If you don’t have time to read this post, just watch the video at the end of it.
It wasn’t until I had my baby girl that I started to worry about toxic chemicals in products, in food, in the air, basically everywhere.
I know many people don’t worry about it. I used to be one of them. I didn’t even consider some of the stuff I used on a daily basis could be toxic. I just figured something toxic wouldn’t be allowed on the market, right? Wrong!
Then I heard about toxic chemicals in products but I figured it can’t be that bad because nothing has happened to me or my family. But then I started researching more about it and it got me to thinking… Everyone in my family has great health but everyone dies of cancer. Why? I don’t know the answer to that but I do know that my great grandparents didn’t die of cancer. It was actually a rare thing in my family then.
It got me thinking, what if all the toxic chemicals we come in contact with add up in our bodies and cause disease? There are many studies proving some chemicals are harmful, a great example is lead.
There are also studies showing how some chemicals bioaccumulate, like lead, which means they build up and accumulate in tissues in our bodies. But lead is just one of many toxic chemicals we come in contact with on a daily basis. There are also plenty of chemicals that haven’t been studied yet or that are still allowed in certain amounts.
So what happens when all of this accumulates in our bodies? We don’t come in contact with one chemical; we come in contact with many. I haven’t found a study explaining what happens when all of these toxins add up together in our bodies but I think this is why we see so many diseases today, so many people dying of cancer.
Whether you believe this is true or not, I think everyone can benefit from avoiding exposure to toxic chemicals. We are one of the first generations that is exposed to this amount of toxins, so what does this mean to us and our babies? Do our babies inherit the toxins we carry in our bodies? Does this mean that each new baby has accumulated more toxins than the previous generation? And if so, does this add up generation through generation of families? Meaning our kids would have even more toxins in their bodies than we did when we were babies because they have inherited our toxins and our parents’ toxins? If this is true, what will happen to us, our babies, their babies, and our future generations?
I don’t have the answer to these questions. We will know in the future, after research and experience teaches us. In the meantime all I can do is limit the exposure to toxic chemicals in our daily lives. I can’t protect my family from everything but I can limit their exposure to toxins – and every bit counts.
Before you dismiss my worries or think I might be overreacting (and even more so if you believe that our bodies are being harmed by toxins) I ask you to please watch this video from the Environmental Working Group. It’s 22 minutes long, but you don’t have to watch it all at once. I promise it is worth your time.
It’s worth trying to make a difference in your life, in your family and for the future of our children.
Want to learn more about this and how to avoid toxic chemicals?
Here are 11 Ways To Keep Your Home A Cancer-Free Zone and check out my Toxic Free living section for resources on how live a cleaner life.
Rebecca says
Great blog and video, one that is very close to my heart… Will share with you why next time we hang out. Highly suggest you read the book “Our Stolen Future”. I have it (and a bunch of other books on this topic) if you’d like to borrow. :). We need to raise awareness of this issue. It is huge and largely ignored. Thank you for sharing!
Carolina says
Thanks for the recommendation Rebecca. I can’t wait to see you and hear all about it.
And of course I agree this is very ignored issue. 🙁
Jessica says
I totally agree with you! I thought it was interesting that even wearing your shoes through the house can bring in chemicals and toxins, which OF COURSE makes sense but it just wasn’t something I thought of. I don’t like shoes on because of dirt but I wasn’t even thinking about toxins. And with little ones who play on the floor, that’s bad.
Carolina says
I agree!! There are so many things we do and use that are not good for us but they are so normal we don’t even think about it. 🙁