Over the past couple of centuries, advances in technology have transformed the way people live their lives. You no longer have to break your back washing clothes over a scrubbing board for hours on end. You’d likely scoff at having to prepare a meal over an open fire. You might also not be able to remember when, if ever, you’ve gotten off the couch in order to switch the channel on your television or turn it off. While you might feel like you have it made compared to previous generations, your modern conveniences may be slowly, and secretly, wreaking havoc on your health.
Numerous everyday products in today’s households are filled with dangerous toxins. These potentially harmful chemicals can get into your body if you eat, drink, or inhale them. They can also be absorbed into your skin.
According to the Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry, coming into contact with these toxins can lead to a plethora of health issues including cancer, emphysema, kidney tissue damage, infertility, and birth defects. To increase your odds of remaining healthy for as long as possible, consider ridding your home of the following things.
Hand Sanitizers
Triclosan is a common ingredient in hand sanitizers. Associated with hormone problems, early puberty, and infertility, some manufacturers are starting to replace it with benzalkonium choloride. Unfortunately, this substitute has been linked to asthma problems. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, CDC, benzalkonium chloride may cause skin burns, pain, redness, a sore throat, coughing, and blurred vision.
Laundry Detergents
Some commercial laundry detergents consist of ionic solutions. The Cleveland Clinic warns these ingredients can cause skin and eye irritation.
Scented Candles
Inhaling the benzene chemicals found in scented candles can contribute to breathing problems and skin irritation. The Environmental Protection Agency, EPA, also cautions benzene chemicals might cause damage to your brain and central nervous system and reproductive problems. As scented candles burn, they also release the carcinogen toluene.
Canned Goods
While convenient, canned goods are exposed to the chemical bisphenol A, BPA. BPA lines the containers and leaks into the foods. BPA has been associated with breast and prostate cancer, neurological disorders, high blood pressure, and diabetes.
Plastic Food Containers
Like canned goods, plastic food containers contain BPA. They’re also harbingers of the endocrine-disrupting chemicals bisphenol S, BPS, and phthalates. Plastic breaks down over time. When you heat plastic food containers or subject them to wear and tear through numerous washings, you increase the amount of chemicals seeping from the plastic into your food.
Perfumes
According to Everyday Health, a bottle of perfume can consist of as many as 300 chemical ingredients. Even worse, perfume manufacturers have a habit of not listing them in order to prevent their competitors from stealing fragrances. So, you have no idea what you’re putting on your skin.
Non-stick Cookware
The coating on non-stick cookware is produced with the chemical perfluorooctanoic acid, PFOA. An independent scientific review panel that consults with the EPA has labeled PFOA a “likely” carcinogen.
Air Fresheners
Air fresheners often include 2, 5-dichlorophenol, 2, 5-DCP. This chemical is a metabolite of 1, 4-dichlorobenzene, which has been associated with precocious puberty, cancer, and other health issues.
Cosmetics
Your favorite brands of cosmetics may be filled with toxic metals such as lead, arsenic, cadmium, beryllium, and thallium. If you apply makeup every day, your skin might be introducing pounds of chemicals into your body annually.
Your Couch
While your couch might not be leeching chemicals into your body, it may be one of the most deadly things in your home. Even if you exercise, sitting for several hours each day might contribute to chronic diseases and premature mortality. According to the British Journal of Sports Medicine, prolonged sitting can increase your risk for developing lung cancer by greater than 50 percent. According to CNN, sitting is thought to increase your risk of dying from a host of issues such as diabetes, cardiovascular disease, and cancer. Those who work out less seem to reap the detriments of sitting more than people who exercise regularly.
If enjoying a productive life well into your golden years is your priority, consider eliminating some, if not all, of the aforementioned items from your home. To help you accomplish this difficult, but potentially rewarding task, you can do things such as investing in glass food containers, ceramic cookware, organic cosmetics, and a standing desk. With a few simple ingredients, you can also make your own laundry detergents, perfumes, and air fresheners.
~ Health Scams Exposed
