A review of Dr. Joseph Pizzorno’s book The Toxin Solution
The world is full of news. And at times it seems as if it is all bad news. The world is also full of toxins. Toxins released into the environment by human activity. But there is good news. Today’s good news is all about The Toxin Solution.
Dr. Pizzorno, the founder of Bastyr University, is the man I’ve been searching for for a long long time. His book, The Toxin Solution, How Hidden Poisons in the Air, Water, Food and Products We Use Are Destroying Our Health- And What We Can Do To Fix It, brings together all the learning I needed to overcome chronic ill health. I did it the hard way with blood, sweat and tears (literally). The knowledge and experience shared in this book is the solution most people are looking for and can be a safe and effective shortcut to healing. (Hooray!)
Toxins, the invisible root of chronic disease
Most people. I won’t say every person, because there are always exceptions. But he’s very clear, and I believe him, “toxins are now the invisible primary drivers of countless health problems.” (Pizzorno, 1) If toxins are the root cause of chronic illness then the solution is removing them safely.
“BPA and other toxins do all sorts of damage: they gradually clog the liver, block insulin-receptor sites, damage the genes and undermine DNA repair and recovery. They contribute to inflammation, blood sugar problems, digestive problems, mitochondrial disorders, hormonal imbalances, low energy, immune issues, and a host of other problems.” (Pizzorno, 5)
These problems continue to add up as we age. This is why the incidence of chronic health issues increases with age in the general population and why chronic disease relentlessly progresses over time. But the good news is that this only happens when we don’t repair our organs of detoxification and clear the toxins. Meaning, it’s fixable and avoidable.
The toxin solution releases the power to heal
That’s the best news you’ll hear all year. You and I do not have to succumb to chronic disease. It’s not a fixed outcome, rather we have the power to do something about it. I feel better just thinking about it.
Dr. Pizzorno teaches that in just eight weeks The Toxin Solution will:
- Reveal how to avoid avoidable toxins.
- Strengthen and repair detox organs: the gut, liver and kidneys.
- Support your body’s normal processes for excreting toxins.
- Actively facilitate the release of toxins.
- Repair toxin-related damage.
(Pizzorno, pg 3)
On my quest for recovery from chronic disease, I learned over and over again that toxins were the problem and that I had difficulty removing them from my body. This process caused excessive pain, fatigue, mental health challenges and possibly every rendition of digestive distress known to mankind. I learned that my body stored toxins that I could not metabolize and get rid of and that my body was constantly reacting to those toxins – creating massive autoimmune symptoms.
What I didn’t clearly see until I read the Toxin Solution is that these toxins are not just being circulated and stored inside of me and causing hormone disruption and weight gain, but they are causing real damage. Damage to the very tissues (gut, liver and kidneys) that are meant to remove them. Additionally, aging (we’re all aging, no matter how young you are) reduces our capacity to remove toxins.
The part I absolutely delighted in is Dr. Pizzorno’s teaching on the role that good and specific nutrition plays in detoxification and healing. Fresh, whole food is central to The Toxin Solution.
He gets very specific on how to clean out your body and heal. If you follow his step-by-step instructions, you won’t be disappointed.
The power to heal begins with choices
My mission at LightenUp Simply, is to simplify removing toxins at home – toxins found in cleaning and health and beauty care products. Dr. Pizzorno encourages this shift at home too. He says that we must first avoid the toxins that we can avoid. That means removal of chemically based products at home. Effort to remove toxins from our bodies begins with not putting them there in the first place.
Not all toxins are avoidable, but we must, he says, avoid as many of them as possible. This begins at home. “Every source of exposure adds up. Anytime you can avoid a toxin, you should do so, because there are so many toxins we can’t avoid.” (Pizzorno, 207, 208)
The Toxin Solution Maintenance Plan (Pizzorno, 202)
- Keep new toxins from entering your body.
- Keep decreasing your toxic load.
- Improve key functions of you physiology so you can live a long and healthy life.
Keeping out new toxins involves – eating organically grown food, avoiding additives and preservatives, growing some of your own food (think Wellness Garden!), do not buy food in plastic, avoid Teflon and aluminum cookware, reduce harmful cooking techniques, limit alcohol consumption, filter air, filter water, use natural cleansers, choose furnishings and clothing wisely, only use toxin free health and beauty products.
This may sound like a lot. But with the right information and support, making these changes is easier than it appears. I’m here to help with that! It’s totally worth it. For what enjoyment are you missing out on if you are sidelined by low energy, poor sleep, pain, poor digestion and depression? Wouldn’t you rather spend less of your money on inconclusive doctor’s visits, toxic medication and overpriced diagnostic testing? I would. And I do.
Dr. Pizzorno’s maintenance plan also outlines how to get out the old toxins in which he emphasizes that the best strategy is to keep the toxins out (!!!). (Pizzorno, 218)
The good news is that there is a solution to the mix of modern toxins in your body
Dr. Pizzorno clearly lays out the reasons for ill health of all forms and teaches the general principals associated with toxicity and cleansing. But he also does a great job in teaching the details – what your body needs in order to clean out and detoxify and HOW TO DO THIS. His comprehensive, step by step approach, while requiring much dedication, is the best plan I’ve seen to get you from Point A to Point B. That is – from toxic and sick to vibrant and full of life again.
I wholeheartedly recommend The Toxin Solution to you if you are seeking a new level of wellness. It’s available on Amazon or likely at your public library.
You Can Be you again
The Good News is that you can be more of who you want to be – the vibrant beautiful you – by removing toxins from your daily life and body and by supporting healing from the inside out.
Thank you, Dr. Pizzorno, for this wealth of wisdom and resource for deep healing. You are a hero that I hope to meet someday. For now, I’ll share your comprehensive plan for freedom from toxins with anyone who wants to know.
Pizzorno, J. (2017) The Toxin Solution. New York, NY: Harper Collins.