Homemade green cleaning.Lemon and baking soda on old wooden background raw energyWhilst we all tend to think of psychological stress when we hear the word ‘stress’, chemical stress in our environment is a major source of stress on our bodies. So why would you need 7 ways to create a chemical stress free environment so you can have a healthier home?

Over the years, I have become much more aware of some of the unnecessary chemicals that common household products contain, which add to the toxic load that our bodies need to tackle. Now, whilst it’s impossible in the 21st Century world to live in a completely toxin-free environment, with everything, knowledge is power so here’s a few pointers so you can make more informed buying decisions. Just like with food, always the check the ingredients of household products, remembering that the fewer ingredients the better, and if you don’t recognise any ingredients, probably best to avoid as they will likely contribute to the chemical stress in your home.

Remember that the goal is to do more things right, rather than everything right, and educate yourself, replacing toxic products as you go, and reducing the chemical stress in your home bit by bit.

Huge supporter of natural approaches, and online entrepreneur, well respected US physician Dr Mercola recently published a comprehensive list of tips which I have turned into 7 ways to create a chemical stress free home for you here:

  1. Eat organic and free range as much as possible to avoid exposure to added hormones, pesticides, and fertilizers. Whilst there’s a lot of debate about the benefits of organic produce, there’s little scientific evidence to support the assumption that organic is more nutritious, although according to the Newscientist magazine, antioxidant levels are higher in organically grown plants, according to a meta-analysis of existing studies published in 2014.
  2. Eat wild fish as far as possible. Now I know this is more expensive and harder to obtain in some areas, so if you do chose to eat conventional or farm-raised fish, just be aware that it is often heavily contaminated with mercury and other heavy metals which can cause all of health problems over time.
  3. Avoid plastic bottles – glass is best. I know this one may seem odd given the number of plastic bottles available, but remember plastic contain chemicals and some of these chemicals will leach out of the plastics and into the food or drink you’re consuming.I keep glass jars and bottles and use them to store and transport contents. On the same point, try to minimise your use of plastic toys, opting for those made of natural wood or fabric instead.
  4. Filter your tap water — both for drinking and bathing. This is one from Dr Mercola who says that ‘if Male pouring a glass of cold water from water filter in a modern kitchenyou can only afford to do one, filtering your bathing water may be more important, as your skin absorbs contaminants. To remove the endocrine-disrupting herbicide Atrazine, make sure the filter is certified to remove it. According to the Environmental Working Group (EWG), perchlorate can be filtered out using a reverse osmosis filter.’ Do some research online about water filters which connect to your mains.
  5. Only use natural cleaning products in your home or make your own. Avoid products that contain 2-butoxyethanol (EGBE) and methoxydiglycol (DEGME) — two toxic glycol ethers that can damage fertility and harm unborn babies.
  6. Switch over to organic brands of toiletries such as shampoo, toothpaste, antiperspirants, and cosmetics. You can replace many different products with coconut oil and baking soda, for example. There are loads of great recipes online for these products.
  7. Avoid artificial air fresheners, dryer sheets, fabric softeners, or other synthetic fragrances such as in candles and plug ins as they release chemicals into your environment and are not ‘natural’. Stick to natural aromatherapy oils such as lemon if you like fragrances.

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