Here are some great and easy ways to lower the toxic burden around your home.

• Start by removing your shoes whenever you enter your home. The soles of your shoes collect a lot of dirt and grime which can be filled with toxins. By simply removing your shoes you make sure you don’t bring those toxins into your home and distribute them around.
• Vacuum frequently. By doing so you will collect those toxins that fall like dust in your home, as well as any toxins you may have tracked in from outside. Since small children spend a lot of time on the floor and they are especially susceptible to toxins, this is a great way to clean up their space.
• Don’t use non-stick cookware. These products off gas at higher temperatures and have been known to kill domestic animals such as birds if they are close to the gases. To prevent this toxin replace all non-stick cookware with safe alternatives such as stainless steel and cast iron. Also, never use non-stick if it has scratches as the coating, and toxins, can flake off into your food.
• Replace your aluminum cookware with ceramic, glass or stoneware. Aluminum can leech into your food during cooking.
• Filter your water, especially for drinking, but also bathing if possible. I use a Zero Water pitcher and love it, but there are other filtering systems that are also good. You can get pitcher for drinking, a faucet filter for drinking water or bathing water, they even make shower heads that filter the water. Lastly there are whole home filters, I personally want a reverse osmosis system eventually. You want to filter your water for chemicals such as fluoride, chlorine and pharmacuticals ( medicines flushed into the system) that your municipal water system was not designed to filter.
• Cleaning products can be terribly toxic but a great way to decrease their toxic impact is to use homemade cleaners that utilize harmless products such as vinegar and lavender oil. Or switch to more gentle commercial cleaners. Folks like Seventh Generation and Ecover all carry less toxic products. I also like Bon Ami for scrubbing dishes, and it has been around forever!
• Switch to glass storage containers. If you must use plastic never put hot food into the container and it is smart to not wash plastic in the dishwasher.

Tomorrow I’ll talk to you about toxins in your food!

 As I was getting ready today it dawned on me that there are probably a fair number of people out there that want to improve their toxic load but have no idea how to do so. I decided to tell you about some of the things I’ve done to lessen our toxic burden, which in turn does so many other things, such as lessens the amount of toxins washed down the drain, lessens the production of toxins, lessens their distribution, etc.

I first started to be concerned about toxins after attending a DAN! Conference where toxic burden was discussed. Then I read the book Slow Death by Rubber Duck which really drove home the amount of toxins I was putting on my skin. I recommend it as a great resource.

So what did I change? What did I eliminate? And what did I improve?

I stopped wearing nail polish almost completely. If I do wear polish I opt for Piggy Paint. You need to purchase their remover as “normal” chemical remover does not work.

I stopped using antiperspirant which contain aluminum and began choosing a natural deodorant. We use Herbal Clear. It seems to do the best job in my opinion, but this is probably the one area where I feel natural alternatives really lack in performance. Of course I’d rather. Carry around a stick of deodorant and reapply than load myself up with chemicals. It is all about choices.

We opt for more natural shampoos and conditioners. Some of my favorite brands include Curls, Giovanni, Burt’s Bees, Earth Momma Angel Baby. We do make sure that any product the boys use is gluten free. Read your labels.

We use fluoride free toothpastes and powders. I prefer Eco-Dent tooth powder while the boys use Branam Toothpaste and Toothgel. Larry like Tom’s of Maine. Again, it comes down to preference and what level of purity you are going for.

For skin care we use NYR Organic. In full disclosure, I am a representative but I really do like their products – or I wouldn’t sell them. My personal favorites are any of the hydrating mists. I use them after showering to give my drier skin a moisture boost before applying a moisturizer. For moisturizers I like the Wild Rose Beauty Concentrate and the frankincense hydrating moisturizer. I also use the Wild Rose Beauty Balm. Larry has had wonderful luck with the men’s line, especially the face wash and body wash.  We both use the facial scrubs.

NYR Organic offers some makeup, and I personally like the eye shawdows and lipgloss. I have not found an exceptional natural foundation yet, so if you know of one please leave me a comment.

I eliminated hairspray and most styling products, but because I have curly/wavy hair I have been trying curl enhancing products that allow me to air dry my hair. I particularly like Curls and Kinky Curly Curling Custard. Curls can be bought in organic stores and Target, which I have found KCCC at Target.

Feminine care products can really contribute to our overall world toxic load. I opt for reusable products whenever possible such as reusable cloth pads, sea sponge tampons or menstrual cups. I like New Moon pads, and have successfully used the sea sponge tampons. Seventh Generation also makes a great disposable tampon.

Lastly, I tried to give up coloring my hair, but I just looked too drawn out and down right old, so I opted to use Naturatint and Herbatint. Both products still contain some questionable ingredients, but they seem to be significantly better than their drugstore counterparts, in my opinion. The other day I tried a drugstore brand and practically died from the fumes. I quickly went back to my health store brands.

So there you have it, some of my favorite personal care products. Next time I’ll discuss some ways to lower your household toxic burden.