Switch and Ditch Now, or Pay the Price Later
Your Environment Matters
We think about our home, Planet Earth, and its' air quality and pollutants. We plant trees, love getting out of cities to inhale fresh country air, and switch and ditch to try to reduce our carbon footprint. If you have "The Weather Channel" app, you can even see a breakdown of your Air Quality, including ratings of Sulfur Dioxide, Particulate matter less than 10 microns, Carbon Monoxide, Nitrogen Dioxide, and Particulate matter less than 2.5 microns.
However, are we thinking about our indoor environment, as well?
Think about how much time you spend inside your house, especially this past year! Our indoor environment can also harbor a frightening amount of chemicals, which have been proven to cause issues with reproductive health, eczema, childhood development, asthma, low IQ, obesity, and chronic illnesses.
Expect it where you least expect it...
Dangerous chemicals are lurking in obvious places- such as bleach, ammonia, etc. But these toxins also hide in regular household items as well. Some of these places include vinyl flooring, hair products, body wash, makeup, fragrance, household cleaners, couches, mattresses, and food storage containers. Even for those who buy products advertised as "all natural" and "pediatric approved" can be tricked into bringing chemicals into their home.
The Tricky Chemicals You Need to Switch and Ditch
Some of the most prevalent and harmful chemicals are DDT, BPA, air pollutants, pesticides, dioxins and phthalates. Phthalates, for example, are a class of chemicals known to be endocrine disruptors but widely used as softeners in plastics and as lubricants in personal-care products. Because these chemicals are so wide-spread, and effect our hormones, pregnant women and babies are among the most at-risk population.
How to Switch and Ditch
According to UC San Francisco’s Program on Reproductive Health and the Environment, here are some things you can do to protect your family from these harmful and dangerous chemicals:
Use nontoxic personal care products.
Beautycounter is an amazing company that bans over 1,800 ingredients in their formulations— they refer to this as "The Never List™" — and they go above and beyond to screen every ingredient against their high standards in pursuit of clean beauty.
Choose safer home improvement products.
Ask for VOC-free and water-based products.
Mop and dust often.
Toxic substances like lead, pesticides and flame retardants are present in household dust. Use a wet mop or wet cloth to regularly clean floors and flat surfaces. We recommend this one.
Clean with nontoxic products.
Switch and Ditch! Lemon oil, vinegar, and baking soda are key ingredients in non-toxic cleaning.
Remove your shoes inside.
Designate a pair as "indoor only" or spray the bottoms of outdoor shoes with this spray before wearing indoors
Don't dry-clean your clothes.
Check out these dry-cleaning alternatives!
Avoid pesticides and herbicides.
Toxic chemicals used to kill insects, rodents, weeds, bacteria, mold and other noxious animals and plants can also harm your health. If you can’t buy organic produce, choose the fruits and vegetables with the least pesticide residue and avoid the most contaminated ones.
Wash all your produce (YES EVEN ORGANIC) in this amazing produce wash.
Check out the Environmental Working Group's "Dirty Dozen" for 2021:
Nectarines
Grapes
Cherries
Peaches
Pears
Bell and hot peppers
Celery
Tomatoes
And their "Clean Fifteen":
Avocados
Sweet corn
Pineapple
Onions
Papaya
Sweet peas (frozen)
Eggplant
Asparagus
Broccoli
Cabbage
Kiwi
Cauliflower
Mushrooms
Honeydew melon
Cantaloupes
Select flame-retardant-free foam products.
Crib mattresses, nap mats and other upholstered products can contain flame-retardants, which can harm health and affect a child’s brain. Instead, select foam products labeled as “flame-retardant-free” or tagged as compliant with TB-117-2013. Just think about how much of your life you spend sleeping, and therefore, being around these volatile chemicals!
Avoid toxins in your food and water.
Find out how safe your specific water is by typing in your zip code here!
We cannot sing enough praises of the Berkey water filter. If you cannot get a Reverse Osmosis system, this is the next best.
Limit foods high in animal fat.
Many toxic substances build up in animal fat.
Use less plastic.
Plastics contain countless potentially harmful chemicals that can negatively impact your health in numerous ways.
DO: Choose glass, stainless steel or ceramic containers for food.
DON'T: Use plastic containers for hot foods or drinks and use glass instead of plastic in the microwave, because heat makes plastic release chemicals.
Avoid lead exposure.
Any home built before 1978 may have lead paint. There may also be lead in household dust and garden soil.
Keep mercury out of your diet, home and garbage.
Eat fish with lower levels of mercury. Replace your mercury thermometer with a digital one. Don’t throw items containing mercury (such as old thermometers or compact fluorescent bulbs) in the trash.
Avoid canned foods and beverages.
Eat fresh or frozen fruits and vegetables. This limits exposure to BPA, a toxic substance used in the lining of most cans.
Switch and Ditch Mentality
When learning about environmental toxins, it can be overwhelming. There is a wealth of information on this topic. I challenge you to take it slow, and choose one area to focus on cleaning up at a time. It may not be practical or possible to dispose of every plastic food storage container and purchase all new, all at once. Little by little, switch and ditch known chemicals with safer alternatives. Your health is an investment. The more you invest in your health now, the more it will pay off in the long run!
Be well!
xoxo
j
