The vast majority of modern day diseases are a result of toxins in our environment, coupled with a lack of nutrients in our diet. In my work with Nutritional Analysis over the years, I have found some common themes concerning where these toxins come from. Some of them are from the processed foods we eat, which I will write about at another point. The others are from products we commonly use, or that reside in our home. Here is a list of the 10 biggest offenders I have seen, as well as some tips on how to avoid or reduce exposure:
1. New Paint and Varnishes – A newly painted wall or newly stained shelf or deck emits compounds that can create a whole host of issues. I have seen asthma-like symptoms after a bedroom shelf has been stained. One patient had an adrenal tumor after living in a house whose indoor walls were all painted that year. You can reduce the amount of the solvents you breathe in by leaving your house for the weekend after painting walls or staining your deck. The first week after application is when a significant amount of off gassing occurs. However, it actually takes months to fully off-gas, so try to leave the windows open when you are not at home and use an air filter while you sleep. Buying low VOC stains and paints can reduce the intensity of emissions, but the same advice still applies.
2. Bug-killing sprays – These are toxic pesticides that can cause countless problems, including cancer. Avoid these at all costs. There are many non-toxic solutions to ants/roaches in the house and you can research different options on the Internet. This applies both to indoor and outdoor spraying. From my clinical experience with Nutritional Analysis, I have found pesticides to cause the most heinous of issues, yes, cancer being a big one, and often require intense detox work. A little goes a long way in harming the body.
3. Memory foam furniture – Memory foam is polyurethane, which is made of the chemical Toluene-2,4. Toluene-2,4 is toxic to the lungs, the gastrointestinal track, the central nervous system, and more. It does show up on testing for a wide variety of issues. I would advise people who are in the process of buying a new bed to avoid memory foam mattresses. If you have a memory foam mattress, keep the windows open for months after buying it, and use an air filter while you sleep, as it off-gasses long after you can smell it. As for memory foam pillows, I advise people to throw them out. Sleeping on a memory foam pillow, year after year, with one’s nose so close to it, for 8 hours a night is too much intake of Toluene-2,4 which off-gasses when new, and then starts to off-gas as it breaks down.
4. Shampoos/Perfumes – Artificial fragrances are responsible for many liver and kidney issues. I have seen many cases of headaches caused from fragrances. These are mostly found in shampoo/ conditioner, lotions, and cologne/perfumes. Use the least scented products that you can find. Refrain from wearing cologne/perfume on a daily basis. Wear unscented deodorant. This one is an easy fix, generally once the scent is not used, the body detoxes from it very quickly.
5. Cosmetics – Many lipsticks/liners are filled with aluminum. Most antiperspirants have aluminum. Look carefully at the ingredients before buying these products – non-toxic options do exist. Aluminum is the third most common metal I find in testing. Aluminum can create a whole host of problems, but is most implicated in memory loss and neurological function. Last year I had a case of a pre-teen who was developing ADD. The culprit turned out to be aluminum – she had just started wearing antiperspirant 6 months earlier. She switched to a non-aluminum deodorant, and is much better now.
6. Dry cleaning – Avoid dry-cleaning clothes as much as possible. Even eco-friendly dry cleaners use toxic chemicals. This chemical shows up in testing for a wide variety of issues. It can especially burden the liver and kidneys. If you are in a profession where you cannot avoid dry-cleaning your clothes – fully air these clothes out before wearing. Hang them up someplace other than in a tight closet when returning from the dry cleaners, fully exposed to air, out of the plastic. Keep windows open in this room. After a day, put them in your closet.
7. Formaldehyde- Formaldehyde is in adhesives, which are everywhere, in particleboard and plywood, and is in the floors, the walls, furniture, and cabinetry. If you live in a new or recently remodeled home, keep windows open and use an air filter.
8. Outdoor air pollution – Any window facing a busy street will let in car pollution, so use an air filter in these rooms.
9. Lead – Lead is most often found in old paint. If you are sanding down any walls or floors, or demolishing any walls, wear a mask, and cover the nearby furniture. Lead is the second most common heavy metal I find, and it can create havoc with the immune system. Because lead is often stored in the skeletal system, people may not feel the effects of lead poisoning until later in life, when lead starts to leach out of the bones.
10. Chlorine – Chlorine is a toxin that I have seen cause respiratory, thyroid, and neurological issues. Usually chlorine toxicity is not from drinking unfiltered water, but rather inhaling steam from a hot tub, or from a bleaching agent, such as a chlorine toilet tablet. If you have a hot tub at home, consider installing an ozonator, which will allow you to use less chlorine. Do not use bleach toilet tablets, they emit way too much chlorine. Minimize your use of bleach in cleaning products.
Your home should be your safe haven, not a place that is slowly sickening you. By eliminating, or at least vastly reducing, your exposure to the toxins listed above, you can enjoy a longer, healthier life in the place that you call home.
If you suspect you may be impacted by any toxins in your home, schedule a Nutritional Analysis appointment and we can see what could be bugging your health.
