Note: Thanks to our sponsor Generation Rescue for ideas on how we can all increase our health safety at home.  Tops are from Dr. Peter Koslowski.  Dr. Kozlowski is a Family Practice M.D. who specializes in Functional Medicine. He has trained with many leaders in the field such as Dr. Mark Hyman, Dr. Deepak Chopra, and Dr. Susan Blum. He focuses on nutrition, gut health, and underlying environmental triggers to create individualized treatment plans.  We encourage you to visit the GR site regularly for actionable info for the entire family.

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Team GR: Environmental detox is important for all families to consider. We asked Dr. Peter Kozlowski, one of our favorite natural medicine doctors, for the best ways to eliminate those pesky toxins lurking in our home.

Written by Dr. Peter Kozlowski, M.D.

Our homes are where we spend most of our time and a place where we can minimize our exposure to toxins.

Toxins come in all forms and sizes. We can create toxic burdens in our bodies through what we eat. High sugar diets cause high insulin, which creates metabolic toxicity.

Toxins can be chemical such as heavy metals or mycotoxins, biological such as bacterial, viral or fungal toxins, physical such as radiation or trauma, or psychological such as chronic stress or toxic relationships.

Some of these toxins are evident. Others are not so evident and quietly burden our bodies.

Here are five things you can do today to reduce your exposure to toxins in your home.

Focus on the air

Dust in the home has the highest percentage of air born pollutants. Get a HEPA/carbon air filter to control dust.

The carbon cleans gases, fumes, and smokes, while the HEPA cleans particles greater than 0.3 microns. Use a HEPA vacuum (air sealed) frequently, focus on the bedroom.

Bring down pollutants by opening your windows, but turn off your filter while open. Leave your shoes outside, they carry pesticides. Remove wall to wall carpeting, which traps toxins from our shoes, and is a source of flame retardant.

If you have poor ventilation, carbon monoxide from the furnace or hot water tank could be contaminating the air in your home. Faulty plumbing could lead to air contamination from sewer gas. If you smell or suspect mold get a mold inspection.

Finally, chimneys should be airtight glass and have a direct vent.