Tips for a Healthier Environment
I’m not taking credit for these suggestions. You can read EWG’s original article - 10 Everyday Pollution Solutions. I just wanted to list them here with some thoughts of my own.
- Use cast iron pans instead of nonstick. I have always hated the idea of Teflon. Even before knowing about the toxic, bird-killing gases. The fact is that the stuff comes off the pan. So you know you’re eating it. I recently bought some commercial grade muffin pans. They were all I could find that were not non-stick. Do you know that they actually clean up better than the non-stick variety?
- To avoid chemicals leaching into food, go easy on processed, canned or fast foods and never microwave plastic. Follow this link to read up on Bisphenol-A.
- Buy organic, or eat vegetables and fruit from the “Cleanest 12″ list. You can see a rating of 43 fruits and veggies at FoodNews.org. The 3 most commonly purchased in our house - apples, strawberries and spinach - are in the “worst 12″ grouping.
- Use iodized salt to combat chemical interference from the thyroid. Read more about rocket fuel contamination.
- Seal outdoor wooden structures.Is there arsenic in your backyard?
- Leave your shoes at the door. This cuts down on dust-bound pollutants in the home.
- Avoid perfume, cologne and products with added fragrance. What a great idea. Check the cosmetics database for safer products.
- Buy products with natural fibers, like cotton and wool, that are naturally fire resistant. Find products that are PBDE free.
- Eat low-mercury fish like tilapia & pollock, rather than high-mercury choices like tuna & swordfish. Check the Safe Fish List.
- Filter your water for drinking and cooking. What’s in your water?
