While sheltering in place these past few weeks I’ve found myself exploring new strategies to maintain my mental and physical wellbeing. This week I virtually checked into a Facebook Live event titled Detox 101: Simple + Effective Holistic Detox Tips featuring Lauren Klitzsch, a holistic health coach based in Charlotte.

The free evening webinar discussion focused not just on the food we eat but also massive holes in the food industry around it. What I’ve learned has been eye-opening to say the least, exposing just the tip of the septic iceberg when it comes to the toxins we consume and the underlying policies involving food and chemical manufacturing.

According to the CDC, heart disease is the leading cause of death for people of most racial and ethnic groups in the United States. High blood pressure, high blood cholesterol, and smoking are key risk factors for heart disease. If you’re like me, you may feel overwhelmed by statistics and medical jargon, but maintaining a healthy weight, eating a balanced diet and not smoking (obviously) are all detox dynamics that are within our control — lifestyle factors that will help mitigate the likelihood of developing chronic heart disease.