Toxins are all around us and and it’s easy to feel overwhelmed, wondering how to avoid everything. The simple answer is, you can’t but you can make one small change, and once that becomes a habit, make another small change, and before you know it, you’re reducing your toxic load and creating a longer, healthier life! Here are five easy swaps to reduce your toxins and improve your health.

1. Pass on the Plastic

Ditch the plastic and opt for glass storage containers and stainless steel or glass water bottles. Plastics can leach toxic chemicals like BPA and phthalates into your food and drink. Beware of BPA-free though. BPA has simply been transitioned to BPS but BPS appears to be just as toxic and significantly less biodegradable. Don’t forget to ditch the plastic wrap too! Bee’s Wrap Reuseable Wraps are a more sustainable and natural alternative to plastic wrap and they work (they actually stick!). Did you know that More than 90 percent of some of the most popular bottled water brands contain tiny particles of plastic? Perhaps even more concerning is that by 2050 it is predicted that there will be more plastic bottles than fish in our oceans!

2. Go Fragrance-Free

“Fragrance” is actually a blend of various chemical compounds that are associated with diabetes, obesity, autism, ADD/ADHD and hormone disruption. Fragrance has been labeled “the new second hand smoke” yet it’s found in nearly half of all personal care products. Choose products that are certified fragrance-free (sometimes even products that claim to be unscented can contain fragrance ingredients). Some of my favorites are Lavanilla perfumes, Naturacare feminine hygiene products, Branch Basics cleaning products, and Beautycounter skincare & cosmetics.

3. Update Your Cookware with the Classics

Go old school with your pots and pans.  Non-stick/Teflon pots and pans contain toxic chemicals (Perfluorinated Chemicals – PFCs) linked to cancer, decreased sperm quality, low birth rate, kidney disease, thyroid disease, and high cholesterol.  There’s actually a movie about it!  Switch to cast iron, ceramic or stainless steel cookware and glass bakeware.

4. Filter Your Water

You can avoid at least 4 of the 12 most damaging endocrine disruptors by focusing on one thing – the water you drink. Atrazine (a toxic weed killer that actually turns male frogs into female frogs), Perchlorate (a byproduct contaminant of rocket fuel that can cause metabolism and thyroid dysfunction), Arsenic (a heavy metal that can cause skin, bladder and lung cancer and interferes with how our bodies process sugars and carbohydrates) and Lead (which harms nearly every organ system in the body) can be avoided with a good water filter. Not sure which one to get? Check out this guide to figure out what’s right for you. Berkey is a great company, but there are many on the market.

5. Use Safer Cleaning Products

Want to start slowly? Swap out your cleaning products. This can be even cheaper (especially if you make your own) but go to Thrive Market and purchase toxic free cleaning products. But don’t just assume that all brands are equal. Check out EWG to finds out the 5 star safe products for your household.

What is one thing you can do today to reduce the amount of toxic exposure in your life? You don’t have to spend big bucks on fancy treatments or equipment to reduce toxic exposure, but awareness and change are key. Start with one small change and keep going. You’ll be surprised at the difference you’ve made, over time, in your lifestyle and household. These positive changes will benefit generations, too. Don’t wait to start reading labels, swapping products, or doing the best you can with the resources you have.

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