Going Toxin Free

Toxin’s – yes, they are everywhere! Also known as endocrine disruptors, these tiny little things can really do a number on your metabolism, weight and overall health! Scroll to the bottom of the post for our free Strength & Grace Toxin Guide.

Reset

You know we are big advocates for detoxing your body, resetting your hormones and getting a clean fresh start.  Plus, doing a 21 day “reset” to get into a new way of eating or working out is always preferred over the start like you’re coming out of a firing gun.  Too many times the all or nothing approach doesn’t work because it is too much of a drastic change. The same goes for the toxin's in your life!

Not up for the BIG change yet

Maybe changing up your nutrition and your workouts right now isn’t the step you want to take.  There is a BIG change you can make in your life and that of your families by looking around your house and cleaning up the toxins. We’re not talking about the dirt and dust, but the chemicals you are using.  Yes, how you clean your house/body and what you put on your skin might be messing with your hormones.

Here is a simple guide for a few small changes with big impact!

Toxin Free Food Prep

1. Skip the plastic when doing any kind of heating; you don’t want the plastic melting into your food.
2. While we’re talking plastic – switch your water bottles and drinking cups to glass or stainless steel
3. Styrofoam – the good thing, this product is really disappearing.  However, it like plastic, can seep into your food.

Cleaning products

Toxin Free for the house

1. Dishwasher – avoid products with bleach, artificial fragrance and dies
2. Hand Soap – You don’t need antibacterial for it to be effective
3. Glass – stick with good ole fashion vinegar – one part white vinegar to one part water
4. Toilet cleaner – ugh, I know you might want to use bleach, but avoid it and stick to products like Seventh Generation or Earth Friendly
5. Laundry – avoid bleach, fragrances (see below), sulfates and phthalates.  Many think that Borax is a safe alternative, but sadly it is not. 
6. Fabric softener – instead of using sheets, fill your Downey ball up with distilled white vinegar and throw it in the wash (you won’t be able to smell it in your laundry), and then throw in 100% wool dryer balls with your clothes in the dryer.
7. Bleach – alternatives include: hydrogen peroxide, lemon juice, baking soda and vinegar.

Toxin Free For the body

The easiest way to do this is to give you a list of the toxins you DON’T want in these products - making it easier to go toxin free!

1. Parabens – estrogen disruptor – linked to breast cancer and reproductive/fertility issues
2. Phthalates – these make plastics softer, many times they are added to help the products stick to our skin
3. Sulfates – these make the lather, we don’t need it to get clean hair.  Did you know the reason why we need conditioner is because our shampoos strip it of necessary moisture?
4. PEG (Propylene glycol) – petroleum (just that word alone should have you running) based thickeners and solvents; many times used in cosmetic cream bases
5. DEA – an emulsifier
6. Formaldehyde – yep, same thing used to preserve dead bodies for anatomy class, these are added to products to keep them from growing bacteria or molding
7. Triclosan – this is actually banned due to its possible link to cancer; check to make sure it isn’t still lingering around your house – most commonly found in hand soap
8. BHT – this preservative extends shelf life
9. Silicone based emollients – these don’t biodegrade and are added to make our hair and skin feel smooth
10. Fragrance – this is where companies can hide stuff.  Just like we say no “flavors” natural or artificial, skip the fragrance too, only ones we recommend are from essential oils
11. Synthetic colors – try to avoid the FD&C or D&C (F- food, D- drug, C- cosmetics), which are usually follow by a number.
12. PPD – common hair dye proponent
13. Avoid the O’s when it comes to sunscreen: oxybenzone, octinoxate, homosalate, octisalate and octocrylene – literally, if you have these, throw them out, they are bad for you and our environment.

Makeup

This varies a lot!  Our suggestion – check out ewg.org to see if what you are using is safe!

Places we love

You can find healthier cleaning products almost anywhere these days, but here are a few of our favorites:

Sprouts, Trader Joes, Mom’s Organics, Target and online at Thrive Market* and Amazon

*Yes, Thrive has a subscription fee, but it is well worth it. And by clicking on our link you will save up to 40% off your first order and receive a $60 free gift.  This site is filled with amazing food, toxin free cleaning agents, skincare, nutritional supplements and MAKEUP!  Trust me – their Ketchup is the BOMB!  Try out their Thrive name brand products for even bigger savings. You can check out our Thrive shopping list here, our favorite non toxic products here, as well as our toxin free options at the Biggest Box store COSTCO!

And to make things even easier, grab a free copy of our Strength & Grace Toxin Guide by clicking on the image below!