We all know about the hazards of making poor eating choices yet how many of us think about what’s in the products we use to clean the house, ourselves, loved ones and our animals? Remember ANYTHING that makes contact with our skin ends up inside our body and EVERYTHING that goes into our body has to be processed and expelled…so it makes sense that we should only come into contact with natural familiar products that can deal with efficiently and safely.
Man-made chemicals can be found in thousands of products around the home: cleaning and washing detergents, beauty products, toilet paper, plastic food and drink containers and packaging, ingredients added to processed foods as well as pesticides, herbicides and fungicides sprayed on produce and so on. Chemical exposure causes huge amounts of disruption to your body, stress levels, sleep patterns and general health. People can experience anything from low energy levels, eczema and asthma to hormonal imbalances, weight issues and mood disorders. Children are particularly at risk.
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FOOD
- Buy fresh organic spray free meat, fish (wild), fruit, veg, nuts, seeds wherever possible
- Buy produce without plastic packaging
- Avoid produce in aluminium cans/tins – especially tomatoes which quickly corrode the tin lining thus seeping in aluminium
- Avoid cooking with aluminium pots and pans
- Rinse and pat dry all fruit and veg before eating
- Use a good quality veg and fruit wash or make your own (juice of 1 lemon, 2 TBSP white vinegar, 1 C water – keep in a spray bottle)
Following the above tips will help you avoid disrupting your endocrine system – the system that influences almost every cell, organ and function in our bodies. It is instrumental in regulating mood, growth and development, metabolism. Particularly harmful are the ‘obesogens’ which mimic the fat making hormone eostrogen – so the more we have of this the fatter we will become (not to mention the hormonal disturbances too).
WATER
Depending on where you are in the world, you may be lucky enough to be able to drink fresh clean water straight form the tap! If you’re not so fortunate try the below tips
- A whole house water filter. An NSF certified water filter will remove harsh chlorine byproducts so drinking and bathing water will be toxin free.
- Find natural water sources near to you. Try this great website: http://www.findaspring.com/locate/
- Following that, you want to buy good quality well sourced mineral water bottled in glass
- Drink from a steel drink bottle – avoid bottles made from plastic, aluminium and polycarbonate
HOUSEHOLD CLEANING
Household cleaners and detergents are a major source of chemical exposure for many people. If you or those around you are suffering from reoccurring health issues related to skin, breathing, digestion, energy and mood, you absolutely MUST look into the cleaning products used around your house. Mainstream cleaners and some ‘Green’ cleaners are packed full of toxic substances that will disrupt all sorts of natural processes in your body. Children suffer even greater – so please look into this if you have kiddies about the house.
TOP 10 INGREDIENTS YOU MUST AVOID
Phosphates – kill marine life once they exit our water system
Ammonia – irritates the nose and throat and irritates the skin. Can disrupt liver and kidney function
Volatile organic compounds (VOC’s) – cause respiratory problems such as asthma and wheezing
Nonylphenol ethoxylates (NPE’s) – cause reproductive defects, liver and kidney damage
Phthalates – cause sperm damage and reproductive defects in boys
Ethanolamines – cause dermatitis
TOP 10 NATURAL CLEANERS
Baking soda
Lemon juice
White vinegar
Vodka
Liquid castille soap (Dr Bronner’s)
Hydrogen peroxide
Egg shells – check this out!
Borax
Microfiber cloths
Organic essential oils
This short video has some great tips for how to clean your floors, windows, surfaces, mould, silver, red wine stains, unblock your drain, clean your laundry whites to name a few!
TASHA BE 