Lunch with the Doctor
"Environmental Toxins: Is Your Home Killing You?"
There are many factors that come together to ensure absolute health and vitality. However, we often overlook one of the most important that affects our life on a daily basis: Our Home. The technology, chemicals and manufacturing of our society has made things more efficient. At the same time, it has created by-products that cause toxicity. We are in a current trend to “Go Green” or “Think Natural”, and there is an abundance of new information available on these topics. Instead of being overwhelmed, lets discuss a few to get you started.
1-Chlorine: Is Your Shower Safe: Most of us try to drink water that is from a pure, filtered source, but what about the water we are exposed to doing laundry, washing dishes, or taking a shower. Your body is exposed to 20 times more chlorine during a shower that drinking tap water. There are many solutions for this problem, with a wide price range. Explore Home Depot for filtered shower heads, look into a Reverse Osmosis system, or check www.watershop.com.au for more options.
2-Cleaning Products: Are You Cleaning or Becoming Toxic: When you clean your home, floors, counters or clothes with toxic chemicals, you are releasing them into the air you breathe, the clothes you wear, etc. You can essentially blanket yourself in toxic chemicals if you are not careful. Luckily, there are plenty of earth and people friendly products that are easy to find and even easier to use. Here are some examples that you can find at local health food stores, the Fresh Market, or with the contact info provided:
- Shaklee: All products are environmentally neutral and include dish soaps, cleaning products, laundry detergent and more. More info at www.shaklee.com or call Sharon Schwartz @ 666-5589.
- The Fresh Market: Cleaning products, pet foods, cosmetics and more. Including Meyers cleaning products (a Dr. Agren favorite).
- Seventh Generation: Dishwashing liquid, specialty cleaning products, paper products, disposable diapers, garbage bags, and MUCH MUCH more. Check them out at www.seventhgen.com Or call them at (802) 658-3773.
Some of these products will appear more expensive than their conventional counterparts. However, they are usually more efficient at doing their job, so you use much less. Or, if you search and experiment, you can make your own. Here are a few recipes we use frequently in our home.
- Scouring Powder: 1C. Baking Soda with 1/4C. Borax. Sprinkle in any essential oil you like.
- “Wonder Spray”: 1/4C. Vinegar
2 tsp. Borax
1/4C. Liquid Dish Soap
Dissolve into 32 ounces water. A great “all purpose” cleaner.
- Glass Cleaner: 1/4C. Vinegar in 1 quart water. Add a few drops essential oil to scent.
3- Toiletries and Cosmetics: Without realizing it, many of us are absorbing toxins through our skin from the many chemicals we apply to it daily. Good news-there are many options from clean sources, and some that even cover you in “friendly” ingredients. Anti-persperirants and commercial deodorants whose main ingredient is aluminum is one of the worst commercial products available. Aluminum exposure is linked to Alzheimer’s, is a known neurotoxin, and is linked to breast cancer in women. Please choose a healthier option. Try one of these:
- Tom’s of Maine: A wide variety of toothpaste, mouthwash, deodorant, shampoo, lotion, soap, and more. Some products are available at Target, and at all health food stores. Contact them @ (207) 985-2944 or www.tomsofmaine.com.
- Kiss My Face: Moisturizers, soap, shampoo, sunscreen, etc. Find them at www.kissmyface.com or call (845)255-0884.
- Nature’s Gate: Shampoo (Their Rainwater Baby Shampoo is FABULOUS), conditioner and many specialty products. Call them at (818) 882-2951
- Shaklee: You guessed it, they make it. Cosmetics, skin and hair care, daily basics.
4-Practice the 3 R’s-Reduce, Reuse, Recycle: The less toxic trash we discard, the less that seeps into our environment. Reuse container and repair products that are broken. Recycle everything. Give to charity. Search for products that are quality made and keep them. Look for packaging that is free of toxins. Buy products that have recycled content.
There are MANY other potential dangers in your home: PCB’s in your air and water, chemicals in carpet and paint, fiber filling in furniture, bleaches in fabrics and sheets, and so on. Why is it important to rid your home of toxins? If you take in more toxins than you can eliminate, you get DISEASE. Here is a list of your body’s response to Toxins or Poisons:
Joint pain • Low energy • Trouble sleeping • Heart rate issues
Vomitting • Cramps • Headaches • Skin eruptions
Constipation • Fever • Diarrhea • Sinus issues
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