INSIDER LIVING WITH IVEY
Toxic Exposure
The DIRTY TRUTH about our cleaning and personal care products By Ivey Leidy Photography by Kent Anderson
We view our homes as our sanctuaries, our sacred spaces in which we take pride. We like to keep them clean, organized, and decorated to our liking. What we don’t realize is that within that sacred space hide, on average, 62 different toxic chemicals. The products we use to wipe our countertops and clean our toilet bowls fill the air in our homes with toxins, irritants, and carcinogens that could be contributing to many of our health issues. We do the same with our own bodies—from the pans we use to cook our food to soap and deodorant. It is said that the average woman uses 12 different personal care products per day and the average man uses 6 per day; in the 12 products that women use hide 168 different chemicals (85 in the men’s products). What’s even more alarming is that 80 percent of these chemicals aren’t even tested before they hit shelves. These chemicals and pollutants are inhaled and/or absorbed through the skin and, once inside the body, Infrared saunas can help your body release toxins from the liver, intestines, and kidneys.
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CHEMICALS TO AVOID
can alter hormones, causing a slew of health issues including early puberty in children, fertility issues in women, thyroid dysfunction, and weight gain—and even potentially contributing to the development of breast, prostate, and ovarian cancers. The good news? You can start limiting your exposure and detoxing the body by incorporating a few different practices and foods. Switch to nontoxic cleaning products and cosmetics or make your own; swap aluminum foil for parchment paper; switch to cast iron, stainless steel, or 100 percent ceramic cookware with no aluminum core; switch from plastic to glass or stainless steel reusable water bottles. You can also add indoor air purifiers to reduce pollutants like dust, pollen, bacteria, and mold in your home, and invest in a quality water purifier that will remove harmful levels of fluoride, viruses, bacteria, lead, arsenic, mercury, chlorine, heavy metals, and pesticides from your drinking water. Maybe go for a spa day, too—infrared saunas can help release toxins from the liver, intestines, and kidneys, and lymphatic drainage massages aid the body in its natural detoxification process.
• Phthalates • Parabens • PFAs and PFCs • Lead, arsenic, mercury, and aluminum • Triclosan • Formaldehyde • Sodium lauryl sulfate (SLS) FOODS THAT SUPPORT DETOX OF CHEMICALS, PESTICIDE BUILDUP, AND HEAVY METALS • Organic produce and meat • Chlorophyll • Spirulina • Beets • Seaweed • Apples • Raw carrots • Cabbage • Watercress • Milk thistle • Ginger • Turmeric • Parsley • Cilantro
PALM BEACH ILLUSTRATED
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8/5/21 2:00 PM
