In addition to diet and exercise, eliminating toxins is important for improving your health. Toxins are everywhere. They are in soaps, lotions, detergents, cosmetics, food packaging. Toxins can also be breathed in, like mold and byproducts from burning candles. These chemicals can cause skin irritations, disrupt hormones, cause allergic reactions, contribute to asthma. It’s probably impossible to completely eliminate them, but cutting down on them will make a difference.
There is usually a healthier version of something that’s not good for you. It’s just a matter of finding the better alternative.
Things that are used just once in a while are not as important to eliminate in the beginning as the things that are used daily. Some things that might be used daily and should be swapped for healthier versions include products like:
Soaps including bar, liquid, dish soap, laundry detergent, shampoos and conditioners, lotions, skin creams and hair styling products are full of chemicals like parabens, sodium laurel sulfate, ethanolamines like DEA. Good alternative brand is Dr. Bronners or Seventh Generation.
Deodorants and antiperspirants may contain aluminum that is not good for brain health. These are easy enough to make yourself with equal parts baking soda, corn starch and a few drops of essential oils.
I don’t use cosmetics, but they also contain chemicals.
Toothpaste and mouthwash also contain chemicals like parabens, SLS, and propylene glycol. A homemade recipe of equal parts coconut oil and baking soda with a drop of peppermint oil is a good substitute.
Perfumes also contains chemicals. An alternative would be to use essential oils. Be careful with putting them on the skin though as they could also cause sensitivity issues. I usually just put a drop on my clothes in an out of the way spot.
Cleaning products contain chemicals too.
Non-stick cookware contains chemicals. Cast iron is a much better alternative. It’s also better to store leftovers in glass instead of plastic. Plastic can leech chemicals into the food, especially when the food is warm. I use mason jars or Pyrex glass dishes.
Toxins can also be breathed in. Candles are great for adding aromas to a room, but they also give off chemicals. Candles are commonly made with parafin which is a petroleum byproduct. Candles made with beeswax and cotton wicks are the best bet.
Air purifiers with a HEPA filter are a big help in improving air quality in the home. I like MedifyAir products. They are a more budget friendly option, but if you can afford it AirDoctor is also a good option. Amazon offers a wide variety of budget friendly options that are better than nothing.
Digging deeper into toxins, items like furniture and clothing can also contain harmful chemicals.
It’s tough to stop using all products that contain chemicals, but substituting healthier alternatives for products that are used most often is a good start.
Besides products, toxins also include pesticides/herbicides/fertilizers used for growing conventional grains, fruits, vegetables. The Environmental Working Group has a list called the Dirty Dozen that gets updated every year. It lists the most important foods to buy organic. Organic is pricier, but if you eat a certain food every day, organic is much better for you. If you just eat a certain food occasionally, organic is probably not as important to buy, if price is an issue.
Drinking water can also contain environmental toxins. The best route is to filter your own water. There are whole house water filtration systems, under the sink filters for a given faucet or countertop water filter pitchers. I had tiny parasites in my water, which comes from a gravity fed spring. The parasites were starting to affect my thyroid. Adding a UV light to the water storage tank and using a LifeStraw water filter pitcher helped fix the issue. Different filters filter out different things, so choose what’s best for your situation.
Challenge:
Take a look at your morning routine and read the ingredients of every product you use to get ready for the day. Pick a product and an alternative that does not contain chemicals. A good resource is the Environmental Working Group. They evaluate and rank products based on their toxicity.
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More Environmental Toxin Resources
References
https://theartofantiaging.com/common-toxins-in-toothpaste/