toxic Load?

 

Your toxic load is the total amount of environmental and chemical substances your body must process and eliminate to stay healthy. Every day, we’re exposed to a mix of pesticides, plastics (phthalates, BPA, PFAS), heavy metals, mold toxins, combustion by-products, and microplastics—often without realizing it. The liver, kidneys, lungs, and skin are the body’s organs that are primarily responsible for processing and eliminating these toxins. However, when the exposure exceeds the body’s ability to detoxify, these toxins can accumulate, resulting in an increased toxic load which can disrupt bodily functions and lead to various health problems including:

 

  • Immune dysregulation

  • Cardiovascular and Metabolic disease

  • Cognitive Decline and Alzheimer's Disease

  • Chronic inflammation

  • Chronic fatigue

  • Gastrointestinal conditions (e.g., Dysbiosis, Leaky Gut, Inflammatory Bowel Disease)

  • Skin problems (e.g., rashes, acne)

  • Mood disorders (e.g., anxiety, depression)

  • Infertility

  • Endocrine disruption (e.g., hormone imbalance)

  • Certain cancers (lung, breast, blood, colorectal)

 

Growing evidence shows that environmental toxins, particularly air pollutants, endocrine disruptors, and heavy metals, play a role in rising breast cancer risk. The effects are particularly concerning for people with higher exposures, at vulnerable life stages (such as puberty, pregnancy, or menopause), and those with genetic predispositions.

 

The good news: by understanding and reducing your toxic load, you can help protect your long-term health and lower your risk.

 

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Other Practical Ways to Lower Your Toxic Load


➡ Food

  • Choose organic options for high-pesticide produce (see EWG’s Dirty Dozen list).

  • Avoid microwaving food in plastic — use glass or ceramic instead.

  • Limit charred meats and processed foods with additives.

  • Pick low-mercury fish (salmon, sardines, trout).

     

➡ Home

  • Use HEPA + carbon filters to improve indoor air.

  • Swap nonstick pans for stainless steel or cast iron.

  • Choose fragrance-free cleaners and personal-care products (scan with the EWG or Yuka app).

  • Address mold promptly and fix leaks.

     

➡ Water

  • Filter drinking water for PFAS and heavy metals (look for reverse osmosis + carbon systems).

 

Support Your Body’s Natural Detox Pathways


Functional medicine emphasizes a balanced approach — not extreme “cleanses.” You can safely support your body’s elimination systems through: 

  • Fiber-rich foods (leafy greens, cruciferous veggies, flaxseeds)

  • Adequate hydration

  • Movement and sweating

  • Restorative sleep

  • Micronutrients and Phytochemicals that aid liver detox (sulforaphane, B vitamins, Vitamins C, D, E, and K, selenium and zinc — best guided by a clinician)

 

If you experience chronic fatigue, brain fog, or chemical sensitivities, consult a Functional Medicine practitioner for targeted testing (mycotoxins, heavy metals, persistent organic pollutants).


Tools & Resources


 
 
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