- REMOVE YOUR SHOES. This is more for our American counter parts as shoes in the home in Canada could get a little crazy with all the snow we can drag in. By taking off your shoes, you can leave out about 80% of the toxins they track in (not to mention footprints). That includes crud like road selant, pesticides and lead dust.
- DUMP THE DRYER SHEETS. To begin with, I’m very sensitive to fragrance and the smell of dryer sheets makes me feel quite ill. But moreover, dryer sheets can coat clothes with chemicals like quaternary ammonium compounds—which have been linked to the development of asthma—and acetone, also found in nail polish remover. Plus, towels are more absorbents sans chemical layer.
- SWITCH TO SAFER BEAUTY. You look after your body with exercise and healthy food, but what about what you put ON your body? Women expose their bodies to 100-300 toxic chemicals everyday before leaving their bathrooms in the morning. Did you know that foundation and lotion you smear on your body is absorbed into your blood stream within 21 seconds? Many of which contain parabens, heavy metals, pthatlates and formaldygde releasing preservatives and other toxic chemicals which are known carcinogens and endocrine disruptors? Switch to safer and I’d love to help you make the switch with BeautyCounter. Read the labels and be informed.
- TOSS NON-STICK PANS. Avoid non stick pans, pots, bakeware and utensils (as Teflon contains perfluorinated chemicals (PFC’s) which have been linked to cancer and developmental problems). This is a major to-do item for me. HomeSense has great stoneware. And if you’re ready to spend the dough on LeCreuset, her are my dream items: oval french oven, pampered chef baking sheets, and anything LeCreuset … just all the LeCreuset.
- CLEANING SUPPLIES. There are so many options. Why not just take the leap? I honestly find vinegar and water my favourite way to clean. I buy a high concentration at Superstore and use that in the bathroom. SeventhGeneration is not perfect, but they are really trying to do good things. I keep some quick and easy cleaners from them on hand, too. Like their toilet cleaner. Norway is also the bomb. I just remembered them. You can make your own cleaners with essential oils, or try some local makers! Just check the ingredients.
- PROCESSED FOOD. Label reading once again. Avoid anything with artificial flavors, colours or flavor enhancers. Studies have found food additives affect around 60 to 70% of people, most of whom are unaware they are effected. Don’t get me wrong, I love a good bag of chips or bowl of ice cream, but there are “better” brands.
- PLASTIC VS. GLASS / TIN. Most plastics, even BPA-free ones, can leach chemicals into our food. That is something I want to avoid. Other glass storage pros: they keep food tasting better, the hold up better in the long run and ultimately save you money in the long run. I just bought two boxes at Costco and it was totally worth it. I tossed the plastic ones for good. I don’t have reason to hold on to plastic ones “in case” I run out of glass. I find glass heavy to haul for my girls snacks and lunches, so prefer tin containers for them. Planet Organic, Amazon, and Well.ca have great options.
Great ideas, thank you Dallas!