Hypertension: The Silent Killer

Hypertension, or high blood pressure, is defined in an adult as a blood pressure greater than or equal to 140 mm Hg systolic pressure or greater than or equal to 90 mm Hg diastolic pressure (140/90). High blood pressure directly increases the risk of coronary heart disease and stroke, especially along with other risk factors. ¹

* Normal blood pressure

Systolic indicates the pressure in the ventricular contraction.
Diastolic indicates the pressure in the arteries when the heart rests between beats.

Stages of Hypertension

• Prehypertension - This hypertension stage is defined as a systolic blood pressure between 120 and 139 or a diastolic pressure between 80 and 89. This can identify people who are at higher risk of having Hypertension.
• Advice: Doctors can advice lifestyle change.

• Stage 1 - If your systolic blood pressure is between 140 and 159 or your diastolic pressure is between 90 and 99. 
• Advice: Doctors can advice lifestyle change, and some oral medications.

• Stage 2 - If your systolic pressure is 160 or higher or your diastolic pressure is 100 or higher.
• Advice: Immediate hospitalization.

Common Causes of Hypertension

A-E-I-O-U-S.S.S

• A - Alcoholism
• E - Excessive Caffeine
• I - Improper Diet
• High Sodium(Salty food) - leads to high water volume which leads to high heart pressure which leads to hypertension.
• High Fat
• High Cholesterol
• O - Obesity
• U - Unhealthy Lifestyle
• S - Smoking
• S - Stress
• S - Sedentary Lifestyle

2 Types of Cholesterol

• HDL - High Density Lipoprotein A.K.A Good cholesterol
• LDL - Low Density Lipoprotein A.K.A Bad cholesterol

When LDL attaches to the blood wall, it results to blockage/plaque formation. 

• If blockage is on the part going to the heart, a cardiac arrest may occur.
• If blockage is on the part going to the brain, a stroke or CVA(cerebrovascular accident) may occur.

Also, plaque formation can lead to Atherosclerosis, which is the hardening/narrowing of the arteries.

And having Atherosclerosis, one can be prone to Aneurysm, which is the enlargement of the arteries which can lead to rupture.

Statins - oral medication which a doctor can prescribe. And because of it being potent, one side effect is, it can harm your liver cells which can cause liver problem. 

Signs and Symptoms

• Blurry vision
• Numbness in the shoulder area radiating to the left shoulder.
• Body weakness
• Difficulty in breathing*
• Chest pain*

*frequent occurrence requires hospitalization.

Complications

• Stroke (cerebrovascular accident)
• Heart Attack
• Cardiomegaly (heart enlargement)
• Atherosclerosis
• Aneurysm
• Kidney failure
• Blindness

Health Teachings

Reverse the CAUSES (A-E-I-O-U-S.S.S)

• Avoid alcoholism
• Limit caffeine intake
• Watch your diet
• Food low in sodium, fat, & cholesterol
• Manage weight
• Healthy Lifestyle
• Stop smoking (gradual)
• Manage stress (e.g. proper breathing exercise)
• Diversional activities (e.g. exercise [walk for 30mins] )

USANA's Product Recommendation

• Essentials
• Renal vitamins (for kidney)
• Vitamins B1, B2, B6, & B12
• Vitamin C
• Folic acid
• Pantothenic acid
• Niacin
• Biotin
• Hesperidin
• Promotes heart muscle relaxation
• Inositol
• Can help lower bad cholesterol
• PS: Do not give if client is taking Vitamin K antagonist
• Proflavanol C100
• Bioflavonoids
• Lowers bad cholesterol
• Dilates the constricted blood vessels
• Strengthen blood vessels
• Promote better blood circulation
• BiOmega
• Acts as a blood thinner
• Dilute the plaque formation
• CoQuinone 30
• High in CoEnzyme Q10
• Strengthen heart muscles

¹ Hypertension

Essentials™: What's in it for YOU?

First and foremost, the Essentials™ is USANA's core product. Composed of 2 bottles: Mega Antioxidant and Chelated Mineral, each has 112 tablets.

Mega Antioxidants is USANA's daily vitamins and antioxidants supplement while Chelated Minerals is USANA's daily mineral supplement for adults.

USANA's Essentials™has been repeatedly given top ranking is the NutriSearch Comparative Guide to Nutritional Supplements.

So... What's really in the Essentials™??? Let's find out...

This is the label on the bottle of the Essentials' Mega Antioxidant

Mega Antioxidant Supplement Facts

while this is the label on the bottle of the Essentials' Chelated Minerals

Chelated Mineral Supplement Facts

Key Ingredients

• Alpha Lipoic Acid
• Also known as lipoic acid (LA) or thioctic acid, is a vitamin-like antioxidant. Some refer to ALA as the "universal antioxidant" because it has the unique attribute of being both fat and water-soluble. Another unique aspect of ALA is its ability to regenerate other antioxidants back to active states, including vitamin C, vitamin E, glutathione, and coenzyme Q10.

• Beta Carotene
• Beta carotene's role as an antioxidant is based on its extensive system of conjugated double bonds which, upon reacting with an oxygen atom, absorb and diffuse that oxygen's potentially destructive energy.

• Bilberry Extract
• The bilberry fruit (Vaccinium myrtillus) is rich in antioxidant anthocyanosides, vitamin A, and vitamin C. Bilberry has been shown to help maintain healthy capillaries, including those in the eye.

• Biotin
• Biotin plays an essential role in maintaining metabolic homeostasis by acting as a cofactor with enzymes involved in carboxylation reactions.

• Boron
• Boron is a non-metallic mineral present in the human body in trace amounts. Dietary boron influences the activity of many metabolic enzymes, certain hormones, and the metabolism of several micronutrients, including calcium, magnesium, and vitamin D.

• Boron may play a role in osteoporosis prevention by reducing calcium excretion and increasing deposition of calcium in the bone.

• Broccoli Concentrate
• Indole-3-carbinol and isothiocyanates are sulfur-containing chemicals found in cruciferous (cabbage family) vegetables. These compounds are formed from parent compounds when cruciferous vegetables are crushed or cooked. Both are antioxidants, and both are believed to stimulate natural detoxifying enzymes in the body. Emerging research shows good evidence for these compounds being at least partially responsible for the lowered risk of cancer associated with consumption of broccoli and other cruciferous vegetables.

• Bromelain
• Bromelain is a general name for a family of sulfhydryl proteolytic enzymes (enzymes capable of digesting protein) obtained from the stem of the pineapple plant. Studies (in animals and in vitro) have demonstrated potential anti-tumor, anti-inflammatory, anti-thrombotic and fibrinolytic activities.

• Calcium
• Calcium is the most abundant mineral in the body. It is needed for strength and structure of teeth and bones, blood clotting, nerve function, muscle contraction and relaxation, enzyme regulation, and membrane permeability.

• Choline
• Choline is a dietary component necessary for cell membrane integrity and facilitating the movement of fats into and out of cells. Choline is also a precursor for acetylcholine, an important neurotransmitter in the brain. Choline also works with folic acid, vitamin B12, and methionine in methyl group metabolism and maintenance of healthy homocysteine levels. Since high levels of homocysteine increase the risk of cardiovascular disease, an adequate intake of choline may be important in reducing risk.

• Chromium
• Chromium is an essential mineral known to potentiate insulin action. Recent reviews of chromium supplementation in humans have shown chromium to improve the efficiency of insulin and blood lipid profiles in most test subjects. Chromium is believed to exert this action by binding with nicotinic acid and amino acids (e.g. glutathione: glutamate, cysteine, and glycine) to form an organic complex called glucose tolerance factor (GTF). GTF is thought to initiate the disulfide bridge that allows insulin to bind to its receptor on cell membrane surfaces. The exact structure of GTF is not known, but complexes with good biological activity have been synthesized from chromium, niacin, and glutathione.
• While the absorption of chromium is relatively poor, chelating chromium with various amino acids (or their derivatives) appears to increase its bioavailability. Ascorbic acid also promotes the absorption of chromium.

• Cinnamon Extract, Pomegranate Extract

• Cinnamon extract contains bioflavonoids (called proanthocyanidins) similar to the proanthocyanidins contained in grape seeds. The primary type of antioxidant contained in pomegranates is somewhat different from other compounds in USANA's bioflavonoid complex; as such, it adds to the overall biodiversity of the complex.

• Coenzyme Q10
• Coenzyme Q10 is also an antioxidant. Its ability to quench free radicals helps maintain the structural integrity and stability of cell membranes (including intracellular membranes). It is also capable of improving oxidation resistance of low-density lipoprotein (LDL) cholesterol. Additional evidence suggests that Coenzyme Q10 uses its antioxidant capabilities to regenerate vitamin E.
• CoQ10 supplementation has therapeutic benefits for several diseases. Some of the best-documented effects involve cases of heart failure, ischemic heart disease, certain muscular dystrophies, hypertension, and periodontal disease.

• Copper
• Copper indirectly functions as an antioxidant through its essential role in the superoxide dismutase (SOD) class of enzymes. Other biological roles for copper include oxidizing ferrous iron to ferric iron (a reaction needed for hemoglobin synthesis), and the formation of lysyl oxidase, a copper-requiring enzyme with roles in collagen synthesis and wound healing.

• Folic Acid
• Folic acid helps form the building blocks of DNA and RNA needed for protein synthesis in human cells. Rapidly growing tissues - such as those of a fetus - and rapidly regenerating cells - like red blood cells and immune cells - have an especially high need for folic acid.

• Green Tea Extract
• Green tea extract is rich source of catechins, a class of bioflavonoid compounds with strong antioxidant potential. Green tea catechins with the highest antioxidant activity are epigallocatechin-3-gallate, epicatechin-3-gallate, epigallocatechin and epicatechin.

• Hesperidin
• Hesperidin is a flavonoid found in the pith of unripe citrus fruits. Chemically, it is a complex of glucose and rhamnose with the flavonone hesperin. At one time it was called vitamin P, since it affects the fragility of capillary walls. (However, it is not technically a vitamin.)

• Inositol
• Inositol promotes the production of lecithin, which aids in the metabolism of fats and helps reduce blood cholesterol. With the help of choline, it protects the heart by helping to prevent the hardening of arteries. Research has also shown that inositol may help to reduce folate-resistant neural tube defects. Therefore, combining inositol with folate should further help to prevent the majority of neural tube defects.

• Iodine
• Iodine, a halogen element, has importance in human health as a component of the hormone thyroxine (produced by the human thyroid gland). Thyroxine is an important part of general metabolism regulation and normal fetal development.

• Lycopene
• The antioxidative properties of lycopene are well-documented. Many of the protective benefits of lycopene are due to its ability to protect against oxidative damage. Recent studies focusing on these protective characteristics have found a reduced risk of heart disease and cancer with an increased lycopene intake. Studies suggest that higher blood lycopene levels may be associated with reduced incidence of prostate, digestive tract, breast, lung, and cervical cancer.

• Magnesium
• Magnesium is an essential mineral for many fundamental processes in the body. It normally exists in the body as a charged particle (or ion) and is primarily stored in bones. Magnesium plays an integral role in hundreds of enzymatic functions and is important for nerve, muscle, and bone health.
• Magnesium helps with the absorption of calcium and depends on vitamin D for its own absorption.

• Manganese
• Manganese performs a number of essential roles in cellular function and human metabolism. At the biochemical level, manganese functions both as a constituent of metallo-enzymes and an enzyme activator. It is an important constituent of an enzyme called manganese superoxide dismutase (MnSOD) which helps protect tissues against oxidative damage.

• Molybdenum
• Molybdenum was first shown to be an essential mineral in 1953. Molybdenum functions primarily as an oxidizing agent, which gives it an important role in the electron transport component of oxidation-reduction reactions.

• N Acetyl L Cysteine
• N-acetyl L-cysteine is a derivative of the amino acid cysteine, one of the building blocks of glutathione. Glutathione deficiencies can be reversed through an increased intake of cysteine, and the most effective supplemental form is the cell-permeable form of N-acetyl-L-cysteine.

• Niacin (Vitamin B3)
• Niacin (nicotinic acid) and its derivative niacinamide (nicotinamide or nicotinic acid amide) are two forms of a water-soluble vitamin referred to as vitamin B3. Both compounds are precursors for the active forms of important enzyme cofactors (coenzymes) that assist in catalyzing oxidation-reduction reactions in human cells.
• Olivol
• Olivol contains polyphenols derived from olives. The polyphenolic antioxidants found in olives are not present in other common dietary sources. They are structurally distinct from vitamins, carotenoids, bioflavanoids, proanthocyanidins, and other antioxidants found in fruits and vegetables. These antioxidants may be one of the components of the Mediterranean diet associated with health and longevity.

• Omega-3 Fatty Acid, DHA, EPA
• Fatty acids are long-chain carbon compounds with a non-polar carbon tail and a polar head. The human body can produce most important fatty acids from components found in the average diet. However, there are two fatty acids humans cannot produce, meaning they must be obtained from dietary sources. These two acids - called "essential fatty acids" - are Linoleic Acid (LA) an omega-6 fatty acid, andalpha-linolenic acid (ALA, not to be confused with alpha-lipoic acid) an omega-3 fatty acid.
• Alpha-linolenic acid is the starting material for the biosynthesis of eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA) and docosahexaenoic acid (DHA), two important polyunsaturated fatty acids. Alpha-linolenic acid, EPA, and DHA are the main members of the omega-3 family of fatty acids.

• Pantothenic Acid (Vitamin B5)
• Pantothenic acid (sometimes referred to as vitamin B5) is a water-soluble nutrient widely synthesized by plants and many bacteria, and essential in the diets of all vertebrate animals, including man.
• As a component of coenzyme A, pantothenic acid is essential for the production of energy from carbohydrates, fat, and protein. Its pivotal role in energy metabolism involves the formation of acetyl CoA, which in turn combines with oxaloacetic acid to form citrate. This reaction initiates the tricarboxylic acid cycle (Krebs cycle) which ultimately leads to the production of ATP, the cell's principal energy currency.

• Quercetin
• Quercetin belongs to a group of polyphenolic substances known as flavonoids, and is specifically found in a class of flavonoids called flavonols.

• Riboflavin (Vitamin B2)
• Riboflavin (vitamin B2) functions primarily as part of two coenzymes: flavin adenine dinucleotide (FAD) and flavin mononucleotide (FMN). These coenzymes participate in oxidation-reduction reactions needed for the production of energy from glucose, amino acids, and fatty acids.

• Selenium
• Selenium is a trace element that functions as part of the enzyme glutathione peroxidase, a vital antioxidant system that protects cell membranes.

• Silicon
• The most important functions appear to be in the growth and development of bone, cartilage, and connective tissue, where silicon plays both a metabolic and structural role.
• Silicon also appears to be required for the synthesis of collagen. Collagen is the protein matrix found in connective tissue and cartilage, and it is the single most abundant protein in the human body. Silicon promotes the synthesis of proline and hydroxyproline, principal amino acids in the structure of collagen.

• Thiamin (Vitamin B1)
• Vitamin B1, also called thiamin or thiamine, is a water-soluble vitamin required for normal energy metabolism and cell division. Thiamin is involved in the production of five-carbon sugars required for synthesis of DNA and RNA, and it plays a role in fatty acid synthesis.
• Pyridoxine (Vitamin B6)
• Vitamin B6 is an essential water-soluble B vitamin. Vitamin B6 ultimately plays a key role in general human metabolism and health. Primary processes mediated by vitamin B6 include the generation of glucose from glycogen, the synthesis of niacin (vitamin B3), lipid metabolism, nervous system function, hormone modulation, and immune function.

• Cyanocobalamin (Vitamin B12)
• Vitamin B12 is a water-soluble B vitamin essential for human health and well-being. Vitamin B12 works alongside folic acid and vitamin B6 in the maintenance of homocysteine levels, an independent risk factor of cardiovascular disease.

• Vitamin C (Mineral Ascorbates)
• Vitamin C, also known as ascorbic acid or ascorbate, plays two important roles in the body. First, it is a cofactor or cosubstrate for eight enzyme systems involved in various functions, including collagen synthesis, ATP synthesis in mitochondria, and hormone biosynthesis. Second, vitamin C is a powerful water-soluble antioxidant with a vital role in protecting cells and tissues from damaging oxidizing agents, including superoxides, hydroxyl radicals, and other free radicals.
• Related functions performed by vitamin C include regenerating vitamin E to its active state, promoting iron absorption in the intestines by keeping iron in its reduced form, and participation in DNA transcription and protein synthesis regulation.

• Vitamin D
• A unique property of vitamin D is that it functions very much like a hormone. Its target tissues include the kidneys, intestines, and bones, where it helps regulate calcium and phosphorus homeostasis.
• Vitamin D is an essential component of bone health in both children and adults. Without vitamin D, bones do not calcify properly, leading to the condition known as "rickets." Vitamin D also plays an important role in tooth development. 

• Vitamin E
• Vitamin E, unlike other vitamins, is not a cofactor in the function of specific enzyme systems. Rather, it is a potent antioxidant that protects cells and tissues from oxidative damage induced by free radicals. D-alpha tocopherol is one of eight natural forms of vitamin E, and it is the form shown to have the greatest nutritional and biological value, in part because the body preferentially retains it.

• Vitamin K
• Vitamin K is an essential cofactor for enzymatic activity. It assists in the enzymatic carboxylation of glutamic acid, an amino acid found in most proteins. This carboxylation occurs after the amino acid has been incorporated into the protein chain. The added carboxyl (-COOH) groups provide a site at which calcium can bind to the protein. Through the above activity, vitamin K is involved in converting an inactive precursor of prothrombin (blood coagulation factor II) into biologically active prothrombin.

• Zinc
• Zinc is a cofactor for more than 300 enzymes needed for cell function in the eyes, kidneys, muscles, skin, and bones. As a component of metalloenzymes, zinc provides structural integrity to the enzyme and/or participates directly in the reaction at the catalytic site.

In order for us to take care of our love ones, we must first take care of ourselves. All of these vitamins, minerals, & antioxidants are present in USANA's Essentials™ so our bodies can receive the basic nutrition it needs. Don't you think your body deserves to be treated good? :)

USANA: What is it really?

You may see this word mostly on the internet and maybe you're wondering what it is. Well, it may be a familiar word so for some people, but for people who may not know about it, I'll give you some brief description.

What is USANA?

The word USANA came from the Latin/Greek words "eu" meaning "True" and "sana" meaning "Health", USANA stands for "True Health".

USANA is a company founded in 1992 by Dr. Myron Wentz, that manufactures highly-rated pharmaceutical grade cellular nutrition products and natural supplements. Its manufacturing facility is on Salt Lake City, Utah USA where among 97 pharmaceutical companies, it ranked No. 1

"I dream of a world free from the pain and suffering of degenerative disease. Share my vision. Love life and live it to its fullest in happiness and health." - Dr. Myron Wentz, visionary, scientist, philanthropist, and entrepreneur

USANA distributes their product through the channel of direct selling and network marketing. 

 What is Network Marketing?

Network Marketing is a system of moving products from factory to consumer thru an organization of users, retailers, and network builders. 

It is a business strategy that compensates distributors not only for the sales they generate but also for the sales of the distributors they have recruited.

 Many people have some misconceptions about Network Marketing.

Upon registering/joining, people always have the idea of "getting rich quick". If YOU have the same mindset as those people, better not join. I'll tell you here and now, IT IS NOT EASY. USANA IS NOT EASY. 

Another common misconception on Network Marketing is, it is solely based on recruiting new members. Analyze first. If the company you've joined, or will be joining, is more on recruiting new members rather than selling its products, better question where the money is coming from.

In USANA, each product has its own unique selling proposition which make it really sellable. Let's take The Essentials for example. It is the company's core product. Having a 5-Gold star rating in the Nutrisearch Comparative Guide to Nutritional Supplements, it is considered to be "Best of the Best". It also has USANA’s proprietary, patented Olivol™ olive fruit extract which no other product in the market has.

USANA's products are listed in some medical professional references like the Physicians' Desk Reference and Philippine Pharmaceutical Directory.
USANA has been in the market since 1992. If this company is a scam, another misconception, would it last this long? Would it still be doing researches on improving their products? In my opinion, NO and NO.

Here in the Philippines, USANA started around 2009. But its products are already around, coming from the US. Its office is located at the HSBC Enterprise Building Tower 1 in Makati.

USANA is also listed in NYSE. It first entered the stock market in 2011.

USANA also received, and still receiving, awards like "Best of State", "Best Places to Work", "Best Companies to work for", "Most powerful CEOs 40 & under", "Albert Einstein Award for Outstanding Achievement in the Life Sciences", etc.

To date, there are 1000+ Elite athletes and celebrities who trust their health to USANA.

USANA also has the True Health Foundation. Its mission is to provide the most critical human necessities—nutrition, clothing, shelter, medical assistance, and health education to those who are suffering or in need.


After all these, I hope I've given some enough details on what USANA really is, what does it do, and why I joined it.


To know more about USANA, you can visit my site. Thanks!

Toxic! One of the most overused and least understood words in health.

PS: Below are not mine. I forgot where I got it. I just want to share it. Happy reading! :D

Toxic! One of the most overused and least understood words in health. 

Let’s start with a quiz. Of these 10 items, how many are toxic?

1.  Water  

2. Oxygen  

3. The sun  

4. titanium dioxide  

5. Iron  

6. Cyanide  

7. Alcohol  

8. Vitamin A  

9. Formaldehyde  

10. chocolate

The answer to all of them is: it depends. Whether something is toxic or not depends on the dosage, the route of exposure, and sometimes, the length of exposure. Let me explain.

Water – we all know we’re supposed to drink plenty of clean water. Without adequate hydration you will die. But, if you inhale it, it can be deadly. There are also cases of death related to intake of too much water too fast.

Oxygen – we need a certain level of oxygen in the air we breathe to survive. The mixture in the atmosphere is about 20%, along with nitrogen and other gases. But, breathing pure oxygen too long can cause cell damage and death, especially in the central nervous system, lungs and eyes.

Sun – obvious we need the sun to survive, for many reasons. And, an adequate level of exposure to sunlight is the primary source of vitamin D for most people on earth. On the other hand, solar radiation is a class 1 carcinogen, meaning it is known to cause cancer.

Titanium dioxide – too much lung exposure to nanoparticles can cause cancer. This is typically associated with inhalation due to industrial chronic exposure. It is not absorbed orally or dermal, and is basically inert through those routes of exposure.

Iron – an essential mineral absolutely necessary for survival. It is also one of the top causes of poisoning deaths among children.

Cyanide – We all know cyanide can be deadly. But small amounts are easily complexed and excreted through the urine, and it does not accumulate. And that is good, because many healthy foods contain cyanide; spinach, bamboo shoots, flax seeds, cassava, and others.

Alcohol (ethanol) – moderate intakes may be beneficial for health, yet it is also classified as a class 1 carcinogen.

Vitamin A – excessive amounts can be toxic to the liver, yet vitamin A deficiency is the leading cause of childhood blindness in the world. By the way, toxic effects of vitamin A are not known to occur in adults with intakes below about 25,000-30,000 IU. The upper limit of 10,000 IU, especially during pregnancy, takes into consideration a huge margin of safety. Vitamin A is not nearly as toxic as it is often implied.

Formaldehyde  - also a class 1 carcinogen, but you may not be aware that it is found in significant dosages in many fruits, berries, seafood and mushrooms. In addition, formaldehyde is involved with methylation reactions and biosynthesis of some proteins and nucleic acids in the body and is a normal constituent in our blood.

Chocolate – with the exception of gaining weight, too much chocolate won’t do you any harm. However, it can be highly toxic to dogs and some other animals. The point is, that just because a specific poison works to kill a plant or an insect, does not automatically mean it is poisonous to humans.

Also, be aware that just because two chemicals sound the same, does not mean they have similar safety characteristics.

Propylene glycol and ethylene glycol – propylene glycol is absorbed and metabolized rapidly in the liver to lactic acid and pyruvic acid (normal components of the citric acid cycle) and then further to carbon dioxide and water.  On the other hand, ethylene glycol is acutely toxic and can severely damage the kidneys.

One more example, just because something is “almost” the same structure, does not make it similar. Water is H2O, and adding a single oxygen makes is H2O2, or hydrogen peroxide.

Last thought. A statement I’ve heard consistently over the past 35 years. “If you can’t pronounce it, don’t eat it.” The length or complexity of a name has no relation whatsoever to its safety, function or benefit. Nor does the fact that it is natural or synthetic.

Simple to pronounce – Polonium 210 – deadly at dosages of less than 1 billionth of a gram.

Scary sounding chemical - 2-methyl-3-[(2E)-3,7,11,15-tetramethylhexadec-2-en-1-yl]naphthoquinone, or Vitamin K.

Yes, we are exposed to a lot of various toxic and unhealthy compounds as a part of normal life, which is part of the reason it is important to exercise and get sufficient nutrients through diet and supplement to support the function of our lungs, liver and kidneys (our normal routes of detoxification). 

I hope this helps illustrate that “toxic” is a relative term. Most healthy things are potentially toxic, and most “toxic” things are potentially harmless. It’s the dose, route of exposure, and length of time exposed and other factors that is the difference between harmless and harmful.