Today I attended the Environmental Working Groups’s Clean & Healthy Living Summit at Levi’s Stadium in Santa Clara, California. The event was both confirming and eye opening for me on my journey better my nutrition knowledge and create healthier habits for my body and my life. I found out that there are SO many toxins in our lives. Keep reading to find out the shocking facts I learned at the EWG clean & healthy living summit.
We Are Born Riddled with Toxins
Scientists from EWG cited a study conducted on the chord blood of newborns, which showed the appearance of hundreds of toxins from mercury, PFA and pesticides, to flame retardants, BPAs and PCBs… 287 to be exact. 180 are known to “cause cancer in humans or animals, 217 are toxic to the brain and nervous system, and 208 cause birth defects or abnormal development in animal tests.” Wow!
If kiddos have this much in them at birth (having just come out of the safety of the womb), just IMAGINE how much we are exposing ourselves to on a daily basis. To start hitting the reset button, our expert panel of scientists suggested these top tips:
- Eat Organic
- Use a home water filter
- Use glass instead of plastic food storage containers. If you do use plastic, avoid microwaving your food in them.
Your Furniture May Be Poisoning You
Although I already knew that there were toxins in the environment and in our foods that could vastly impact our health and wellness, I was shocked to find out what simple things in my home could be dangerous to my health.
- Shower curtains – plastic and other synthetic materials in this typical household good can leach out gases that are considered to be “hazardous air pollutants.”
- Your couch and other furniture – The culprits here are the glues, flame retardants, fabrics, and finishes. For a list of toxins, check out this article form PaloHacks.
- Carpet
- Paint
These are only a few of the many items in your home that may be hazardous. Thankfully, EWG created a Healthy Home Guide to help us reduce our risk of contamination.
Personal Care Products are Unregulated
According to presenters, there are 1400 ingredients that have been banned in the EU because they are known to be toxic. In the U.S., there are 12. We’re talking about ingredients that are known endocrine disrupters, cause genetic defects, and linked to cancer. In fact, even when consumers have reported adverse effects from products they are using, companies are not required by law to report these concerns to the FDA.
Huh!? This little tidbit made no sense at all to me! What is a personal care product? This class includes but is not limited to:
- Body wash
- Shampoos and Conditioners
- Cosmetics
- Lotions
- Deodorant
- Nail Polish
- Toothpaste
The fix: Switch to non-toxic alternatives.
We are lucky that right now there are a ton of products on the market that we can use instead. I personally make my own body and hair oil mixture and I swear by Dr. Bronner’s, which has products in almost all categories. But of course, EWG also has a guide for that called “Skin Deep.” Click here to access it.
Change Starts with You
Some of the scientists at the EWG Summit painted a bleak picture of our current system and standards for regulating food, home, and personal care products. But what they also shared was that we each have the power to educate ourselves and the people we love the most. I know that I’ll be sharing what I’ve learned with my family, my clients, and as many others as I can. Who will you reach out to with your new knowledge? And what small changes can you start implementing today that would make an impact on your health and wellness?
Let me know in the comments below 😉
Nadia