Anyone here try to minimize their exposure to certain toxins such as teflon, pbdes, pbas, phthalates etc? Like if you were in the market for new flooring, do you do research on the toxicity of certain chemicals used in certain materials? Do you avoid teflon-coated cookware? Do you try to use the greenest cleaners in you house as possible?
Avoiding Toxins
Yes for almost all of those. Cancer and some other illnesses suggest there may be links to some toxins. Some of what I do:
- Only stainless steel or cast iron cookware (definitely no teflon)
- No plastic food containers for storage only glass (tops are plastic.
- Use non-toxic cleaners
- In the process of adding plants that clean the air of toxins
- Use deoderant without parabens or aluminum salts
- Never drink fake sugar
- Only stainless steel or cast iron cookware (definitely no teflon)
- No plastic food containers for storage only glass (tops are plastic.
- Use non-toxic cleaners
- In the process of adding plants that clean the air of toxins
- Use deoderant without parabens or aluminum salts
- Never drink fake sugar
I do all of the above too, but it sometimes feels like too little too late. I mean, you can reduce you exposure by doing all that stuff, then BAM, you find out you carpet in your rented apartment is highly toxic and so are the materials in the interior of your car. You also realize the indoor air of the gym and office is full of toxins. It seems we are just way too shortsighted about how we use toxins; it seems we have a masochistic want to be poisoned. From the dish liquid we use, to the fabric softener, to the hair products, on and on, it's like collectively as a society we've just said, "meh, who cares if I get cancer or experience all sorts of health problems. BRING IT ON!"
@Chad
I'm aware of that, though it only applies to fat-soluble toxins and certain heavy metals. I feel that in the absence of good scientific data, knowing what to limit exposure to is tricky, and often impractical. Also, factors such as air quality have a much greater statistical effect on health than toxins in consumer products. So moving to a location with cleaner air might be a far more worthwhile investment in terms of effort vs payoff.
I'm aware of that, though it only applies to fat-soluble toxins and certain heavy metals. I feel that in the absence of good scientific data, knowing what to limit exposure to is tricky, and often impractical. Also, factors such as air quality have a much greater statistical effect on health than toxins in consumer products. So moving to a location with cleaner air might be a far more worthwhile investment in terms of effort vs payoff.
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frugaladventurer
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- Joined: Sat Sep 15, 2012 11:05 pm
Although it may be impossible to completely avoid toxins, there are a few very basic things you can do that would reduce exposure quite a bit. Some toxins are long lasting but other, like phthalates I believe, drop fairly quickly if you eliminate exposure to them. Given the association of many of these toxins with obesity, it's a good idea to:
- filter your drinking water
- use glass "tupperware" instead of plastic (many available now with glass containers and plastic tops, so long as you don't over-fill, the plastic won't touch your food)
- don't heat foods in the microwave in containers that might have plastics
- if you use teflon pans, make sure they're new and in good condition. Otherwise, stainless steel would be better (or maybe ceramic?). Cast iron pans are great BUT some people are genetically predisposed to iron overload (hemochromatosis) and should avoid cooking in cast iron.
- minimize canned foods as they can contain BPA
- buy the "dirty dozen" organic if you can
- avoid using body lotions etc that contain parabens and phthalates and such (you DO absorb them through your skin)
Also - remember that your body's main detoxification pathways are:
1) Kidneys - so drink plenty of water
2) Liver/bile - so get plenty of fiber to prevent re-absorption of the bile in the large intestine
3) Sweat - so exercise or use a sauna and SHOWER SOON AFTER. If you sweat out a bunch of toxins but then sit around for two hours after absorbing them back through your skin, you defeat the purpose.
- filter your drinking water
- use glass "tupperware" instead of plastic (many available now with glass containers and plastic tops, so long as you don't over-fill, the plastic won't touch your food)
- don't heat foods in the microwave in containers that might have plastics
- if you use teflon pans, make sure they're new and in good condition. Otherwise, stainless steel would be better (or maybe ceramic?). Cast iron pans are great BUT some people are genetically predisposed to iron overload (hemochromatosis) and should avoid cooking in cast iron.
- minimize canned foods as they can contain BPA
- buy the "dirty dozen" organic if you can
- avoid using body lotions etc that contain parabens and phthalates and such (you DO absorb them through your skin)
Also - remember that your body's main detoxification pathways are:
1) Kidneys - so drink plenty of water
2) Liver/bile - so get plenty of fiber to prevent re-absorption of the bile in the large intestine
3) Sweat - so exercise or use a sauna and SHOWER SOON AFTER. If you sweat out a bunch of toxins but then sit around for two hours after absorbing them back through your skin, you defeat the purpose.
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frugaladventurer
- Posts: 118
- Joined: Sat Sep 15, 2012 11:05 pm
Not cooking with a teflon coated pan or not using plastic containers is hardly a monumental effort. And there are numerous studies that show a relationship between exposure to the toxins contained in teflon and plastics and numerous health problems. Why roll the dice and take the chance? I bet prior to the banning of asbestos you'd say the same thing about asbestos being mostly safe due to minimal exposure. I wouldn't doubt you'd have no problems having asbestos snow fights even today. Actually, the EPA urges the US gov't to ban the selling of teflon coated non-stick pans.
I personally choose to avoid many of the chemicals mentioned above, and several others. Partially, this is due the fact that my mother has pretty severe chemical sensitivities and I've inherited some of them. If I get into a car with an air freshener, for example, I get an immediate headache and feel like I need to puke. I see this as making us the canary in the coal mine for the rest of the human race.
But I've also found that being frugal helps prevent a lot of exposure. For example, buying used cars so that the "new car" smell has time to out gas. Buying stainless steel pots used instead of new teflon pans. I don't use fancy smancy body lotions, perfumes, or what ever else, so I don't have to worry about those.
I personally do consider air quality when thinking about where I want to live. But, I have asthma, so that's purely logical.
But I've also found that being frugal helps prevent a lot of exposure. For example, buying used cars so that the "new car" smell has time to out gas. Buying stainless steel pots used instead of new teflon pans. I don't use fancy smancy body lotions, perfumes, or what ever else, so I don't have to worry about those.
I personally do consider air quality when thinking about where I want to live. But, I have asthma, so that's purely logical.
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frugaladventurer
- Posts: 118
- Joined: Sat Sep 15, 2012 11:05 pm
And one more thought - wheat gluten is TOXIC to many of us (1 out of 130 Americans has full blown celiac disease - although 90% don't know it - Not to mention the many more people that have lesser degrees of gluten sensitivity, not to mention direct effects of wheat gluten on insulin receptors etc.). When reducing food budgets, it may be tempting to use cheap wheat-based foods like pasta and ramen, but you may be ruining your health in the process. Rice and beans would be better. A Paleolithic diet would be better still, although somewhat more expensive.
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jennypenny
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A long time ago we got rid of all of the carpet in our home, switched to natural fibers, reduced our consumption of processed and canned foods, and did many other things listed here. I feel strongly that cancer rates show we're somehow poisoning ourselves.
But then I remember that I grew up in a part of NJ referred to as "cancer alley." I remember playing outside while planes flew directly over us spraying for mosquitos and gypsy moths. I leave my house and breath in the polluted air of the northeastern US. I drop my kids off at a school that's under huge power lines. And then I wonder if my efforts at home are all for naught.
But then I remember that I grew up in a part of NJ referred to as "cancer alley." I remember playing outside while planes flew directly over us spraying for mosquitos and gypsy moths. I leave my house and breath in the polluted air of the northeastern US. I drop my kids off at a school that's under huge power lines. And then I wonder if my efforts at home are all for naught.
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frugaladventurer
- Posts: 118
- Joined: Sat Sep 15, 2012 11:05 pm
The single biggest cancer-prevention item is to get your vitamin D levels up into the upper quartile - 70% reduction in cancer rates. More info at www.grassrootshealth.org
Unfortunately, when a substance is labeled "non-toxic", it often means only that it is untested; there often isn't any knowledge to be had.
Some good advice in the comments here, with the caveat that avoiding all toxins is akin to avoiding all germs.
I add some avenues of exposure that people often miss:
Pharmaceuticals and supplements: you don't know what's in them, and even the lab tests are often unreliable. I've seen people feign anaphylactic shock after getting a whiff of paint fumes, and then go home and ingest 15 different pills.
Art supplies, especially paints: Cadmium is one obviously toxic component.
Some good advice in the comments here, with the caveat that avoiding all toxins is akin to avoiding all germs.
I add some avenues of exposure that people often miss:
Pharmaceuticals and supplements: you don't know what's in them, and even the lab tests are often unreliable. I've seen people feign anaphylactic shock after getting a whiff of paint fumes, and then go home and ingest 15 different pills.
Art supplies, especially paints: Cadmium is one obviously toxic component.
Some days I get extremely concerned about living in an older house (built in 1926). I occasionally get freaked about about lead paint etc. and other old building materials. I also recently became aware that lead is still used in wood finishes, etc. as a drying agent. I feel as though before I owned my own home I never had to "expose" myself to all the paint and other chemicals home maintenance requires. Should I hire small tasks out for my own safety?
Friends who live in similar houses point out that at least we know about the harmfulness of these substances versus new houses with lots of off-gassing/bad materials that we know little about. Sometimes I feel as though the stress I incur from thinking about it is worse than the reality! Anyone else live in an old house and is concerned? My husband likes to point out that people have been living in houses such as ours for years and are still alive. He also likes to point out that there is a difference between working regularly with the bad stuff versus living in a house with "undisturbed" bad stuff. Ugh.
Friends who live in similar houses point out that at least we know about the harmfulness of these substances versus new houses with lots of off-gassing/bad materials that we know little about. Sometimes I feel as though the stress I incur from thinking about it is worse than the reality! Anyone else live in an old house and is concerned? My husband likes to point out that people have been living in houses such as ours for years and are still alive. He also likes to point out that there is a difference between working regularly with the bad stuff versus living in a house with "undisturbed" bad stuff. Ugh.