Without realising it, I started my journey to Conscious Living over 2 years ago!
I was frustrated with my boys diet of what seemed like endless supplies of fish and chips and bangers and mash. I was working full time and had an intense travel schedule and wanted to make sure I was stocking the kitchen with the right things so my husband or our nanny anyone could easily feed them healthy, real foods.
A close acquaintance gifted me Alexx Stuart’s book Low Tox Life and I read it cover to cover. I quickly learned the magnitude of environmental toxins in our every day life, across home cleaning products, personal care, textiles and much more, and realised I needed to change so much more than just the food in our fridge.
Whilst I wanted to do everything at once (which is impossible and overwhelming by the way), I ended up starting with scent, or rather, ridding our home and my life of any fake smells!
For those of you, like me, who love scented candles and perfume, please take note. There is something called Phthalates, which is a plasticiser compound that is used to extend the length of these fragrances. Unfortunately, Phthalate exposure has been found to:
- effect the reproductive system and sex organs, specifically male babies – on average 50% less sperm count than 50 years ago!
- increase the risk of allergic diseases
- increase the risk of pregnancy loss and / or gestational diabetes
I know what you’re thinking… How is this allowed? Sadly, it is. But, instead of focusing on the past, let’s focus on the good news and what we can do going forward.
The good news is that we can rid our bodies of Phthalates so the quickest detox is simply removing these items from our every day life.
As with everything, the first step is awareness. I started to take note of everything in my home that listed in the ingredients Fragrance or Parfum (aka Phthalates). The list was vast and all encompassing, candles, room sprays, perfumes, inexpensive AND expensive personal care products, even in the boys baby lotion.
Once I was aware I started to swap brands, and in some cases, stopped using the product altogether. Over the past 2 years, I have ditched the scented stuff and transitioned to more natural products. Is my home 100% free of synthetic smells? Probably not at all times, but it is MUCH better than it was!
Practical Recommendations
Take stock of all your synthetic fragrances in your home – including candles, scented room sprays and personal care products.
Read labels on everything. Just a little tip, if it says Parfum without any reference to Natural Essential Oils, then it is most likely fake!
Discover natural essential oils and use them creatively to scent your home, as well as your body. (I.e. Place a few drops of your favourite essential oil on the inside of a lou roll for Instant Bathroom scent!)
For more information, read this study HERE