5 Tips to Go Toxin-Free in 2024
I never used to be that person. The one who worried about ingredients, plastics, perfumes, etc. The one to seek out toxin-free products. Until I was. So, what changed? Well, if you’re new here, everything changed for our family back in 2018 when our 4-year-old son was diagnosed with a rare form of Leukemia. He had been feeling sick for over six weeks, and after three providers brushed off my concerns and a pediatrician called me dramatic after requesting a blood test, I knew I needed to push harder.
On Thanksgiving evening, things took a turn for the worse. My son was so uncomfortable that he had to crawl out of bed to the stairs and ask someone to carry him down. He wouldn’t eat that day and took a 6-hour nap after sleeping for 18 hours the night before.
My mom had come over for dinner to celebrate the holiday and knew something wasn’t right. He had little purple dots all over his body, which we later learned was minuscule bruising called petechia from his low hemoglobin level. The cancer in his body was suffocating his good cells, causing fevers, bone pain, and bruising throughout his body.
We took him to urgent care that evening, and after running labs, the provider pulled me aside and told me that our son wouldn’t be going home that night. They were transferring him to the children’s hospital for more testing as she was concerned by how high his white blood cell count was. The provider at the children’s hospital took one look at his labs and instantly knew that it was cancer.
His diagnosis changed our family forever.
Before cancer, we didn’t worry about toxins, dyes, or anything like that. I didn’t know any different. So why the sudden shift to toxin-free alternatives? Through researching statistics and treatment options, articles on harmful products and potential causes of cancer came up that sparked my curiosity. I had previously been introduced to the non-toxic community, but not at this level. When I learned that the products I had chosen contained harmful ingredients known to cause cancer, I was disgusted. I may not have known any different, but I was confused about why this wasn’t discussed more often. Why aren’t there warnings on products that contain harmful ingredients? Why is using such ingredients with little to no accountability so common?
I started paying closer attention to everything I purchased. Cleaning supplies, personal care, food; you name it, I researched it.
Through my research, here’s what I learned:
There are multiple food additives banned in Europe that the US still uses today. A loophole called Generally Recognized as Safe or GRAS allows the food industry to self-determine whether or not a substance is considered safe. How is that even legal? And who decides these things?
Toxic chemicals are permitted to be included in cosmetics by the FDA, and there are no pre-market testing protocols before a product hits the market. Those chemicals add up over time, so even if there’s ‘only’ one bad ingredient in a product, it adds up if you’re using multiple harmful ingredients in a day.
Speaking of adds up…
The average woman exposes herself to 160 harmful chemicals before walking out her front door.
Europe has banned 1600 chemicals commonly found in cosmetics, whereas the US has banned less than 10.
Most large-name companies have lawsuits filed against them, but because they are so financially successful, it doesn’t make a difference. Oftentimes, they’ll pay the settlement and keep moving forward.
The word ‘fragrance’ is a coverup for hundreds of possible chemicals, and the FDA does nothing about it. Think candles, perfumes, scented shampoos, and soaps.
While I was initially overwhelmed and frustrated, I have become become an informed consumer. I stopped hiding away, blindly trusting that companies have our best interests at heart, and learned how to choose safe, toxin-free, or low-tox alternatives for my favorite products. When you know better, you do better, and while I can’t know everything about every single product on the shelves, I can learn about the products I love and choose the best options for my family.
I want you to know that you can’t walk around and avoid everything because it’s not toxin-free. That’s nonsense. And it doesn’t even exist! Living in constant fear isn’t any better than using conventional products and calling it good.
That brings me to my topic of the day!
5 Tips to go toxin free without losing your mind
Start with one room at a time.
Instead of throwing out your entire home and starting from scratch (yes, I really did this!), choose one room to focus on and do some research.
Let’s say you want to start with your kitchen. This is a great option, by the way. Make a list of commonly used items in your kitchen. Cookware, food storage, water, cleaning supplies, utensils, and dishes are all big offenders.
I was afraid when I started making changes and couldn’t see that this wasn’t a race. No rule says you have to throw everything out and make changes within a week. If making big changes isn’t in your budget, that’s okay!
When testing out products, I like to make sure there’s a good return policy. I don’t want to try a product just to hate it and be out the money. I know not everyone loves Amazon, but their return policy is excellent. When you’ve found a product you like, move on to the next, moving through items one at a time until you’re comfortable with the changes you’ve made.
Make things from scratch to save money.
As a mom of six, my budget has to stretch far. Believe me when I tell you, I pray often that God will stretch my budget to miraculous levels when shopping. I understand sticking to a budget.
Making things from scratch has helped us so much. I started 2023 with a goal to stop buying bread. I tested dozens of recipes until I finally made my own, and it’s been perfect. We always have soft, yummy sandwich bread, and I’ve reduced our exposure to a dozen harmful chemicals every time I make a load of bread. It became my way of coping with my fear and anxiety surrounding my son’s health and kept me busy, too!
In addition to making bread from scratch, I make cinnamon rolls, hamburger buns, pasta, laundry detergent, stain remover, dry shampoo, and all my cleaning products!
Here are some links to the recipes I’ve shared this year:
4-ingredient laundry detergent
Less is more.
Once I started reading labels and researching toxin-free options, I realized just how much ‘stuff’ we’re told we need to buy when, really, it’s not necessary. Honestly, who needs body wash, gel, and bubble bath? And why do I need to smell like a sugar cookie? I promise I smell just as nice using unscented or naturally scented alternatives.
Many soaps also cause your skin to dry out because they have a different pH than our body. This creates a need for lotion, which, you probably guessed- is filled with synthetic fragrances.
Watch out for greenwashing.
It makes me so mad when companies try to use sneaky marketing tactics to convince people that something is clean and safe when that’s the farthest thing from the truth. Not only can companies charge more, but they’re tricking consumers into thinking the product is natural when it’s not!
Here are some words to look out for:
Clean
Safe
Healthy
Natural
Sustainable
Eco-friendly
Unless a product contains 100% non-toxic ingredients, no harmful chemicals, and no synthetic fragrances, there’s a good chance greenwashing has tricked you. The only way to avoid this is to do your research. Familiarize yourself with safe ingredients and choose what you’re comfortable with.
If you’re unsure of a product, the EWG and Think Dirty apps are great resources. They’ll give the product you scan a score and show whether an ingredient is safe or harmful. Remember, though, they’re just resources, and you need to familiarize yourself with ingredients you’re comfortable using and ones you want to avoid.
I’d love to send you my FREE Learn Your Labels Checklist if you need more tips. It’s a downloadable checklist of 14 of the most common harmful chemicals and which products you will most likely find them in. If you’re interested, click here, and I’ll send you a copy!
Lose the stress.
A big personal hurdle was understanding that you can’t avoid all toxins. Being 100% toxin-free isn’t possible. The goal is to lessen your toxic load, not eliminate it. My best advice is to set a sustainable goal and work to achieve it. Once you’ve met that goal, great! Be proud of the changes you’ve made, and move on. If you decide you can handle more changes, that’s wonderful, but if you’re comfortable with where you’re at, that’s what matters. Being afraid to go out to dinner with your spouse or have a treat now and then is just as unhealthy as never making any changes in the first place. The non-toxic community can become toxic fast if you let it. Set boundaries and stick to them. One person’s journey won’t look the same as yours, and that’s okay.
This is such a journey, but it’s worth it! You can choose toxin-free options and still enjoy yourself. In fact, it’s given me a sense of power to research and make safer decisions for my family. I no longer blindly trust brands but don’t live in fear, either.
Final words
I hope I’ve encouraged you to research toxin-free alternatives. Even if this lifestyle isn’t for you, and that’s okay if it’s not, there’s no harm in researching yourself and learning more about the products you choose to bring into your home.
If you’ve started your low-to journey, let me know in the comments what your favorite part has been! And click here to pin this post to your favorite board!
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