Excessive smoking, drinking, over-the-counter, prescription, and illegal drugs, food additives and colorants, all create toxic deposits in the body cells. As does undigested organic matter. On the long run, these deposits can cause serious health problems.

Biochemical or metabolic disorders are induced by prolonged physical and mental stress, including faulty or inconsistent nutritional patterns, constant overeating and overindulgence in proteins.

Nutritional deficiencies, sluggish metabolism and consequent retention of toxic metabolic wastes, poisons from polluted food, water, air and our environment, are factors that seriously affect our health. So do toxic drugs, tobacco and alcohol, lack of sufficient exercise, rest and relaxation, and severe emotional and physical stress.

PVC and PC plastics are dangerous and should be avoided. Look on the packaging for either PVC3 or PC7, or look inside the recycling triangle for the numbers 3 or 7.

1. Avoid using cling film directly in contact with fatty foods, unless the manufacturer advises otherwise (high-fat foods include dairy products, meat, pastries and cakes).
2. Avoid silicon-based baking paper, and cling film when re-heating or cooking food in the microwave. Refrain from using plastic containers in the microwave, unless they are designed for this purpose.

It has been proven that refilling plastic water bottles and reusing them can be hazardous to your health.

1. Avoid products containing Triclosan, like certain plastic chopping-boards, washing-up cloths, sponges, liquids, soaps and disinfectants.
2. Stay away from chemical air fresheners and heavily scented cleaning products like dishwashing liquid, floor cleaner and washing powder.

Following these simple tips will help protect yours health, as well as the environment you live in and depend upon.

1. Fresh fruits and vegetables that have not been properly washed or peeled, and tinned or canned food products.
2. Try to avoid shark, marlin or swordfish, if you are pregnant or breastfeeding, because they can contain high levels of chemical contaminants, besides mercury.
3. Choose fresh, frozen or dried fruits rather than the tinned or canned variety. Whenever possible, choose organic produce.
4. Consume a variety of fish to reduce the risk of consuming a contaminated type. For a healthy diet it is recommended to eat fish at least twice a week. One of those should be oily fish like mackerel, herring, tuna, anchovies or sardines, to provide essential Omega-3 fatty acids.
5. Use a water filter to reduce chemical levels in drinking or cooking water.
6. Substitute processed foods for fresh, organic products. At the same time reduce to the strict minimum your intake of fatty meats, and other animal fats such as butter, cheeses and cream.
7. If you are pregnant, trying to become pregnant, or breastfeeding, alter your fish consumption. In these circumstances, the Food Standards Agency recommends that women shouldn't eat more than two medium-sized cans of tuna, or one fresh tuna steak per week. This is due to the high levels of mercury in tuna, which is known to be harmful to the foetus.

Man-made industrial and agricultural chemicals, are severely contaminating our planet, disrupting nature's cycles, and deeply affecting humans and wildlife alike.

We are consistently exposed to a cocktail of hazardous chemicals, everyday of our lives. It’s a serious modern threat, and its full impact on us, and on future generations is yet unclear.

The food we ingest is laden with hormones meant to fatten up cattle and poultry. Our hormones are further disrupted by chemical fertilisers and pesticides used by farmers (around 72 different pesticides are sprayed on fruits and vegetables) as well as by the antibiotics that animals consume with their feed.

The recent scare of mercury in fish ironically makes so-called healthy foods seem rather hazardous.

More than ever now, you should watch what you eat:
It is estimated that around 1000 different chemicals are present in our daily food, even in the one we think is healthiest!

Government data shows that over 90% of fresh salmon, more than a third of fruit and vegetables, and 40% of cereal products, contain pesticide residues.

Furnishings in the bedroom equally contain chemicals, such as flame retardants and stain repellents. Most foam bed mattresses, synthetic curtains, upholstery or carpets almost invariably have stain repellents and flame-retardants.

Even the clothes you keep in your bedroom, when dry-cleaned, emit toxic chemicals!

For safety in the bedroom avoid:

1. Soft furnishings with chemical finishes such as stain repellents and flame-retardants.
2. Buying clothes that can only be dry-cleaned if possible, as well as sending your clothes for dry-cleaning too frequently.
3. Try not to keep too many electrical and electronic appliances in your bedroom such as computers, TVs and hi-fi systems at the same time.

If you've just redecorated your home, or moved into a newly decorated one, airing it before you live in it will dilute the chemicals during their most potent stage. However, high levels of VOCs will outgas for months and in many cases, will continue to outgas for years.

How to minimise exposure to toxins in your home environment

Carpets made from organic natural fibres such as wool, cotton, rattan or jute are a far better option. Not only do they look and feel nicer, they're also much safer for you and the environment. Choose curtains, carpets and upholstery containing little or no brominated flame retardants or stain repellents.

Be wary of and try to avoid:

1. All types of synthetic carpets (carpet underlay or upholstery with synthetic foams, foam rubber, latex or plastic). Common floor coverings are most often primary contributors to indoor air contamination. This is due to the VOC constituents present in the fabrication of the materials, such as carpet padding and carpeting, and in the adhesives used to apply carpet padding and tile.
2. Furniture or carpets with chemical finish, such as stain repellents and brominated flame-retardants. At all cost, avoid re-carpeting your home or ripping out carpets while you are pregnant.

For a safer, less toxic environment at home:

1. Substitute carpets for wooden, ceramic, or cork (Linoleum) flooring. If you must have carpet, choose one made from natural fibres rather than the synthetic variety.
2. Instead of using artificial air freshener, open your windows wide, whenever possible. If you can't keep windows open, use natural odour eaters. A bowl of baking soda effectively absorbs odours. Alternatively, use natural fragrances such as potpourri or lavender, or better yet, burn essential oils for enhanced beneficial effects.
3. When buying a PC or monitor, look for the TCO 95 Eco-label, which limits the amount of brominated flame retardant in the product.

The most innocent items such as furniture, TV sets, other electrical appliances, carpets and rugs often contain stain-repellent or fire-retardant chemicals. Many of the ones used as flame-retardants (brominated flame-retardants) persist for a long time in the home environment, eventually accumulating in our bodies. Research has shown that they can potentially disrupt our natural hormonal system over time.

Volatile Organic Chemicals (VOCs) contribute to indoor air pollution and cause ozone depletion. Some, like alcoholic compounds, can even be explosive.

The term VOC is generally applied to organic solvents, certain paint additives, aerosol spray propellants, fuels (such as gasoline, and kerosene), petroleum distillates, dry cleaning products, and many other industrial and consumer products ranging from office supplies to building materials.

They have been known to cause headache, sore throat, nausea, and drowsiness. Prolonged exposure to high concentrations of VOCs can lead to cancer.

A great percentage of pesticides and insecticides used on fruit and vegetables are known to be carcinogenic. Pesticide residues have been detected in up to 75% of U.S. foods. Industrial pollution from car fumes, factories and combustion pollutants, cannot be ignored.

Industrial pollutants cause the poor air quality in big cities and industrial zones, which we know as smog and soot. Most of the 20 million people suffering from asthma also live in areas with poor air quality. Over one hundred and seventy million people currently live in counties where air quality standards are not met, facing increased risks of heart and lung disease and premature mortality.

How to get Well: Handbook of Natural Healing. Dr. Paavlo Airola:

"These health-destroying environmental factors bring about inevitable derangement in all the vital bodily functions, with consequent biochemical imbalance in the tissues; autotoxemia; chronic under-supply of oxygen to the cells; poorer digestion, ineffective assimilation of nutrients...and, of course, gradually lowered resistance to disease."

Lead poisoning is one of the foremost environmental health threats to children. Those living in industrial and metropolitan areas have enough lead in their blood to reduce intelligence and attention span, cause learning disabilities, ADD, and permanently damage a child's brain and nervous system.

Going for breaks and long walks in nature, especially forests whenever possible, while making a conscious effort to breathe deeply, will re-supply the body cells and blood with vital oxygen.

You constantly hear about toxins threats through magazines, on the Internet and on TV and radio. But what are toxins? And how can we eliminate toxins, or at least neutralise them?

Whether we like it or not, various toxin forms are present all around us. Toxins could represent a potentially serious threat to our health if we don't learn to take simple necessary precautions.

Let's take an objective look at the toxins our body is exposed to on a daily basis, and explore effective ways to prevent and counteract toxin damage.

Main toxins categories:

• Environmental toxins
• Household toxins
• Food toxins
• Lifestyle toxins

What are toxins and where do toxins come from?

Whether we like it or not, toxins in various forms are present all around us and affect every aspect of our lives. They could represent a potentially serious threat to our health if we don't learn to take some simple, yet necessary precautions.

Toxicity symptoms:

• headaches
• depression
• poor sleep
• haziness and lack of focus
• fatigue
• constipation
• nausea
• problems waking up
• allergies
• dull complexion
• eye bags
• mouth ulcers
• spots and acne
• eczema and psoriasis
• lowered immunity
• age spots
• excess weight
• thrush and candida

High toxicity has been linked to serious diseases.

Do you suffer from any of the above toxicity symptoms?

Detox is the latest buzzword in the alternative medicine community, and it is fast infiltrating the mainstream. A majority of health-conscious individuals, aware of the amount of toxins the body is subjected to on a daily basis in the 21st century, are now seeking ways to effectively support the body's elimination and cleansing capacity.

On this site, you will find a selection of the common body detox and mind detox methods available to us today and advice on how to undertake a detox program and what to expect. A MUST READ before you start any detox program.

There has been much debate in the media about the possible medical use of marijuana. Under U.S. law since 1970, marijuana has been a Schedule I controlled substance. This means that the drug, at least in its smoked form, has no commonly accepted medical use.

In considering possible medical uses of marijuana, it is important to distinguish between whole marijuana and pure THC or other specific chemicals derived from cannabis. Whole marijuana contains hundreds of chemicals, some of which are clearly harmful to health.

THC, manufactured into a pill that is taken by mouth, not smoked, can be used for treating the nausea and vomiting that go along with certain cancer treatments and is available by prescription. Another chemical related to THC (nabilone) has also been approved by the FDA for treating cancer patients who suffer nausea. The oral THC is also used to help AIDS patients eat more to keep up their weight.

Scientists are studying whether marijuana, THC, and related chemicals in marijuana (cannabinoids) may have other medical uses. According to scientists, more research needs to be done on marijuana's side effects and potential benefits before it can be recommended for medical use. However, because of the adverse effects of smoking marijuana, research on other cannabinoids appears more promising for the development of new medications.

Do you know that your liver plays important roles in detoxification, hormonal balance, fat regulation, digestion and circulation? The healthy liver metabolizes the nutrients for life: proteins, fats, carbohydrates and turns toxic materials into non-toxic substances for expulsion.

Toxic substances (They include such substances as alcohol and recreational drugs, nicotine, THC, cocaine etc.) end up stored in the liver. Once the buildup becomes too much, the liver begins to have trouble eliminating wastes from the body, as well as trouble digesting our food. This then leads to a buildup of toxins in other organs, and in all the tissues of the body, including the brain. A buildup of this nature can be fatal, if the liver doesn't first cease to function altogether. So it is our job to eliminate these toxins from the body on a regular basis. It is also our job to feed the liver the nutrients it needs to support its important functions, as well as to occasionally give it a complete break from all we put it through in a day.

The ingredients in Vale’s Perma-Clean have been traditionally consumed to aid the liver in the elimination of toxins and to help promote healthy liver function. Perma-Clean is combination of two detoxifying formulas dispensed be healthcare professionals to help their patients with deep cellular cleansing.

A combination of Milk Thistle (particularly believed to block toxins from entering the liver, helps to remove toxins from liver cells and regenerate liver cells ) and Burdock Root (excellent tonic for the lungs and liver, stimulates toxic waste through the skin and urine, improving digestion) helps to promote the healthy liver function so crucial to the body’s natural detoxifying process. Nutritionally balanced, this product is gentle on the system to ensure your comfort and safety. Perma-Clean is ideal for people who are serious about maintaining their good health.

Suggested Use:

4 capsules with several glasses of water, two times a day for 15 days or as desired.

Proprietary blend: Echinacea Angustifolia Root, Burdock Root, Yellow Dock Root, Milk Thistle Seed, Barberry Bark, Astragalus Root, Black Walnut Hull, Hydrangea Root, Celery Seed, Chickweed, Kelp, Dandelion Leaf, Butternut Bark, Oatstraw, Horseradish Root.

Scientists do not yet know how the use of marijuana relates to mental health problem. Among the difficulties in this kind of research are determining whether marijuana use precedes or follows mental health problems; whether one causes the other; and/or whether both are due to other factors such as genetics or environmental conditions. High doses of marijuana can induce psychosis (disturbed perceptions and thoughts), and marijuana use can worsen psychotic symptoms in people who have schizophrenia. There is also evidence of increased rates of depression, anxiety, and suicidal thinking in chronic marijuana users. However, it is not yet clear whether marijuana is being used in an attempt to self-medicate an already present but otherwise untreated mental health problem, or whether marijuana use leads to mental disorders (or both).

When a nursing mother uses marijuana, some of the marijuana's THC is passed to the baby in her breast milk. This is a matter for concern, since the marijuana's THC in the mother's milk is much more concentrated than that in the mother's blood. One study has shown that the use of marijuana by a mother during the first month of breastfeeding can impair the infant's motor development (control of muscle movement). This work has not been replicated, although similar anecdotal reports exist. Further research is needed to determine whether marijuana's THC transmitted in breast milk has harmful effects on development.

Speed, meth, chalk. In its smoked form, it is often referred to as ice, crystal, crank, or glass. Those are all street names for methamphetamine (mAMP). Call it what you may, but meth use and its symptoms are one in the same. If it's taken in large doses, methamphetamine's frequent effects are irritability, aggressive behavior, anxiety, excitement, auditory hallucinations, and paranoia along with delusions and psychosis. Meth abusers tend to be violent. Mood changes are also common, and the abuser can rapidly change from friendly to hostile. The paranoia produced by methamphetamine abuse results in suspiciousness, hyperactive behavior, and dramatic mood swings.

Meth appeals to drug abusers because it increases the body's metabolism and produces euphoria, increases alertness, and gives the abuser a sense of increased energy. High doses or chronic use of meth, however, increases nervousness, irritability, and paranoia. The extreme paranoia that meth abusers can experience is often associated with a distorted tendency toward violence. Adverse consequences of meth abuse include the risk of stroke, heart failure, and prolonged psychosis.

Methamphetamine use has three patterns: low intensity, binge, and high intensity.

Low-intensity meth abuse describes a user who is not psychologically addicted to the meth and who administers the drug by swallowing or snorting it. Binge and high-intensity meth abusers are psychologically addicted and prefer to smoke or inject meth to achieve a faster and stronger high. The binge and high-intensity patterns of abuse differ in the frequency in which the drug is abused. While the binge pattern of abuse has seven stages within its cycle: rush, high, binge, tweaking, crash, normal, and withdrawal-the high-intensity abuse pattern usually does not include a state of normalcy or withdrawal.

"Tweakers", which are referred to those who are at the most dangerous state of meth abuse, is a meth user who is tweaking. This meth abuser probably has not slept in 3-15 days and, consequently, the symptoms would be irritability and paranoia. A tweaker does not need provocation to behave or react violently, but confrontation increases the chances of a violent reaction. If the tweaker is using alcohol, his negative feelings and associated dangers intensify.

Several hours after the last meth use, the individual experiences a drastic drop in mood and energy levels. Sleep begins and may last for a long period and, upon awakening, severe depression exists that may last for days. While meth users are in this depressed state, suicide is a major concern. These meth abuse symptoms occur after meth use and may be reversed by taking another dose of methamphetamine, thereby fitting the definition for a withdrawal syndrome.

Now, get out your pen and paper and take notes if you see these short term effects in your teenager or loved one. Short term meth abuse symptoms are increased alertness, sense of well-being, paranoia, intense high, hallucinations, aggressive behavior, increased heart rate, convulsions, extreme rise in body temperature (as high as 108 degrees which can cause brain damage and death), uncontrollable movements (twitching, jerking, etc...), violent behavior, insomnia, impaired speech, dry and itchy skin, premature aging, rotting teeth, loss of appetite, acne, sores and numbness.

Some of the effects that meth abuse has on the mind are also symptoms of meth use. These meth use symptoms are disturbed sleep, excessive excitation, excessive talking, panic, anxiousness, nervousness, moodiness and irritability, false sense of confidence and power, delusions of grandeur leading to aggressive behavior, uninterested in friends, sex, or food, aggressive and violent behavior, and severe depression.

After excessive meth abuse, there are long term effects as well, such as fatal kidney and lung disorders, possible brain damage, depression, hallucinations, disorganized lifestyle, permanent psychological problems, violent and aggressive behavior, weight loss, insomnia, behavior resembling paranoid schizophrenia, decreased social life, malnutrition, poor coping abilities, disturbance of personality development, lowered resistance to illnesses, liver damage, stroke and the inevitable, death.

There are also withdrawal symptoms that a meth abuser will partake in when coming off of meth or "crashing". If you see the symptoms of severe cravings, insomnia, restlessness, mental confusion or depression, chances are that the meth is exiting their system.

If you have been watching your teenager or loved one and your suspicians are pointing into the direction of meth abuse and you are seeing the symptoms of meth abuse, don't ignore them. Go with your instincts and in a loving and caring manner, let your teen or loved one know that you will help them seek the counseling they need to rid of meth or any other drug abuse. If you continue to see the signs and symptoms of meth use, you may either want to take your teen or loved one to his/her doctor or other medical professional and ask them to screen for the use of illegal substances. If you're not comfortable with revealing your suspcians to an outsider, it is also possible to screen your teenager or loved one in the privacy of your own home with home urine drug testing kits, saliva drug testing kits and hair drug testing kits.