Number 10 on Dr. Mercola’s list of Top 12 Cancer Prevention Strategies (found here) is:
Exposure to Toxins: Reduce your exposure to environmental toxins like pesticides, herbicides, household chemical cleaners, synthetic air fresheners and toxic cosmetics.
Seems to me that we are not waking up to the need to choose healthier cleaning products even though there are messages all around us that we should be doing so from all degrees of healthy thinking – even the big government sites have joined the crusade. Healthy minded people that have been told still have all sorts of toxic cleaning products sitting around their homes.
Twenty three years ago, I began shopping with a manufacturing company that was emphasizing safer products. I loved them, but in trying to decide if this was information I should share, I spent hours researching the need. Here are some of the things I found necessary to begin sharing with that many years ago:
- The American Lung Association says to not use hazardous household products, if at all possible…use nontoxic alternatives instead.
- Did you know that housewives have a 55% higher risk of getting cancer than women working outside the home because of ordinary household cleaners?
- Commonly, the word “poison” means ingesting a toxic substance, but the body can be poisoned in many other ways. You breathe fumes – they are absorbed into your body. You get chemicals on your hands or skin – you absorb them. A toxic chemical can be absorbed by ingesting it, touching it, or even touching a surface where it was applied days or even weeks before.
- Did you know that the leading cause of poisoning children under six is LIQUID DISH SOAP according to the poison control center, and there have been children die from just tasting liquid gel dishwasher detergent?
- What are hazardous household products? The American Lung Association includes:
air fresheners, disinfectants, mother repellents, tub/tile cleaners, aerosol spray products including health, beauty and cleaning products, shoe polish, laundry products, chlorine bleach, stain removers,dry cleaning fluids, oven cleaners, furniture and floor polish, rug and upholstery cleaners.
- And what are the health effects?
irritation and burning of the skin, eyes and nose or throat – headaches and nausea – respiratory problems – muscle weakness, liver and kidney damage – shortness of breath – skin rashes – depression – fatigue – confusion – cancer and death
That is all still current healthy thinking! During all that research, I read many sad, sad stories involving household cleaners. Some children’s hospitals have entire floors with accidental cleaning product poisoning cases. I’ve met people that have been damaged by normal use of some of these products still on store shelves today. One lady had to have her car totaled months after a cleaning spill. Pets have been accidentally killed. And the rate of asthma and eczema keeps soaring.
How healthy is your home? This video will give you a hint: Toxic Brew – CBC Marketplace Report
Before learning about my favorite healthy store – a solution was not convenient in my eyes. My choices were health food store products – which generally were expensive and poor performers or MLM company products which often are expensive and poor performers. Oh, and another choice was mixing home recipes (which is still the preferred choice for many), but that was overwhelming for this mother of three home school children – especially since the recipes have to be mixed fresh and their performance is only “sufficient.” If that is your choice, you might want to check Spring Cleaning, the Non-Toxic Way – another Mercola.com site complete with recipes.
Thankfully, we live in a new day! Shopping for safer products can be money saving, time saving and with great performing products; there are companies that are making it easy to have a safer home and do our part in taking care of this gift called earth at the same time. I finally learned that twenty three years ago. And I learned that…
Choices matter!
