“All disease comes down to two things: toxicity and deficiency.”
— Dr. John Bergman
When people think about disease, they’re often taught to search for a diagnosis, a genetic explanation, or a single “root cause.” But when you step back and look at the body through a functional and environmental lens, health becomes much simpler — and far more empowering.
At its most basic level, the body breaks down when it becomes too toxic, too deficient, or — most often — both at the same time.
This doesn’t mean disease is your fault. It means the body responds intelligently to the conditions it’s placed in. And modern life places an enormous burden on the body while simultaneously failing to provide what it needs to regulate, repair, and heal.
We are exposed to more toxins than any previous generation, while also being chronically under-nourished and overstressed. When toxic load rises and essential inputs drop, symptoms are not a mystery — they are a message.
The good news is that this framework gives us clarity. Instead of chasing endless diagnoses, we can focus on two things: lowering what overwhelms the body and providing what the body is missing.
Five Ways to Help Reduce Toxicity
Reducing toxicity isn’t about living in fear or trying to eliminate every exposure. It’s about doing what you can.
- Drink Clean, Filtered Water
Water is essential for detoxification, digestion, and cellular function. Many people are exposed daily to chlorine, heavy metals, and agricultural runoff through tap water. Using a high-quality water filter and staying consistently hydrated supports the body’s natural detox pathways and reduces unnecessary chemical exposure.
- Clean Up What Goes on Your Skin and In Your Home
Your skin is your largest absorbing organ, and what you put on it matters. Personal care products, deodorants, fragrances, and household cleaners often contain endocrine-disrupting chemicals that add to toxic load. Choosing non-toxic alternatives in these areas is one of the simplest ways to reduce daily exposure without changing your entire life.
- Support the Liver
The liver is the body’s primary detoxification organ, responsible for processing hormones, chemicals, medications, and metabolic waste. When the liver is overwhelmed, symptoms often follow. Supporting liver function can be as simple as drinking lemon water in the morning to stimulate bile flow, reducing or eliminating alcohol, minimizing frequent use of NSAIDs and acetaminophen, and avoiding unnecessary chemical inputs. Foods that support detox pathways — such as cruciferous vegetables rich in sulforaphane, beets, and bitter greens — provide the liver with critical support.
- Reduce Dietary Toxic Load
Food can either nourish the body or burden it. Non-organic foods often contain pesticide and herbicide residues, including GMOs, that contribute to toxic load over time. Prioritizing organic foods when possible and reducing ultra-processed foods helps lower the chemical burden the body must process daily.
- Lower Overall Stress
Chronic stress is toxic in its own right. When stress hormones remain elevated, the body shifts into survival mode, diverting energy away from detoxification and repair. Reducing stress through nervous system regulation, adequate rest, boundaries, and recovery is a critical — and often overlooked — part of reducing toxicity.
Five Ways to Help Address Deficiency
At the same time toxic load rises, modern life often leaves us deficient in the very things the body needs to heal.
- Eat Enough High-Quality Protein
Protein provides the building blocks for tissue repair, hormone production, immune function, and detoxification enzymes. Many people — especially women — are chronically under-eating protein. Prioritizing high-quality, organic protein sources throughout the day helps restore foundational nutrition.
- Focus on Nutrient-Dense Foods
Calorie intake does not equal nourishment. Foods like organ meats (such as liver, if tolerated), eggs, seafood, and deeply colored vegetables provide a dense concentration of vitamins and minerals the body relies on. Consistency matters more than perfection or quantity.
- Replenish Minerals
Mineral deficiency is widespread and deeply impactful, affecting hydration, nervous system function, adrenal health, and energy production. Incorporating mineral-rich foods such as seafood and shellfish, leafy greens, root vegetables, bone broth, and organ meats, using high-quality sea salt, and — when appropriate — supplementing with sources like shilajit, sea moss, magnesium, or trace mineral drops can help support healthy mineral balance.
- Fill Nutritional Gaps Thoughtfully
Even with a solid diet, gaps are common due to depleted soils, stress, and absorption issues. A high-quality multivitamin can help provide baseline coverage and reduce long-term deficiency without overcomplicating supplementation.
- Support the Vagus Nerve to Improve Absorption
You can eat the most nutrient-dense diet in the world and still become deficient if your nervous system doesn’t feel safe enough to absorb it. The vagus nerve plays a central role in digestion, nutrient absorption, and overall regulation. When the vagus nerve is functioning well, the body can shift into a parasympathetic “rest-and-digest” state, allowing stomach acid, digestive enzymes, bile flow, and gut motility to function properly.
When the nervous system is chronically activated — stuck in fight-or-flight — digestion and absorption are impaired. Blood flow is diverted away from the gut, enzyme production decreases, minerals are depleted more rapidly, and food moves through the system without being fully broken down or absorbed. Over time, this creates deficiency even when intake appears adequate.
Supporting vagal tone through practices like slow, diaphragmatic breathing, eating in a calm state, chewing thoroughly, humming or singing, gentle movement, spending time in nature, and prioritizing rest helps signal safety to the body. When the nervous system feels regulated, the body can actually receive the nourishment it’s being given — turning food and supplements into usable building blocks for healing rather than wasted inputs.
Conclusion: Health doesn’t break down overnight, and it doesn’t rebuild overnight either. But when you consistently lower toxic inputs and raise nourishing inputs, the body often responds in profound ways. And it’s not about perfection. It’s about giving the body fewer obstacles and more resources — so healing becomes possible.
PS: Speaking of toxins, most women’s activewear (hello Lululemon, Athleta, Vuori, and Nike!) is made with forever chemicals that disrupt hormones and increase risk for cancer, etc.
The skin is the biggest absorbing organ we have, and when we exercise, the pores open even more. So, what we wear matters. That’s why I spent the last six months doing a deep dive into fabrics, materials, and manufacturing standards and created my Non-Toxic Leggings Guide.
Leggings are one of the easiest, highest-impact places to start if you want to reduce toxin exposure—especially if you’re already doing the work to support your hormones, metabolism, and nervous system.
Get my Non-Toxic Leggings Guide here.
