5 WAYS TO LIVE A LOWER TOX LIFE

Have you noticed the 'feeling in the air' over the last year or so..... its like people are waking up and wanting to do better.

I think we are all tired of being brainwashed by advertising ... and frustrated that we cant just trust our products are safe. I know I am.

Making the switch to safer options seems so simple to many of us.... but in the conversations I have each week I realise that we are all jumping on the 'low tox' train at different stations.... and for some its just so hard to know where to begin.

So here is a list of 5 super simple swaps that you can do right now.....  because every little switch helps to reduce your toxic load and your accumulative exposure.

1. Get rid of Artificial Fragrance - 

This is hidden (or not hidden) in SO many things .... including Air Fresheners... Scented plugins .. Perfume scented candles... fabric softeners ... personal care products....and even some kids toys and textas. The synthetic compounds found in artificial fragrance are known as 'slow poisons'...they are known to be endocrine disrupting and studies into the damage they cause to our bodies is frightening. Have a read of this PuMed study if you need extra encouragement to ditch them from your home.

2. Choose natural body / personal care items - 

I encourage you to grab your personal care items... shampoo / conditioner / body lotions / toothpaste and all of those items in your bathroom and read the ingredient lists. Do we really want chemicals slathered over the largest organ in our body - the skin?  Thankfully there are so many products now available that are made from natural and safe ingredients....so please make the switch. (Just be mindful when choosing your new products that they are good choices... so many products make claims to be 'natural or organic' but they are still chemical loaded.)

3. Think about how you clean your home -

Be mindful of the products you are using to clean your home... your home should be a sanctuary ... a place where you can breathe easy.
However so many of the cleaners contain bleach ..ammonia... and antibacterials... and concoctions of chemicals known to be responsible for skin irritation....lung and breathing problems... and even worse. There are concerns over the acute exposure when using the products... particularly through the lungs and skin.... but also the chronic ongoing exposure.
I found a very informative article on the Experience L!FE site HERE 

4. Stop the use of plastics where possible - 

This is such a hard step to take in a world where everything is plastic!! So I have two angles for this.... environmentally I hate that we are throwing out millions of tons of single use plastic...its downright ridiculous considering we know its poorly recycled and doesn't break down. We will be drowning in our own waste! Do we seriously need a straw in every drink? Cant we refill a water bottle rather than buying plastics?
However....when we talk reducing our toxins the considerations are - BPA Free plastics may be even worse than the BPA - new evidence is coming to light about the dangers of BPF for example. Some plastic chemicals have been found to be estrogen mimics...making then endocrine disrupting.. and even responsible for weight gain. Heating food in plastics can increase the likelihood of chemicals leaching into the food.
Try and use glass / stainless or paper packaging when possible. Try to say NO to plastics or recycle what you can - look for the REDCYCLE bins for soft plastic recycling.

5. Buy organic or take note of the dirty dozen -

It isn't always possible for us to buy organic.... although I am noticing the range in the supermarkets growing. Its also worth considering any products markets you may have in your area. I am loving that our local outlet is now stocking more organic and some other 'integrated pest management' produce.

If your options are limited ...choose where you spend your money and aim to buy organic from the 'Dirty 12' list.

(You can read this article on the Sustainable Gardening Australia Site for more info)

The 'Healthy Home Series' is a collection on DIY recipes and simple swaps you can make to your home / personal care products .... there posts include:
Simple Home Recipes - this post if general cleaning recipes.
Simple Laundry - lots of laundry ideas...including washing powder and fabric softener without nasties.
Simply Kitchen - Bench sprays...dishwasher tabs etc.
Healthy Home - Introduction and Resources - a 'getting started' post.

You may also like -
Lets Overhaul our Home and Personal Care items - what do I need?
and if you are interested in switching to simple ...cleaner life... and love the idea of using Essential Oils for all their low tox benefits you can read more about the oils I love - HERE