by Sophia Ruan Gushée

Our toxic exposures is a complex topic. However, effective solutions can be simple.

After studying an average family's toxic exposures and sharing what I wish I knew sooner in my nearly 500-page book A to Z of D-Toxing: The Ultimate Guide to Reducing Our Toxic Exposures, I noticed a practical strategy in reducing our toxic exposures: Go back to basics.

Back to Basics

Chemicals that comprise our household products don’t stay in the products: They get released into our air, dust, hands, food, and drinks. For example, indoor air tends to be 2 to 5 times more polluted than outdoor air, even in the most industrialized cities.

Furthermore, dozens of toxic chemicals (like pesticides, heavy metals, and chemical flame retardants) have been found in house dust across the country. Our hands then sweep these chemicals from surface areas, furniture, and clothing.

Turns out, old fashioned traditions can help reduce our body burdens (the chemical load in our bodies). They include:

• No shoes in the home
• Open your windows when outdoor air quality is good
• Wash your hands before you eat
• Eat more home-cooked meals

While these practices were common in pre-industrial times, they are not followed as much today as our modern, fast-paced lives make them easy to overlook. Technology has accelerated the pace at which we are expected to deliver a variety of responses. People of all ages feel like there's never enough time. Going back to basics requests a willingness to slow down. In return, you will become more connected to what you put into and onto your body and what you inhale—all while making nontoxic choices.

Below are 10 tips to detox your diet and indoor air. 

Detox Your Diet

Diet is a major source of our toxic exposures. To start detoxing your diet of toxic chemicals, follow the three tips below.

1. Stainless steel water bottles. Plastic water bottles, including BPA-free ones, can leach endocrine disrupting chemicals into your water. And be mindful that disposable bottles were meant to be used once: Please don't reuse them for drinking purposes. Instead, use stainless steel. They are light to carry, don’t break easily, and shouldn't contaminate your water.
2. Stainless steel and glass food storage containers. Avoid food that's been sitting in plastic. Chemicals in plastics, especially the really flexible plastics, can continuously leach chemicals into the food or drink they touch. Toxic chemicals in plastics leach from normal wear and tear, as well as through heat (like dishwashers and microwaves). They are also more likely to leach into fatty foods, and warm foods. Plastic around food is hard to avoid completely, but you can cut down. For example, store food in stainless steel and glass storage containers. 
3. Water filter. Drinking filtered water offers similar benefits to eating an organic diet: reduced contaminants.

Detox Your Indoor Air Quality

Since people tend to spend 90 percent of their time indoors, detoxing your home's air and dust is high impact. Below are tips to help detox you're cleaning.

Cleaning

Cleaning products can be a major source of indoor air pollution. And product labels are not required to disclose all ingredients and potential health threats. So it’s really hard to know which ones are safe. Instead, I enjoy more peace of mind from making my own cleaning solutions with the ingredients below. They have been used for decades without controversy—the safest track record I know of!

1. Baking soda. Baking soda absorbs odors, boosts the cleaning powers of soap, and acts as a scouring agent. I sprinkle it on my stove top, toilets, sinks, and bathtubs for extra cleaning prowess.
2. White vinegar. White vinegar fights odors, bacteria, and mold; dissolves soap scum and other buildup in toilets; cleans glass (when diluted with water); and whitens and softens laundry.
3. Castille soap. Gentle and nontoxic, some Castille soaps (like Dr. Bronner’s Baby Mild) can clean your home, body, and hair.
4. Hydrogen peroxide. A natural bleaching agent and antimicrobial, hydrogen peroxide is the active ingredient in many natural kitchen and bathroom cleansers. Use as a replacement for bleach.
5. Steam cleaner. Using just water and electricity, a steam cleaner can effectively kill viruses, bacteria, mold, and odors without chemicals. In addition, certain relatively inexpensive ones can replace the need for ironing and sometimes dry cleaning, depending on the textile.
6. Essential oils. 100% pure essential oils not only add lovely fragrance to your home, but can also help fight bacteria, fungi, viruses, and pests! Some people and pets are sensitive to certain ones so check with your doctors or vets. Key essential oils for cleaning include lemon, lavender, and tea tree oils. I use doTERRA essential oils.
7. Amber-colored glass spray bottles. Essential oils should be protected from heat and light. So if adding essential oils to your cleaning recipes, use amber- or blue- colored spray bottles.

Shop my Household Staples

To access more of my household staples, register for my free introduction to the D-Tox Academy. From this portal, which contains introductory videos to nontoxic living, you can also peak at my list of EMF protection products. All household staples can be purchased on Amazon. Click here to join. It's all free!