It may not impact you today or you may not realize how what you eat, drink, use and breathe impacts your health but believe me it ALL matters. Countless people tell me their products don’t affect them. Yet when they remove their scented candles and fragranced products, their constant sniffles cease, headaches resolve and skin problems clear up.
There are two reasons people get sick: DNA and your environment. Your environment includes what you breathe and put on and in your body – think air quality, construction materials, paint, food and beverages, skincare, haircare, personal hygiene products, cleaning products, medications, clothing, bedding, pesticides, herbicides and fungicides and the list goes on. Everything you do every day impacts your health in one way or another.
Below are some quick and easy tips to guide you toward a healthier, cleaner and more "green" life. The list may look a bit overwhelming to some but I know you can do this! It is truly SO much simpler than you may think....and the payoff will be the incredible difference in how you feel every day! What do you have to lose? Oops - yes, the plastic, the toxins, the chemicals....let's get you going!
LABELS
- Read labels on your products – if you haven’t read the ingredients in what you use PLEASE start!
- If you can’t pronounce a name in the ingredient list, you should look it up and you probably need to throw it out.
- Dispose of all products with the word “fragrance” – this may include cleaners, shampoo, soap, laundry detergent, lotions, scented candles…it’s in most products and is considered to be a trade secret in the US and includes known carcinogens, endocrine disruptors, allergens and neurotoxins.
- The word “natural” means nothing.
PLASTICS
- Throw out all plastic – use glass.
- If you absolutely love plastic and can’t live without it, make sure it is BPA free.
- Companies are working on alternative “plastics” made of hemp and other materials so be on the lookout for these as potential good alternatives.
PERSONAL CARE
- Throw out all deodorant that contains aluminum.
- Don’t use antiperspirant.
- Use fragrance free detergent for your laundry. If you have an extreme sensitivity use white vinegar and baking soda.
- Buy and use organic fabrics – if herbicides, fungicides or pesticides are used in crops (cotton, linen) they are part of the DNA of that fabric and you cannot ever wash it out.
- Wear and sleep in and on fabrics that are made out of organic natural fibers.
FOOD
- Eat organic whole foods as much as possible.
- Eat local seasonal food when possible.
- Avoid processed foods and fast food. Try to cook as much as possible.
- Cook in pots and pans that are made out of stainless steel, cast iron or ceramic. Throw out all of your Teflon ASAP and avoid aluminum!
CLEANING
- Clean with white vinegar – Vinegar kills bacteria and it is inexpensive!
- For moths, use lavender sachets and cedar. Do not use moth balls.
- Do NOT ever use air fresheners (spray or plug in) which are filled with toxic chemicals and are actually air polluters.
HOME
- Be extremely careful about your new furniture and construction materials as they ALL emit volatile organic compounds (VOCs) many of which are extremely harmful to your health.
- Throw away all of your scented candles and air fresheners!
- The following is a fantastic article about environmental exposomics being studied at Duke thanks to a grant from Annie and Michael Falk - this is the scientific study of the cumulative effects of chemicals and contaminants on human health-it is so much more prevalent than one would imagine - https://www.palmbeachillustrated.com/green-home-elegant-home/
