http://www.care2.com/greenliving/quiz-are-you-toxic.html
Are You Toxic? Take the Quiz and Find Out
Adapted from Total Renewal: 7 Key Steps to Resilience, Vitality & Long-Term Health, by Frank Lipman, M.D. (Jeremy Tarcher, Putnam, 2003).
Toxicity is one of the biggest challenges to being healthy. We live in a polluted world and no longer have the luxury of considering personal health as separate from environmental health.
Undeniably, people and nature are connected. Everyone needs clean air to breathe, clean water to drink, and nutritious food to eat. On a weighted scale
of burdens, toxicity is a ton of bricks. It has the potential to
undermine the balance of every system in the body.
Answer these questions to determine your level of toxicity:
1. Are you sensitive to chemicals, car fumes, odors, perfumes, or fragrances?
2. Are you becoming increasingly sensitive to caffeine, alcohol, or medications?
3. Do you have bad reactions to monosodium glutamate (MSG); foods containing sulfites, such as wine and dried fruit; salad bar food; beverages that contain caffeine; or diet sodas?
4. Do you suffer from fibromayalgia, chronic fatigue syndrome, cancer, or an autoimmune disease?
5. Do you have acne, eczema, hives, or unexplained itching?
6. Do you suffer from fatigue, lethargy, joint pains, muscle aches, or weakness?
7. Are you subject to irritability, mood swings, anxiety, depression, poor concentration, a “spacey” feeling, or restlessness?
8. Do you get headaches, a stuffy nose, frequent sinus infections, or allergies?
9. Do you suffer from nausea, bad breath, foul-smelling stools, a bloated feeling, or intolerance to fatty or starchy foods?
10. Do you keep getting sick?
11. Do you drink more than two alcoholic beverages a day?
12. Do you ever use over-the-counter, prescription, or recreational drugs on a regular basis?
Whether or not you answered yes to any of the above questions, I would suggest that you try to reduce your exposure to toxins. If you answered yes to three or more of the questions, the recommendations in this chapter (of the book referenced, above) are very important for you because you may be displaying signs of toxicity. You definitely need to decrease your burdens.
More from Annie B. Bond (3251 articles available)
Annie B.
Melissa
Jana
Kelly
Lily
Terri
Betsy
Cait
Eric
Andrew
Dave
Robyn
Deepak
18 comments
add your comment »I got formeldhyde posioning from a home being built, I have had well over 45 face & brian surgerys, I am home intervenous medictions,
Where did I get sick from, My Own home, Formeldhyde is in everything, Carpet glue, insulaion, nail polish and even our clothes, '
There is a simple test that can be done that you can get at the EPA a kit.For $75.00 that will test for any air born chemicals in your home,Anyone having problems or not please invest in that kit it could savr your life or your childrens life, many blessings StacyAnn
flag as inappropriate
why is this inappropriate?
Oddly, I got all 'no's, and I don't do anything particularly healthy or organic... A few months ago I changed my eating habits to lose weight, started eating mostly Lean Cuisine and drinking diet soda and flavored water, but that's really it. Ah well, suppose I'm lucky ^^
flag as inappropriate
why is this inappropriate?
I live with a diagnosis of multiple chemical sensitivity, also known as environmental illness. Unfortunately, it's not only the toxic things you put into your body that count up...it's the toxic things your body absorbs through your skin, too. One of the worse things for me, is diesel fuel in my neighborhood. but, wood smoke, car exhaust and the neighbor's dyrer sheets being vented under my windows is more insideous and adds to my personal toxic "load". Learn to be vigilent and pro-active for your right to clean and chemical-free air.
flag as inappropriate
why is this inappropriate?
Being diagnosed with cancer a few years ago was a wake up call to change my lifestyle. I started using certified organic skin, hair & body products (check out www.ozganicare.com) and eating organic wherever possible, even switching from non-fat milk to full cream organic milk. I joined a CSA (Community Supported Agriculture), compared to the US, a relatively new concept here in Oz. My grocery bill has decreased tremendously as I was only going shopping to buy fresh fruit & veggies and somehow all those little extras would find there way into the shopping basket! I managed to get 1 yes on the quiz, unfortunately I'm allergic to polyester so break out in a itch on the odd occasion I wear non cotton clothing or put toxic chemical ridden products on my skin. For an Aussie perspective of bad diets have a look at www.changinghabits.com.au - I purchased the book and cookbook and have since been changing my habits like making my own flour, butter, cooking oil to name a few and feel much better for it.
flag as inappropriate
why is this inappropriate?
About 1 year ago, I chose a raw vegan lifestyle. Everybody said I was crazy, brave or that I must have been a very disiplined person. I'm not that disiplined. After I started drinking green smoothies (one a day to start out with) I was no longer in the mood for soda or alcohol. I am also a college student and have a lot of distractions in my face daily. what I call junk food (grains/pastas, refined products) crept back into my life and I started gaining weight. On raw I went from 270 to 237 in three mos w/out exercising. Then eating junk I went back up to 258 in no time at all, however I have managed to keep my weight the same (I'm 250 now) or lose a little. I'm back to eating mostly raw, but still "fudge" a little (just a saying). Check out my gather.com page at witchlywonders.gather.com. I post recipes and some articles along with my progress occationally. You may think eating healthy costs a lot, but being sick still costs more. Soon, I hope to write my own article on that subject. Hope you get to visit my gather site. If you have BBC America, Check out 'How Clean is Your House' and they have a lot of great inexpensive cleaning tips, not to mention the reality of what really creaps around our house, EEK! Oh, forgot to mention, had asthma and psorisis since age 8 and it went away after maybe 1 1/2 weeks. Try looking up 'raw vegan' in the search engine and look at some of the tips they give, also subscribe to the free newsletters. Lots of great support and tips.
flag as inappropriate
why is this inappropriate?
Wow! Some really great advice here. I too was toxic. Now I eat organic whenever possible, no soda in the house, cut out most dairy, use only pure, safe, and beneficial personal care products and nutrition products. My life is so much better and it doen not have to cost more. it is true, when you cut out all of the other things you usually buy you will be saving money. If you buy a coffee from Starbucks every day how much is that? It is called the Latte factor. How much could you save by not having that coffee or fast lunch or whatever it may be? Do yourself a favor and learn how to buy healthy groceries. Join a nutrition group.
flag as inappropriate
why is this inappropriate?
I tested myself for a month...I started eating organic foods and drinks and than a month later I went to my sisters house and had dinner,everything she had was not organic and when I ate it I ended up running outside and I had dry heaves until I got rid of what I ate. Needless to say I chose to eat organic. What a difference. I cannot eat a pesticide apple, even after I washed it ( I will cough constantly, I can eat only organic apples with no problems.
flag as inappropriate
why is this inappropriate?
Dawn, one of the best things you can do to detoxify your body is to cut out sodas (including diet ones, they're very toxic) and refined sugar and flour. Eat more veggies (even non-organic is better than none) and drink fruit juice and water. I also drink kombucha tea that I make myself (a fermented drink that is a little like fizzy tart apple cider or can be quite vinegary). Just doing those things, I lost a lot of weight (30lb) and the bloating went away. Recently, I've gone back to eating junk food, and I feel lousy. Time to go back to taking care of myself before I gain all the weight back. No way!
Erica
flag as inappropriate
why is this inappropriate?
I have detoxified my life and the difference is amazing.
All the cleaners, shampoos, makeup etc.
No foods with preservatives and where possible organic only. No coffee only herbal teas and avoid polluted areas.
Everything is petrochemically based and it all tends to build up in the body. So avoid anything petrochemical, which means no pesticides or anything unnatural.
If I have to go to polluted areas, it takes me a couple of days to recover.
It is not expensive as you are doing without all of the extra little temptations that we tend to spend money on.
Once you experience life chemically free you will never think the same again.
flag as inappropriate
why is this inappropriate?
Wow, I had all no's! But then, I eat organic and raw foods, use nearly no meds or chemicals, don't drink, don't smoke/drug, and only use all natural skin and hair products. If I'd taken this 3 years ago, there would have been alot more yes answers!
flag as inappropriate
why is this inappropriate?