Moms: 5 Ways to Reduce Toxins in Your Breast Milk

According to The New Breastfeeding Diet Plan, by Robert Rountree, M.D., and Melissa Block, M. Ed., there are 5 modes by which a breastfeeding woman's body releases toxins. They are:

1. Urine
2. Feces
3. Breath
4. Skin (sweat, glands, tears)
5. Breast milk (This mode is largely unresearched, but is based upon current medical knowledge of how the human body functions in eliminating wastes.)

Every human person has toxins in his or her body. Factors such as environment and diet play a large role in determining the amount of toxins in a given person. Because a woman who is breastfeeding has the critical task of providing life-sustaining nutrition for her child, it is wise that she take steps to reduce the amount of toxins in her body, thereby reducing the amount that she may be passing on to her child. Though it is impossible to completely eliminate toxins in the body, there are ways by which women can encourage the expulsion of toxins through the first four means.

1. Eat organic. An organic diet can greatly reduce your exposure to toxins and prevent their entrance to your body. Healthier, organic foods can also stimulate your body's systems to work better in eliminating toxins in natural ways. Organic foods are not grown with chemical pesticides, herbicides, or hormones, all of which contain large amounts of toxins. Because eating organic is expensive, the authors of The New Breastfeeding Diet Plan recommend focusing organic-eating dollars on dairy products, meat and poultry.

2. Drink more water. Water is your body's natural means of cleansing your body and carrying toxins out it via urine and sweat. If you are dehydrated, there is a higher chance that toxins will be more concentrated in feces, breath and breast milk.

3. Eat liver-healthy foods. The liver is the primary vehicle by which toxins are broken down for elimination by the body. Certain foods are known to improve and motivate liver function. Make sure to eat generous amounts of foods such as broccoli, cauliflower, brussels sprouts, eggs, garlic, onion, peppers, citrus fruits, fish, whole grains, vegetables and green tea.

4. Aid detoxification through the digestive tract. As the authors of the book point out, the digestive tract (mouth, throat, esophagus, stomach, small and large intestine) is an essential way in which toxins leave the body. Consuming generous amounts of water and fiber should reduce the amount of time that is needed to eliminate toxins, thereby reducing opportunities for your body to reabsorb toxins from food. Another simple step you can take to aid this process is to chew all food thoroughly before swallowing.

5. Aid detoxification through the skin. As stated earlier, sweat, tears and glands are ways in which your body removes toxins. Engaging in regular, vigorous exercise will help release toxins through sweat. It is also recommended that women not use heavy cosmetics which clog the pours and suppress the expulsion of toxins.

For women who breastfeed, reducing toxin levels and encouraging healthy body systems which eliminate toxins makes sense. For more information, read the book, The New Breastfeeding Diet Plan.