Written by Claire Dunkley, Clinical Nurse Consultant and ANF Practitioner.
Strange question right? You may not be aware that there are dangers lurking in your house that you literally walk past every day. And these dangers may be compromising your immune system, contributing to brain fog, making you feel lethargic or adding to your feeling of ‘just not quite being ok’.
These hidden dangers I talk about can have devastating effects on your health and are regularly found in common household products that we use each and every day.
Most people know that some garden chemicals (pesticides, herbicides and fertilizers) are causing diseases. There are major litigation cases worldwide regarding Monsanto creating cancer-causing products like ‘RoundUp’. Even in Australia, John Fenton (23/02/2020) is starting a major case against Monsanto after getting non-Hodgkin Lymphoma after working on a weed-spraying business for years.
In your home, the basic stuff like what you clean your toilet/bathroom/kitchen with, what you use to brush your teeth or even the deodorants you use, can all negatively impact your health.
Cleaning Products
One 50yr old lady had suffered from a really, really swollen foot for five years. She had been to multiple Doctors, vein specialists, had injections but nothing had helped. After listening to her story, I discovered that in her 20’s, she had been a cleaner using cheap, caustic cleaning materials and not wearing protective equipment.
Her skin had absorbed the chemicals and overloaded her lymphatic system (the bodies human waste system). Her system was still all blocked up and sluggish from those chemicals 30 years before.
So, if you think about bleach or antibacterial killing all the bacteria, it can kill your human bacteria too. There are many studies about the trillions of healthy microorganisms in the human body and your ‘healthy gut bacteria’ – constant cleaning outside the body also kills your own internal good bacteria.
The connection between healthy gut bacteria and positive mental health (mental health neuro transmitters are also created in the gut) is gaining worldwide traction and greater understanding.
So stay clean and healthy by creating your own cleaning products using: bicarb soda, essential oils and vinegar combinations.
Toothpaste
Toothpaste, a well-known brand has an ingredient called Triclosan – a known neurotoxin. That means it is toxic to your nervous system. In America, it is banned but in Australia, it is still allowed.
We recommend our patients use an aloe vera based toothpaste called AloeDent with no nasty, detrimental chemicals or substances.
Personal Care Items
Sodium Lauryl Sulphate is a base ingredient for many shampoos and soaps and should be avoided. The FDA recommends using less than 1% combined in all your personal care products.
Always read the ingredients list on the back of your personal products. The following ingredients should be avoided: parabens, sodium lauryl sulphate (SLS), synthetic colours, DEA, phthalates, petrolatum, glycols, BHT, Isothiazolinones, silicones, petrochemicals, sulfates, artificial colours, fragrances or preservatives. ‘No Pong’ is an awesome chemical and toxin-free deodorant – that REALLY WORKS!
Perfumes
Walking through the beauty section in David Jones or Myer leaves many people sneezing or having allergic reactions. If you can’t understand the products ingredients, maybe try an alternative.
Instead, try a combination of essential oils like clove, cinnamon and orange, you will smell so delicious!
Plastics
A recent German study tested 2,500 children for plastic levels in their blood. 98% of them had horrific levels of plastics in them which could be linked to non-stick cookware, their toys or clothing.
Opt for wooden toys instead – just make sure they aren’t covered in toxic paint!
That’s just a few recommendations on how you can transition from having a house that’s slowly killing you to a cleaner, healthier house environment and family.
The Carousel would like to thank Claire Dunkley for her story.