10 WAYS TO REMOVE TOXIC CHEMICALS FROM YOUR LIFE!

WHY AVOID TOXIC CHEMICALS?

After having children, I did what most moms do to keep the house clean. I sprayed Lysol to sanitize surfaces, used bleach on my whites and mopped the floor with a fresh pine scent. I loved the carpet powder that I could vacuum up. It made the whole house smell fresh. However, when one of my children developed allergies and eczema, I began to question my choices. He would sneeze and cough when I used the cleaners and they often irritated his eyes.

I eventually discovered that household cleaners weren’t the only thing I had to change. I desperately sought the Lord’s guidance, in addition to advice from homeopathic doctors, researchers and trial and error. I discovered there was also chemicals in our food that were causing problems. Sadly, chemicals are everywhere and we cannot completely avoid them. But there are ways to remove a lot of them from our homes and our diets. After switching a bunch of products, many of my child’s symptoms disappeared. Consequently, the whole family was feeling better and healthier because of our cleaner choices.

This is THE REASON for my desire to share information and healthier recipes with all of you. Even though I feel that the change in food has had the most significant benefit for our family’s health, better household cleaners and personal care products also made a huge difference. I cannot express all of the changes I made in this small blog post but here are ten I found to be the most significant.

1. Skincare Products

Cleansers, lotions, creams and many facial products can be packed with chemicals. Choose natural or organic products. If those are too hard to find or too expensive, try making your own! There is a complete do-it-yourself skin care routine on this blog.

Our skin is our biggest organ and is just as important as the rest of our body! You should be able to understand most of the ingredients listed on your skin care products. If you cannot pronounce the ingredients, many times it is full of chemicals. Normally, an aloe or oil-based product (vs. a water-based product) is better for your skin, as it will contain more nutrients.

2. Your Deodorant

There are many hidden chemicals in our deodorant these days (like aluminum). It is best to find deodorants that are made with natural ingredients. If you love DIY you can try to make your own. Finding a natural deodorant, that works can be a frustrating process, but it is worth it.

3. Processed Foods

This one is the most challenging, since we are surrounded by processed foods. It seems as if the majority of the foods at the grocery stores and at restaurants are either packed with preservatives or unhealthy additives. For that reason, we try to start most days with a delicious smoothie. It is an easy way to pack in a bunch of nutrients, without actually making a full-blown meal. The shake recipes I have shared on my blog are for the entire family to enjoy. I have yet to find a protein shake powder mix that is healthy. With these recipes you do not need them! Here is one to try out: Delicious Green Smoothie.

Also, read your food labels! A good place to start is to make sure these four ingredients are NOT in your food choices (even if it says organic): Corn Syrup, Maltodextrin, Dextrose, Aspartame (or similar fake sugars). This is a great stepping-stone for going all natural.

4. Cleaning Products

Finding ‘cleaner’ cleaning products can be pretty difficult. At first, I thought maybe it was normal to have burning eyes and be sneezing after cleaning my bathroom or kitchen floors. However, once I witnessed the negative effect it had on my children, it was a game changer. Thankfully, making your own natural household cleaners is so easy! Not to mention way cheaper. Here is a DIY scrub recipe that I love: Tub and Surface Scrub. Additionally, finding more natural cleaning products on the shelf is a little easier now with so many moms wanting alternatives. The Environmental Working Group is also a great place to learn about better cleaning products.

5. Dairy

I found that once I reduced the amount of dairy my family consumed, we all felt better. When I do use diary, I only buy organic. There are so many alternatives to dairy out there, such as coconut, oat and almond milk. I have yet to find an almond milk that is completely free of additives, but I am still searching. I do love yogurt so I buy that organic one with little to no sugar added, and then add our own honey or homemade jam for sweetener.

6. Perfume

This one was really tough for me! I love my perfumes but after learning they have no real regulations on these beautiful smelling products I began looking for more natural perfumes. The majority of chemicals in most commercial fragrances are synthetic compounds derived from petroleum and natural gas, known as petrochemicals. These fragrances are allowed to be up to 100% synthetic. Forget smelling like flowers! It’s just chemicals. Companies are allowed to withhold ingredients to protect trade secrets, so who knows what’s lurking in our fragrances. I am still researching the best natural perfumes so stayed tuned for information on that!

In the meantime, if you want to try making your own perfume with essential oils, you should check out this BLOG POST. Making your own perfume can be tricky because we all have pretty specific likes and dislikes about the scent on our skin. But this formula allows you to be creative and use the scents that you like best.

7. Fertilizers and Pesticides

Many use these products to keep our lawns, gardens and flowers looking beautiful. But they are so harmful to our health and the environment. We have been conditioned to think that these chemicals are the only way to make our lawns green and flowers and gardens growing perfectly. But organic gardening methods are not that difficult and actually work better in many cases, not to mention they are better for our health! Check with your local gardening center for organic fertilizers and alternative options.

8. Produce

Since we are talking about gardens, let’s dive into produce! Each year the Environmental Working Group (www.ewg.org) releases its annual dirty dozen list — a list of foods that contain a number of different pesticide residues and show high concentrations of pesticides. Here are the foods you should buy organic if you can:

THE DIRTY DOZEN:

• Spinach
• Strawberries
• Kale, Collard, Mustard Greens
• Grapes
• Peaches
• Cherries
• Nectarines
• Pears
• Apples
• Blackberries
• Blueberries
• Potatoes

Buying organic is better for your health. Additionally, using a safe fruit and vegetable spray is very helpful, especially if you are not able to buy organic. You can make your own fruit and vegetable spray, it is so easy. Get the free recipe HERE!

9. Hair Products

There are many hidden chemicals in our hair products as well. Parabens, phthalates, perfumes, and the list goes on and on. Many of these additives are so unnecessary. Check your labels to make sure your hair products are at least free from parabens and phthalates. It may be easier to find better products at your local beauty supply store. This is important for your children’s hair products as well.

10. Candles

This one was tough because I love candles! I still want a lovely smelling home with the ambiance of little flickering flames, just not at the price of breathing in chemicals. Candles, like everything else, have many hidden toxins. Even though some of candles smell amazing and can bless the atmosphere, it can (unfortunately) be harmful to your health. Pure beeswax candles or candles free from paraffins, are a great alternative, as they are non-toxic and much healthier for your home.

Don’t Give Up

The best approach I have found to moving towards a cleaner lifestyle is to take it one step at a time. Otherwise, the switch can be a little overwhelming. I first started with food, then skin care products, then cleaners, etc. Try making one change a week in each area. Even though it can be a challenge to switch products and read labels, the benefits are definitely worth it. So don’t give up!