Clean Foods by Rebecca

Ditch the fragrances…

When it comes to improving your health you must make some changes in the place where you are spending most of your day or night. The biggest impact you can make is to go around your home and get rid of anything with a fragrance. Fragrances around your home can cause respiratory issues, headaches, skin issues, hormonal disruptions and countless other health issues. Many candles and air fresheners emit volatile organic compounds (VOCs) such as benzene and formaldehyde which are linked to cancer. After living fragrance free for a few weeks you will be amazed when you walk into someone’s house with candles or air fresheners and wonder how you ever lived like that! I get an immediate headache when walking into some homes. Don’t worry, if you love a candle burning there are safe options! If your product is scented make sure it is from 100% pure essential oils.Fontana Candle Company and Primally Pure have amazing candles and home products. Now that you have gotten rid of artificial fragrances (yes, even if it says natural!) you can also improve the quality of your air by opening up a door or window for 10 minutes a day.

Drinking Water…

Drinking lots of water each day is the easiest and most affordable way to detox! Aim to drink at least 8 8oz glasses of water a day and we want to make sure all that water going in isn’t contaminated tap water. Studies have shown there are PFA’s (forever chemicals), heavy metals, pesticides, fertilizers, industrial solvents and many more harmful chemicals in our tap water. There are pitchers, under sink, Berkey countertop systems and whole home filter options that fit any budget. Also, don’t drink out of plastic water bottles unless absolutely necessary. Plastic chemicals act as a hormone disruptor in your body and can cause significant damage when built up over time. 

Cleaning Products…

Next, we must look at the products we are using around our home. Another large source of harmful VOCs are cleaning products. Please safely throw away your bleach. There are other natural alternatives that do the job much better and safer! Bleach fumes such as chloroforms and nitrogen trichloride can cause COPD, chronic respiratory problems, allergies, headaches and asthma. Bleach actually encourages the growth of mold because it is only killing the surface mold. The EPA and OSHA no longer recommend the use of bleach for mold remediation. Bleach fumes can still be released from a closed container so it is best to get it out of your home completely. Better choices for cleaning are vinegar, hydrogen peroxide or baking soda. I love using Force of Nature as a natural disinfectant and it cleans my counters and stovetop so well.

Another favorite cleaning brand of mine is Branch Basics. They have an entire line of cleaning products that come in reusable bottles and are refilled by their concentrate solution. My husband’s eczema was completely eliminated by switching over to the Branch Basics hand wash! But, I’ll talk more about skincare products soon. Bon Ami is the last essential in my cleaning cabinet for bathrooms or all over the house when extra scrubbing is required. Now in the dishes department, I trust unscented Attitude dish soap or Blueland plastic-free dishwasher tablets. 

Cookware…

Another important area in the home is cookware. Make sure you are cooking on stainless steel or cast iron. Please pass on all the nonstick coatings – even if it claims to be nontoxic. You can easily make your stainless steel pan nonstick by turning the heat on medium-high, waiting a few minutes, and testing with drops of water – water should turn into balls and dance around, not evaporate. Then, when balls are dancing you can add your oil, turn down the heat some and add in your whisked eggs or whatever you’re cooking today.  Try to use stainless steel cooking utensils and avoid plastic at all costs. You would be shocked to know the amount of plastic people are consuming from plastic in our kitchens! Store your food in glass containers and swap out plastic for wood or bamboo cutting boards. A great resource to use when buying cookware, drinkware, etc. is the Lead Safe Mama. Don’t stress if you have all the wrong cookware, just replace when needed with a safer alternative. It takes a little adjusting to using different products in your home, but I promise your body will thank you!

Skincare…

It is also important to look at the products we are using on our bodies. Your skin is absorbing the beauty products we put on it each day, especially around the eyes and lips. You want to avoid fragrance, phthalates, parabens, polyethylene glycol, formaldehyde and several other harmful ingredients. The wording of these ingredients can get tricky so I use the Switch Natural App. The Switch Natural website and app have been such a valuable resource for me over the years when I am choosing skincare products – you simply scan the ingredient list in the app and it will list if there are harmful substances and explain why it’s best to avoid. Many of your powders, eyeshadows, supplements and deodorant also contain talc which may be contaminated with asbestos and is best to avoid. It is also extremely important to switch to a natural deodorant. Conventional antiperspirants prevent your body’s natural ability to detox by sweating out the heavy metals and carcinogens we are exposed to daily. These deodorants often contain hormone disruptors and other harmful chemicals we should be avoiding. The transition to a natural deodorant can take some getting used to, but after a few weeks you will be so glad you switched. I used a bentonite clay mixture under my armpits a few times in the beginning weeks, which helped tremendously with my body’s detox odor.   

These days there are so many wonderful skincare lines that you don’t have to choose health over quality. I’ll share some of my favorites below, and remember it’s best to scan your product’s ingredients on the Switch Natural App to make sure your specific product is safe. 

My favorites…

Facial cleansers & skincare: Mad Hippie, Pretty Farm Girl, Indie Lee, OSEA, OY-L, Cocokind

Facial Sunscreen: Important to find a non-nano zinc oxide sunscreen – I love RMS SuperNatural Radiance Serum & Cocokind’s daily spf

Facial moisturizer: Mad Hippie, Mainstay Everyday Oil, Pretty Farm Girl, OY-L, & Primally Pure

Body Wash: Pretty Farm Girl bar soaps (amazing for eczema or psoriasis), Dr. Bronner’s (they use essential oils for really good scents), & Aleavia (super gentle)

Deodorant: Primally Pure

Lotion: Pretty Farm Girl (great for eczema & psoriasis), OSEA, Now Solutions Sweet Almond Oil

Makeup: Kosas, ILIA, RMS Beauty, Araza

Shampoo & Conditioner: Innersense Organic Beauty & Carina Organics (I use deep treatment conditioner to really detangle) & Rowe Casa Organics

Chapstick: Dr. Bronner’s or Savannah Bee Company

Kid Shampoo & Wash: Pipette, Clean Kids Naturally, & Babo Botanicals – Swim & Sport

(great for removing chlorine)