In my last post I talked about the importance of food and how what we’re eating can essentially hurt or heal out bodies.

But it’s not just about what we’re putting IN. We must also think about what we are putting ON.

I once had a friend tell me, “You can buy and eat all the organic/chemical free food you want… but if you’re eating that food off a plate (with a fork) that is made with or washed in chemicals… then it kind of defeats the purpose.” Hmm.

---

I think the majority of people assume that if a product is being sold on an American shelf – it’s safe. This is not true. Most Americans don’t realize that the products they are paying for every week/month/year are toxic to them. People don’t know that every day we’re exposed to thousands of toxins and chemicals. (I was one of these people less than 6 months ago).

Candles, perfume, pots and pans, cars, house, clothes, beauty products, feminine products, household cleaners, electronics, curtains, furniture, plastic, Styrofoam, bug spray, Christmas lights, toys, car seats, paint, swimming pools, mattress … all made with toxic chemicals.

The stats:

• Breast cancer is up 30% since 1975.
• 7.3 million American couples have trouble getting pregnant/carrying to term (49% increase since 1988) – huge increase in women under 25.
• Autism: 1999 – 1 in 500 // Today – 1 in 88 !!!
• Over 45 years there has been at least a 50% increase in — asthma, leukemia in children, early onset puberty, ADHD, genital deformities.

So what’s the connection? Many believe…. CHEMICALS.

There are over 80,000 chemicals on the market in the US today. A 2000% increase in half a century!

Unfortunately, our government doesn’t have to prove that chemicals are safe for them to be on the market. They take the “innocent until proven guilty” approach. It’s not controlled. And they get away with it because the majority of the public just doesn’t know. Therefore, companies are controlling us… and our future generations.

Speaking of future generations, a study done on a baby at birth (with no food, no water, and no air exposure yet) found that there were 28 chemicals in the baby’s umbilical cord! That is insane.

Does it make anyone else sad/angry that we don’t even know what’s in everything we use? Or what we are using on our families? Or even our unborn children?

The hardest part for me to understand if that some companies (ex: Johnson & Johnson) make some of their products toxin free (because they have to in order to sell them in other countries that have stricter/safer regulations)… but not in America, because they don’t have to and it cost them less to include harmful chemicals.

---

Of course, it would be ridiculous for us to say we are moving out of our house, never going to ride in a car again, or throwing away everything in our bathroom. And, just so we are clear, I’m definitely not advising that. But I do think it’s easy (and important) to be smarter about our home and beauty purchases.

There are over 10,000 chemical ingredients, some of them known or suspected carcinogens, in soaps, shampoos, lotions, make-up and beauty products, and other personal care products. They say that the average woman is exposed to 150+ chemicals just from her morning bathroom routine!

Deodorant, toothpaste, toothbrush, soap, shampoo, face wash, shaving cream, make up, hairspray, feminine products, lotion, perfume, sunscreen, bug spray, nail polish, etc.

Believe me — I’m the first to say I love a good spray tan, hair spray, or lipstick – but I am also doing research to see how I can make better choices with the things I love.

Below are some of the products we were using before and the products we are using now. I’m not implying we are perfect or know everything… but we do feel better (mentally and physically) about the products we are currently using.

BEFORE beauty products:

AFTER beauty products:

BEFORE cleaning products:

AFTER cleaning products:

Homemade Laundry Detergent: (Cost me less than $20 to make — for 500 loads!)

For more information I recommend: checking out Safer Chemicals, Healthier Families, watching “The Human Experiment” (on Netflix), or once again, just start reading your labels. This site has been helpful (and yes, overwhelming) to me in learning about what chemicals to look out for/avoid.

Deodorant — http://saferchemicals.org/2015/05/26/is-that-a-toxic-chemical-in-my-deodorant/

Tampons — http://saferchemicals.org/2015/05/12/toxic-tampons-and-pads-tell-always-to-detox-the-box/

My toxin free pins: https://www.pinterest.com/brittsfine/toxin-free-please/

---

Harmful chemicals are all around us… but if we start small we just might be able to make a big difference. We live in an old house, received many Calphalon wedding presents, and don’t know what our couch is made from… but we are starting where we can. In our cabinets and on our counters.

Please know — it takes time. I hope no one feels like they have to go out today and replace everything in their home. I have been slowly collecting these products over the past 5 months.

Give yourself grace in this.