How To Get Started With Toxin-Free Living
So, we’ve established the reasons why we should eliminate toxic products from our households, but how exactly do we achieve this?
It’s at this stage that many people begin to decide that toxin-free living isn’t for them. There’s no way of denying that it can be expensive to find plant-based alternatives to chemicals. Bleach cleaning products, such as Lysol, as well as chemical containing skincare items and foodstuffs are easy and cheap to produce, sadly making the overall cost to the consumer less. Often, plant-based items are marketed as “luxury” and are priced as such. But, you don’t necessarily need to spend a small fortune to eliminate toxins from your home. And even though some items are slightly more costly, the health benefits are undoubtedly worth the price.
Below you’ll find many tips and tricks for eliminating toxins from your environment, and most are easier to incorporate (and cheaper) than you’d think!
Cleaning
One of the easiest ways to eliminate toxins from your home is to stop buying aerosol sprays that emit VOCs and instead buy non-toxic cleaning solutions. You may find that if, like me, you suffer from skin conditions, such as eczema, you’ll see your symptoms improve drastically when you eliminate harsh cleaning products. Some good brands to choose from include Mrs Myer’s, Method, and The Honest Company. If these items are little pricey in your area, it’s surprisingly easy to make your own cleaning supplies! Lemon and a pinch of salt clean a wooden chopping board wonderfully, and nothing cleans stainless steal like a baking soda scrub! I also don’t believe any store marketed “window cleaners” give as good results as a vinegar and warm water solution does. And to make a general surface cleaner, all you need to do is mix one cup of distilled white vinegar with one cup of warm water and add some drops of essential oils to hide the vinegar-y smell. Cleaning your home should do exactly that, clean. It isn’t supposed to involve lining your counter surfaces with dangerous toxins, which sadly so many of us do.
Food items
Another easy, but slightly more expensive, way of eliminating dangerous substances from your food, is to buy organic. Organic fruit and vegetables are ones that haven’t been treated with pesticides and therefore are free from the risks caused by these chemicals. Along with looking for organic stickers on products, it’s also worth keeping an eye on the ingredients list. Long lists of preservatives, food colourings and other additives are usually a red flag. Many of the additives commonly found in food can cause a whole host of health problems, including cancer, making the pre-made “meals” we buy much more artificial than they should be. Buying fresh ingredients and cooking from scratch at home will eliminate most of these problems. This can be time consuming but the health benefits are clear. Meal prepping at the weekend can help make this a more achievable goal on workdays.
Personal Hygiene and Beauty Products
The personal care industry is largely unregulated. There are long lists of ingredients in most shampoo, conditioner and body lotions and the effects of which are mainly unknown. We’re the guinea pigs of the personal hygiene world. If you’d rather avoid this, browsing the brands I mentioned earlier will give you some plant-based, non-toxic substitutes. Alternatively you can make your own body wash by diluting some Castile soap with water. Using essential oils and avoiding scented products is also a good place to start.
Key Tips
Buy organic, non GMO foods or grow your own vegetable patch
Avoid scented cleaning sprays and skincare products
Buy labeled non-toxic cleaning products that contain plant-based ingredients
Make your own cleaning solutions with a mix of distilled white vinegar, lemon juice, baking soda and essential oils
Try The Honest Company skincare products
Use a water filter to avoid pesticides and other pollutants that may seep into your water supply
Don’t use scented candles or air fresheners
Don’t use pesticides in your garden