The task of eliminating or at least reducing our exposure to toxins can seem like a daunting task. The Environmental Working Group determined in 2005 that there are approximately 287 industrial chemicals found in newborn babies. Clearly, something has gone wrong. It seems like every day there is new evidence linking our foods, beauty products, and consumer goods to harmful toxins. While much of our exposure to harmful toxins is out of our control, most of our choices can go a long way in protecting us against the toxic effect of toxin buildup in our bodies. Here are 10 simple daily actions to help detoxify your life.
1. Beautify your home with some plants that really purify your air. These houseplants can cleanse the air of pollutants and toxins, counteract off-gassing, and help balance humidity levels. Boston ferns, reed palms, dracaenas, English ivy, peace lilies, and rubber plants will do the trick.
2. Install a carbon monoxide detector in your home if you heat your home with gas or oil. Your olfactory senses will not detect a carbon monoxide leak, which can lead to persistent headaches, fatigue, or even death.
3. Getting rid of mold in the house will help with allergies and respiratory problems. Replacing old carpet or furniture that smells like mold, as well as cleaning it with a few drops of tea tree oil, will help get rid of mold. A warning to cat owners: Tea tree oil, lavender, and other essential oils commonly used in cleaning can be harmful to our feline friends.
4. Buy non-toxic art and school supplies for your home. Dry-erase markers, paints, glues, glazes, and sculpting and modeling materials may have toxic ingredients. Find low-odor, non-toxic markers and paints, and find homemade recipes for arts and crafts supplies like clay, paste, paints, stains, and sidewalk chalk.
5. Just like using non-toxic school supplies, avoid chemical cleaning products in favor of natural cleaning products. A quick search online will turn up homemade recipes that use ingredients like baking soda, vinegar, soap flakes, and orange oil. These concoctions can be used to replace commercial all-purpose cleaner, window cleaner, dishwasher detergent, laundry soap, and even dryer sheets.
6. Shop The Environmental Working Group’s Dirty Dozen and Clean Fifteen product lists. Some foods are not only cleaner of pesticide residue, but also help detoxify our bodies. Some of these cleansing foods, especially if they are organic, include: broccoli, garlic, spinach, cabbage, sprouts, ginger, and turmeric. It is also advisable to limit our foods higher in the food chain, such as meat, fish and dairy. These are foods that have accumulated higher concentrations of toxins through the process of biomagnification.
7. Choose non-volatile organic compound (VOC) paints for your home. Long after the paint has dried, the paint releases gases of its chemicals, which have been linked to cancer.
8. We already learned about never heating plastic in the microwave or dishwasher. Now we have to get rid of the non-stick pans. Although novel when they first hit the market, Teflon and Silverstone coatings have since been classified as carcinogenic, as they emit perfluorochemicals (PFCs).
9. Regular exercise has many benefits, one of which is helping to eliminate toxins through the skin through sweat. In addition, massage improves circulation and helps stimulate the lymph nodes, the organs that collect toxins throughout the body.
10. Avoid commercial fragrances like air fresheners, potpourri, and fabric softeners that are loaded with toxic ingredients that have been linked to hormonal imbalances, mood swings, fatigue, and brain damage. Equally concerning are the potential effects of perfumes, colognes, and other personal care products that contain parabens, phthalates, and diethanolamine (DEA). These chemicals are derived from petroleum and may be linked to cancer, birth defects, central nervous system disorders, hormonal disorders, and allergic reactions. For natural perfumes made from essential oils, try Nantucket Natural Oils, Aubrey Organics, and Tigerflag Natural Perfumery.
With the mindset that every little effort counts, these 10 simple ways to detox will create momentum and momentum to lighten the pollution load on our bodies and help us breathe a little easier.