Helping Your Loved Ones Go Toxin-Free

When I first started learning about toxin-free living, sharing what I knew with family and friends, I was a little too harsh, especially when it came to my mom. There’s something about the mother daughter relationship that removes filters and less than kind words can sneak out. It came from love though - I wanted my parents to start living toxin-free ASAP because I was concerned for their health and wellbeing.

Helping Your Loved Ones Go Toxin-Free

I’ve learned a lot since then and my mom and I had the chance to chat about her toxin-free journey, the mistakes I made, and how to kindly and gently encourage and inform loved ones about choosing products that are safer and more eco-friendly.

Have you struggled with what to say and how to approach loved ones about choosing safer products and cleaners? How have you brought up the subject and how did it go?

Are Non-Stick Pans Safe? - Choosing Toxin-Free and Eco-Friendly When Buying New Pots and Pans

Resources mentioned in the podcast:

• Non-Stick Pots and Pans Cheat Sheet

• Stainless - how to make stainless non-stick

• Get started with toxin-free living with my free guide

• Join my Facebook group

• Follow me on Instagram

YYes, non-stick pans are convenient.

Unfortunately, conventional non-stick pans are made "non-stick" with some pretty harmful chemicals, like PFAS (Per- and Poly-Fluoroalkyl Substances, including PFOA and PFOS).

PFAS are harmful to humans, animals, and the environment. They’ve been found in water sources, fertilizer, livestock and certain soils used to grow our food. Plus they’re often in food packaging in addition to the coating on non-stick pans.

At high temperatures, these chemicals can break down and release toxic fumes - harmful to both humans and pets. If you're cooking your food in a pan with non-stick coating then you're potentially double exposing yourself to these harmful chemicals.

PFAS take a very long time to break down and they stay in the air, soil, and water for a very long time. In animals, including humans, they bioaccumulate meaning that they accumulate in the body and stick around for a long time.

PFOS and PFAS (the PFAS used in Teflon) have mostly been phased out, but even products that say PFAS-free may have one of the other 3,000 PFAS still used within consumer goods.

Are Non-Stick Pans Safe? - Choosing Toxin-Free and Eco-Friendly When Buying New Pots and Pans

Not only are these compounds bad for the environment, they've also been linked with numerous health issues including cancer. California recently banned firefighting foams with PFAS because they are a significant form of water contamination and studies have shown high levels of these chemicals in firefighters' blood.

Prioritize replacing your oldest and scratched cookware, cook on low-medium heat, well-ventilate while cooking, and be careful when cooking, washing, and storing to avoid scratching.

If you’ve tried cooking in stainless and struggled, here’s the secret - you need to use more fat! Turns out, fat isn’t as bad as we were scared into believing in the 80’s.

I prefer to use my well seasoned cast iron pans for eggs and other items that will stick and we use stainless for the rest. There’s even a way to make stainless non-stick.

Ceramic pans are a better option but be sure to use a reputable brand because ceramic can contain heavy metals like cadmium and lead.

Ready to shop for safer options? Here are some choices from Amazon.

The perfect small pan for eggs

We love this wok!

Great everyday skillet

Great set of stainless steel cookware

(Yes, I’m an Amazon Affiliate and make a small commission from purchases from these links.)

Debt is Toxic Too - Preventing Financial Toxicity and Helping Families Avoid Bankruptcy with Amy Rowley of The Mayday Foundation

Most people aren’t aware that medical expenses are the leading cause of personal bankruptcy in America. Even with health insurance, deductibles and other unexpected expenses are an unnecessary burden that far too many families struggle with along with their cancer diagnosis.  

Debt is Toxic Too - Preventing Financial Toxicity and Helping Families Avoid Bankruptcy with Amy Rowley of The Mayday Foundation

Amy Rowley started The Mayday Foundation, right after she finished active treatment for breast cancer. She realized that while she had the support of family and friends and could afford her health insurance deductibles, many families aren’t as fortunate.

Since 2018, the The Mayday Foundation has help almost 60 families in the South Puget Sound Region. The Mayday Foundation works with medical social workers in Aberdeen, Centralia, Lacey, and Olympia Washington to identify families, most of which have never asked for help before. The Mayday Foundation steps in to provide financial support for non-medical expenses like rent, utilities, groceries, transportation costs, and other household expenses.

On the podcast, Amy shared how to prepare yourself in case of a medical emergency.

1. Know your individual and family deductible

2. See if you have access to health savings account and contribute the max amount you can

   • Some have investment opportunities associated with them

3. Save enough to cover your deductible(s)

Amy also shared some helpful ways to help those who are going through cancer treatment or struggling through a hard time. She shared that while it is individual to the person it can be helpful to

• Ask specific questions or offerings of help, like “can I pick up the kids from school” or “can I grab something for you at Costco,” etc.

• If you’re bringing food, making sure it’s something the family will eat and bring it in disposable containers

• Continue to connect and provide support as time goes on. They need support longer than just after a diagnosis

• Meal delivery services like Hello Fresh or Blue Apron are helpful especially when GrubHub or Uber Eats don’t deliver to an area

You can find more information about The Mayday Foundation on Instagram, Facebook, Twitter, or on their website.

Safe Makeup for Kids - Avoiding Lead and Toxic Ingredients in Halloween and Costume Makeup

Halloween 2019 when I dressed as Dr. Frankenfurter from Rocky Horror Picture Show. This look created with 100% safe makeup.

It’s October which means Halloween, costumes, and candy. This year might look a little different when it comes to usual Halloween fun, but I bet my kids will still want to go to the Halloween store. I love a homemade costume, but I often cave and let them get an overpriced one-time-wear. But, one thing I always put my foot down on is Halloween face paints and kids’ makeup.

Why?

They usually include harmful ingredients and have been found to be contaminated with harmful heavy metals like lead.

Lead??? Yep. Lead.

Plus endocrine disruptors, carcinogens, and neurotoxins.

Safe Makeup for Kids - Avoiding Lead and Toxic Ingredients in Halloween and Costume Makeup

In 2016, the Breast Cancer Prevention Partners (BCPP) released a report on costume makeup, cosmetics marketed to kids, and Halloween face paints. They found concerning ingredients in these products and through further independent lab testing found heavy metal contamination in almost half of the products tested. Some of the products had four heavy metals with the darker pigmented colors being the most contaminated.

Label analysis caused the researchers to suspect that the products could contain volatile organic compounds (VOCs), and further testing confirmed their suspicion - 20% of the products had at least one VOC. VOCs in products marketed to kids! Ugh!

Four of the VOCs found have the potential to cause long-term damage:

• Toluene, a reproductive toxicant

• Styrene, a probable carcinogen and endocrine disruption compound

• Ethylbenzene, a possible carcinogen

• Vinyl acetate, another possible carcinogen

What else did they find? These contaminants and chemicals:

Lead and Cadmium

• There is no safe level of lead - associated with learning disabilities and developmental problems

• 20% of Halloween face paints included lead.

• 30% of them contained cadmium - linked with breast, kidney, lung and prostate cancer

Toluene

• Found in nearly 11% of the products

• A hormone disruptor, and development and reproductive toxicant

Parabens

• At least one Paraben was found in 34% of products, two to three Parabens found in 3%

• Endocrine disrupting chemical

Formaldehyde

• Known carcinogen

• Formaldehyde-releasing preservatives found in 3% of products

Ethoxylated Ingredients

• Found in 28% of products

• Results from the manufacturing process and can result in toxic contaminants linked with breast and other cancers, ethylene oxide and 1,4-dioxane

Not only do these products contain some pretty harmful ingredients, kids developing bodies are more at risk that adults. A study focused on DDT (a pesticide) exposure and breast cancer found that girls who were younger when exposed had the highest increase risk of breast cancer. (reference below)

We also know that with endocrine disrupting chemicals, exposure during developmental stages like puberty can increase the level of risk for disease later in life.

Cosmetics companies say that these exposures are small and don’t impact our health, but these studies focus only on one product and don’t factor in the other products or exposures an individual experiences every day. Each of the toxins we are exposed to end up factoring in to our overall body burden - so we need to remove the toxins wherever we can.

Unfortunately, regulations in the US don’t protect us so we have to be vigilant consumers and pay attention to the products we bring into our home.

So how can you have a fun Halloween look without harmful chemicals?

Use safe makeup.

I’ve use my toxin-free makeup bag to make all sorts of fun looks for my kids. It may not come as a “kit” marketed for Halloween, but use your imagination, and you can create almost anything you can dream of.

Whiskers - eyeliner

Ghost face - white eyeshadow

Rosy cheeks - lipstick and blush

If you want more ideas, I’m sharing them in my Facebook Group Detox by Design Insiders. Come join the fun!

DDT research: Cohn, B., Wolff, M., Cirillo, P., & Sholtz, R. (2007). DDT and breast cancer in young women: New data on the significance of age at exposure. Environ Health Persp, 115, 1406–1414.

Ditch Harmful Home Fragrance - Why it’s Time to Ditch the Toxins and Choose Safer Options

It’s Fall and with it comes changing leaves, football (albeit a little different this year), and pumpkin spice everything. Just kidding, but isn’t it funny how when we think about fall, warm and cozy scents come to mind? Candles and wax warmers with names like warm vanilla, apple cider, or autumn leaves.

Ditch Harmful Home Fragrance - Why it’s Time to Ditch the Toxins and Choose Safer Options

Unfortunately, home fragrance doesn’t clean the air, it just covers up whatever is causing the bad smell. The chemicals in home fragrances make the air quality worse - that’s not what we want when we’re stuck inside more and not getting as much fresh air.

Home fragrance can also hide problems that are causing an offensive smell, for example mold. Instead of covering up the smell of our homes with a fragrance product we should be paying attention to the root cause of the smell.

Experts agree that home fragrances are a health risk. Dr. Stanley Feinman, President Elect of the American College of Allergy, Asthma, and Immunology said

This is a much bigger problem than people realize. About 20% of the population and 34% of people with asthma, report health problems from air fresheners.

Unfortunately home fragrances are regulated by the Consumer Product Safety and Title 16, Section 1500.3 highlights what is considered toxic.

To require labeling a product must first be toxic, corrosive, flammable or combustible, an irritant, or a strong sensitizer, or it must generate pressure through decomposition, heat, or other means. Second, the product must have the potential to cause substantial personal injury or substantial illness during or as a result of any customary or reasonably foreseeable handling or use, including reasonably foreseeable ingestion by children. This act has a lot of specific language and confusing dosage and exposure info most of which is required to cause death or harm within 14 days.

The ingredient doesn’t just have to be ingested. It can be absorbed through the skin or inhaled. The problem is that the great majority of chemicals we are exposed to daily don’t have short-term effects but instead are disruptive long-term.

Most conventional home fragrances have some yucky stuff, like fragrance, phthalates, and solvents.

Unfortunately, children are more at risk when it comes to home fragrance. They have higher breathing rates, spend more time on the floor, and chemicals can settle into dust and end up on the ground where young children crawl and play with toys. They can then be absorbed by the skin, inhaled, or ingested.

Yuck.

If I knew this when my girls were little then I would have been a lot better about vacuuming!

Candles are also not regulated and often don’t have an ingredient label. Plus conventional candle wicks can contain lead.

So what’s safe?

Toxin-free candles like unscented beeswax candles, essential oils with a diffuser, stovetop potpourri are some great options and I’ve included a recipe for stovetop potpourri below!

Cleaning, deodorizing using baking soda, and opening up the windows and letting in fresh air really helps too!

Stovetop Potpourri

• Lemon, sliced thin

• ½ an apple, sliced

• 4 cinnamon sticks, or ½ tsp ground cinnamon

• 1 tsp. Vanilla extract

• Place a medium sized saucepan on the back burner, fill with ingredients and let it simmer on the lowest setting.  Start your potpourri about a half hour before you have guests come over…your home will smell amazing.

https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0360132316304334

https://www.nrdc.org/sites/default/files/fairfresheners.pdf

Mastering your Mindset for happier and more productive days

The first time I ever heard the term “mindset” was when I was introduced to Dr. Carol Dweck’s book Mindset, The New Psychology of Success. Dweck’s research revealed two main mindsets, growth and fixed. Growth mindset being the belief that through effort and perseverance one’s skills and qualities can be cultivated and improved whereas fixed mindset centers on the belief that a person’s abilities are fixed and predetermined at birth.

This isn’t really about growth and fixed mindset, but learning about the growth mindset and Dweck’s work opened my eyes to the ida that our thoughts, emotions, and actions are all interconnected.

Mastering your Mindset for Happier and More Productive Days

I’ll be the first to admit that changing your mindset can be really hard. REALLY HARD! And when we go through struggles…like say everything that has happened during 2020…actively working to change your mindset can be even more difficult.

For me personally, the spring of 2020 was extremely difficult. I was working more hours than I have ever worked (working in public health in the middle of a public health crisis) while feeling like I was failing as a mom. I didn’t have the time to help my kids with virtual learning and I felt like I was failing both at home and work. Not fun.

There are a few actions that I’ve implemented that have really helped me hang on and make the best of each day instead of being disappointed and sad with the state of the world.

I encourage you to listen to the podcast as I describe in more detail why and how I practice these but in summary, my daily mindfulness practice includes:

1. Daily meditation using the Calm App

2. Affirmations - writing down the intentions and goals I have

3. Gratitude journaling - writing ten things I’m grateful for

I’m constantly reading personal development books. Some books that have helped me change my mindset include:

• The Universe Has Your Back, Gabrielle Bernstein

• You Are A Badass and You are A Badass at Making Money, Jen Sincero

• The Attractor Factor, Dr. Joe Vitale

• Big Magic, Elizabeth Gilbert

Dirty dishes- it’s time to clean up your dishwashing act

You may be thinking “does how I wash my dishes really matter?”, but if you’ve started down the track of going toxin-free, you’ve probably thought…

Is my dish soap safe? or maybe…

Is dish soap bad for the environment?

Let’s think about it -

• Our plates, flatware, pots and pans, basically every item in our kitchen that touches food, is cleaned by some sort of dish soap or dish washing detergent.

• When we do the dishes, our hands come in contact with dish soap.

• And… everything we put down our sink and plumbing impacts the water and ecosystem.

Dirty Dishes- it’s time to clean up your dishwashing act

What should you look for when choosing a safe dish soap or dish washer detergent?

These are the red flag ingredients that I avoid and why:

• Fragrance

  • A proprietary term that kind hide up to 3,000 different chemicals

  • Analysis of the “fragrance” chemicals by the Environmental Working Group (EWG) found that one in 20 are rated as a “high hazard”

• Colorants

  • Not essential to the effectiveness of the product

  • Often contaminated by heavy metals

  • Often derived from petroleum which can be contaminated with carcinogens like

  • Can dry out and cause irritation to the skin

• Ethoxylated ingredients - ethoxylation happens when ethylene oxide, a known carcinogen, is combined with another ingredient to make it less harsh to the skin.

  • This process can create 1-4 dioxane as a bi-product. If not removed through a vacuum stripping process, the 1-4 dioxane will contaminate the product.

    • FDA studies show that 1-4 dioxane can penetrate the skin and while it can be removed there’s no way to know if it really is.

    • Even if 1-4 dioxane isn’t listed on the label it’s a potential contaminate within these ingredients:

      • PPG

      • PEGS, like PEG-40

      • Polysorbate

      • Word ending in -eth, like laureth, steareth, ceteareth

• Preservatives: can cause skin and respiratory irritation

  • Benzisothiazolinone

  • Methylchloroisothiazolinone (MCI)

  • Methylisothiazolinone (MI)

• Formaldehyde and formaldehyde releasers (the ingredient can produce formaldehyde over time)

  • Formaldehyde is a known carcinogen and can cause contact dermatitis, allergic reactions, and suspected of causing genetic defects

  • Look for:

    • Methenamine

    • Quaternium-15

    • Diazolidinyl Urea

    • DMDM Hydantoin

    • Imidazolidinyl Urea

    • Sodium Hydroxylmethylglycinate

    • 2-Bromo-2-Nitropropane-1,3-Diol

What about what we wash our dishes with? How eco-friendly is the typical kitchen sponge?

I’ve seen a statistic that the common green and yellow sponge can last up to 52,000 years in a landfill. I searched for a source for this number and couldn’t find one, but I do know that these sponges are made with synthetic fibers take a long time to break down and end up in our oceans and waterways. Cellulose sponges, loofahs, and natural fiber cloths are better options.

So what IS safe?

This question is exactly why I decided to create Detox by Design | The Box. To make it easier to go toxin-free without stressing about what is and isn’t safe.

The Dish Box will include everything you need to detox your dish washing routine: dishwashing detergent, dish soap, an eco-friendly dish washing cloth, and a beautiful towel to dry those dishes!

What else do you want to know about safe dishwashing? Put your questions in the comments!

Taking Steps Toward Healthier Eating with Nicole Ring of Reveal Food

Nicole Ring of Reveal Food

Resources mentioned in this episode:

Meal Plan Starter Kit: https://starterguide.foodreveal.com/

Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Muffins: https://www.foodreveal.com/recipes/pumpkin-chocolate-chip-muffins

Quick Baja Power Bowl (with Quinoa): https://www.foodreveal.com/recipes/quick-baja-power-bowl

Another quinoa recipe that uses a shortcut frozen product from Trader Joe’s: https://www.foodreveal.com/recipes/quick-quinoa-black-bean-tostadas

Nicole and I go way back. I mean waaaaaaay back…to high school, in the 1990s!

We’ve reconnected over the past few years and chatted about our similar passions - to help moms and families live more healthfully.

Taking Steps Toward Healthier Eating with Nicole Ring of Reveal Food

Nicole is a registered dietician and used to help food restaurants figure out calorie counts and make meals healthier, but she found she missed connecting and helping individuals on their journey to healthier eating.

Together, she and her partner, Lauren, created Reveal Food to help families reduce stress and fit healthy foods into their busy schedules. That’s something I definitely need help with, how about you?

I loved chatting with Nicole. She shared one of the biggest surprises she’s had from working with her clients - FEAR. It is often what holds them back from achieving their healthy eating goals.

Hmm… that makes sense.

I wonder if fear holds some of you back from switching your products to safer/toxin-free. Fear that you may “get it wrong”. I hope you know that I’d be happy to help you find products that are safe and work!

Anyway, back to Nicole…

She also shared some simple ways to get in more fruits and veggies. She often encourages her clients to start the transition to healthier eating with snacks. That sounds like a great place to start. I think I’ll suggest that to my family and see what they think. I might get an eye-roll from the teenager.

I’m definitely going to download her free Meal Plan Starter Kit because with school starting and all of the rest of the crazy going on, I’m going to need as much help as I can get!

Here’s what you probably came here for… RECIPES!

Everyone loves recipes and Nicole shared these with us:

Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Muffins: https://www.foodreveal.com/recipes/pumpkin-chocolate-chip-muffins

Quick Baja Power Bowl (with Quinoa): https://www.foodreveal.com/recipes/quick-baja-power-bowl

Quinoa Black Bean Tostadas using Trader Joe’s frozen quinoa:  https://www.foodreveal.com/recipes/quick-quinoa-black-bean-tostadas

Thanks so much, Nicole for sharing your philosophy, recipes, and tips!

Is Your Water Safe? Lead, Toxic Chemicals, and What to Know About Water Contaminants

Resources mentioned in this episode:

Detox by Design | The Box

Berkey water filter

In comparison to countries around the world, we are so lucky to have safe water in the United States. But when we hear about water emergencies like that of Flint, Michigan, it makes me wonder how safe our water really is.

Is your water safe? Lead, toxic chemicals, and what to know about water contaminants.

It’s not only a concern for the residents of Flint or just lead that we need to be worried about. There have been additional reports on the safety of water.

On a federal level, the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is in charge of limiting contaminants within our water. In 2009, the EPA’s report, Water on Tap, What You Need to Know, highlighted that while water in the US is generally safe to drink, threats to our drinking water are increasing. The Environmental Working Group (EWG) has highlighted the issue of chromium-6, a probable human carcinogen and the water safety issue exposed in the movie ‘Erin Brokovich’, in drinking water supplies ov over more than 200 million Americans. And, in 2016 a Harvard University study highlighted polyfluoroalkyl and perfluoroalkyl substances (PFASs) at unsafe levels in the drinking water of 6 million Americans.

The thing that is even more frightening, these are unsafe levels of chemicals that are currently monitored by the EPA. No new pollutants have been added to the list of chemicals monitored by the EPA since 2000 and there are over 2,000 new chemicals created each year. A new law passed in 2016 required the EPA to test unregulated chemicals on the market, a minimum of 20 year at at time each with a seven year deadline - so it could take centuries for the EPA to get through testing all of the existing chemicals being used in the US today.

While the EPA is in charge of establishing the safety of water across the US, there are over 150,000 public water systems that provide and manage water locally. If you are wondering how safe your water is, contact your local water system.

But…the water it tested before it reaches your home or goes through the pipes, fittings, and faucets of your home. Lead can leach into our water through corroding plumbing and sobering materials. Lead pipes are often found in homes and buildings older than 1986.

if you’re curious about testing your water for lead, contact your local water supply system. They may have free or inexpensive tests available to you.

And what about other places we get water. Like at school?

In Washington, the Department of Health tested over 199 schools and preschools who volunteered to be get their water fixtures tested. 97% of the schools tested had at least one water source with levels over one part per billion, the threshold recommended by the American Academy of Pediatrics. Of all the fixtures tested, about 61% tested at or above one part per billion and 5% failed the federal threshold or 15 parts per billion.

Unfortunately, my kids’ schools weren’t a part of these tests, so we don’t even know how safe the water is at their school. Considering the age of the buildings, I don’t feel comfortable with them drinking the water at school.

So how do we make sure we are drinking safe water at home? We use a Berkey water filter. When I fill my Berkey water filter I can actually smell the chlorine in the water coming straight from the tap. Yuck! But what’s not yucky is the delicious water that comes out of my Berkey. It’s hard to drink water from anywhere else now that we have a filter that works so well!

We also hope to get a whole house water filtration system at some point in the future.

While our family can afford a high quality water filtration system, everyone deserves healthy and safe water. We need to pay attention to water policies and vote and support change that makes it so that every person has access to healthy water.

And one more thought…bottled water isn’t the way to go either. Plastic water bottles are bad for the environment and our health (the plastic often leaches chemicals into the water), and even if recycled still pollute the planet. Plus it's usually just bottled tap water.

*I am a Berkey affiliate but truly do love my Berkey filter! I didn’t become an affiliate until I realized how much I loved it.

Why It's Time to Detox Your Skincare Routine

Resources and links I mention in this episode:

Detox by Design | The Box

My favorite skincare products that have 100% safe and skin enhancing ingredients.

As a reminder, toxins are everywhere. In the air we breathe, in the food we eat, in our cleaning products, in our furniture and items we bring into our home…and in our skincare products.

Skin Care - Why it’s time to detox your routine!

My motto is that we need to reduce our exposure wherever we can.

Depending on the size of the molecule, the ingredients in our products can be absorbed through our skin and into our bloodstream. These ingredients can often be harmful, like endocrine disruptors or carcinogenic. We need to limit our exposure to harmful ingredients in order to limit our overall body burden.

Most people think that if something is sold in stores, then it must be safe. Unfortunately, that’s just not true. I’ve shared about the lack of regulations before and some ingredients to watch out for include parabens, sodium laurryl sulfate, mineral oil, phthalates, oxybenzone, and triclosan.

When I first switched to toxin-free living, skin care was lower on my list. But when you consider how often we use skincare, often multiple times per day, this should really be a priority.

Many people think we need harsh chemicals in our skincare for them to work. I disagree. There are some great products that have safe ingredients that do wonders for minimizing the effects of aging and protecting and moisturizing the skin. Many of the harmful ingredients in conventional skincare products aren’t even active ingredients that improve the skin. They are often just preservatives and fillers.

I get this question a lot, so I thought I’d share my personal routine.

Morning:

• Crunchi Gentle Facial Bar

• Clarilight Essence

• Daylight

• Sunlight SPF30

Evening;

• Charcoal Facial Bar

• Clarilight Essence

• Nightlight

If you’re curious about what kind of safe skincare routine would be perfect for you, I’m happy to answer any questions and recommend a routine specifically for your type of skin and daily routine. Just email me at megan@detox.design.

What Are Harmful Heavy Metals? And How to Avoid Them!

Resources and links I mention in this episode:

Detox by Design | The Box

Lead Safe Mama

My favorite products that third party test for heavy metals and pass with flying colors.

Heavy metal and I'm not talking music here - where heavy metals are found, how they affect our health, and how we can limit our exposure

You may be familiar with lead and mercury as heavy metals to avoid, but there are many other places to avoid heavy metals.

Heavy metals are found all around us. In the water we drink, in the food we eat, and in the products we put on our bodies. There are some that are essential to our health, like selenium and zinc, but at higher levels, some can cause acute toxicity or at lower levels, harm over time. Heavy metals can bioaccumulate, meaning they can build up within our bodies over time.

While we may not be able to remove all exposures to harmful heavy metals, we need to be careful in the products that we choose so we can reduce our exposure as much as possible.

Heavy metals have been linked with cancer, the toxicity of organs, and toxicity of the reproductive, immune, and nervous systems, and can cause developmental delay.

Unfortunately, US regulations of heavy metals is less strict than in most developed nations.

My interest in toxin-free living started with the knowledge that not all toys are safe, and some toys contain lead. The Consumer Product Safety Commission regulates toys, but unfortunately toys are proven safe before they are sold in stores.

Ceramic dishes and pottery often contain lead and other heavy metals. I’ve been concerned in the past about vintage dishes, like the “radioactive red” fiestware, but didn’t realize that even modern ceramics and dishes often contain unhealthy levels of heavy metals within the glaze. Check out Lead Safe Mama for more info.

Heavy metals are also often found in personal care products like:

• Lipstick and lipgloss

• Whitening toothpaste

• Eyeliner

• Nail polish

• Foundation

• Sunscreen

• Eyeshadow

• Blush

• Concealer

• Moisturizer

• Eye drops

Heavy metals won’t necessarily be listed on the product label, but are instead contaminants of the ingredients within the product. Ingredients to look out for include lead acetate, chromium, thimerosal, hydrogenated cotton seed oil, and sodium hexametaphosphate.

While we can absorb heavy metals through the skin, it is also important to limit the amount of heavy metals within the products we put on our lips because we in ingest those products as well.

My favorite skincare and makeup line is Crunchi because they third party test for heavy metals, their products perform fabulously, and they minimize their use of plastics and prioritize eco-friendly packaging. If you’d like guidance on which Crunchi products are my favorite, you can email me at megan@detox.design or learn more in my Facebook group Detox by Design Insiders.

Resources:

http://www.safecosmetics.org/get-the-facts/chemicals-of-concern/lead-and-other-heavy-metals/

https://www.who.int/news-room/fact-sheets/detail/lead-poisoning-and-health

How to Stay Organized with Kids at Home ALL the Time! featuring Jenna Arvidson

I had a great time interviewing Jenna Arvidson of At Home with Kids and The Simple Home Podcast this week. We chatted about a lot, including why it’s a much more than minimalism, it’s taking small steps towards being the person you want to be.

BOOM! How’s that for a truth bomb?

I don’t know about you, but I could definitely use less clutter and more simple in my life!

Jenna is hosting a free workshop starting on August 24 and I’m definitely going to take part! Sign up and come do it with me!

It’s just four days long and by the end of it our homes will rejuvenate us instead of exhaust us.

Sounds pretty good to me!

After you’ve signed up for the workshop, listen to the podcast and hear Jeanna’s perspective on minimalism, decluttering, and creating simple routines to make life less overwhelming.

Jenna also talked about these awesome resources in the podcast:

10 Things in 20 Minutes: https://athomewithkids.com/easiermornings

Simplify Your Days by Opening and Closing Your House Like a Business: https://athomewithkids.com/episode64

I hope you listen in, sign up, and share this episode with a friend!

Mean mom - what my kids think about living toxin-free

Yes, I’m their mom, but I think this podcast is a great reflection of just how sweet my girls are. I had no idea what they would say. I mean, I’m pretty strict about the products I let them to have and most teens and tweens might be pretty annoyed with that. But, the girls were very sweet and excited to participate in this podcast.

I’m not going to summarize everything they said, so just listen to their words, straight from their mouths.

I’d love it if you subscribed, shared, and commented to let me know what you think!

Eco-friendly packaging - how much waste are you creating?

How does eco-friendly packaging connect with toxin-free living? The less waste we create, the fewer toxins will be in our environment

Eco-friendly packaging - how much waste are you creating?

Every choice we make impacts how much waste is created. For example, soap. Do you use bar soap or body wash? Bar soap is usually packaged in paper that is easily recycled. But body wash is usually packaged in plastic, and even if you recycle, that plastic container might still end up in a landfill.

Another example is products that have an outer package as well as the packaging of the item itself. Like a moisturizer that has both the plastic package that hold the moisturizer and then a cardboard package that holds the plastic package of moisturizer. Is that extra cardboard package really necessary?

We also have a lot of packaging in the boxes brought to our doorstep. Many of our shopping habits are turning to online. How can we make more eco-friendly choices with online shopping?

1. Group your orders instead of individual orders just because you want it now and shipping is free.

2. If you use Amazon Prime, request that they minimize the packaging used. Email customer service (cs-reply@amazon.com), call ( 1 -888-280-4331), or live chat on their customer service page and ask them to avoid plastic packaging and extra packaging.

3. Buy in bulk instead of buying single serving packages.

Only about 20% of recycled items are actually recycled. Plastic pollution is making a considerable negative impact on our environment, oceans, and wildlife. Plastic accumulates in our oceans and turn into microplastics. Birds and aquatic life often think microplastics are for food and we don’t know yet how these microplastics are impacting animals or the environment.

I hope I’ve opened your eyes to consciously choosing more eco-friendly packing with every item you buy.

As quoted by Margaret Mead “Never doubt that a small group of thoughtful committed citizens can change the world; indeed, it is the only thing that ever has.”

Safe sunscreen - what ingredients are reef safe AND human safe?

I know I’ve posted about this before, but I wanted to include it in my podcast line-up so here it is again! I still feel passionate about wearing sunscreen every day.

Why?

Skin cancer is the most common form of cancer and I have family history too.

My dad has had several malignant melanomas (thankfully all 0 stage or pre-melanomas) and my mom has had one pre-cancer cell removed.

Safe sunscreen - what ingredients are reef safe AND human safe?

There ARE safe sunscreens that can prevent skin cancer! Plus, a daily SPF protects against aging, wrinkles, and sun spots.

Some reminders of why we need to wear sunscreen every day:

• UVA rays can penetrate through glass - you are exposed to damaging rays while driving. Plus you are exposed while walking into the office and during breaks.

• 95% of ultraviolet (UV) radiation comes from UVA rays which are 30-50% more damaging than UVB rays. UVA rays are also around year round and come through cloud coverage. On cloudy days 80% of the sun's rays pass through the cloud filled sky.

• It's true that exposing your skin to sunlight is a great way to get Vitamin D. HOWEVER, you don't need to tan or burn your skin to get Vitamin D, you only need about 15 minutes to get ALL the Vitamin D your body can produce in a single day. The paler your skin, the more easily your skin produces Vitamin D. The Vitamin D Council suggests only exposing your skin for 1/2 the time it takes to get burned. Then it is time to cover up, stay in the shade, and use sunscreen. You also get the most Vitamin D when you expose a large area of your skin, not your face. Exposure to UV light is one of the factors that leads to wrinkles, so we definitely don't want to skip sunscreen on your face, even when spending a few minutes outside getting that natural Vitamin D. 

  • You can get Vitamin D through the following foods:
    - Fatty fish
    - Beef liver
    - Egg yolks
    - Fortified milk and orange juice
    - Fortified cereals

  • You can also get Vitamin D through a supplement.

Safe SPF & My Favorite Sunscreens

Of course you also need to be aware of the ingredients in your sunscreen! There is a big difference between chemical sunscreen (one that absorbs into the skin) and mineral sunscreen (provides a physical barrier on top of the skin). I prefer mineral sunscreen because they work better and there are more mineral sunscreens with safe ingredients.

You know I’ve done my fair share of label analysis on sunscreens! And I’ve tried a ton! I’ve narrowed down my favorites to those that don’t leave my skin look white and ghostly.

My favorite face sunscreen is Crunchi Sunlight. It is broad-spectrum (blocking both UVA and UVB rays), and uses non-nano zinc oxide while also nourishing the skin with aloe, vitamin E, jojoba esters, açaí, and goji fruit antioxidants. It rubs in well and doesn’t leave the skin greasy or opaque like other mineral sunscreens.

For body my favorite right now is All Good. I have two different options in my shop. The sport sunscreen and the kid’s mineral sunscreen butter stick.

What other questions do you have about SPF? What are your favorite safe sunscreens and what do you like about them?Did you know that you can Ingredient deep dive

I hope I have convinced you to wear SPF every day.

Sanitizing vs. cleaning - toxin-free living during a pandemic

I’ve done a couple of blog posts about why I don’t use disinfecting wipes.

Well, here’s the podcast version.

If you’ve reverted back to using wipes because COVID-19, here are some great reminders why they aren’t as effective as you probably think.

Sanitizing vs. cleaning - toxin-free living during a pandemic

First of all, we don’t always need to sanitize, some times we just need to clean up dirt. You don’t need a harsh chemical for that, just a good cloth. I prefer to spray my counters down with a vinegar and water solution.

There are good and bad bacteria in our environment and by killing all bacteria we are creating super bugs and antibiotic resistant bacteria. No bueno!

Most people don’t read the instructions on a wipes container. Did you know you’re supposed to use enough wipes to keep the surface visibly wet for 15 seconds? Or, that it’s recommended to wipe down the surface with potable water and wash your hands after use? Using wipes may not seem as easy as you think if you actually follow the directions.

Plus, most conventional brands contain harmful ingredients.

This is why I created my FREE Safer Wipes Info Sheet. Go check it out and join the Safer Wipes Mission!

Want more help going toxin-free? Download my free guide, join my Facebook group, and follow me on Instagram.

How I analyze ingredient labels and "red flag" ingredients to avoid

If you’re ready to start detoxing your home and everyday routines, but you just don’t know where to start, then you’ll want to listen to this podcast episode. I shared my process for determining the safety of products and shared what I call “red flag” ingredients, the ingredients I scan for when analyzing a label.

How I analyze ingredient labels and "red flag" ingredients to avoid

The first thing I do when considering whether I want to buy a product is check the ingredient label. First I look for these ABSOLUTELY NOT, red-flag, ingredients:

• Parabens

• Fragrance/Parfum

• PEGs

• Grapefruit Seed Extract

• Methylisothiazolinone

• Phenoxyethanol

• Triclosan

Then I search the EWG Skin Deep Database to see if they have a rating for the product.  If they do have a rating, then I make sure it is the same version as the product currently on the market and determine if the product and the ingredients meet my personal safety standards.

And if the product isn’t in the EWG Skin Deep Database… then I enter every ingredient into the database and determine if the ingredients individually are up to my safety standards. 

Initially this will seem overwhelming, but as you practice and get familiar with the “red-flag” ingredients, you’ll get pretty good at it. I also suggest you take a screenshot of this list and keep it in your phone. That way you have a list to turn to when you’re deciding which project to buy and which to put back on the shelf.

Want more help going toxin-free? Download my free guide, join my Facebook group, and follow me on Instagram.

Switching to toxin-free deodorant - some tips and tricks

Have you tried toxin-free deodorant and then switched back to your old favorite? Here are some things you should know.

Switching to toxin-free deodorant - some tips and tricks

Why do we need to switch to toxin-free deodorant?

Our skin is our largest organ and what we put on our skin impacts our health. Underneath our armpits lies our lymphatic system and there are some studies that suggest that aluminum in antiperspirants could increase your risk for cancer, especially breast cancer.

Some tips to make the switch easier:

1. Wash with a charcoal soap. My favorite is here.

2. Spray or wipe pits down with alcohol.

3. Try an Armpit detox - it may sound weird, but a mask made of bentonite clay and apple cider vinegar can be quite helpful:

   1. Mix equal parts bentonite clay and apple cider vinegar in a non-metal bowl and apply a thin layer to each armpit. Leave on anywhere from 5 to 20 minutes. Wash off. 

   2. You can repeat this as often as needed until the rash is gone and you’ve successfully transitioned to safe deodorant.

Want more help going toxin-free? Download my free guide, join my Facebook group, and follow me on Instagram.

Toxins are everywhere - body burden, and your realm of control.

Yes, toxins are everywhere, but before you just give up and go eat some Cheetos, let’s talk about the ways we are exposed. What we can and can’t control.

Toxins are everywhere - body burden, and your realm of control.

We are exposed to toxins through air, water, food, and what we put on our bodies. Within those some we can control and others we can’t.

For example, think about the air we breathe. Yes, we can go for a hike out in the woods and breathe in fresh and healthy air, but on a daily basis, we can’t control the quality of the air outside. For water, we can use a water filter (my fav is a Berkey) or a whole-house water filtration system. And of course with food, you can choose organic, non-GMO, etc.

So I think about my realm control. What I can control and what I can’t.

Why?

Because our bodies can get overburdened by what it is exposed to.

As Rebecca Sutton, PhD, a senior scientist at the Environmental Working Group (EWG), explains, “Our concern is daily, weekly, chronic exposure over a lifetime. Maybe if you’re exposed to a chemical a handful of times it wouldn’t cause harm, but some chemicals build up enough or cause enough harm in your body over time that it triggers some kind of disease outcome. The concept [of body burden] is that pollution is not just in our air and in our water — it’s also in us.”

Are you familiar with the term “body burden”? Toxic body burden is the cumulative amount of toxins in the body. These come from what we expose ourselves to every day, like air, water, food, and what we put on our skin.  

The level of a person's body burden depends on their age, gender, disease status, nutritional habits, and genetic makeup. Dose, time between exposures, duration of repeated exposures, and interaction with other chemicals also contribute to an individual's personal factors. I know that sounds like a lot to understand - but the key point is we ALL have multiple factors impacting our health. We need to understand how to control the ones we can.

Our bodies can process some toxins, but if overburdened, they accumulate in the organs and tissues of the body. 

In essence this is why paying attention to ingredients and choosing safe products is so important. We don’t want to overburden our bodies with unhealthy elements.

Want more help going toxin-free? Download my free guide, join my Facebook group, and follow me on Instagram.

Making the switch to toxin-free. Just take it one step at a time.

If you’ve just come into the light about products having unsafe chemicals, then you might be feeling kind of overwhelmed. Believe me, I’ve been there before.

Making the switch to toxin-free. Just take it one step at a time.

I work with clients as they switch to toxin-free. Some do it gradually, while others do it all at once.

If you happen to be in the overwhelmed camp, then I suggest you take it one room at a time.

For example, start in the laundry room. Check the ingredients of your laundry detergent. Is it safe?

Are you still using dryer sheets? If yes, please stop. They’re not good for you or the environment - go watch this video.

When you realize a product isn’t safe you have two options:

1. Throw it out and replace it right away. Make sure you dispose of it safely.

2. Or use it up and replace with a safer product when it’s gone.

Wherever you start, I suggest analyzing every ingredient label and if you’re not going to replace it right away, mark the label. Put a big “x” on the label so you know to find a safer product when it’s time to replace it.

But however you choose to switch your products, just start.

Want more help going toxin-free? Download my free guide, join my Facebook group, and follow me on Instagram.