People nowadays are constantly exposed to numerous chemicals and dangerous toxins.
Due to this, workplaces and restaurants should all adhere to certain safety measures to warrant the safety of employees and customers, and guarantee that they are not exposed to dangerous levels of such substances.
Yet, we all contain toxic ingredients at home as well, and many of us are not even aware of it. Therefore, this article will reveal 5 of the most common toxic household items that you should eliminate as soon as possible in order to prevent potential health risks.
1. Non-Stick Cookware
This is the most commonly used cookware in the United States, but it is known to release toxins in the food that is being prepared. Namely, as soon as the cookware is heated up, its coating begins to decompose at a molecular level, releasing numerous toxic particles and gasses based on fluoride, a great part of which are carcinogenic. Hence, you should substitute this cookware with ceramic pans and pots.
2. Artificial Sweeteners
Numerous people replace sugar with other alternatives, but the majority of them is even worse than sugar itself. Such dangerous artificial sweeteners include:
- Sorbitol – can’t be completely digested in the intestines, so it leads to bloating, gas, diarrhea
- Acesulfame K – might affect pregnancy, lead to tumors, and may be carcinogenic
- Aspartame – is linked to skin cancers and can be deadly in the case of phenylketonuria
- Saccharin – indigestible, it is excreted unchanged by the liver, and leads to bladder cancer.
- Hence, you should replace the above ones, with the following natural ones, cultivated without refining:
- Erythritol – doesn’t affect the levels of insulin, blood sugar, cholesterol
- Xylitol – improves bone density and reduces the risk of tooth decay
- Stevia – may lower blood pressure and blood sugar
- Yacon syrup – helps in the case of constipation since it feeds the good intestine bacteria
3. Plastic Bottles and Food Containers
Plastic food containers contain chemicals which leach into the food and get digested with it. One such chemical, Bisphenol A, is used to harden plastic in Tupperware, water bottles, and other plastic products.
Numerous studies have shown that it negatively affects our health.
Due to various such studies, the Food and Drug Administration has changed their stance on Bisphenol A in 2010, claiming that there is “some concern” over its influence on the brain, behavior, and prostate glands in young children, babies, and fetuses.
Hence, you should use metal or reusable water bottles and food containers, and avoid disposable plastic ones, in order to protect the body and the environment.
4. Air Fresheners
Air fresheners get rid of noxious gas and pungent odors, but newest research has shown that they are also releasing fumes which are even more dangerous than cigarette smoke, and may lead to respiratory issues, such as asthma, and hormonal imbalance.
According to a study conducted by the Public Health England’s Center for Radiation, Chemical and Environmental Hazards, there’s a “considerable” amount of formaldehyde in the content of common air fresheners, which enters the group of “known human carcinogen” by the United States’ National Toxicology Program.
Hence, the overexposure to air fresheners has been linked to nose and throat cancers. On the other hand, you can replace them with essential oils, and your home will smell pleasant, and you will also benefit from their use.
All you need to do is to add 10-15 drops of some essential oil to a cup of distilled water and spray the solution all over the house.
5. Commercial Cleaning Products
In order to prevent the accumulation of harmful bacteria in the home, we all use various commercial cleaners and chemicals. However, they contain numerous toxic ingredients which endanger the health and lead to numerous respiratory issues.
Thus, ingredients like BPA, triclosan, parabens, are known to lead to hormonal imbalances and are commonly found n cleaning products.
On the other hand, you will get the same, and even better effects by using baking soda and vinegar, and you will avoid the potential health risks of commercial products. This combination effectively fights bacteria, including salmonella, staph, and E.coli.