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Toxic Chemicals In Your Home

Healthy Habits Detox PlanA few weeks ago we established a Healthy Habits Detox Plan exposing toxic dangers and providing ways of  detoxifying our homes, workplaces, and communities.

Not only have we provided valuable information to help protect you and your family from life threatening toxins, we’ve also provided healthy habits and better alternatives to everyday household products we use.

Many of you have taken steps toward living more safely around toxins in our environments.  In this article we’ll cover more beneficial and life enhancing options for you to consider.

Contaminated Foods

Some of the top contaminated foods are apples, peaches, celery, strawberries, spinach, and imported nectarines.

These fruits and vegetables contain vast amounts of pesticides.

Many children eat apples.  But did you know that 98% of conventional apples had pesticides.

Celery is also high-contaminated with around 57 different pesticides.

Every sample of imported nectarines tested positive for pesticides; while apples and imported plums tested about 97%.

In addition, 92% of apples had at least two pesticides.  Strawberries and imported grapes contained 13 different pesticides.

Inspecting and cleaning fruits and vegetables before eating are healthy habits we should all consider.

Cut away any damaged or bruised areas on fruits and vegetables. Peeling the skin and outer layers of fruits before eating are good preventive measures.

Washing the food over running water and drying them with a clean cloth or paper towel will also help in removing bacteria and pesticides.

Above all, purchase and eat organic produce whenever possible.  Organic foods are more natural and have less pesticides.

Personal Care Products Containing Toxins

Governments do not require cosmetic products manufacturers to test their products for safety.

Therefore, these manufacturers are allowed to put any ingredients they want in their products—ingredients that contain toxic chemicals.


Prevent exposure!  Check your personal care products for toxins.

Here is a list of personal product ingredients to avoid:

  • Triclocarban
  • Triclosan
  • Words ending in “paraben”
  • DMDM hydantoin
  • Imidazolidinyl urea
  • Triethanolamine or (“TEA”)
  • Methylchloroisothiazolione
  • Methylisothiazolinone

Cookware Containing Toxins

Non-stick cookware and metal pans have their advantages; however, when overheated non-stick cookware can emit toxic fumes hazardous to your health.

Teflon non-stick cookware and metal pans (aluminum pans) are coated with a synthetic polymer called polytetrafluoroethylene that can pollute the air in your home, so much so that it has been documented to cause flu-like symptoms for humans and kill pet birds.

In addition, non-stick cookware is linked to causing ADHD, obesity, and thyroid disease.

Non-stick cookware also emits perfluorinated chemicals; also referred to as PFCs.

These types of chemicals are linked to causing smaller birth weight and sizes in newborn babies, liver inflammations, abnormal thyroid hormone levels, weakened immune defense against diseases, and elevated cholesterol.

If your non-stick cookware starts to flake or you start to see scratches of nicks in the finish of the pan you should purchase safer products for cooking.

A healthy habits alternative to cooking is using stainless steel, stoneware, or oven-safe glass when baking.

Cast iron pans are also a great option for cooking.

Additionally, cast iron is extremely durable and can withstand extremely high temperatures.

Protection for Our Pets

Let us not forget our pets!

Research scientists found that dogs and cats have higher levels of toxic chemicals than humans with other comparable levels–there are 43 different chemicals in our pet’s bodies.

What does this mean?

These chemicals are associated with causing cancers, birth defects, thyroid problems, reproductive and developmental problems in humans.

However, dogs show higher rates of cancers than humans.

For instance, dogs show higher rates of bone cancer, skin cancer, breast tumors, and leukemia, and hyperthyroidism is the leading cause of illness in older cats.

The chemicals linked to these illnesses for our pets are from fire retardants chemicals, stain and grease resistant chemicals (like Teflon), and plastic chemicals called phthalates.

Reducing exposure or eliminating products that contain these types of chemicals will help in preventing common illnesses our pets become afflicted with.

For example, most cat litters contain material unhealthy for cats.

A healthy habits alternative is to use recycled paper for your cat’s litter box.  You can purchase newspaper litter, or use a less expensive alternative—make your own litter.

Flea collars also contain toxins and are generally ineffective.

A better and healthy habits alternative is to regularly bathe your pet and vacuum often using a HEPA-filtered vacuum.

In addition, in order to minimize chemical exposure to your pet, take your shoes off at the door before entering your house.  Your shoes may carry toxins you might have picked up from walking on sidewalks or grass that contains fertilizer containing dangerous pesticides.

Inspiring Action!

Finally, sharing information is part of our Healthy Habits Detox Plan.  Please share some additional advice you may have to offer to our readers.

You’re important to us!  Post a comment in the comment section below and gain more exposure while helping others who may be in need of your advice, solutions, opinion, or concerns.


Join in and please help us inspire action by sharing your thoughts and concerns!

About the author: George Zapo is certified in Public Health Promotion and Education (Kent State University). George provides informative articles promoting healthy behavior and lifestyles.

15 comments… add one
  • I love your blog George, you are such a giver…. providing all this useful information to help people make more educated and better choices in their lives :-)

  • Hazardous Waste Long Beach

    Very informative. People must understand that many of the things that they are using contain chemicals that can be harmful to us that is why we must learn ways on how to prevent from being exposed too much from these ones for us to maintain a healthy body.

  • Sara

    Hi George — I applaud the idea of creating a safer home, and because there’s so much misinformation out there about the Teflon® brand, I’m not surprised that you are concerned. I’m a representative of DuPont though, and hope you’ll let me share some information with you and your readers so that everyone can make truly informed decisions.

    Regulatory agencies, consumer groups and health associations all have taken a close look at the Teflon® brand. This article highlights what they found — the bottom line is that you can use Teflon® non-stick without worry.

    http://www.fluoropolymer-facts.com/PFOA/content.cfm?ItemNumber=4137&navItemNumber=4040xxx

    I’d truly be glad to share additional information about it if you are interested, and appreciate your consideration of this comment. Cheers, Sara.

    • Sara, thank you for offering an alternative perspective to products like Teflon.

      In addition, I appreciate you sharing the link pertaining to potential toxins the EPA and other organizations are studying.

      It’s important for us to keep an open mind and view life from different perspectives–there’s so much to gain from the knowledge we obtain.

  • I like this article and thanks for the information.

  • Kate Williams

    We risk our precious health and energy every day we mindlessly consume household products and personal care products without choosing those (or making them :-) ) that would not be unhealthy for us, our children and our pets.

    Thanks for the information and your good work!

    Kate

    • Thank you, Kate! It motivates me to hear from people like you who are working towards Eco-friendly, safe, and economical products and lifestyle!

      I also appreciate your recognizing me for the work I’m doing to help people gear their lives using healthy habits and sound choices in his or her life.

      I look forward to hearing more from you in the future.

      Take care…

  • Carolina HeartStrings

    A wealth of valuable information. Am sharing the cat litter on our fb page….

    • Thank you very much, Carolina!

      We’re please that you are sharing this information and providing your feedback!

      We feel it’s “life-saving” material!

      Thank you for taking time out of your schedule to read and comment!

      Take care…

  • Tina Bosela

    George,

    What a great article! You provided a lot of helpful information. It’s sad that the products we buy are not even checked for harmful toxins before they are shipped out. That’s why you are here to educate us on how to be healthy and safe.

    The picture of the dog in the tub made me laugh! Thanks for the link on making your own cat litter.

    I’m looking forward to your next article.

    Thanks again,

    Tina

    • Thank you for your encouraging words, Tina!

      We have to be careful of what we’re purchasing.

      Convenience isn’t necessarily good for our health.

      I hope you continue to benefit from the material we provide.

      It’s great to see and hear from loyal readers like you!

      Take care….

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