As I have said before, my journey towards wholeness was abrupt. My body screamed loudly and it got my full attention. The first step was an urgent need to radically change my diet. That has now become a lifestyle. Another area that I soon addressed was what kind of products I used to clean my house and what I used on my body.  I was determined to minimize the number toxins in our home and most certainly what we put on our bodies.  In doing so, I learned a lot and continue to do so. I want to share some of the things that I have learned along the way and share some of the safe alternatives I have found.

Here are some things that I soon learned to try and avoid:

Aluminum zirconium – this heavy metal is linked to breast cancer. It has negative respiratory, neurological and developmental implications. Found: It’s the antiperspirant in deodorant. Substitute: Radiantly You © Deodorant….My favorite is their lavender scented one. The scent comes from essential oils and not a toxic fragrance.

BHA and BHT – interferes with normal respiratory system functions and thyroid levels. Found: in moisturizers and makeup. Substitute: I’m not a make-up girl, but certainly a moisturizer girl!  On my face, I use Radiantly You © Antioxidant Moisturizer. On my body, I use organic coconut oil and my doTERRA ® essential oil of choice. Lavender is a favorite of mine.

Coal Tar Dyes – linked to cancer and neurological toxicity. Found: in hair dyes, lipstick and cosmetics. Substitute: I get my lipstick from NYR Organic ®.  I wish I could say that I have found a healthy substitute for dying my hair. That is a vice that I am not ready to part with.

Fragrance – this hormone disruptor is linked to increased risk of breast cancer, early puberty, face cream, perfume, and soap. Found: anything with a scent. Substitute: doTERRA ® essential oil of choice mixed with a carrier oil, Radiantly You © Lavender Soap bar and Soothing Lavender Body Butter. One of the many things that impresses me about Radiantly You’s strong values is that the company will not make the body butter in the summer because they are not willing to alter the ingredients to make it withstand the heat of summer when shipped. I stocked up in the Spring!  I also love the Sweet Orange Soap Bar.

Formaldehyde – can cause asthma and developmental toxicity. Found: in hair treatment and nail polishes. Substitute: I have chosen to limit my nail polish usage, but have begun to explore non-toxic options. Again, my hair may be causing me some trouble here as well because of the perm I get every 6 – 8 weeks.

Mineral Oils – this toxic oil is a human carcinogen. It can also cause skin problems. Found: baby lotions, creams, and skin ointments. Substitute: If I had a baby, I would use the baby line from NYR Organic ™ or The Honest Company. I would use Radiantly You’s Calendula Booty Balm as a diaper cream. I use Radiantly You’s Healing Calendula Balm for any skin irritations.

Parabens – are linked to cancer, reproductive toxicity, skin irritations, etc. Found: in shampoos, bath products, lotions and make up. Substitute: I use organic shampoo, organic coconut oil for lotion or the body butter.  If I am industrious, I make a scrub using organic products and doTERRA ® essential oils. Otherwise, I treat myself to the Radiantly You © sugar scrubs. My favorite is the Lavender Vanilla and the Citrus is a close second.

Propylene Glycol – This is antifreeze! It alters skin structure so other chemicals can be better absorbed.  Found: in cosmetics. Substitute: one of the many previously mentioned options.

Sodium Laureth – linked to skin damage, eye damage, liver toxicity, and it is toxic to the environment. Found: in skin care, cosmetics and household cleaners. Substitute: I use the Radiantly You © Dead Sea Mud Whipped Face Wash and the previously mentioned moisturizer. I will discuss household cleaners in my next post.

Talc – is toxic and linked to lung and ovarian tumors. Found: powder, eye shadow, baby powder, face powder. Substitute: If I wore make-up, I would buy organic.

This list does not include all the toxins we can find in body and household cleaning products. We are inundated with them. It is up to us to learn about them and eliminate them from our environment.

I found the following podcast to be very informative, if you are interested in furthering your study of toxins. It’s long, but it is worth a listen. http://www.amymyersmd.com/2013/12/the-myers-way-episode-29-detoxification-with-dr-myers/

I am going to tag my friend who sells NYR Organic ™and Jamberry Nails as sources for organic options.

You can find the Radiantly You™ products at the following link. www.radiantlyyou.com/vturner

I chose to join the company to get a discount on their already reasonably priced 100% organic products. If you are interested in that as an option for your family, let me know.

My doTERRA link www.mydoterra.com/vickiecturner/#/