Many of us are just waking up to how toxic certain elements of modern life are. We’re starting to realise that we need to make changes to our lifestyles and the products we use to help ensure our health.
Writing for the Guardian recently, Katie Wells, founder and CEO of WellnessMama.com, explained when she realised that she needed to make changes to her lifestyle for the good of her health and her child’s.
She revealed that she was inspired to make changes after reading an article while waiting for her six-week follow-up appointment following the birth of her first child. 12 years ago she read that children born then would be the first generation to have a shorter life expectancy than their parents.
This encouraged Ms Wells to explore why, and that’s resulted in her becoming a trusted wellness guru who provides evidence-based advice that’s reviewed by medical experts. She explained that we use dangerous chemicals in our homes, in everything from cleaning products to cosmetics.
But the good news is that there are some simple steps we can take to improve things. Ms Wells’ first piece of advice is to have a good night’s sleep. She recommends installing blackout blinds and avoiding using screens for 45 minutes before you go to bed. Dimming the lights is also a good way to get your body ready for rest.
Getting rid of the plastic in our lives is also an important step. Make sure you avoid single use plastic and invest in things like reusable water bottles instead. “Plastic certainly is convenient, but it contains hormone-disrupting chemicals like BPA and phthalates,” she stated.
Another area that we should look at to improve our health is our beauty and care products. “If making the switch to natural products feels overwhelming, try switching out just one item in your home a month,” Ms Wells suggested.
If you’re a parent, a good place to start could be with natural baby care products. There’s a growing range of baby shampoos, balms and lotions that are made using natural ingredients and that are free from potentially harmful chemicals.
Earlier this year, a number of experts offered their advice on the top products to use for babies in The Strategist. They also provided some tips about which ingredients you should look out for and avoid when you’re buying things like baby soaps and shampoos.
Dermatologist Dr Rachel Nazarian said that parents should aim to avoid “parabens, fragrance, alcohol and formaldehyde” because all of these things can irritate a baby’s skin.
Instead, she suggested using products that contain ingredients including aloe, coconut oil, shea butter and ceramide, because these are all “calming and soothing to delicate baby’s skin”.
Jess Hartshorn, entertainment editor at Parents Magazine, told the news provider that while natural ingredients are good, you should still look for products that have been specially formulated for babies.
This is because a baby’s skin absorbs a lot of the products you put on it very quickly, which means some all-natural products that are used by adults can be too harsh for their delicate skin.