| Making the Switch |  |
I admit it, I'm not much of a housekeeper. I try to keep my
home and family clean. Well, as clean as preschoolers can be
anyway. Did I mention I also have a brand new, mud loving
puppy as well? Needless to say, whether I'm a good
housekeeper or not, I end up cleaning several areas/people
each day. There's dishes, laundry, floors, laundry, dishes,
bathrooms, laundry, dishes, and finally, more laundry. This
isn't to mention baths, teethbrushing, hair-doing, and
makeup slathering. This is all very routine and very
similar, I would guess, to your routine (though probably
more thorough and better organized).
Why do we do these things? Because it's great fun and I
can't wait to do another load? NO! We do it for the health
of our families. Dishes are sanitized in machines so we
won't get sick when we eat or prepare food, teeth are
brushed so they don't get diseased and fall out, floors are
sucked and mopped so our kids don't inhale and play in
dirt, hair, and dander. I think you get the idea. These are
very important reasons for doing what we do each day but,
what if all that we're doing is actually causing more harm
then good?
Did you know that a study conducted by the US Environmental
Protection Agency (EPA) found that the air in our homes is 3
to 70 times more chemically polluted than outdoor air
(pollution and all)? Did you know that there are 3 million
poisonings each year and that household cleaners are the #1
cause of poisonings in children? Did you know that
Formaldehyde, phenol, and benzine- known as cancer causing
and toxic to the immune and nervous systems- are found in
common household cleaners and cosmetics? In fact, most brand
name household and personal care items contain hazardous
chemicals. Can you believe it?! I couldn't, so I started
researching the claims. This is only a small part of what I
found from the EPA:
All-Purpose cleaner, bleach, dishwashing detergent,
disinfectant, glass cleaner, and scouring powder contain
dangerous chemicals. Some examples are:
Sodium hypochlorite- if mixed with amonia, releases toxic
chloramine gas. May cause mild asthmatic symptoms or more
serious respiratory problems.
Ammonia- eye irritant, can cause headaches and lung irritation.
Phenol and Cresol- corrosive; can cause diarrhea, fainting,
dizziness, and
kidney and liver damage.
Formaldehyde- suspected carcinogen; strong irritant to eyes, throat,
skin, and
lungs.
Laundry detergents, softeners, anti-cling sheets, toilet
bowl cleaners, mold and mildew cleaner, and spot remover all
contain toxic substances. Examples:
Perchloroethylene or 1-1-1 trichloroethane solvents- can cause liver
and kidney
damage if ingested; suspected human carcinogen.
Hydrochloric acid or sodium acid sulfate in toilet bowl
cleaners- can burn skin or cause diarrhea, vomiting, and
stomach burns is ingested; also can cause blindness if
inadvertantly splashed in eyes.
Cosmetics and personal hygiene products contain hazardous substances
as well.
Examples:
Cresol, formaldehyde, glycols,nitrates/nitrosamines and sulfur
compounds in shampoos.
Butane propellants in hair spray, as well as formaldehyde
resins.
Aerosol propellents, ammonia, formaldehyde,triclosan, aluminum
chlorhydrate
in antipersperants and deoderants.
Glycols, phenol, fragrance, and colors in lotions, creams, and
moisturizers.
This is staggering news. I even found websites that
detail specific ingredients in name brand products that we
use everyday. Many of these are products you would never
suspect, such as baby shampoos and toothpaste.
So, what should we do? To prevent poisoning our children we
can place the items out of reach, but is that enough? They
have to come into contact with shampoo, toothpaste, and the
residue/fumes of several cleaners every day, whether they
are kept out of reach or not. What, then, can we do to
protect our families?
The best thing we can do is to change the items we buy.
Rather than reaching for the name brand cleaner in the
grocery store, we should be seeking non-toxic alternatives.
Only by making this product switch can we truly begin to
protect our families. I've even heard testimonies of
increased health and immunity, kids breathing better, and
the reduction of asthmatic symptoms in families who have
made the switch. Today, more and more non-toxic products are
made available to consumers. Some are in grocery stores
already, others in health food stores, and most are simply
found onliine. Switching over will be well worth your time
and effort. Before you buy, however, please research the
products to make sure they truly are safe for your family
and effective for your needs.
Wow, I'm going to change products for a better home
environment and the health of my family. Next thing you know
I'll be eating better and excersising. Well, maybe not.
Linda Jones is a stay-at-home mom who participates in a home
business that promotes healthier homes through safer
products. For information on products or how you can be
involved in a home business, contact Linda at
lbgjones@yahoo.com or visit her website at
http://www.momswin.com/lindaj.
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