These days toxins are almost impossible to avoid completely, however there are most definitely small changes and simple hacks that can be done to help lessen the toxic burden on you, your home and family, especially the smaller ones in your family! At Lion and Lady we believe in making it easier to make your life lowtox, so you can enjoy more time with your family, now . . . and in the long run!
If you are gearing up for home detox, it needn't be the full Marie Kondo, you can start small and swap out the more conventional cleaning products for some safer options, and with a new baby in the house transitioning to lowtox options, which makes the whole idea more appealing.
A lot of the ingredients found in cleaning and beauty products, as well as products for infants and toddlers contain ‘endocrine disruptors', we are all susceptible to the damage these wreck but more over the impact is greater on infants, children and especially pregnant women. Which is why expectant parents are consciously minimising toxic exposure in any way they can. The reality is, it’s impossible to be completely toxin free. We are exposed to way too much on a daily basis if we live in a modern city, and whilst some things are out of our control, there are many that we can do something about.
In 2005 The Environmental Working Group conducted and reported the first study of industrial chemicals, pollutants and pesticides in umbilical cord blood and found, on average, 200 chemicals present. That means that before a child has even entered this world, they already had toxins present in their little bodies. Read more about the study here (https://www.ewg.org/research/body-burden-pollution-newborns)
There are a number of very simple strategies, that can help to lessen this toxic burden.
Firstly some of the major toxins that we’re exposing ourselves to inside our homes, are feeding bottles and plates that children use!
Some manufacturers argue that in small amounts the chemicals aren’t posing a risk, but when it turns into ongoing exposure, sometimes everyday, that is when it can start to be a problem.
Once you start looking you will find there are many toxic ingredients in household products but here are the 3 most common.
Pthalates
(Diethyl pthalate) Pthalates found in many fragranced household products, such as air fresheners, dish soap, even toilet paper. Companies don’t have to disclose what’s in their scents, so you won’t always find them on a label. If you see the word “fragrance” listed, there’s a good chance phthalates are present. They’re in all air fresheners, many scented candles, household furnishing and food packaging like cling wrap and freezer bags as well as baby bottles, sippy cups and feeding sets.something we notes when starting Lion and Lady, when we set out to create a lowtox sustainable ecofriendly feeding bottle and sippy cup for the small people we know, they have a lot to contend with in this modern world, and every little bit helps
They are known endocrine disruptors and have been found to reduce fertility in both men and women. https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0303720706002292
Because there is always a cascade effect when it comes to hormones, anything that mimics a hormone, in this case, oestrogen , in the body, will no doubt be causing havoc to other hormones.
Triclosan
This petroleum derived nasty is often behind the word ‘antibacterial’ on your cleaning products, hand soap, deodorant, antibacterial face washes and toothpaste. This one must go, as it is often contaminated with chloroform, can cause skin, eye and lung irritation, can disrupt the immune system and accumulate in the environment.
Butoxyethanol
Butoxyethanol the key ingredient in many window cleaners also responsible for giving them their characteristically sweet smell. It belongs in the category of “glycol ethers,” a set of powerful solvents that don’t mess around. And guess what? It does not have to be listed on a product’s label. According to the EPA’s web site, in addition to causing sore throats when inhaled, at high levels, glycol ethers can also contribute to narcosis, pulmonary edema, and severe liver and kidney damage.
The ever inspirational Alexx Stuart is doing some great work in the space of lowtox living so if you would like to delve deeper , we can recommend heading over to her website https://www.lowtoxlife.com
