Pages

Saturday, November 17, 2012

6 Toxins to Remove from Your Life

A number of daily use items stacked on store shelves call out to us with their beautiful packaging and attractive promises—”24-hour freshness,” “incredibly clean” and such. But scratch the surface, and some scary facts emerge. 

Room fresheners: as most of us know by know, room fresheners can be chemical-laden and toxic. To keep your room smelling fresh, create your own potpourri, with dried herbs and essential oil. The way to make it is explained quite nicely here.

Laundry fresheners: Beware of the word ‘fragrance.’ It sure sounds inviting, but those jasmine and lavender scented laundry detergents and dryer sheets can be loaded with chemicals that can cause skin problems to  reproductive dysfunction.

Permanent-press cotton sheets: Use untreated cotton sheets in the bedroom: the permanent press cotton-polyester ones may seem more convenient but release chemicals that can irritate the throat and eyes.

‘Regular’ apples and peaches: these are among the most contaminated produce, and by paying a little extra for organic ones, you can cut down on upto 80% fewer pesticides entering your body

Mothballs: the insecticides in them  have been linked to health problems, including cancer-causing agents. Cedar chips are known to be a safe alternative to them. Make a sachet of these chips, adding a little lavender essential oil, to keep clothese free of damage from months.

Perfume and colognes: packaged in alluring bottles and heady in their scent, perfumes and colognes often contain hundreds of synthetic compounds that have been linked to skin problems, reproductive issues and other disorders. Pure plant essential oils, mixed with organic carrier oil, are a wonderful alternative.