Every day we hear about some new study published detailing harmful effects of chemicals we may come into contact with in one form or another. What can we do and where can we start addressing this in our life and the lives of our families?

Step #1: AWARENESS

Some health conditions shown to be linked to chemical toxicity in consumer products, food and/or water in our environmental interactions are:

• Allergies
• Asthma
• Learning Disabilities
• Chronic Fatigue
• Brain Fog
• Depression & Anxiety
• Cancers
• Birth Defects
• Obesity, Weight Gain
• Insulin Resistance
• Hormonal Issues: PCOS, Endometriosis, Uterine Fibroids, Infertility
• Autoimmune Disease
• Neurological Disorders (Alzheimer’s, Parkinson’s)
• Heart Disease

While this is not an exhaustive list, it demonstrates the far-reaching negative effects that exposures to toxins can have on many systems of the human body. It is important to note that toxin exposures are not always causative but can certainly contribute or exacerbate existing conditions.

Step #2 Knowledge To Identify Questionable Offenders

Top Endocrine Disrupters

• Bisphenols
• Phthalates
• Flame Retardants
• Perfluorinated Chemicals
• Organophosphate Pesticides
• PCBs & Dioxins
• Atrazine
• Perchlorate
• Lead
• Mercury

#3 Stay Calm

#4 Be Vigilant& Mindful About Choices: From what we put into and onto our bodies, to what we purchase, what we use in our home and work environments, there’s quite a few areas to monitor.

#5-#10 AVOID, AVOID, AVOID as much as possible. This means reading labels, being able to properly identify potential ingredients you wish to avoid, purchasing and/or creating your own replacement products, setting a timeline and budget that is reasonable to completely replace existing offending products. BE PATIENT – It takes time and diligence to fully replace every household product and may need to be planned strategically in phases in order to accomplish this task. As an Integrative Health Coach, I can help you accomplish this task by setting actionable time-specific goals according to your budget and prioritize what to tackle first vs. last using your health history & intake as a helpful guide.