Do You Know What’s In That?
I was recently listening to the story of an ICU nurse. I love to listen to the journeys of nurses like myself who open their eyes and minds to an integrated approach to health. This nurse had a young daughter who suffered from acute episodes of respiratory struggles. These struggles often landing her in the emergency room. It was so scary for her each time her child had an issue, and things seemed to be getting worse. She had a fellow nurse friend who asked if she would be open to learning about natural approaches to helping her daughter. Her response? One I am oh too familiar with- “I’m an ICU nurse. I look at science and I’m sure what you have to offer is not going to help!! But sometimes, when we are desperate enough, we are open to listening, which is what happened in this situation. This ICU nurse not only learned that there were natural ways to support her daughter’s respiratory system but found that her everyday practices of using air fresheners, scented laundry detergent, toxic cleaning products, powders, lotions and potions, actually contributed to her daughter’s problem. She was amazed. After removing the offending products from her life and learning about tools to use every day, it has been a FULL two years since her daughter had an issue. So let’s look at some of the things this ICU nurse learned.
As we battle with our microbial world, it seems that EVERYTHING, from hand soap to laundry detergent, is labeled antibacterial. We sanitize and bleach just about everything. And, as we get rid of all the nasty harmful bugs, we’re messing with the good microbiome on our skin and in our environment. Whether it’s a citrus-scented “grease fighter.” Or a neon-blue toilet cleaner. The stuff that standard cleaning products create in their wake- from overpowering smells to teary eyes and sneezes or more serious respiratory issues- should make us question how it is all affecting your health. Here are just a few of the offending chemicals:
Phthalates
Benzisothiazolineone
Methylisothiazolinone
Methylchloroisothiazolinone
Petrochemicals
Fragrance
Parfume
Sodium lauryl sulfate
Triclosan
Chlorine bleach
Phosphates
This is just a small list of the chemicals we are exposed to daily in our cleaning and body products. Children are especially vulnerable as their growing bodies have a more difficult task of processing these chemicals through their livers and kidneys are still developing. In December 2009, Scientific American magazine recounted a study done by the Environmental Working Group identifying over 200 chemicals in the umbilical cord blood of newborns, especially in minority populations.
Here are some other findings:
• Nurses who regularly use disinfectants have a higher risk of developing chronic respiratory issues.
• Young children exposed to cleaning chemicals early in life have increased acute respiratory issues.
• Women who clean for a living show an accelerated decline in respiratory health
• Exposure to toxic cleaners at a young age is associated with early language delay in 2-year-olds.
• Cleaning product use while pregnant increases a child’s risk of developing respiratory issues.
• Exposure to cleaning products can lead to alterations in gut microbiota and subsequent weight issues, especially in children.
• The link between cleaning chemicals damaged/irregular cells in the body.
There is no doubt that what we put in and around our body affects our health, and though we can not avoid everything out there, we can begin to make changes that can make a difference to us, our children, grandchildren and even the environment.
Begin by reading labels, familiarize yourself with the list of harmful ingredients in our products, and make different choices. With growing awareness, more companies are making the switch, but be aware of greenwashing, a practice that claims something is safe when it is not. Check out the EWG and learn more.
Make the switch. I love doTERRA® because they continuously review their ingredients to ensure they have the purest and safest ingredients. They also have a ton of DIY tips for creating your own ingredients-safe products. Looking for safer makeup? Beauty Counter is one of the brands I use and one of my fellow warriors against toxins is offering 20% to try. Dazzle Dry is a fun non-toxic nail polish that dries in 5 minutes. And of course, doTERRA® essential oils can be your best friend for safe and effective cleaning, excellent skin health, mood and so much more.
Ready to learn more? Have questions or comments? Let’s talk.
Featured Products:
