How toxins affect your brain health and what you can do about it
I'm on a Dr. Daniel Amen kick, and this is basically an advertisement for his book
The word “toxins” has become rather triggering for many people.
And, honestly, a year or so ago, I would’ve told you that toxins don’t really matter that much.
“That’s what our liver and kidneys are for! They do an excellent job of removing the toxins from our body! No need for detoxes here!”
And honestly: I’m still mostly in that boat. I don’t think we need skinny-tea detoxes, or juice fasts, or whatever else is ‘in’ for detoxing these days. And I do think our kidneys and liver are really effective at their job.
But here’s the problem: Your kidneys and liver are only capable of so much. When everything we touch, everything we eat, all the air that we breathe is releasing toxins into our bloodstream, our detoxing organs can lag a bit.
And besides, consider this: Even if our kidneys and liver do effectively detox a toxin from our system… Does that mean that the toxin has been prevented from causing damage at all? What if, before it’s excreted, the toxin has already done its job?
The problem: Toxins actually matter
Daniel Amen, MD, one of America’s leading psychiatrists and brain health experts, explains why this matters by saying, “Toxins are one of the major causes of brain health/mental health issues that traditional psychiatrists almost completely ignore.”
And if your brain is unhealthy, I promise you, you are unhealthy.
So let’s set aside all of the damage a toxin might do in other places in your body and just think about your brain—the most metabolically active organ in your body, in charge of all cognitive function, hormone regulation, and more.
According to Amen, here are 10 ways toxins poison your brain:
1. Reduce cerebral blood flow
2. Disrupt the endocrine system
3. Impair the immune system
4. Disrupt the gut microbiome
5. Increase the likelihood of developing diabetes and obesity
6. Damage DNA
7. Impair enzyme systems
8. Harm other organs
9. Alter gene expression
10. Damage cell membranes
Now you might be wondering, well, a lot of things. But if you’re curious specifically about how these 10 factors negatively impact our brain health (and you don’t want to wait for future posts) a good place to learn more about this would be his book The End of Mental Illness.
But here’s the thing: There are toxins all over the place. Like I mentioned in my previous post, they’re even in the self-care products and cosmetics we use on our skin. Our systems are completely overloaded by the onslaught of toxins the average person is exposed to in a day.
If you’re wanting a quick list of some common toxins, here are a few that Dr. Amen lists in his book:
Those that we inhale:
Air pollution
Automobile exhaust
Smoke (both cigarette and marijuana)
Fire retardant fumes
Mold
Paint/solvent fumes
Pesticide/herbicide residue (from both farms and backyard application)
Hairsprays, perfumes, frangrances
Etc.
Those we ingest or apply to our skin:
Diphenylamine (the shiny wax on an apple that makes it pretty, but breaks down into carcinogens also associated with Parkinson’s and Alzheimer’s)
Artificial food dyes/preservatives/sweeteners
BPA
Heavy metals
Alcohol
Foods packaged in plastic
Health and beauty products
Herbicides like glyphosate (Roundup)
Marijuana
Pesticides
Etc.
OKAY: So maybe this sounds scary (or maybe you don’t care at all), but the good thing is that the research shows that hope isn’t lost! When you decrease your toxin exposure, studies are showing that, for many of these toxins, it only takes a matter of weeks for our bodies to catch up and decrease the overall toxin level in our bloodstream—significantly.
That being said: There are some toxins that are peskier and do more long-term damage. Glyphosate (Roundup), for example, is wreaking such havoc on our DNA that it will have significant health implications for our children, and their children, and even their children after them. (My husband and I learned this directly from the research doctor overseeing the neonatal intensive care unit at our son’s hospital when he was admitted.)
If you want a healthier brain, here are a few steps you can take:
Reduce contaminated food
Go organic. As frequently as you’re able, choose the organic option. Seriously. I didn’t think it mattered, either. But (unfortunately) it does. (More on that in the future.)
Read food labels, and if you can’t pronounce it, or don’t know what it is, don’t eat it. The FDA allows for lots of known carcinogens to be used in our foods, i.e. potassium bromate. And avoid food dyes, artificial sweeteners.
Open your windows for 15 minutes a day, and if you suspect mold, TEST FOR IT.
Reduce your use of unsafe cosmetics and personal-care items.
Download an app like Yuka to scan the items you already have or are considering purchasing to see and understand what’s inside.
Support your gut (which strengthens your detoxification systems) with probiotics (foods or supplements), fiber, and drink lots of water.
Limit alcohol intake and support your liver
Support your kidneys (water, water, water)
And support your skin, your forgotten detoxifier!
Work up a sweat a few times a week
Get in the sauna
And eat a diet rich in Omega-3 fatty acids (EPA and DHA), Vitamin D, and Vitamin E
If you’re really interested in how the choices we make affect our brain and, therefore, our mental and physical health, I cannot recommend Dr. Amen’s books enough. They’re informational, transformational, and incredibly empowering.
***Much of this information was taken from Dr. Amen’s book The End of Mental Illness, but was also informed by Real Food for Pregnancy by Lily Nichols, RDN, CDE. If you’re interested, those resources are cited below.***
Bibliography
Amen, D. G. (2024). The End of Mental Illness. Tyndale House Pub.
Nichols, L. (2018). Real Food for Pregnancy: The Science and Wisdom of Optimal Prenatal Nutrition. Lily Nichols.