Start your home detox

Have you heard of benzene, toluene, formaldehyde, xylene, polybrominated dipheryl ethers or phthalates?? Do you know that these chemicals affect our cells from working properly? Some cause cancer of the blood, others affect our nervous and respiratory systems, where others impair memory or damage our kidney and liver functions.

What if I told you they are everywhere - that we are surrounded by them. They are in our carpets, stain removers, detergents, easy press fabrics, paints and removers, multi-surface cleaners and plastics in our homes (just to name a few). Yet we don’t really know or talk about them as they are invisible and often are not included on product labels.

We come into contact with these on a daily basis through exposure to the abiotic environment (soil, water, air)

by absorbing them through our skin from the things we touch or allow to sit on our skin
by inhaling them from the air we breathe.

We also come into contact with toxic chemicals through our dietary intake known as trophic transfer

ingestion from the food and liquids we drink.

There are many more chemicals out there - some 6,000 in commercial use, and some are fine and pose no harm to us, but there are a number of toxic chemicals that are having an impact upon our health.

There is a severe lack of information on products so consumers, like you and I, are not able to make an informed choice. Those six chemicals I mentioned above are all lethal in large quantities but because they are only added in exceptionally minute quantities to the products we use, this is deemed acceptable by regulatory boards and manufacturers.

But is it? Growing research is showing it is not. These tiny amounts of chemicals that we are exposing ourselves to on a daily basis are building up in our bodies.

Our natural de-tox system (the lymph nodes, kidneys etc) do a fantastic job of ridding our bodies of natural enemies, but for the last century this man-made chemical challenge has put a strain on our bodies. Many of these chemicals cannot be flushed through the body’s system and end up being deposited in fatty cells. Then we wonder why there is an increase in cancers, heart disease, asthma, skin irritations, nausea and other health issues.

The increase of a pollutant concentration in our bodies (and of the animals we eat) is known as bioaccumulation. As you progress up the food chain, the concentration of a pollutant also increases, this is called biomagnification.

Reducing your daily exposure is vital for long term health. We can all make gradual changes - just take it one step at a time.

Awareness is key. When you buy a product ask yourself, what are the ingredients? who made it? how did they market it? do I really need it?

Transparency on product labelling can help - but do stay alert for greenwashing. If you are not sure about the ingredients list, my biggest rule of thumb is - does it smell chemically? If it does then opt for something else.

Before you crack on with the products in your home, have a think about your lifestyle as that also has a huge impact upon your health. If you can eliminate/reduce the following 5 pollutants, you are on your way to a healthier body and home.

cigarette smoke - we all know smoking is bad for us but just how bad!? Tobacco smoke can include benzene (causes cancer of the blood), carbon monoxide (headaches, dizziness, loss of consciousness, brain damage, death), formaldehyde (carcinogenic), ammonia (irritation to eyes, nose & throat, burning of airways), hydrogen cyanide (interfere with the body’s use of oxygen)
alcohol - studies vary on the benefits of drinking, but if you enjoy a drink then being aware of your own tolerance and reducing the amount you consume to a reasonable quantity will help reduce the risk of potential harmful longterm effects
drugs - whether they are recreational, over-the-counter or prescribed - they all have an effect on the body. Making yourself aware of the ingredients and the potential effect on your own body, is a good place to start so you can make an informed choice.
household poisons and hazardous waste - most of us will have a varying amount of these chemicals in our homes. Products like disinfectants, bleaches, sprays, anti-freeze, toilet cleaners, laundry detergents, moth balls - can be lethal when ingested especially to small children who do not see the danger and might be attracted to the bright colours or small size of the product. All of these products are also marketed in a positive way as being necessary to help with the domestic chores in our lives - there is never any emphasis that they are actually poisonous. Keep these on high shelves and away from children. Never ingest and ideally wear gloves or wash hands immediately after use. Some may even be polluting your indoor environment just by sitting on your shelf and off-gassing. If you don’t have the possibility of storing them in a shed or garage then a sealed plastic box will help contain the chemical smells.
bringing the outdoors in - take your shoes off at the front door. The soles of your feet travel all over and bring home whatever you have stepped in. Avoid dragging in pesticides and herbicides, pollen, dust, dirt, bacteria….see your home as your sanctuary. Place a basket in your hall for shoes and offer visitors slippers or slippers socks for comfort.

Once you’ve got these 5 pollutants under control, it’s time to move onto the products in your home.

First easy swaps are:

paraffin candles to natural wax candles and ditch those plug-ins/air ‘freshener’ sprays
take a look at your bathroom and make easy sustainable swaps from plastic bottles to natural soap and shampoo bars
and your diet can improve overnight with a higher focus on organic meat and vegetables

I hope this has been interesting reading. If you are considering a room revamp or a conversion, give me a call and we can chat about how to make sure your project is a healthy one.

Zoë x

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Zoe Rodgers Beaumont28 April 2023

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Start your home detox