Dr. Brett Hill - Eat Think Move Chiropractic

We all know that our houses are full of toxic chemicals. Be they cleaning chemicals, bug sprays, detergents, personal care products, paints or garden sprays, they can contain some pretty nasty chemicals. So why doesn't it bother us?

Many people just assume that if they are allowed to be on our shelves, then they have been tested and shown to be safe. The reality is that many of these chemicals have been shown to be harmful on their own.

Chemicals such as phthalates, heavy metals and pesticides have been linked to everything from cancers and nerve damage to miscarriages and birth defects. And that is just what they can do on their own - we have no idea how harmful they may be in combination. You see, we tend to test all of these chemicals in isolation, but the reality of your average household is that you have an accumulation of many different chemicals. Whilst your body may be clever enough to deal with one of these alone, the cumulative effect may be way more than your body can handle.

So how can we cut down on these chemicals?

There are many products on the market now that can help you reduce the chemical load in your household, and of course there are some old fashioned remedies that will help as well. Things like lemon juice, vinegar and baking soda can be used in place of cleaning chemicals, and the Enjo range of cleaning products can help you to clean many surfaces without any cleaning products at all. Understanding the principles of organic gardening and companion planting can help you to greatly reduce the need for chemicals in the garden. And don't worry, you don't have to throw out all those personal care products and become a long-haired hippy just yet (unless you want to). There are plenty of products on the market right now that can help you do the same job, or even better, as your favourite old chemical cocktail.

So start reading the packets of your everyday household products (some of the names alone will be enough to scare you) and chuck out those nasty chemicals!