So I recently have gotten WAY too into essential oils & gearing my life towards a more chemical & preservative free, holistic path. This includes replacing medicine with oils and herbs, making my own deodorant, toothpaste, and moisturizers, etc. Yeah, I know, it’s hippie shiz, but whatevs.

Throughout this process, I have come to realize that nobody has your best interest at hand except YOU. Believe it or not, even the most innocent looking companies are in the game to make money. This means that they WILL sacrifice your health and well-being for cash. People don’t start businesses & sell products as a hobby. They do it in hopes of creating a huge, self-sustaining empire for themselves. If they weren’t in it to make money, then they’d be non-profit companies.

Incase you still don’t get it, here is a simple diagram to help you better understand what this looks like:

Non-Profit: Doing good things and getting nothing in exchange.

Corporations: Hiding under the facade that they care about you, when really, they’re just fooling you and collecting your cash.

Now, this may be as painful as me telling you there is no Santa Clause, so bear with me….

EVEN IF SOMETHING SAYS IT’S “ALL NATURAL”, “PLANT BASED”, AND “ECO-FRIENDLY”, IT STILL MOST LIKELY DOESN’T MEAN IT’S GOOD FOR YOU.

Translation: Companies want the first thing you see on their bottle to be something positive. This is why they plaster these awesome labels all over their products. It’s all one big distraction to keep your eyes away from the ingredients list and furthermore, the almighty Google. They think that if they put “all natural” on the front of their package, you’ll think it’s safe. YES, they think you’re THAT dumb. Guess what? They fool millions of people into this scam every single day (me being one of them at one point).

Greenworks…sounds really great, right? Guess what? It’s from the makers of Clorox. They also put preservatives in their products and still claim it’s “all natural”

The word “natural” is being abused a lot these days. Just because something is natural, doesn’t mean it’s healthy or safe! For instance, Cyanide and Opium are natural substances, but we all know they’re not good for you! Companies are using things that are oh so dangerous for your health and long term well-being, and marketing themselves as “family companies”. I call bullshit. It doesn’t stop at cleaning supplies, folks. They’re marketing food, baby products, beauty products, etc., this way too. Here are a couple of examples:

“all natural” popcorn

Popcorn ingredients: mixed tocopherols (for freshness) LOLOLOL!

“all natural” bean dip

bean dip ingredients: corn maltodextrin….yeah, so natural!

The reason they get away with this, is because the FDA allows them to claim that because corn is natural, anything derived from it is also considered natural. That’s like me dipping an apple in a vat of shit and claiming it’s still edible.

Here are some SCARY facts about store-bought household cleaning supplies & Air Fresheners:

 1. They contain chemicals that can be more dangerous than the germs themselves. The risks are compounded when the cleansers are used in small, poorly ventilated rooms, such as the bathroom. 

2. A study was published in the American Journal of Respiratory and Critical Care Medicine, dated 6/21/07, which found that the use of spray cleaners in general greatly increases the risk of contracting asthma.

3. Researchers in Barcelona, Spain found that test subjects who used spray cleaners at least once a week had a 30%-50% greater chance of developing this respiratory disease and concluded that as many as one in seven cases of adult asthma could be blamed on exposure to spray cleaners. The study singled out conventional glass cleaners, furniture sprays, and air fresheners as particularly likely to trigger the ailment. 

4. Chemical levels can be up to 70 times higher inside the home than out.

5. Over 100 chemicals commonly found in homes have been linked to allergies, birth defects, cancer, psychological abnormalities, skin reactions, headaches, depression, joint pain, chronic fatigue, chest pains, dizziness, loss of sleep, asthma. . .the list goes on.

6. One study even states that housewives have a 55% higher risk of getting cancer than do women working outside the home. This most likely has to do with the products they use on a daily basis. 

7. Many common household cleaning products are actually classified as hazardous waste

8. Studies have found that synthetic air fresheners coat our homes and fill our air with unsafe chemicals. Used in 75% of American households, air fresheners are big business, generating sales of about $1.72 billion a year. These products don’t actually eliminate odors but merely use one of several strategies to make you think they’ve vanished

9. Some products simply cover up bad smells with stronger chemicals. Others use a nerve-deadening agent to reduce your ability to smell in the first place; some even coat the inside of your nasal passages with a film that stops smells from getting through <–SICK!

10. The federal government neither tests air fresheners nor requires manufacturers to list product ingredients or adhere to any specific safety standards.

Now that I’ve scared the piss out of you, you’re probably wondering how to combat all of this negativity. 

It’s easy. MAKE your own stuff, and stop buying that shiz at the grocery store! It’s way cheaper & safer, anyway. I will be posting recipes VERY soon on how to make your own laundry detergent, air fresheners, deodorant, etc! Stay Tuned. In the meantime, I leave you with a glossary of commonly used ingredients and their definitions:

Acids and Alkalis-Alkalis are soluble salts that are effective in removing dirt without excessive rubbing. Alkalis vary in strength; the stronger one cause burns, and if swallowed can cause internal injuries and even death. Acids are beneficial in removing hard-water deposits, discoloration and rust stains. Acids can irritate and injure the skin and eyes. Oxalic acid, used in some toilet bowl cleaners, is extremely poisonous. 

Chlorine Bleach/Hydrocarbons/ and Ammonia, are all volatile chemicals or known carcinogens and are commonly found in household cleaners.

Phthalates (pronounced thal-ates), are hazardous chemicals found in many common cleaning products and are known to cause hormonal abnormalities, birth defects and reproductive problems. Diethyl phthalate is a known endocrine-disrupting chemical (which can interfere with normal growth and development).  

Phosphates, used in most detergents, are found in dish and laundry soaps and pollute our lakes, streams and drinking water.

Synthetic Frangrance or Dyes,- Toluene, a chemical found in some stain removers, has been classified by the EPA as a carcinogen — and studies have linked it to neurological problems and birth defects. 

Aerosol sprays, many contain flammable and nerve-damaging ingredients such as hexane and xylene. Also, aerosol sprays produce mist particles that can contain a high proportion of organic solvents - these solvents can be inhaled into the lungs and enter the bloodstream. 

Stay tuned

Lisa O