Ditch and Switch toxic items for a healthier home

DITCH and SWITCH is one of the ways I have worked on creating a more healthy home environment for my family.

Identifying the sources in our homes and switching out with safe and natural products is a great place to start.

Many years ago when I trained to be a Massage Therapist I learned our skin is our body’s largest organ. It is also one of the most common pathways of toxic exposure so be mindful of the things you put on your skin. Many common personal care products have less than ideal ingredients. doTERRA’s skincare line and solutions have ingredients that were carefully selected to be as safe and gentle for your skin and your body as a whole.

Reduce toxins in the air

Your body absorbs toxins through the air you breathe. You can keep the air in your household clean in number of ways. Replace artificial air fresheners with essential oils, ditch your traditional cleaners for natural substances, and keep indoor plants to clean the air.

One of the easiest ways to get started reducing toxins in your home is to scout out all the ways you normally make you or your air smell better.

Not only are these commonly filled with toxins and junk, but they can also be huge fire hazards.

You may even have a friend or know someone who has a friend who is selling Norwex products! I too am a big fan of these as they not only allow us to do an exceptional job cleaning our surfaces without extra chemical cleaners… they also save us a ton on paper towels!!

In the past, if we wanted better, more natural choices for cleaning around the house, we had to make our own.

…Thankfully, doTERRA has us covered with the On Guard cleaning Product Line.

The Cleaner Concentrate is my favorite product because I really do use it in everything.

A squirt in my dishwasher to boost the washing power, a capful in my spray bottle to wipe down all my surfaces, and even a splash in my steam mop to make my floors look awesome and my house smell great.

DIY’s just not your thing? – I understand! Most of us either don’t have time to or simply just don’t wish to make our own everything. But understanding how effective we can clean without all of those nasty ingredients and you will understand the importance of “Less is More” when it comes to supporting our bodies and avoiding toxins.

Let me share more about what to look for and why…

I would like to share with you some of the nasty chemicals that are included in many of the commercial products we bring into our home.

Some of these are pretty scary and although there are those that will argue that the amounts are so minimal they aren’t going to affect you, consider your lifetime of using these products, or occupational exposure? (like manufacturing or product use on a daily basis, like a Salon worker)?

On a personal note, I know I didn’t develop any allergies until after I reached the age of 30! Over time these chemicals really build up! What about your kids and grandchildren!? Have you ever wondered why kids are physically developing earlier than when we were young or even our grandparents? Everything we clean with, eat and wear has some type of “money-saving” chemical added to extend shelf life, preserve color, and bottom-line make the manufacturer more money. …but that is another sad story for another time.

Let’s focus on the chemicals to look for and to avoid as you are looking to Ditch and Switch for your family.

Many products list “fragrance” on the label, but very few name the specific ingredients that make up a “fragrance.”

This lack of disclosure prevents consumers from knowing the full list of ingredients in their products. While most fragrance chemicals are not disclosed, we do know that some are linked to serious health problems such as cancer, reproductive and developmental toxicity, allergies, and sensitivities. Clearly, there is a need for stronger regulations, more research, and greater transparency.

Butoxyethanol:

The ingredients below are not indicated by authoritative bodies as potential concerns for use in products, but they can have adverse effects on the workers who make the products, or on salon workers who use them repeatedly.

FOUND IN: Most personal care products including sunscreen, shampoo, soap, body wash, deodorant, body lotion, makeup, facial cream, skin toner, serums, exfoliating scrubs and perfume.

Butoxyethanol is a skin, eye, nose, and throat irritant.

Exposure can lead to blood in the urine, vomiting, and nausea with long-term damage to the kidneys, liver, lymphoid system, nervous system, respiratory system, and blood cells.

Butoxyethanol is also a reproductive toxicant. The IARC (a global agency researching causes of the terrible condition that starts with a “C”) confirms the carcinogenicity of butoxyethanol in experimental animals. Both the European Union and Canada restrict butoxyethanol in consumer products.

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Thankfully, an easy, healthier solution is available! You are here so you are already learning about the benefits of essential oils and probably already have them.

Step one: essential oils – done

Step two: simply add 10-20 drops of your favorite citrus oil like lemon or wild orange or a cleaning oil or blend like OnGuard blend, Lemon oil, Cilantro, or Tea Tree to a 4oz glass bottle and you will have an amazing solution to replace a number of surface and window cleaners.

When I don’t feel up to DIY-ing it, I just grab a bottle of the OnGuard Cleaner Concentrate. It only needs a little and really lasts a long time. It is very effective a cleaning all of my kitchen and bath surfaces with just a tablespoon or two to an 8oz glass spray bottle. This simple all-natural surface cleaner smells amazing and provides all of the viral and bacterial fighting properties of commercial products without all the toxins!

We have completely Ditched and Switched the hand soap and body soaps at our sinks and showers with doTERRA’s foaming hand wash and one or two of the many scented and natural soap bars in the spa area. There is also less soap scum to deal with on our shower walls… what does that tell us?

I love to fill my pumps at the beginning of the week and add a little extra Wild Orange to the mix for a few extra happy feelings when I wash my hands.

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Formaldehyde and formaldehyde-releasing preservatives (FRPs).

Did you know, these are used in many personal care products,^[1] particularly in shampoos and liquid baby soaps? These chemicals, which are intended to prevent microbes from growing in water-based products, can be absorbed through the skin and have been linked to cancer and allergic skin reactions.

FOUND IN: Nail polish, nail glue, eyelash glue, hair gel, hair-smoothing products, baby shampoo, body soap, body wash, color cosmetics, fresheners, plug-ins, perfunes, and candles.

Find a diffuser you love or add a couple of drops to a spray bottle of water and witch hazel for a lasting fabric spray.

There is plenty of recommendations on any number of oil combinations that you can add to your diffuser. I prefer to make my own blends and only trust doTERRA for it’s purity and efficacy standards. And we diffuse in every room in the house.

• Lemon / Lime in the Bathroom
• Purify blend in the damp basement
• Cedarwood in the walk-in closet (once a month)
• Serenity in our Bedrooms at night for a better sleeping environment
• Motivate, Spearmint or Peppermint in my home office to help set my mood, help me focus or communicate, or just perk me up (without that afternoon cup of coffee)
• Rosemary, Cilantro, and any of the mint or citrus oils in the Kitchen

There are also oils that purify the air and smell amazing like Air-X, Island Mint, Citrus Bliss, OnGuard, Breathe, just to name a few.

The fun thing is you can also make your own blends! This can be fun and you will eliminate those smells like pets, dirty clothes, cigars, kitchen odors, and more.

Are there cheaper oils available? Of course, there is just like you can purchase disposable and less expensive products at the dollar store. This is an unregulated industry, and Brokers and Distributors will adulterate, a single oil or a blend to make more volume, sell it at cheaper prices in hopes to make more money. But what are you really getting? Would you really feel comfortable putting it into the air you breathe or on your skin?

So yes, there are cheaper essential oils on the market, and we are looking to reducing toxic load right!? So be vigilant, do your homework! You really do get what you pay for, and that is why I trust doTERRA. They are committed to purity and the science of efficacy (when and how a plant is grown, harvested, and extracted will affect how it works), and doTERRA will never choose profit over purity.

Let’s keep rollin’ with those healthy swaps. Hand wash is such an easy swap.

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DITCH and SWITCH some of your Personal hair care products! Remember, I am not suggesting you be wasteful and just throw things away… but if it’s broken, and you can’t fix it… well it’s time to go!

I love the doTERRA hair care line, and they are always looking to improve it. Not only is it safe for your hair color, it’s also super concentrated to save you money.

If you are a wholesale club member you can set it up in your Loyalty Reward Order will save you even more with bundle discounts, and product and shipping credits. Who doesn’t love free stuff?

I love the scent of the shampoo and the Root to Tip Serum is so amazing at controlling my hair. I apply the Root to Tip Serum after every shampoo to help me comb through my wet hair and condition and strengthen the ends… this is particularly helpful during the summer months when we are out on the bike in the sun and the wind. But it also helps in the dry environments of our home while the heat is on and the windows closed up. My point is that no matter where you live, this serum is natural and save to use and you will love how it works.

If you would like to learn more about Avoiding Toxins you can also visit the doTERRA Science Blog. HERE

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Are you interested in getting your own doTERRA collection started for a Ditch and Switch of your toxic home products? Why not get them at wholesale prices!?

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