According to The Cleveland Clinic, environmental toxins surround us. These toxins are in our food, our household cleaners, our water, our beauty products and even in our home. Mold can sprout up over a water leak and can go unseen. If you suspect you may have a problem with mold you can get mycotoxin testing done. Many people think as long as you don’t touch it, it’s not harmful, however, that is far from true. Inhaling the air that has been contaminated can play a huge toll on your health.
Not only can mold effect your mental and physical health so can everyday products you use. When you’re surrounded by chemicals daily, it can be detrimental to physical and mental health. There are steps you can take to have a healthier home and reduce the exposure of toxins for yourself and your family.
The following are some ways to reduce the toxicity in your home environment.
Scrutinize Common Drugstore Items
Some of the items you regularly buy from your local pharmacy or drugstore can be filled with toxins. Depending on the products you’re buying, look for certain standards that indicate a high level of integrity in things like over-the-counter medicines, supplements, and beauty products.
One example of product certification to look for is NSF International, which is an independent organization that works to improve human health. They set safety standards and do thorough testing on different products, including supplements and homeopathic medicines.
Some of the most toxic items you might commonly buy at the drugstore include:
- Tampons and feminine care products which contain chemicals like fragrances and residue from pesticide
- Mascara because it can contain mercury
- Air fresheners which contain chemicals that can enter the bloodstream and impact chemicals
- Lipstick that may contain lead
Evaluate all the things that you come in contact with on a daily basis like perfumes, lotions, shampoos, and moisturizers and see if it’s time to make changes in those areas. Many of these products have harmful chemicals and can be replaced with something natural and less toxic.
Think Twice About Toys
Kids’ toys can be an alarming source of toxins in our homes. The Washington Toxics Coalition tested 1,200 toys, and they detected lead in 35% of items they tested. This included everything from packs of playing cards to backpacks.
Almost 50% of the toys they tested were made of PVC plastic, which is considered the most hazardous plastic, and other toys had heavy metals, including mercury, arsenic, and cadmium.
When buying tools, look for materials used in construction that are non-toxic like cotton, wool, and wood. You should also look for toys that use only non-toxic paint.
Stop Using Bottled Water
There’s a misconception that bottled water is safer and less toxic than tap water, and that’s not true. In addition to the fact that bottled water comes from the same places as tap water typically, the plastic bottles are toxic, and it also creates more waste.
Some water bottles can contain something called Bisphenol A or BPA. BPA is a chemical that can affect hormones and could potentially increase the risk of developing prostate and breast cancer.
Rather than using plastic water bottles, use a stainless steel reusable water bottle. You can use filtered water from your tap to fill it.
Change Your Laundry Products
Our skin is our biggest organ, and we absorb much of what we come in contact with directly into our bloodstream, which makes laundry products pretty important. Think about how much time you spend in contact with not only your clothes but also things like sheets and towels.
Simply getting a fragrance-free laundry detergent isn’t enough to be truly non-toxic. Instead, you should look for something that is completely toxin-free and doesn’t contain petroleum-based products or phthalates.
You can buy specialty laundry detergents or think about making your own.
In general, making your own cleaning products is a great way to reduce your home’s toxins, and it can be more economical as well.
Finally, ventilate your home regularly and try to skip the candles and other things that can release toxins into your air. Open your windows whenever possible to air your home out rather than trying to rely on scented products.
Choose One Part of Your Home to Focus on At a Time
When you decide that you want to rid your home of toxins it can be overwhelming. There’s so much to think about, so rather than trying to do everything at once, try to choose one area of your home or life you want to focus on first.
For example, maybe you decide it will be the products you use for your baby or kids, or perhaps your cleaning products.
Once you feel like you’ve tackled that area, you can move to the next.
This helps you be more strategic and not feel like you’re taking on too much at once.
About Jammie Morey
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