A Guide To Decreasing Toxic Exposure in Your Home
Pumpkins, ghosts, colorful leaves, long shadows, harvest moon, hot drinks. These are my thoughts as Autumn finally sets in in California. In Traditional Chinese Medicine Five Element Philosophy, autumn corresponds with an inward shift of energy. Its associated organs are the skin, lungs, and large intestine. These are organs of detoxification. During the season of harvest, when the trees start losing their leaves preceding hibernation, I also consider this a time of letting go. The seasonal climate of wind announces a chapter change. This energy is ripe for taking a break from the things we crave to notice the space they leave behind. It is also a time of healing and purification.
The low-hanging fruit of detoxification is limiting our toxic exposure to begin with. Our industrialized world exposes us to thousands of known hazardous chemicals many that have not yet been tested for safety but may be the next BPA. Every two years the CDC releases the National Report on Human Exposure to Environmental Chemicals: A survey that uses lab samples to assess the levels of environmental chemicals in the U.S. population. Many new chemicals are added every couple of years. Some startling data according to the CDC and EPA:
There are over 84,000 potentially hazardous chemicals in circulation in the United States
Only 1% of chemicals in circulation have been tested for safety
Manufacturers are not required to disclose all ingredients used in their products
99% of humans have measurable levels of forever chemicals such as glyphosate (Roundup) in their bodies due to lack of regulation.
The good news is that this exposure can be drastically reduced simply by being mindful about what you choose to bring into your home.
Volatile Organic Compounds
Also known as VOCs, Volatile Organic Compounds are chemicals that vaporize at room temperature and are emitted from products and materials containing them. According to the EPA and the American Lung Association, VOCs are linked to allergies and sensitivities, upper and lower respiratory illnesses, gastrointestinal illnesses, fatigue, dizziness, headache, memory impairment, and even cancer.
Sources of VOCs include:
paints, paint strippers and other solvents
wood preservatives
aerosol sprays
cleansers and disinfectants
moth repellents and air fresheners
stored fuels and automotive products
dry-cleaned clothing
new clothing
building materials and furnishings
office equipment such as copiers and printers, correction fluids and carbonless copy paper
graphics and craft materials including glues and adhesives, permanent markers and photographic solutions.
pesticides
In my home, we make a practice of consuming as little as possible and buying used furniture and clothing that has already off-gassed most of its VOCs. This is also a way of lessening your carbon footprint.
To decrease the impact of VOCs:
Before installing new flooring, carpet, building materials, or furniture, keep them in a garage or outside for 7-10 days before bringing them into your home. This will allow some of the VOCs to vaporize. Opt for solid wood furniture over pressed wood.
When crafting, use tape, glue sticks or white wood glue over rubber cement, spray glues or epoxies. Water-based paints are the safest option for craft paints. Avoid using permanent and dry-erase markers – instead use water-based unscented markers, crayons or colored pencils.
Read on for more product-specific information and indoor air quality tips.
Cosmetic & Personal Care Products
When I was a teenager, a good friend’s mother shared with me that she only used substances on her skin that she could also eat. This remarkable woman taught me that while the gut has a magnificent system of waste removal, the skin lacks the barriers necessary for toxic substances to reach the bloodstream. Many common personal care products and cosmetics have been linked to endocrine disruption, allergies, and even cancer, and to those whose immune systems are most compromised, including children, pregnant women, and elders, this is even more essential to evaluate. The Environmental Working Group, a non-profit organization that aims to protect human health, provides vital information about environmental health to the public. Their resource skin deep evaluates products and brands and rates them on a safety scale from 1-10. Here are some harmful ingredients to be avoided:
Toothpaste: Sodium laurel sulfate (SLS), triclosan, triclocarbon, parabens
Sunscreen: Oxybenzone, avobenzone, octisalate, octocrylene, homosalate, and octinoxate in chemical-based sunscreens
Moisturizers: Phthalates, parabens, and retinoids.
Deodorant: Aluminum, parabens, propylene glycol
Shampoo: Formaldehyde, parabens, phthalates, PFAS, Sulfates, polyethylene glycols, Retinyl glycols, triclosan, dimethicone, hexachlorophene, heavy metals
Makeup: Parabens, phthalates, polyethylene glycols, triclosan, heavy metals, formaldehyde, PFAS
Nail Polish: TPHP, DBP, Formaldehyde, Xylene, Toluene
To look up a specific product and for a more in depth look at harmful ingredients, check out Skin Deep.
Household Cleaning Products
I recently met a chemist who shared with me that while common pesticides and herbicides are to be avoided, if possible, the often greater danger are the chemicals that we bring into our homes. This includes but is not limited to: Cleaners, air fresheners, furniture and floor products, and laundry detergents. Not only are they potentially carcinogenic, irritating to the respiratory tract, and allergy-inducing but recent research suggests that they are possibly even worse for your pet, who may spend more time at home than you.
The Environmental Working Group published a free guide where you can look up the products you use in your home and if they are not well rated, you can find a healthy alternative.
Toxic Substances in Food
Pesticides, Herbicides and Fungicides
Eating organic is always preferable and can reduce the amount of urinary Glyphosate (the forever chemical Roundup) by over 70% in only six days. However, this is sadly a cost-prohibitive choice, and many households can not afford it. The Environmental Working Group’s Dirty Dozen and Clean Fifteen are annual lists published that include the fruits and vegetables with the highest amounts of pesticides/herbicides and the least. Consumers can save their money and choose organic when it’s most critical.
Antibiotics
For the omnivore readers: Not only is it vital to choose organic meat, and grass-fed beef because they are free from antibiotics that are harmful to you and especially to children but because they are more nutrient-dense.
BPA and Other Endocrine Disruptors
BPA is now well known for its endocrine disrupting effects. Here are some tips to avoid BPAs:
Replace plastic water bottles with glass or stainless steal
Ditch the plastic wrap and use parchment paper or beeswax cloth
Avoid canned foods as their plastic liners often contain BPA or its relatives
Don’t put plastic in the microwave, dishwasher or freezer as it can release phthalates
Don’t take the receipt at the store, gas station or ATM as the thermal paper they are printed on contains BPA
Avoid purchasing foods or products that come in containers with recycling codes 1 or 7 as these are more likely to contain BPA
When buying reusable plastic containers, especially baby bottles and pacifiers, make sure the label says BPA Free
Water
Water in most areas of the United States is deemed safe to drink but that does not mean that contamination does not exist. Drinking filtered water is always preferable, and the most effective water filters are reverse osmosis systems. If this is not an affordable option for you, consider filling up at your local Food Coop or Grocery Store. Check out the EWG’s guide to water filters, as well as their tap water database that lists contaminants and water quality details for your area.
Air
Most of us spend half our time in our homes where the air quality is often worse than outside. According to the World Health Organization, every year, around 3.8 million people die prematurely worldwide due to poor indoor air. Your home may contain mold spores, pollen, pet dander, dust, viruses, and bacteria. It may also contain VOCs from the off-gassing of clothing, furniture, building materials, flooring, and carpets, as mentioned above. Outdoor pollution from vehicles, and factories plus pesticide and herbicide sprays from agricultural areas, in addition to ozone and heavy metals, may enter your home through open windows. According to the Yale School of Public Health, dust particles often trap heavy metals and forever chemicals, so routine dusting and a proper air filter must be a part of keeping a chemical-free home. Here are some tips to keeping the air safe and clean in your home:
Use Activated Carbon or HEPA air filters throughout your home. Beware that certain air filters themselves can produce ozone, so avoid those at all costs.
Vacuum floors, drapes, and furniture regularly with a vacuum containing a HEPA filter
Change your HVAC filter regularly
Dust surfaces frequently with a wet or microfiber cloth
Plants have the wonderful ability to sequester or metabolize toxic environmental pollutants. And science says they have a profound mood-boosting effect.
Open windows and ventilate regularly on days when the outside air quality is good
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