12 Facts Everyone Should Read Regarding the Products We Use Everyday

Before you go on to read this, I would like to first say that I know we can't live our life in a bubble. We shouldn't stop eating at our favorite restaurant just because they don't use organic food and we shouldn't stop going to our friend's house just because she cleans with Clorox products. However when it comes to our own home, the place where we spend most of our time, we can take the steps to a much healthier lifestyle that will give us a world of benefits. Below you will find my favorite facts that I am dying to share with you since I've begun the journey of ridding chemicals from our daily lives. The facts are the bulk of this post, but you can find more of my thoughts at the end. But in the end, this may not be for everyone and that's cool too...

1. 80-90% of all cancers are not because of genetics but rather because of environmental factors. All of the research is there to show that prevention is key when it comes to cancer and it starts with eliminating toxins and chemicals from our daily life. The International Agency for Research on Cancer and the World Health Organization have concluded that 80% of all cancers are attributed to environmental rather than genetic factors, including exposure to carcinogenic chemicals, many of which are found in household cleaning products. Source. 
2. The air inside our homes is 2-5 times more toxic than the air outside. This is due to the cleaners and beauty products we use, the plastics in many of our products (which is somewhat less controllable), dry cleaning fumes, etc... Look for baby products (dishes, teethers, etc...) that are BPA, PVC, lead and Phthalates free. Source.
3. Vinegar and Hydrogen Peroxide are a better disinfectant than ANY other out there. It's proven. So while you're spending $6 on a fancy, toxic bottle of Clorox products, I'm spending a few dollars on vinegar and hydrogen peroxide and mine is actually disinfecting better than yours and is SAFE. {They are more effective if sprayed one on top of the other rather than mixed in a bottle} Source // Source.
4. Our beauty products have parabens and parabens are found in breast tumors. Ever notice that you occasionally see something that says "paraben free?" Parabens are found in most of our beauty products and is a preservative that mimics estrogen. Guess what? Parabens are often found in most breast tumors. Lately parabens are a hot topic and some products are "paraben free" but check your label to see. Parabens are found in the form of methylparaben, ethylparaben, propylparaben, butylparaben and heptylparaben and are in almost all lotions, creams, shampoos, etc... Source. 
5. Autism can be environmental. Although this isn't the case for all cases of autism, there is proof and research that shows that toxins in our environment increase a fetus' chance of having autism. Sadly autism has jumped up nearly 400% in the last 20 years. Source // Source
6. Wear gloves and a mask, say what? Most of our common cleaners that we use inform you to "wear gloves and a mask with this product" and also recommend not using them while pregnant. Have you ever stopped to think that if that's case, then maybe we shouldn't be using them at all?
7. We pee pesticides. In a study conducted at a school, 23/23 students all had high levels of pesticides in their urine. After four days of eating organic food, only one of those children had any detectable traces of pesticides in their urine. Pesticides are linked to ADHD, other learning disorders, nervous system disorders, some cancers and more. {Remember you can't just trust the label "natural" you have to look for the green and white USDA Certified Organic Seal} Source // Source // Source
8. Most of the chemicals we use in America are banned in other countries. 1,100+ chemcial ingredients are banned from cosmetics in Europe; only 9 are banned in the US. Because our awesome government doesn't regulate household and skincare products, companies can get away with pouring toxins into them to make them for cheaper and for them to have a longer shelf life. It's amazing how much is banned elsewhere that we use here. Source.
9. Johnson and Johnson's products are awful. J&J's products have 1,4-dioxane and quaternium-15 in them that is a known human carcinogen (it produces formaldehyde). After being called out on this several years ago J&J told consumers they would start phasing the chemical out and would have it gone by 2015. J&J also makes Aveeno and many other popular products. Here is the funny part: In Europe that particular ingredient is banned so in order to still keep J&J on the shelves in Europe they removed the ingredient. Yet it's still in our American bottles, isn't that sweet of them? Source.
10. Infertility and reproductive issues can be environmental. Many chemicals are often times considered to be toxic to the reproductive system. Phthalates are one of these being studied and are found in the "fragrance" part of our beauty products. How many women do you know with fertility problems? Yet back in the day women had like 12 kids each... Source. 
11. Companies do not have to list what makes up "fragrance." While ingredients are listed on most all products, when you see the term "fragrance" just know that by law they do not have to list the ingredients for this as their "fragrance" is considered "trade secrets." Source. 
12. Sometimes less chemical exposure can help (and prevent) allergy, asthma, ADHD, eczema, etc... The research is there to back up several cases where children with asthma, skin disorders, ADHD, etc... have been taken off of medications and have gotten better just by eliminating toxins from the home. Source. 

I look at it like this... Decades and decades ago we didn't have the cancer, child cancer, autism, ADHD, allergy, asthma, etc... rates that we have now. Decades and decades ago people made their own products and many companies produced better quality products. People used good ole fashioned vinegar and baking soda to clean with. Then along the way we as consumers became lazy. We want to be able to just run to Wal-Mart and pick up the brands we know. We think that because it's sold in the stores for us to use then it must be safe. 

Unfortunately almost all of those fancy, popular brands that we use are not safe (even the "green" label Clorox). Companies want to make their products for as cheap as possible (makes sense) while still maintaining a long shelf life (also makes sense). In order to do this, they use preservatives and chemicals that are widely carcinogenic and toxic. There ARE alternatives and no they do not cost an arm and a leg (some may, most don't). However it does pay think of it like this: Companies can only sell their products for cheaper because they use toxins and carcinogens to preserve them. So even if a natural product costs a few cents more, you're not giving your money over to a company who is knowingly producing toxic products. 

All it takes is a little bit of knowledge. I promise you that ridding your home of chemicals doesn't mean that you have to spend more money nor is it some time consuming life change. I clean my home primarily with vinegar, hydrogen peroxide and baking soda and buy a few things here and there from The Honest Company. I spend much less now than I ever did before. And while not everything I buy is organic, I try my hardest to purchase most of our produce organically. I often find too that this really isn't that much more expensive. If you can't go all the way organic, at least purchase the Dirty Dozen produce organically. 

And while we can't walk around in a bubble, we can life a healthier lifestyle and control our destiny a little bit better. You can control your home and home is where the heart is. It's where our time is spent and it's where we breathe most of our air. It's where our children and grand children play and it's where we'll grow old. 

And I don't know about y'all, but I wanna grow real old. 

Thanks for reading, Sasha