Depending on how much research you have done about toxins and where they lurk in the everyday products that we buy and use, you may not know that there are chemicals in everyday products that can actually exacerbate diseases like asthma, cause or worsen allergies, and even cause cancer. If you are trying to eliminate toxins from your home, here are five items you should be concerned about:
1. Plastic containers – We probably all have at least a few plastic food containers in our kitchens. They are handy for storing leftovers and fruit and veggies that we’ve already prepared for eating, but many brands of plastic containers contain phthalates, among other harmful chemicals. Consider tossing plastic and switching over to glass.
2. Perfume – It makes us smell nice, but is it dangerous? Some studies say yes. Most perfumes on the market are composites of hundreds of different chemicals. You might not worry too much about the chemicals in your perfume, but if you use it every day, you are not just spraying it onto your skin, you are actively inhaling all of those toxins.
3. Cosmetics – Makeup is an obsession for many, but many brands of makeup fill their products with preservatives and other nasty substances that may actually be harming your skin. Makeup companies also don’t have to list all of the ingredients on their bottles, making it impossible to know exactly what you are putting on your skin, unless you buy cosmetics that have been specifically formulated from natural oils and minerals.
4. Fabric softener – Many brands of fabric softener are formulated not just with irritating fragrances, but also with chemicals like ammonium salts. If you’ve ever put on a shirt and felt itchy, it is probably your skin having a negative reaction to the film that fabric softeners leave on our clothes.
5. Air fresheners – Though they are designed to make our homes smell fresh, many air freshening products contain phthalates, which have been linked to hormonal changes and even birth defects. They act as propellants and preservatives, but are often part of the fragrance added to the product. Instead, boil a pot of tea or bring a big bouquet of organic flowers into your house to help banish foul odors.
Getting rid of these five products could make your home healthier and more natural!
