This article is a quick look at the positives and negatives of Activated Charcoal against the risks to conception and healthy development of a small person from the increasing use of pesticides and herbicides.

Unfortunately, there is rarely a ‘perfect solution’ for some of the modern day issues that can stand in the way of us having happy healthy kids.

That being said: our mission is to be aware of these pitfalls and to arm ourselves with the best science based solutions practically available to reduce our risks wherever we possibly can for this vulnerable time.

So: here is what we do know:

The (credible) research grows by the day about the impact that pesticides and herbicides have on hormones, neurodevelopment and immunity – particularly when you have a rapidly developing little person. Click here for more. The trouble is, they are now pretty hard to avoid given that their use in modern agriculture has multiplied.

So: what to do?

One of the ways (there are others – click here for more ) to reduce your exposure is to use Activated Charcoal. However, it is not a perfect solution either. So we thought (as knowledge is power) that we would outline the pros and cons and that way you can decide for yourself on the best approach for you and your family:

⚡️ PRO: very powerful when it comes to extracting toxins and it is easy to get your hands on. It’s carbon with thousands of small pores that vastly increase the surface area for absorption.

⚡️ PRO: it is used in emergency rooms for the prevention of absorption of orally ingested chemicals (it takes on the toxin itself) and the World Health Organisation has included it on its list of Essential Medicines.

⚡️ PRO: cheap – a little goes a long way (and often cheaper than buying organic)

⚡️ PRO: easy to use – simply soak fruit/veg in a bowl of water and a teaspoon of powder – not too difficult to do that!

⚡️ CON: it is very powerful and absorbs many things – including minerals and some nutrients in whatever food you are washing (not ideal as many conventionally grown foods already have depleted nutrients because of the way we treat soil).

⚡️ CON: despite a huge number of ‘detox’ or ‘cleaning’ products using charcoal I would never ingest it as because of its potency it can disrupt the all important gut microbiome so you have to wash it off very thoroughly.

⚡️ CON: a bit messy!

Conclusion?

As with everything, it is about moderation and also picking what is right for your own personal situation. Personally, I prefer to buy organic where I can as I do worry about the reduction in nutrients but sometimes that isn’t possible so I use Charcoal for that. I also use it when I want to use fruit or veg that are particularly ‘dirty’ (see ewg.org for list of dirty dozen: most impacted by pesticides). I am also particularly wary of these toxins as my son is not yet two so still in a period of rapid development. So – for me I would rather take less toxins at this stage (I am also confident that he picks up nutrients from the rest of his diet). However, its all about moderation and your situation – everyone has different needs but as always knowledge is power. For a list of other solutions to reduce your pesticide and herbicide exposure click here.

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This article is for informational purposes only. This article is not, nor is it intended to be, a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment and should never be relied upon for specific medical advice. The information on this website has been developed following years of personal research and from referenced and sourced medical research. Before making any changes we strongly recommend you consult a healthcare professional before you begin.

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