Happy Morselicious Monday and Happy Veteran’s Day!
Thank you to all who are and have served our amazing country!
Today’s guest post is by the fabulous health coach, Landry Fuller and such amazing information!
Get Smart About Chemicals &Toxins!
By Landry Fuller, CHHC, AADP
It’s scary to realize that nowadays we can encounter up to 100,000 different toxins and chemicals in our lives each year. Most people have no idea where they lurk, while others have been brought to our attention more recently through the media (Huffington Post is a great source at www.huffingtonpost.com/healthy-living/).
They are both in the foods we eat and the containers it comes in. Fortunately, once you are educated, you can protect yourself, your family and friends from toxins and chemicals. Some of the key places toxins are found and how you can eliminate them include:
Foods: Chemicals and toxins are found in almost every type of standard foods nowadays, either from chemicals sprayed on the foods when growing, in the soil, or in the material in which they are packaged. When buying whole foods, your best bet is organic whenever possible. Search for organic sections in your grocery store’s produce section, grains, nuts and bulk sections. With packaged goods, don’t be fooled by the words “natural” or “healthy.” Read the ingredient list and only purchase organic products that have the official “organic” seal.
Containers: Chemicals are sealed into most canned products. The most recent focus in the media has been on bisphenol-A (BPA), a chemical that is disrupting our hormone function. The health problems linked to BPA are astounding – everything from breast cancer, to prostate cancer, cardiovascular disease, diabetes, obesity, infertility, and more. It is found in many of the products we use each and every day, including:
- Canned food– cans are lined with an epoxy resin that’s made of BPA, so watch out for soups, canned tomato sauces, fruits and vegetables. Glass jars, frozen foods and paper cartons are our best alternatives. One exception: the company Eden Organics produces a line of canned beans that are BPA free. They use oleoresin, which is a natural mixture of an oil and a resin extracted from plants.
- Avoid contact with plastic– use glass appliances and storage containers rather than plastic tubs to store leftovers. Stainless steel containers are wonderful substitutes for plastic lunch bags and takeout clamshells.
- Alcoholic beverages– wine and beer are fermented in BPA-resin lined vats. If you enjoy your fair share of alcoholic drinks, this may just be the motivation you need to eschew that glass of wine or beer. Your hormones will thank you.
- Plastic utensils– BPA is found in almost all plastics, plastic utensils included.
- Aluminum soda cans– Coca Cola and Pepsi contain BPA as well as in their cans. Bets best is to avoid them all together.
Cooking: Unfortunately even the most reputable pots and pans (even All-Clad, Calphalon, Le Creuset, etc.) are made with metals that seep dangerous toxins and chemicals into our food each time we use them. This applies to every type of cookware, especially those that are non-stick, or made with cast iron, aluminum, copper, enamel, or even glass. The only kind of cookware that doesn’t do this is made from surgical stainless steel (the highest form of stainless steel) and titanium. The only brand I know that sells this type of cookware is called SaladMaster. They’ve been around since 1943 and their cookware is available across the county and around the world. You can find out more at http://conscious-cook.com/saladmaster/. In addition to protecting us, all of their products come with a lifetime warranty. Worth the investment for a healthy future! If it isn’t in your budget to make this change right now, at least look for a high-grade stainless steel the next time you need a new pot or pan.
shocked to learn this last night but there is one brand that can protect us, made from surgical stainless steel and titanium.Makeup: Standard makeup and beauty products are filled with toxins and chemicals, everything from to Cover Girl, Maybelline, and L’oreal to Lancome and MAC that seep into our skin and hair. The safest best is to find beauty products that are cruelty-free and organic, found in most health food stores, Whole Foods and other stores. Several brands to research online are 100% Pure, Juice Beauty, and MyChelle, among others.
Soaps: The next time you walk down the soap aisle at your favorite store enjoying the fresh, clean scents, don’t be fooled. The vast majority of the products on the shelf don’t say ‘soap’ on their labels because they’re actually detergents, made with synthetic lathering agents and harsh chemicals. These cheap, plentiful detergent bars are not only bad for your skin, but they’re also bad for the planet. The best soap for your skin and our planet is a handmade, organic, all natural cold process soap bar. Once you’ve tried one of these lathery treasures, you’ll never again be satisfied with ‘store-bought’ bars.
Toothpastes are another product to be aware of. We were raised to believe that fluoride is an important ingredient to keep our teeth clean and white. The real truth is that fluoride is actually a chemical that has now been negatively linked to hurting our nervous system, brain, and thyroid mechanism. Best bet here is to find toothpastes that don’t include fluoride, such as Tom’s or Nature’s Gate. Make sure they say “fluoride-free” on the label.
Household Cleaners: It’s ironic that the products that are supposed to keep our homes clean are actually filled with toxins and chemicals that only hurt us. They are usually the worst of all, filled with dozens of chemicals and toxins that not only do we breathe when using but makes contact with our skin and pores as well. Fortunately, In the marketplace today, we are seeing the emergence of new products which are safe and non-toxic to use for home cleaning tasks, without sacrificing effectiveness. Several natural cleaning products you can find that are safe and effective include Simple Green, Seventh Generation, CitraSolv as a multi-purpose cleaner and Soap Nuts – a 100% biodegradable laundry soap that is effective, yet safe for even the most sensitive skin and brands; These can be found in most stores.
Hopefully now that you’ve been equipped with this valuable information, you can shop smarter and safer. Your body will thank you!
Landry Fuller is a certified holistic health coach and nutritional counselor. She trained at the Instute for Integrative Nutrition and is the founder of Fuller Living, a health and wellness company based in San Diego. She offers one-, three- and six-month programs for individuals and group workshops on ways to have happier, healthier and more balanced lifestyles. She also teaches plant-based cooking classes and leads grocery store tours. Her niche is people who want to reverse diabetes, find alternative foods for gluten intolerance and cancer preventative foods. Further details can be found at www.fullerliving.net.
I learned a lot, too, Michelle!
Bummer about the beer and wine! I did not know that!