Natural care is one of my nine building blocks of wellness. The emphasis is on natural. Safe. Do no harm.
When you want to ensure you’re doing your body good as far as this portion goes, you need to start becoming aware of where toxins and dangers to your health hide. To help you get started, here are a few that might not occur to you:
Antimicrobial clothes
Are you thrilled with the idea that you can buy work out clothes and more that no longer smell like, well, you worked out? Don’t be. Instead relish the smell of clean sweat. Those embedded antimicrobial chemicals can make you ill. Then odor will be the least of your worries. Scientists are finding that some of these are actually harming your thyroid and hormonal systems.
On top of this, the chemicals wash out, bit by bit. While this may seem like good news as you won’t be exposed to it as much, it’s not. It still remains in that clothing, even after 10 washes. To make it worse, the water containing what washed out is turning up to harm us all and the environment in general.
To keep yourself safe, avoid products, clothing included, featured as being antimicrobial, antibacterial or anti-odor and those that list triclosan or trichlorocarban in the ingredients. Also used in things like clothing, toothpaste, toys and more are silver nanoparticles. Are those safe? Well, allegedly the jury is out on what dose is enough to be harmful. But, if you get that dose, it can cause substantial damage to your DNA. Do you want to risk that?
Canned foods
Many canned products contain BPA. It’s in the lining, and it leaches into the food within. It may be a small amount or it may be enough to negatively impact your health. It’s a gamble, and not one with good odds. You probably know enough about BPA at this point, but, if not, generally it increases your risk of cancers like breast and prostrate along with other diseases.
It’s hard, but not impossible, to find canned goods minus BPA. Eden Organic makes all its canned goods free of BPA except for tomato-based ones. (Simply buy your tomato sauce, etc. in jars.) Some of Trader Joe’s brand items are in BPA-free cans, namely corn, beans, fish, poultry and beef. But, buyer beware, it says “most” of these are in BPA-free cans. (You can check their Web site for specifics.) Edward & Sons (Native Forest and Native Factor branded products) also produces BPA-free canned food, except for mushrooms. Amy’s is another brand that long ago transitioned out of BPA- lined cans. Muir Glen is safe, including its tomato products. Easiest rule is to try to buy everything you can in glass. No, not plastic either, for the same or similar reasons. Then check the now limited cans you buy to see what is safe. Yes, you have to do a little homework. But, once it’s done, it’s done. And it’s worth it to remain well.
Chemically-scented products
This one exists way too many places. Get used to natural scents, not chemical ones. They smell far better and won’t harm your health.
Chemicals that are carcinogens, endocrine disrupters and toxic to your reproductive system, even at low levels, are in detergent, fabric softeners, cleaning supplies, air fresheners, lotions, hair products, candles and more. You indeed may be surrounded by a toxic soup much of the time.
Just say no. Better your house doesn’t smell “forest pine fresh,” and you remain well. I use natural products and love the smell. I can’t stand the smell of chemically-scented items anymore. To me, they smell horrible. When I’m walking my dog, and that smell is coming from dryer vents, I kind of resemble the girl in the picture above. Or walking down the laundry aisle to buy my natural laundry detergent. I try not to be obnoxious about it, but, yes, it smells awful to me. I wonder if my nose is now attuned to smelling what is not right for my body. I don’t know how we ever got used to that stuff smelling good to us. (But, yes, I used to think it was awesome, too.)
Even the “pure and natural” or “free and clear” or whatever-the-hell smells bad to me. Not as bad, but there’s something there so I’m pretty sure there still are chemicals hiding in there somewhere. Trust truly natural brands; they’re easy to find anywhere. Ones like Seventh Generation (they make the nicest bathroom cleaner) or Ecos (a wonderful laundry detergent naturally scented with lavender) or Method (love their clementine dish liquid plus their fabric softener).
Use vinegar to clean. And even as a fabric softener. My laundry gets the vinegar rinse treatment, and it comes out smelling clean and soft. A few dryer balls (which help soften, also, plus I think help everything dry faster) makes it even better. I usually use a few spritzes of Method’s fabric softener spray on my clothes because I’m addicted to seriously soft things on my skin. I don’t bother with towels and sheets. In writing this, I think I need to try skipping it even on my clothes. Why? Because vinegar is vinegar. I can trust it. No big corporation is screwing with it or hiding things under the natural label. And because I haven’t so, who knows? My clothes may be soft enough minus it. I know my towels and sheets are.
As always, remember my small step approach that produces lasting change — and creates a natural, easy path to wellness. Don’t do all the above at once. Choose one thing, and do it. Rinse and repeat. I’ve been at this a while, and I’m not 100 percent chemical free. Pretty close, but there are things that escape here and there. I didn’t do it overnight. I focused on one thing, found what I wanted to try or buy, then moved on. Overwhelm doesn’t produce change that lasts. Small, consistent steps do.
