Look, I’m a skeptic. I don’t worry, particularly, about parabens and a bunch of other common chemicals found in every day products. Humans are resilient. But, at the same time, I question why I would expose my body to any more than I will “naturally” come in contact with as I walk through the world. And there are some really startling facts about chemicals and our consumption of them in this country. I recommend you chat sometime with Suzanne Polsinelli, founder of Edge Green Cleaning. (Or better yet, book her for a speaking engagement.) She will blow your mind. She has totally changed the way I look at the aisles in the grocery store and definitely affected which items I am willing to bring into my home.
We store these chemicals in our fat cells and over time they can certainly accumulate to toxic levels. That said, I am not into fear mongering. Humans ARE resilient and we can absorb a lot of stuff before it starts to kill us. So don’t panic! Also, there’s a lot we can do to cleanse them once they are there. But it is also just good sense to not add them back in if we can help it. So when we are able, we should choose products that are cleaner and safer… less toxic, if you will.
Label reading is difficult. Things are sneaky and I don’t have the knowledge to know what I am looking at in that “all natural” ingredient list. But I have found a company that I am beginning to explore which seems solid: Ava Anderson Non Toxic. I like several things about them. First they have a handy brochure that gives you the top 10 things you should avoid in any product and why. It’s a pretty easy way to assess any health and beauty product you are considering using. I like that. I like simplicity. (Here is another good resource for vetting your product).
And, to me, they don’t seem to fear monger and they do seem well researched. I like that they talk more about body burden than “oh my God these things will kill you dead.” It is important to understand that there are levels of toxicity that your body is able to handle. However, it is also important to understand that there is a tipping point when a bunch of factors come together and the body becomes affected.
Lastly, the products I have used have been great. I haven’t tried that many yet. But I used the hand sanitizer ONE TIME on my new tattoo because I didn’t feel like showering that night. It healed in less than a week and never got all scabby and gross. And when I have mentioned the products people who have tried them all seem to love them. So I have high hope!
I am hosting an Ava event at the ‘Nest June 22 at 6 pm. Come learn with me!