Good Email from Jillian about Toxins

The Toxins Under Your Kitchen Sink


If you've been reading this newsletter for a while, you've probably been getting the sense that our bodies are under assault in the modern world. We ingest toxins in the form of refined sugars, artificial sweeteners, and other additives in our food. Some toxins are present in our environment, in the form of air and water pollution. And some can be found right in our homes, under our kitchen sinks and in our bathroom cabinets.

Conventional cleaning products are full of toxic chemicals — in fact, most incidents of poisoning occur in the home and involve items like cleaning supplies. Chemical cleaners pump harmful volatile organic compounds (VOCs) into the air, which we then breathe in. The worst offenders are drain, oven, and toilet bowl cleaners and products containing chlorine and ammonia. (Get this: Chlorine and ammonia combine to produce chloramine, which was used as a chemical weapon in World War I.)

Instead of chemical cleaners, stick with products made from 100 percent natural ingredients to clean your house; they're just as effective and they're cheap too! Here are a few useful cleaners you probably already have in your pantry or bathroom cabinet:

Baking soda can be used to deodorize your fridge, freezer, and carpets, to clean cutlery, and to scrub toilets and tubs.

Lemon juice is a great substitute for bleach.

White vinegar mixed with water can be used to clean floors, windows, and mirrors. To clean kitchen surfaces, spray them first with pure white vinegar, then with hydrogen peroxide, and wipe the surfaces clean. Be sure to keep the vinegar and peroxide in two separate spray bottles — mixing them before you spray can create a hazardous concentration of the germ-killing acid formed when the two products are combined.

JILLIAN'S TIP OF THE DAY

Choosing Safe Store-Bought Cleansers

Not all cleaning products sold in stores are harmful — more and more companies are jumping on the green bandwagon and making products that are less toxic. Buy from companies known to be environmentally responsible, such as Seventh Generation, Mrs. Meyer's, Dr. Bronner's, and Ecover. Also, choose products that are labeled ammonia-free, biodegradable, free of dyes and perfumes, noncarcinogenic, non-petroleum-based, and nontoxic.