Environmental Toxins

[shelley]

When people tell me they’ve had a great diet all their lives and ask why should they detox, I ask them whether they ever take Tylenol, and then I point out environmental toxins. They are everywhere. Just walk into a mall full of new clothes and you’ll be bombarded with all kinds of toxins from permanent press. I usually get the hiccoughs as soon as I walk into a mall or superstore, a sure sign of toxins in the air that the kidneys and lungs don’t like.
Environmental toxins are often unavoidable, so it pays to take control of those you can.
One of the best things you can do for your health is never buy a new car. That new car smell is full of off-gases from the upholstery, plastic dashboard, sound batting, etc. On some cars it gets so bad you can see a film on the windshield.
Every year I’d go to the Los Angeles Auto Show and wonder why I got such a bad migraine afterwards. Finally I realized - new car off-gases plus LA smog. So next time I went I didn’t breathe when I sat in the cars. Still I got a headache, but not as bad. Add the stress of high car payments and depreciating value and you’ve got health issues that may not be outweighed by the joy of the purchase. If you must buy new, leave all of the windows open as much as possible.
Nursing mothers will pass on cleaning detergent chemicals through mother’s milk to their infants. Keep a box of rubber gloves and use them whenever going about household cleaning chores. A mask would be good too. Only clean when the rooms are well-ventilated. You can use a weak solution of bleach and water, Simple Green, Dr. Bronner’s Miracle Castille Soap, Master’s Miracle II soap, or just vinegar and water. Use one of those erase sponges on the walls. Before you clean, protect your skin by massaging your entire body or just the exposed areas with pure sesame oil. That way, toxins will roll off like water off a duck’s back.
The next time you see an ant, don’t get out the Raid. It’s much worse for you than for the ants. Insects require oils to lubricate their exoskeletons; the easiest and most non-toxic way to kill them is to spray them with Windex or Super Green. They just fall apart. Natural deterrents to ants include peppermint oil, or cinnamon sprinkled in front of their trail (cinnamon burns them so they avoid it). If they’re going after the honey, keep the honey jar on a plastic lid filled with cinnamon.

Hope that helps!