Your home is your castle. It is where you feel the safest and where you keep your family safe. The last thing you want to do is bring anything that could cause you or your family harm, into your home. But what you might not know about some of the everyday products you buy and bring home might surprise you.

What To Avoid

Here is a list of the 11 ways you might be bringing harm into your home and how to quickly cut them out.

Cleaning Products

Commercial cleaning products contain toxins and chemicals that are harmful to our bodies. They pollute the air inside our homes and can be absorbed into our bodies through our skin. To avoid this, make your own cleaning products! They are safe and use only all natural products.

Toothpaste

Conventional toothpastes can be toxic. Most toothpastes and mouthwashes are filled with fluoride, triclosan, artificial flavors and colors, all of which do harm to your body. There are many natural versions of these products that you can buy in stores, or you can make your very own natural options.

Air Fresheners

There are many popular air fresheners that claim to clear the smell and clean the air in your home. But these canned, synthetic sprays are full of chemicals that have been linked to an increased risk of breast cancer. Cut that risk out by making your own homemade air cleaner.

Body Care Products

Most common body care products contain parabens, sodium lauryl sulfate, and oxybenzone. These are just some of the toxins that are in these products that can disrupt your hormones and create major health concerns. Out of the 80,000 plus chemicals commonly used, only a fraction have gone through testing for human toxicity. Don’t be a guinea pig! Make your own body care products at home.

Non-Stick Pans, Plastic Containers, and Canned Food

Non-stick pans are often coated with toxic teflon, which can leech into your foods when they are heated over time. Plastic containers also contain harmful toxins that can be transferred into your food, and cans contain BPA that contaminate the foods within them. Use long lasting cast iron pans to cook, glass containers to store food, and fresh produce over canned vegetables.

Take Off Your Shoes

If you want to keep toxins out of your home, don’t bring them in with you. Leave your shoes and boots at the door. They can pick up soil, pesticides, chemicals, and toxins and you can track them all over your home.

Don’t Eat Toxins

While the thought of eating carcinogens sounds disgusting and like something we would never do, it actually happens quite a bit. When we eat factory-farmed, processed foods we are ingesting harmful toxins. Switch to unprocessed, organic, foods to eliminate toxins from your diet and change the course of your long-term health.

Filter Your Water

The water in our homes can contain harmful chemicals like arsenic, fluoride, and chlorine. The best way to avoid these toxins is to filter your drinking and bathing water. You can have individual filters for both purposes, or install a home water filter as well.

Sleep Clean

You could be inhaling chemicals while you sleep and not even know it! A plastic slip cover on your mattress could be the cause. Avoid any exposure by using an organic topper and better yet, buy a mattress that is made of organic natural latex, cotton, or wool.

Ditch The Synthetics

Synthetic sheets, comforters and wall-to-wall carpeting are made from petrochemicals and often are treated with chemical flame-retardants. No one should be sleeping in that, and cutting them out is easy. Switch to bedding made of  unbleached, organic cotton, linen, wool or down and trade synthetic carpet for sustainable materials like organic sisal or bamboo floor coverings.

Cut The Cord

Electric blankets are filled with wires and cords that make sleeping under one like being wrapped in a full-body antenna. This leaves you exposed to harmful EMFs, which is totally unnecessary. Layer up in the winter to cut on energy and EMFs, and use wool blankets which are great for insulation.

With these simple steps you can protect your home and family from invading toxins, keeping you all healthy and happy!

SOURCE: http://www.mindbodygreen.com/0-10654/11-ways-to-keep-your-home-a-cancer-free-zone.html