Reducing toxicity in household items
Take a look at all the household products you have. Do you know that some of them have harmful chemicals in them that can do potential damage to your body? Once you become aware of the potentially harmful toxins in your household products you might want to consider clearing them out or making swaps to help keep you and your family safe.
What to look for?
There are a lot of different chemicals that you can be exposed to in your home and some are at low levels. Examples of products that have toxic chemicals in them are cookware, cleaning products, carpets, building materials, home goods like candles, glade plug-ins, fragrances, makeup, and many other common household products.
Most of the time it is how much you’re exposed to these toxins that can create a lasting effect on your health. It can be easy to see if a chemical is extremely dangerous. For example, coughing from inhaling sorts of fumes, or getting household cleaners on your skin and you get a reaction from it. It is important that you look at the instructions on the back of these household products before you use them and then follow the safety instructions if you absolutely need to use them.
Lead is a great example of a toxin that can create many issues if it enters your system. There have been many instances, especially in Flint, MI where lead has affected the water for schools and families. Lead has many poisonous effects that can lead to health problems such as fertility problems, memory and concentration problems, high blood pressure, and muscle and joint pain. Lead can also be found in different products, especially lead pipes in old homes. So it is extremely important to get things checked at your home by the health department if your house is older to help prevent lead exposure.
Many chemicals that are found in our homes are part of a group called “endocrine disruptors.” What are endocrine disruptors? They are natural and man-made chemicals that interfere with the body’s hormones in the endocrine system. These chemicals are generally linked to developmental reproduction, the brain, immune system, allergies, skin irritations, breathing problems, cancer, and other problems. Endocrine disruptors are found in many of our daily products like plastic bottles, containers, detergents, food, toys, cosmetics, and pesticides. So, your contact with all of these chemicals can be through skin, air, water, and diet.
Common Endocrine Disruptors:
–Bisphenol A (BPA): used to make plastic water bottles
-Dioxins: used for herbicides and paper bleaching
-Perfluoroalkyl and Polyfluoroalkyl Substances: used in industrial applications and nonstick pans
-Phthalates: used in cosmetics and to help plastic be more flexible
-Phytoestrogens: naturally occurring substances in plants that have hormone activity like soy products, tofu, and soy milk
-Triclosan: can be found in antimicrobials and personal care products like liquid body wash
How can swaps transform your health?
The best thing we can do is become aware of these chemicals in household products that are being sold on the shelves at stores. There are many simple things you can do to help lower your and your family’s risk of exposure to these chemicals. When shopping at stores you can look at all the ingredients listed on products and make informed decisions about using those products. If there are a lot of chemicals that you see then opt for making a cleaner, safer choice, or non-toxic product. When you are cleaning your house it is important to have good air circulation. Sometimes you might want to open a window or turn a fan on in order to improve the air quality and circulation. Purchase a vacuum with a high-efficiency particulate air filter (HEPA), as well as wash your hands often. When you switch to non-toxic products you will find that your eyes and throat may no longer be irritated, decrease in headaches, decrease your risk of cancers, and fertility issues, and increase brain function.
Examples of Non-Toxic Products to use:
-Branch Basics Concentrate: cleaning, laundry, hand soap
-Modere: supplements, vitamins, cleaning, laundry, skincare
-Grow Fragrance: candles, air freshener, linen spray
-Essential Oils: fragrance in home with diffusers
-The Honest Company: cleaning, household, baby, skincare, makeup
-Acure: hair care and skin care
-Beauty Counter: skincare, makeup
-Primally Pure: skincare
-Iliya: makeup
-Kosas: makeup
Unfortunately, we cannot avoid all the toxins as they are found in the air, water, and soil. What we can do is control what products we purchase and put in our homes. Doing this will take the burden off of our bodies to detox the chemicals and can eventually be able to naturally detoxify in order to stay as healthy as possible. Beine Wellness Building hopes you found this blog helpful when it comes to learning the importance of making the switch to use non-toxic products.
