Are you trying to reduce the toxins in your life? It can seem overwhelming when you're just getting started.
The more you learn, the more items you want to swap out. It seems like everything is toxic, and you need to replace it all. I get it. I've been there. And now, I'm here to help you through that overwhelm.
Here are five items you can swap out easily without spending a lot of money.
1 – Plastic Food Storage
Why to ditch it – The chemicals in plastic have been shown to have many negative health effects from hormone disruption to cancer. Plastic particles can get into your food from plastic food storage containers when they get heated or scratched.
Yes, scratched, which means that even if you don't reheat your leftovers in your containers, you can still ingest toxins and particles from the plastic.
What to switch to – Glass or metal storage containers. I prefer glass and like these, or these if you want to invest in a larger set.
2 – Candles/Wax Melts/Air Fresheners
Why to ditch it – Artificial fragrance is highly toxic and causes everything from headaches and brain fog to asthma and hormone disruption. Ridding my home of artificial fragrance completely changed my life. I went from around 3 headaches every week to only a handful in a year.
What to switch to – Nothing! You don't need your home to smell like flowers or perfume, and it saves you money to not buy anything new.
However, if you do want your home to smell nice, check out my post on 3 Ways to Have a Nice-Smelling Home Without Toxins.
3 – Perfume/Cologne
Why to ditch it – Like candles, perfumes and colognes are made largely from artificial fragrances. And applied to your skin, your body will take in even more of the toxins than you'd get by breathing them in. Your skin absorbs what you put on it.
What to switch to – Again, nothing! You don't need to smell like roses either. However, if you'd like to craft your own all-natural perfumes, check out my friend Melissa Poepping's Essential Parfumerie or Pure Male Cologne books.
4 – Dryer Sheets and Fabric Softener
Why to ditch it – These products are laden with toxins and really aren't even necessary. I've done laundry without either of these for several years, and I don't have issues with static or stiff clothes. Dryer sheets are also horrible for your dryer.
What to switch to – Once again, you can use nothing and eliminate both the toxins and the expense at once. But if you feel you need something, try wool dryer balls. (Or support one of my friends and get these.)
5 – Fast Food
Why to ditch it – Fast food is cheap (relatively) for a reason – it uses low-quality ingredients. Combined with the preparation methods, it's pretty much devoid of nutrients and offers only negative effects on your health.
What to switch to – Cook at home! Not only will you save money, but you can also choose higher quality foods. If you tend to choose fast food because it's fast and easy, look into meal prepping methods that can make cooking easier to handle.
Those are five easy items to swap out for very little cost. If you've already conquered these areas and want to learn the next steps, we're going through a Year to Toxin Free series in my Facebook group. We focus on a different area each month and talk about what to watch for and what you can switch to. If you'd like in, join us here, or sign up to get emails if you prefer that.
0 Comments