In today’s world, plastics seem to take over our home, our businesses, and our lives because of convenience. Plastics can be found in wallpaper, lamp shades, mini blinds, and flooring, clothes, drinking water, skin care and more. Here are some simple steps to lessen the plastic overload of the planet and become a more conscious consumer while keeping your health in check.
1-Redo your spice cabinet. Spices taste better and stay fresher when kept in glass containers. You can use a coffee grinder and grind them yourself. You can save money in the long run by avoiding plastic bags.
2- Mother Nature knows best when it comes to organic fresh fruits and vegetables. These are nutrient dense foods. There’s really no reason to buy frozen fruits and veggies in plastic bags with chemical preservatives. If you need frozen fruits and veggies, cut the plastic trash and save $$ by freezing your leftover fruits and veggies in glass containers.
3- Make your own cleaning products instead of buying large bulky plastic containers filled with harmful chemicals and toxic detergents. I use lemon essential oil, baking soda, and vinegar to clean my countertops and floors.
4- Don’t add to cholesterol imbalances. Avoid using toxic vegetable oils stored in plastic containers and purchase organic olive oil or organic coconut oil in glass bottles and jars. The PLUS… good fats are not chemically altered, and are easier to digest.
5- Ditch Teflon pots and pans. Teflon is a plastic product and an endocrine disruptor. Teflon harms our thyroid and may cause unnecessary weight gain. Use stainless steel pots and pans instead!
6- Phthalates are chemicals used in consumer products.“These are most well-known for their use as plasticizers in polyvinyl chloride (PVC) materials such as food packaging, flooring, and medical devices.” Phthalates can be found in foods such as dairy and meat products. Exposure can be linked to cancer. BPAs are found in lotions, body washes, antiperspirants, hair gels, nail care products and more. (They are endocrine disruptors that cause adverse health effects.) You can limit these in your home by choosing products that are organic and environmentally friendly without toxic fumes or carcinogenic side effects.
7- Check out a holistic dentist for your next dental visit. You may have been treated with dental sealant/resin increasing your exposure to toxins. Dental sealants contain BPAs and can cause negative cellular changes.
8- Polyester clothing has taken over our closets. These plastic fabrics cover our skin and may increase our risk for weight gain, depression, and low energy levels. There are more beautiful and durable fabrics to wear designed from organic cotton, linen, and hemp.
9- Xenoestrogens are part of a group of synthetic and naturally occurring agents termed ‘endocrine disruptors’. Examples include polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAH), and polychlorinated biphenyl (PCB). Exposure to this estrogen killer is found in cosmetics and other industrial chemicals, and have been linked to breast, colon and ovarian cancers. Our risk for Butyl benzyl phthalate exposure (xenoestrogens) is found in the air we breathe, the water we drink, and the foods we eat. We can begin to limit exposures using a full house water filter system.
10- Part of my exercise routine is taking long walks on the beach. Most times I find myself picking up trash. Become a conscious consumer when you take your family on a beach holiday. Trash doesn’t just vanish. Our beaches are littered with plastic trash that harm our oceans, fish, and environment. Plastic trash includes but is not limited to inflatable floats, chairs, styrofoam coolers, plastic sunglasses, old tents that break in the wind and plastic bottles of sunscreen filled with synthetic chemicals, fragrances, and dyes.
Connie Rogers is a Certified Health Coach & Brain Health Coach.
She is the author of Memory Stealers on Amazon and video.
Connie believes health and wellness are established with proper nutrition, fitness, and mindfulness. Connie takes a natural and holistic, common sense approach to rebuilding wellbeing from the ground up.
