I have to admit I've become a bit obsessed with this topic after hearing all of the horrific things lurking in what I use on a daily basis. Frankly it is pretty much impossible not to come in contact with some kind of harsh chemical, plastic, pesticide, or synthetic fragrance when literally everything is made of plastic nowadays! In fact, you have to pay extra to get something in recyclable paper, glass, or metal.
Avoiding the toxins completely is not what I am writing about in this post, but rather making a conscious effort to avoid them where possible. I recently got involved with the EWG.org website, and they regularly send me updates on things that are being hidden (or that is the allegation) from consumers by the companies that are supposed to be in place to protect us from harmful chemicals in foods and health products.
Just look at all the ingredients in your toothpaste, "healthy" breakfast sandwich, or shampoo for example. Do you know what all those things are on the ingredient list? We all know that we probably use/eat/drink a product because of the way it smells or makes us feel even if we hear that it is bad for us. But do we really know how bad it truly is?
For starters, check out this list of the top toxins to avoid in your personal care products. These chemicals are actually interrupting your endocrine systems and changing your hormones! They can lead to cancer, infertility, and many other diseases.
http://www.ewg.org/skindeep/#.Wmt7uainFPZ
Cleaning product toxins:
http://www.womenforahealthyenvironment.org/assets/files/toxins-to-avoid---cleaning-products.pdf
I found it particularly disturbing how much of PA has polluted water:
https://www.ewg.org/research/chromium-six-found-in-us-tap-water#.Wmt6m6inFPY
As I said before, it's hard to avoid all toxins that you come in contact with in every day life, but being aware of what is bad for you and taking steps to avoid them is the first step! Throw away your nonstick pans and plastic tupperware (BPA free gets a pass but only slightly), stop using products with "perfume," "parfum," or "fragrance" (Natural fragrance is ok) listed as an ingredient. When you are choosing fresh or frozen produce, choose organic fruits and vegetables when they are on the dirty dozen list:
https://www.ewg.org/foodnews/dirty_dozen_list.php#.Wn4pdKinE2w
I hope this helps everyone become more inclined to review the food labels and ask questions about the things they buy and use every day.
I recently found this guideline on the plastic containers we use and how "safe" they are for you:
https://www.livestrong.com/article/158674-which-plastic-containers-can-i-safely-use/
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