You may be frequently hearing about non-toxic, organic and clean living recently.
What exactly does that mean? What are the benefits of transitioning to a non-toxic lifestyle? Is it worth it?
Let’s break it down, clear up any confusion and discuss why people are changing their lifestyle to be less toxic.
Table of Contents
- What is Non-Toxic Living?
- What Are the Key Benefits of Non-Toxic Living?
- Top Tips on Transitioning to a Non-Toxic/Low Toxic Lifestyle.
What is Non-Toxic Living?
Non-Toxic Living is when you reduce the amount of toxins you are exposed to on a daily basis. It emphasizes the importance of transitioning to a more natural lifestyle and eliminating/reducing toxic chemicals that are affecting our health and how we function. There are countless sources of toxins that negatively affect our overall health and wellbeing, from products we use, the air we breathe (indoor & outdoor), the food that we eat, etc.
What are the Key Benefits of Non-Toxic Living?
1. Improved Overall Health
In a nutshell, many of the products we use on our bodies, in our home or that we consume, can contain chemicals which negatively affect our health over time. These chemicals have been linked to numerous health conditions and diseases that could ultimately be avoided if we chose to use safe products. These conditions include cancer, obesity, neurological disorders, depression/anxiety, autoimmune disorders, diabetes, heart disease, and more. By switching to less toxic or 100% non-toxic products, the exposure to harmful chemicals is significantly reduced and lowers your risk of developing many health conditions. In our society today, we are in a health crisis. More and more Americans are developing diseases, cancer and other health conditions, which only continues to be on the rise because of this.
2. Lower Risk of Developing Chronic Diseases
As discussed above, exposure to toxic chemicals has been linked to chronic diseases such as cancer, diabetes, heart disease, respiratory issues, etc. These chemicals are certain ingredients that are found in our personal care products, household products, cleaners, utensils, processed foods and pesticides. Over time, these toxic ingredients accumulate in our bodies and cause damage to our organs/tissues. If the toxic chemicals are eliminated or reduced, the risk of developing chronic disease lowers and it improves overall health.
3. Better Indoor Air Quality
According to the U.S Environmental Protection Agency, the average American spends 90% of their time indoors, where indoor air is 2 to 5 times more polluted than outdoor air. This raises the chances of individuals developing health conditions when their household environmental air is highly toxic. People with allergies, asthma and respiratory issues could benefit greatly from reducing household toxins or lower the risk of developing it to begin with. You can reduce the indoor air pollution in your home by using non-toxic products without harmful chemicals, using an air purifier, and opening the windows once every day to improve air flow.
4. Increased Energy
Toxic chemicals can be absorbed through the skin, inhaled or ingested. If exposed to these chemicals regularly, it can contribute to lower energy levels, fatigue and disrupt sleep. Using non-toxic products helps to reduce the body’s burden when filtering out these toxins, which allows it to function fully. When the body is constantly exposed to chemicals, it has to work very hard to eliminate them in the body, taking most of the body’s natural energy.
5. Improved Mental Health
Exposure to certain toxic chemicals have been linked to anxiety, depression, irritability, impaired cognitive function and mental health disorders (such as ADHD). Many of the chemicals used in products are endocrine disruptors that mimic and alter our bodies natural hormones. The two main toxic ingredients/endocrine disruptors that we are exposed to very frequently are BPA (bisphenol A) and phthalates. When we reduce these chemicals, our bodies aren’t fighting an imbalance of hormones and it reduces our risk of developing health conditions.
6. Improved Digestion
Living a non-toxic life can improve your gut health and overall digestion. The toxic chemicals found in food, personal care products and household cleaning products cause inflammation in the body and damage the digestive system. When exposed to toxic chemicals, the gut microbiome can become imbalanced and contain too little of the beneficial bacteria needed to allow it to function properly. This can lead to digestive issues, such as bloating, constipation, diarrhea, abdominal pain and irritable bowel syndrome.
7. Environmental Benefits
Not only does non-toxic living improve our overall health, but it improves the health of our environment and our planet. Many chemicals found in our household products and personal care products are very toxic to the environment, contribute to climate change, pollute the water and harm aquatic life.
Top Tips on Transitioning to a Non-Toxic/Low Toxic Lifestyle
Learning about toxic ingredients in the products we use every day can be overwhelming. It’s normal to feel stressed over this topic and I’m here to help you relieve some of that stress! Follow these tips and know that nothing can happen overnight and nothing is perfect. Your body has detox organs that help fight against these toxins and protect you! With one day at a time and one product at a time, you can improve your health and wellbeing.
Look at the Ingredients
- First start by taking a look at the ingredients on the back of your personal care products or products in your home.
- Verify how toxic the product may be by using the EWG app or going to their website here.
Start Small
- Swap out one product at a time for a healthier, less toxic product.
- Start with one area (cleaning, personal care, food).
- Check out my other blog posts here, where I recommend safe, affordable products to use.
Improve Air Flow
- Open your windows at least once a day for 15 minutes for ventilation and to get fresh air into your home.
- Be done with air fresheners in your home.
Eat More Whole Foods
- Eat a well-balanced diet focusing on more real whole foods and reduce processed foods.
- Eat organic whenever possible and be aware of the dirty dozen found here.
Educate Yourself
- Do what you can to educate and inform yourself! The more you know, the easier it will eventually be when choosing to use a product or not.
- Join the 80/20 Health Hunny Facebook group here, called “Living Less Toxic, Without the Stress! Health Tips & Safe Swaps” to be a part of a supportive community with the same mission.
- Follow 80/20 Health Hunny on Facebook here and join the email list here for free content and information!!
In conclusion, remember this: knowledge is power. Unfortunately, we live in a world where we have to search to find products and companies that use ingredients that care about our health. However, we are lucky that we have the ability to find healthy sustainable products through the internet and through communities like this one who support one another’s wellbeing. You can make a change for your future by choosing to vote with your dollar to support these products.
Follow The 80/20 Rule!
I’m a firm believer in the 80/20 rule when it comes to your health.
80% of the time, make healthy choices. 20% of the time, it’s okay to relax a bit.
Not everything has to be perfect! All you have to do is try your best and intentionally make choices that make sense for your life. Try to use the most safe and healthy products to your knowledge.
It’s never too late to make changes and try out something new!
I’m here to help and support you. Let’s create a healthy, less toxic community and take our power back!