As moms we put so much time and energy into making our home a clean and safe place for our family, so of course you don’t want your efforts to be in vain. Right? Well unfortunately it’s highly likely that your home is in need of a detox from hidden toxins that are found in many of the products you use every single day. Toxins that can negatively affect the health of you and your family.

But fear not!

Eliminating toxins from your home is easier than it sounds and totally worth the effort. This post will help to give you a clear picture of how unsuspecting everyday products may be interfering with or undermining all of the hard work you put in to keeping yourself and your family healthy. It will also give you a list of simple changes that will help you minimize your exposure and create a healthier home environment

So let’s get started!

What are Environmental Chemical Toxins?

Environmental toxins are chemicals that can harm our health by disrupting our bodies biological systems.

When you hear the phrase “environmental toxins” you probably think of external issues like air pollution, oil spills, and factory discharges. And because we don’t have very much control over them, you likely shrug your shoulders and move on. While these are indeed toxins that can impact our health, they’re not the kinds of toxins I’ll be talking about.

In this post I’ll be talking about environmental chemical toxins that you do have some control over, ones that can come from everyday products in our home, like cleaning products, personal care items, food storage containers ect.

Detox Your Home of Chemical Toxins – Why it Matters

There are several different health issues that may result from exposure to the hidden chemical toxins in everyday products. They range from things that are just mildly annoying to more serious conditions…

Does your child have asthma or allergies? Have you developed adult allergies or chemical sensitivities?

Are you struggling to lose weight even though you have tried everything?

Do you get frequent headaches? Experience depression or anxiety?

Yup. These are all things that can be caused by exposure to environmental chemical toxins.

Chemicals toxins in our home have been linked to things like…

• asthma
• respiratory irritation & allergies
• hormone disruption & imbalances
• reproductive abnormalities & infertility
• liver toxicity & damage
• neurotoxicity & brain damage
• learning disabilities & cognitive impairment

While it’s impossible to completely eliminate exposure (and it might drive you crazy to try!), a few simple steps will go a long way towards protecting you and your family.

As a mom, I’m sure now you can see why it’s important to minimize your exposure to toxins as much as possible.

So now you’re probably thinking… where do I even begin?

 

How to get toxins out of your home

It’s true… toxins can cause serious health effects when exposure is allowed to accumulate, but it is important to remember that the problems usually result from prolonged or excessive exposure; the occasional use of say a plastic cup is no cause for worry.

If you take one thing away from this post I hope it is this… small changes can make a significant difference in your health!

Replace the products that you use most often and start with those that seem to be the easiest for you. And then gradually make changes when you feel ready. I’ve been at this for years and there are still things I plan to change, but for multiple reasons just haven’t gotten around to doing it yet. Just do the best you can!

And know that every little bit counts!

What are the toxins in your home?

Right now, in the United States, there are around 84,000 chemicals in use in commerce, and around 1,000 more are being added each year. Some of these chemicals have benefited us. However, the vast majority have never been tested for safety by our government, or anyone else. And these are chemicals that are being put into the products that we’re using every. single. day. – with very little government oversight or regulation.

So when trying to minimize your exposure it is essential that you first become aware of the toxins that we know to be the biggest offenders.

Toxins that are the biggest offenders to our health

• Pesticides & herbicides
• Phthalates
• Fluorinated chemicals (PFOA)
• Bisphenol A (BPA)
• Bisphenol S (BPS)
• Formaldehyde
• Aluminum
• Lead
• Arsenic

These toxins are endocrine disrupting chemicals (EDC’s) which can mimic or interfere with the body’s hormones, known as the endocrine system. They’re all chemicals that are linked with developmental, reproductive, brain, and immune system problems.

How to detox your home from these chemical toxins

There are five possible ways toxins can enter the body, including:

• Through eating and drinking contaminated food & beverage
• Breathing in airborne toxins
• Through the skin
• Mother passing to baby
• Through surgery or injection

Below are 9 changes that will help you detox toxins from your home.

1. Choose non-toxic cleaning products
2. Choose non-toxic laundry products
3. Ditch air fresheners & scented candles
4. Choose non-toxic personal care products
5. Choose glass, silicone, and stainless steel over plastic
6. Replace your non-stick cookware
7. Buy organic when possible
8. Avoid using pesticides and herbicides in your yard
9. Use natural remedies

Frequently Asked Questions

The last thing you need to know about detoxing your home

I know that talking about toxins can feel overwhelming. And once you are aware you may even feel a bit anxious, I know I did. But don’t let that keep you from taking action.

Just remember even small changes can make a significant difference in your health!

I’d love to know, what changes will you be starting with? Leave me a comment below!