Disclosure: I participated in this program on behalf of Seventh Generation and The Motherhood. All opinions are my own.
Ahem! I am fully admitting right now that I’m going to climb atop my precarious little soapbox and give you a small spiel. Don’t worry, it won’t take long and I swear I don’t actually bite. I drove my neighbors and friends crazy for a while, I will cop to that, but who doesn’t when they realize they have the power to change something in small ways but that produces a big impact?
I’m talking about the toxins and chemicals that are in your home. Lurking under sinks in the obvious places but also in the not so obvious places like the umbilical cord of a newborn child. SAY WHAT?
Indeed.
Did you know that in recent studies 232 chemicals were found in umbilical cord blood? That kids surrounded by high levels of parabens (found in many baby soaps, shampoos and sunscreens) are more susceptible to allergens, cell damage and hormone disruption? What we clean our homes with, things like bleach and other harsh chemicals, our kids ingest through their mouths and skin during playtime, mealtime and bath time. Think about how you clean your floors and carpets and then your kids are all over them. They are ingesting it into their bodies before they are even born because we are doing the same thing too. It really frightens me. When I figured all this out I decided (about a year after our first child was born) to eliminate those types of cleaners, bath and body products and foods from our home.
This is how I felt when I started learning about all the chemicals and toxins just sitting in our home.
It sounds really awful and complicated and expensive. I know. I thought so too. There are ways to start small and it won’t annihilate your budget.
5 Easy Steps
1. Take off your shoes at the door: 85 percent of the dirt in our homes is tracked inside on the bottom of our shoes. It’s not just dirt, but toxins like lead, pesticides, gasoline residue and more. Keep your home safer by taking off your shoes. It’s the public health equivalent of washing your hands.
2. Buy safer body care: Children are exposed to an average of 27 care product ingredients on a daily basis that have not been found safe for developing bodies. Protect your family’s health by avoiding products that ingredients like parabens, synthetic fragrances, triclosan and more. For a list of the most toxic offenders, download our free eBook, “Easy Steps to a Healthy & Safe Nursery” at Healthychild.org/resource-center.
To save money I make many of our household cleaners like laundry detergent, all-purpose cleaner and glass cleaner. Baking soda, washing sods and vinegar are bought in bulk around here.
3. Open a window: People spend about 90 percent of their time inside, but indoor air is typically far more polluted than outside. So, open those windows! Even a few minutes a day can improve indoor air quality.
4. Eat more whole foods: Processed foods may be convenient, but they’re also loaded with sweeteners, artificial flavors and colorings, and synthetic preservatives. These lack nutrients and many are also linked to health issues like ADHD and even cancer. Reduce by eating more whole foods.
This might require more planning on your part but cutting back or eliminating these types of foods from your diet will make you feel so much better. Your body will actually function better and you will look and feel healthier. One way I avoid these products is to plan our meals out each week. Yes, it takes time and sometimes is a total drag but we always have enough to eat all week and I only go to the store once, minus those total meltdown in the store moments where the kids have throwdowns and I totally forget something.
5. Ban the can: Bisphenol-A (BPA), a hormone disruptor that has been linked to everything from obesity to cancer, is in the plastic resin that lines most canned goods—from soups to sodas. Avoiding canned food for significantly lowers exposure. Look for foods packaged in glass or eat fresh, dried, and frozen options.
WAYS WE WENT TOXIN-FREE IN OUR HOME
1. I started trying new cleaning products from many green company’s and found that most of all I like Seventh Generation. If I don’t make it myself it probably comes from Seventh Generation. Both of which I buy in bulk off Amazon to keep costs down and get free shipping. It saves me time and money and I rarely have one of those moments when I run out of something.
2. I found ways to make products just by googling, talking to friends and reading green/DIY blogs. Once you have the basic ingredients (found in even the dollar store) you can get cracking on kicking chemicals out of your home and system. I gave up fabric softener because it may smell great but it coats your clothes with chemicals that get into your body and cause all sorts of disruptions. I save money this way too.
3. I eliminated the diapers with bleach cores. This was a revelation. I hated paying more at first but when I realized my always red-butted daughter suddenly had no more rashes after the switch I never went back. I saved on diaper cream and her skin by making this move.
It can be a lifestyle change but knowing that all these chemicals cause high rates of cancer, mood disorders, allergies and other illnesses was enough to change my mind. It takes time and some trial and error but more than ever these chemical-free products like Seventh Generation are available many places like the grocery store and Target and clean just as well. When you start doing this and realize you can still save money (hello natural teething tablets that come in jars of 800 versus gel that goes way too fast!) you just want to keep finding more ways to kick out the toxins.
Remember this: There are 80,000 chemicals that are in the world today and the health effects of less than 5% of those are known. Many say, “I am fine” or ”My grandmother is fine,” But todays kids are being exposed to a lot more chemicals than we were growing up. Grandma cleaned green without even trying! It is about taking that precautionary approach because why would we not protect our children from harm or potential harm? We do it with car seats and bike helmets daily.
WANT TO LEARN MORE?
Join Seventh Generation for a fun, informative Twitter party to talk about all-natural baby product options! We’ll also talk about the Healthy Baby Home Party which give moms an interesting and engaging way to educate friends and family on topics like creating a healthy environment for the next generation.
