Why I Live Holistically

Hey Everyone! 

So if you’ve read my story, then you know a little bit about my background and what started my holistic living journey, but in this post I want to share more in-depth about my why and also some of the things I’ve learned walking this road. 

So, why holistic living? 

What we put in and on our bodies makes a difference in our quality of life, toxic load, and overall health. Did you know that mainstream cleaning and personal care products are full of endocrine disruptors, parabens, phthalates, and carcinogens? Did you know that many of the claims and marketing on supposedly “clean,” “all-natural,” and “non-toxic” products simply aren’t true (that’s called greenwashing). I didn’t know that a few years ago. Now that I know what a significant difference the products we use make on our health, I have become a lot more conscientious about what I put in, on, and around my body, but even more so what I expose my children too. You can’t ever be 100% toxin free, and that’s NOT the goal! The goal is to reduce your toxic load so that your body’s natural cleansing pathways and filters aren’t overloaded and can do their job. 

You often hear, “Well I did ____ and turned out fine!” 

I don’t know about you, but I want my children to have more than just “fine.” I want them to have the best that I can give them! That’s why we focus on eating whole foods, cut out seed oils as much as possible, limit processed food to as little as possible, use super clean personal care and cleaning products when possible, and swap out more toxic items for less toxic items as we run out. We use herbal and homeopathic remedies to treat ailments as much as possible, and keep conventional medicine as a “when needed” or “last resort,” instead of our first go-to at the drop of a hat. 

Let’s talk a little bit about the toxic things we find in so many products.

Endocrine Disruptors 

Endocrine-disrupting chemicals (EDCs) are natural or human-made chemicals that may mimic, block, or interfere with the body’s hormones, which are part of the endocrine system. These chemicals are associated with a wide array of health issues. (neighs.nih.gov) 

You find them many everyday products, such as cosmetics, food and beverage packaging, toys, carpet, pesticides, and flame retardants. You can’t completely eliminate them, but you most definitely can lower your exposure and reduce your toxin burden. 

How do you find endocrine disruptors? The most common and well-studied ones are the following: 

• Atrazine: commonly applied herbicide 
• Bisphenol A (BPA): used to make polycarbonate plastics and epoxy resin and found in food packaging, manufacturing, toys, and sometimes found in the lining of canned foods and beverages
• Dioxins: byproduct of manufacturing processes such a herbicide production and paper bleaching 
• Perchlorate: colorless salt manufactured and used as an industrial chemical to make rockets, explosives, and fireworks, which can be found in some groundwater
• Per-and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS): large group of chemicals used widely in industrial applications, such as firefighting foam, nonstick pans, paper, and textile coatings 
• Phthalates: large group of compounds used as liquid plasticizers and found in hundreds of products including: food packaging, cosmetics (like nail polish, hair spray, aftershave lotion, cleanser, and shampoo), fragrances, children’s toys, and medical device tubing
• Triclosan: an ingredient that was previously added to some antimicrobial and personal care products like liquid body wash and soaps

These chemicals are found everywhere, and although most products only have “a little bit,” when you put the ones you use all together it’s no longer a little – it’s a LOT! And we wonder why puberty is starting earlier, women’s hormones are constantly out of whack, and fertility is a struggle…

Parabens

Parabens are a group of chemicals that are commonly used as preservatives in cosmetic products. Some common Parabens include methylparaben, propylparaben, butylparaben, and ethylparaben. According to ewg.org, Scientific studies have shown that parabens can disrupt hormones, harming fertility and reproductive organs (see a pattern?), affect birth outcomes, and increase the risk of cancer (Stoiber, 2019). Products CAN BE and ARE made without these harmful chemicals, so there is no reason to risk your health and the health of your future children by using products with parabens, and that’s also why you hear/see so much marketing about “paraben free.” 

Phthalates 

Phthalates are chemicals that make plastic soft and flexible, and you can’t see, smell, or taste them, but they are EVERYWHERE. Common places you’ll find them are cosmetics (fragrance, nail polish, hair spray, soap, shampoo, etc), medical tubing and fluid bags, wood finishes, detergents, plastic plumbing pipes, lubricants, solvents, insecticides, vinyl flooring, and shower curtains, just to name a few. You can be exposed and ingest them through eating or drinking items serving in phthalate-containing plastics, using personal care products containing them, and even through having contact with dust in rooms where the carpet, wall coverings, or wood finishes have phthalates. 

According to an article webMD.com, one study links high levels of phthalate exposure to early death in older people, and that those with the highest level of phthalates were more likely to die of heart disease.In addition, the link between phthalates and chronic disease has also been shown to be on the rise. Pretty crazy stuff! Granted, correlation does NOT prove causation, but if there are better alternatives, why risk heart disease, chronic illness, and early death? 

Some common parabens include: 

• BBP, DBP, and DEHP: permanently banned from toys and products intended to help children under 3 eat, sleep, teeth, or suck. DBP and DEHP have been shown to damage the reproduction systems of lab rats, DBP can irritate skin, and there are links to BBP and DEHP causing cancer in animals (confirmed) and people (suspected). 
• DiDP, DINP, DnOP: under an interim ban from toys that go in a child’s mouth; can cause skin redness, nausea, dizziness, and vomiting, as well as tumors and developmental problems in lab rats. Added to California’s list of chemicals known to cause cancer (hasn’t been proven yet, but again, why risk it?) DnOP also linked to endometriosis in women.

These chemicals are found in fast food, plastics, vinyl, and so many other things. Look for “phthalate-free” and choose those options when you can, and avoid plastic food storage (glass works so much better anyway!). 

Carcinogens

Obviously, a carcinogen is something that can cause cancer. There are various “groups” of carcinogens. Group 1 carcinogens are things that have enough evidence to conclude that it can cause cancer in humans. Group 2A is “probably carcinogenic to humans” and has strong evidence but not conclusive. Group 2B is also “probably carcinogenic to humans” with some evidence but not conclusive. The list continues down, and the higher the group number, the less likely to be carcinogenic to humans (ec.europa.eu).

There are some common carcinogens that most people are aware are carcinogenic. That includes, tobacco, radon, and asbestos. Most people don’t have any problem avoiding or acknowledging that these things could cause cancer. There are, however, some other items that many people don’t want to admit are carcinogenic (webMD.com): 

• Formaldehyde: chemical used in many household products, and found in many vaccines. 
• Ultraviolet rays: this includes UV rays from tanning salons! *The sun is not your enemy. Just be aware of the time of day, the chemicals in your sunscreen, and your tolerance to the sun* 
• Alcohol: Yep. I just said that. The more alcohol you drink, the greater your odds of getting certain kinds of cancers. Not to mention there are studies that prove that alcohol kills your gut health and can literally kill off brain cells. You might want to think twice before getting that second drink! 
• Processed meat: Bacon, salami, pepperoni, sausage – if it’s got a bunch of preservatives, flavors, nitrates, and nitrites, you want to avoid if at all possible! There are several high-quality, safe options for those types of foods so don’t worry, you don’t have to swear off bacon: just be careful to read the label! 
• Benzene: one of the 20 most widely used chemicals in the United States. Mainly used to make other chemicals, including plastics, resins, lubricants, rubbers, dyes, detergents, drugs, and pesticides (cancer.org). Elevated levels of Benzene have been found in products containing butane or other petroleum-based products, especially aerosol products like hairspray and dry shampoo. So if you see a product on the shelf containing butane or any other petroleum-based product, think twice! *Those chemicals also have their own problems also*
• Hormonal Birth Control: Yep, you read that right. In 2007, the International Agency for Research on Cancer classified the most commonly used hormonal birth control in the United States as a group 1 carcinogen (naturalwomenhood.org). Despite this, so many obstetricians and gynecologists push birth control to “fix” so many womanly issues, but not only do they not “fix” anything, but they also cause SOOOO many side effects. Often times, changing the products that you use, cleaning up your diet, seeing a pelvic floor therapist, and balancing your hormones naturally will ACTUALLY fix many issues. As for using birth control for actual birth control, there are several other methods available that are just as, if not more so, effective that hormonal birth control. If you are currently “on the pill,” you might want to do some more research and look into other available options. The article linked above gives several great resources if you would like to learn more! 

Summary

 Everything around us makes an impact on our body and well being. Since finding out I was expecting my first child, and realizing how much better my quality of life could be, I have been digging deep and researching holistic living and how I can apply it to my life.

Remember, the goal is not 100% toxin free, because that’s impossible. I shoot for an 80/20 lifestyle. The 80% I do the best I can, not always able to get the “best” but able to get the “good” or “better,” and the other 20% I just don’t worry about! Some things I can’t afford yet, or am not quite ready to commit to, or I just love my toxic version a little too much ;). And THAT’S OKAY. If you lower your overall toxin burden, your body will be able to handle it through your natural detoxing pathways, just like it was created to. 

Drop a line in the comments, or send me an email: Have you ever heard of holistic living? Is there something you would like to learn more about? 

I can’t wait to hear from you!