Is growing and eating Organic Food enough?
Organic gardeners go to great lengths to create soils full of life, which in turn grows the cleanest, healthiest, nutrient-dense food possible. Keeping our food clean and free of toxic chemicals is so important, but for many people that is the limit of their toxin-free commitment.
Have you considered the chemicals you put on your body every morning? And the chemicals in your home, car, and workspace?
Before the average woman even leaves her home each morning, she puts 168 chemicals on her body via personal care products such as deodorant, moisturiser, hair products, shampoo, soap, perfume, etc. For men that number is around 85 – for example, shaving cream, aftershave, and deodorant.
These (usually synthetic) chemicals slowly accumulate in your body and over time will weaken your defence system, disrupt your endocrine system, and may lead to cancer or other serious health issues.
You may not be aware of it but wearing artificial scents either as perfume or other products (e.g., make up, moisturiser, sunscreen, and shampoos) may cause health-compromised people to experience a serious flare up of symptoms. Even by simply walking past! Some people may even need to carry oxygen at all times to cope with the ingestion of fragrances, whether it occurs through breathing it in or absorption through the skin. Even taste buds may absorb a smell wafting by, without the product or wearer even touching the person. Scents may also trigger asthma attacks, migraines, headaches, and brain fog. It can take days or weeks to recover.
You may think it sounds crazy, but it is not – Canada has a fragrance-free policy for workplaces. Do you have a neighbour who is always grumpy? Maybe their immune system has been triggered (and therefore they are feeling unwell) due to your highly fragrant laundry detergent. This is a real and challenging problem for chronically ill people who may even have to shut up their whole house until the neighbour’s washing is dry! Or perhaps that faint whiff of detergent on your clothes could be making a work friend sick!
All of the products below may contain chemicals that travel straight into your brain via your nose as you breathe them in. These chemicals will affect your health.
- air fresheners (instead, open a window please)
- candles
- cleaning products
- laundry detergent
- anti-bacterial soap
- fragrant hand creams
- hand wipes/baby wipes
- plug-in toxic smells
- fragrances in your toilet bowl
- deodorisers and fresheners in your car
The health effects of synthetically fragrant products are also passed onto unborn children. Never expose your newborn baby to any of the above-mentioned kinds of fragrances – their tiny bodies already have enough to deal with in our chemically laden world.
Before you put anything on your skin, try asking yourself. ‘Is this product natural, safe and therefore of benefit to me and those around me?’ Quality essential oils example Young Living oils are pure sources that are a much better choice; though please bear in mind that some sensitive people may even react to them.
Remember why we grow and eat organic food. Because we do not want toxic exposure! We do not want chemical build up in our body to compromise our immune system and encourage dis-ease. This is the exact reason we do not want any chemically toxic personal care (far from personal care!) products in our home – and especially not on our skin.
It’s time to use our common sense about what is good for us. Ignore advertising spiel and corporate greed and instead consider the integrity and ingredients of every product, and discern what truly is healthy for humans, pets, and nature.
I have written extensively about health including lots of practical hints on detoxing these chemicals from your body and removing them from your home in my book Lyme disease Sucks – the Trauma, the Truth & the Triumph. I know you are thinking you do not have Lyme disease (thank goodness) – this book is my journey of searching deep into true health, all the places to find it, and what to throw out that was contributing to dis-ease. In the back of the book are pages of health tips everyone needs to help rebuild health or maintain health to live fully again with energy, and to increase confidence, joy, love, and sense of purpose because your mind (brain) will have clarity again.
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Books and resources by Leonie:
Lyme disease Sucks – the Trauma, the Truth & the Triumph.
Eat Your Garden, Organic Gardening for Home and Schools
Elevate Your Energy, the most inspiring way to take your energy to the next level.
Organic Gardening DVD – Edible School Gardens (instructional)
Leonie@LeonieShanahan.com.au
