1. Those produced by the normal physiological processes within the body
2. Those produced by the abnormally functioning gastrointestinal (GI) tract
3. Substances that come from outside
The first two categories are called endotoxins, which means coming from inside, from the Green work endon or within. The third category is called exotoxins, from ex or outside.
There are 50 to 100 trillion cells in an average body. Each cell produces waste products and dumps them into the blood. These toxins need to be dealt with and eliminated. Fortunately, we have a special detoxification system that is designed to remove waste products from the body. It consists of the liver, kidneys, intestine, lungs, and the skin. Our detoxification system can usually handle internally produced toxins without difficulties.
The problem is that today there are tens of thousands of synthetic chemicals in our environment that are potentially toxic. Industrial chemicals, pesticides, components of plastic, medications, toxic metals (lead, mercury, aluminum, cadmium), cleaning products, hair sprays and other personal care products, the list goes on and on.
Just a few days ago McDonald’s announced a recall of 12 million of commemorative Shrek glasses because 
they contained cadmium.
they contained cadmium.The environmental toxins get inside the body through the air, food and water. Some get in through the skin. The liver and the kidneys are constantly working to eliminate as many of them as possible, but there are just too many and it is simply not possible to remove all of them.
As a result, practically everyone has many different toxins in their body. And this is not only true about people. Toxins have been also detected in all kinds of animals, from whales to turtles.
The endotoxins, the ones that we make ourselves, are water-soluble. They require only minimal processing and are easily removed by the kidneys. Not so with the exotoxins. Most of them are fat-soluble, so they do not dissolve in the blood. Instead, they accumulate in the fatty tissues and in organs, such as abdominal fat, brain, heart, etc.
They interfere with normal function of the tissues and organs, causing deterioration in performance, unpleasant symptoms, and may even contribute to disease.
Don't miss part two of this short series later this week, where we'll discuss the relationship between gut health and toxic build-up!This is a guest post by Dr. Michael Teplitsky, author of Nutrition and Your Health. His book is a great guide to the basics of real food eating, including why saturated fat and cholesterol are healthy, which supplements are the best and more. I think this is a great resource, plus coming from a doctor it could be a great way to get those stubborn relatives into real food, too! You can read my interview with Dr. Teplitsky at this post and find out more about his book here.
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