Household Products You Never Knew Were Toxic

As the country is slowly reopening some people are going back to work. Many of us, however, are still practicing Shelter In  Place in our homes or apartments.  If you are lucky you have an outdoor space where you can exercise and get fresh air. Living in an apartment or in a city you may have limited to no outdoor space.  You really are confined indoors with all of the household products you never knew were toxic.

Since the beginning of Shelter In Place, people have shared on social media that they’ve spent their free time cleaning and clearing out their spaces.  This brings three questions to my mind.

1. What type of cleaners are you using?
2. Is your space ventilated?
3. What kind of air are you breathing in your home

Why is this important?

 

Toxic Exposure!

We’re looking at household products you never knew were toxic.  Natural health experts have long warned of the adverse effects of inhaling chemicals from everyday household cleaners.  This Harvard research validates their concern specifically in the use of bleach.

There is a reason the product labels say to use in a ventilated space.  Because they are poison!  It even says on the bottle “if ingested to call poison control”!

If that isn’t a red flag, I don’t know what is?

For many years natural health experts have warned us about the negative health effects of inhaling chemicals from household cleaners.  This Harvard research validates their concern.

Rebecca Stutton, Ph.D., senior scientist at the Environmental Working Group (EWG) states, “in terms of household cleaners, neither the cleaner nor the ingredients nor products must meet any sort of safety standard, nor is any testing data or notification requires before bringing a product to market.”

No wonder there are so many household products you never knew were toxic.

Environmental experts say that the average household cleaner contains about 62 % of toxic chemicals.

 

Volatile Organic Compounds (VOC’s)

In an article titled, Volatile Organic Compounds’ Impact on Indoor Air Quality, The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) states…

“Volatile organic compounds (VOCs) are emitted as gases from certain solids or liquids. VOCs include a variety of chemicals, some of which may have short- and long-term adverse health effects. Concentrations of many VOCs are consistently higher indoors (up to ten times higher) than outdoors. VOCs are emitted by a wide array of products numbering in the thousands.”

Many of those are household products you never knew were toxic include:

• aerosol sprays
• cleansers and disinfectants
• moth repellents and air fresheners ( try these instead)
• hobby supplies
• dry-cleaned clothing
• pesticides
• paints, paint strippers, and other solvents

Health Effects Associated May Include

• Eye, nose and throat irritation
• Headaches, dizziness, and nausea
• Damage to liver, kidney and central nervous system
• Allergic skin reaction

The increased exposure to these chemicals is exponentially increasing our toxic burden which can cause many health issues including but not limited to respiratory diseases.

It’s also interesting that older women are more commonly diagnosed with thyroid issues.  Many of the women I have spoken to believe that its just a natural part of aging. But is it?

I asked Dr. Jessica Hayman of Verde Valley Naturopathy this question, “It seems a lot of older women are diagnosed with an underactive thyroid. I wonder if years of using household chemicals contribute to this problem.”

Her response, “100%!  These chemicals are endocrine disrupters.  They target all glands that secrete hormones – thyroid, ovaries, adrenals, testes.

You can remedy the toxic load in your home by using non-toxic chemicals like bleach and using a clean air system.  One that removes all the particles from the air and kills germs and bacteria.

This is the system that I use in my home.  Click here to order.

 

Real-Life Story

Have you ever walked into someone’s house or a restaurant and been hit in the face with the smell of bleach? The smell goes straight to my head and gives me a migraine level headache almost instantly.

Years ago this happened when visiting my mom.  She’s old school and was using bleach to clean her kitchen, bathroom and worse yet, her teapot!

 

In Mom’s Defense

She said that she washes out the pot really well before using it again and honestly, she did not know any better.  How could she?  Companies spend millions of dollars on advertising to moms and homemakers touting their products to be the best cleaner for “your family”. Why would she believe they weren’t?

There are many choices for non-toxic, headache-inducing, hormone-disrupting chemical products for your home.  Find them here or you can DIY natural, non-toxic cleaners using water, baking soda, vinegar, and lemon juice.  Lemon is found in many products because of its antimicrobial properties.

 

More Reason to Use Non-Toxic Chemical At Home

Have you seen the images of workers in China and Japan spraying streets and subway stations?  That practice may be on its way to a station near you!  As precaution airlines and sports stadiums are instituting protocols that routinely spray potent chemical disinfectants.

American, Delta, United, and Frontier Airlines are “fogging” their planes to kill pathogens and protect passengers against viral infections. On the one hand, it sounds like a good alternative given the Covoid 19 Pandemic but on the other hand, is it safe?

Necessity is the mother of all invention.  The New York-based company, Eagle Hawk may be sending their drones to a stadium near you to dispense chemicals from above.

According to the website, the drones will only use chemicals approved by the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA)  for effectiveness against the SARS-CoV-2 virus.

The (EPA) has rigorously claimed the safety of glyphosate, the primary ingredient in the weed killer Roundup which health advocates claim is linked to cancer.

In 2015 The World Health Organization (WHO) classified glyphosate as a “probable carcinogen.” Hello, that means it could potentially cause cancer!

Interestingly the EPA is very particular when talking about VOC’s but is quite vague when it came to actual products and did not specify any by name?

 

Antioxidants to The Rescue

Obviously, it’s impossible to avoid all toxins and pollutants and one of the simplest things you can do is to eat real food!  Antioxidant-rich foods like fruits, vegetables, and other plant-based, whole foods are high in Vitamins A, E, and C that nourish the cells in your body!

What are antioxidants, anyway?   Antioxidants are molecules that fight unstable molecules, called free radicals that can harm your cells.  High levels of free radicals in your body can cause multiple illnesses, including diabetes, heart disease, and cancer.

You can boost dietary vitamin A by eating eggs, tuna, salmon, and several different kinds of cheese.  Increase levels of vitamin C  by enjoying berries and oranges and vitamin E with nuts and seeds.

Herbs and spices like cinnamon, ginger, and Tumeric are delicious antioxidants that make your meals memorable. Steep them all together and make a delicious antioxidant turmeric tea!