Dangerous Chemicals and Where They're Hiding

There are so many things to discuss when I get to see my clients that sometimes we get to the topic of household and environmental chemicals but usually we’re jumping to other topics.

There seems to be surprise when I start to talk about the dangers of certain chemicals that we use on a daily basis in our homes. There is the assumption that because it is available for sale, it must have gone through rigorous testing and be safe. Unfortunately, that’s not true. In 1959, there was a study done at Stanford University that found that a group of chemicals called PFAS bind to proteins in human blood. In 1965, they did another study that found the PFAS can cause liver damage and enlarged spleens in rats. There have been numerous studies done since then about the dangers of PFAS and how they are found in our organs, but unfortunately, the chemicals are still on the market and we buy them in the form of Teflon and non-stick pans.

Laundry detergents and especially fabric softeners and dryer sheets have been shown to cause irritation to the lungs, irritation to the nervous system and can cause headaches and dizziness.

Fragrances and candles can also be a source of harmful chemicals. Your cozy candle that smells like pumpkin spice is full of chemicals that are toxic to the nervous system.

Johnson & Johnson has recalled 33,000 bottles of Baby Powder after the FDA found trace amounts of asbestos. This comes after they’ve faced thousands of lawsuits because a few of their ingredients can cause cancer.

So now that I’ve officially scared you, now we can discuss the alternatives. I’ve talked before about my love of natural cleaning products and you can read about them.

If you aren’t sure of what you should change out first, I would suggest the laundry room. Start by throwing out your fabric softener and dryer sheets and using wool dryer balls instead.

The next step would be to get rid of any candles or fragrances. I use diffusers with essential oils to keep my house from smelling too stale. And bonus, they give you health benefits as well.

After that, I would start to change over my cleaners. If you don’t want to invest in some Thieves Cleaner, grab a bottle of vinegar and some baking soda.

Start small and work your way through your cupboards until you’re sure that what you’re using for you and your family is safe!

Children and Cooking

I posted a picture of my daughter cooking us dinner on my Instagram a I got quite a few comments. My oldest daughter is 9 years old and she loves cooking. All three of my children love helping me out in the kitchen. They love helping me meal plan, choose the ingredients, stir everything together, and best of all, they love to eat everything they make.

There are so many kids out there that are picky eaters. It’s one of the big questions I get. One of the simplest things that you can do to get your child to expand their diet from chicken fingers and french fries, is to teach them how to cook.

Here are my reasons for getting kids more involved in the kitchen:

1. It teaches them about healthy eating. They’re more apt to eat healthier foods if they have had a part in making the meal. This can depend on the age. When my children were younger, I had them setting the table and making a salad. As they’ve gotten older, they started measuring ingredients for me. As they became more confident with knives and cutting, they started chopping vegetables and putting everything together in the bowls and pots.

2. It creates good values around food. Some of my favourite memories growing up were around our big kitchen table. I grew up in a large family and dinnertime could last anywhere from 30 minutes to 2 hours. We learned how to carry on conversations, enjoy our food, and create relationships around that big table.

3. They are more likely to carry these values on into adulthood. There are quite a few studies that show how important meal times are for families. They can help prevent depression, anxiety and eating disorders, especially for young girls but also for boys.

4. When they cook the meal, they will try lots of different foods. I have been able to get my kids to try so many different types of foods and flavours because they’ve put them together. Their current favourite soup is Masala Lentil Soup with lots of spices and flavours. I’m not sure they would have been interested in it if they hadn’t put it together themselves.

5. It prepares them for adulthood. I have so many clients and friends who don’t know how to cook. To me, this is so sad because it’s a life skill! Being able to feed yourself properly is such an essential part of living, but unfortunately most adults can’t do this and are limited to sticking a pizza in the oven. If you teach your kids how to cook when they’re younger, they’ll enjoy it and continue it on in to adulthood and eventually thank you for preparing them for the real world!

If you’re unsure of where to start, I would suggest going to your local book store and buying a recipe book that is appropriate for your child’s age. I bought my kids their first cookbooks when they were four and we still pull our favourite recipes from those books! Take them grocery shopping and get an idea of what they’d be interested in making. Even baking cookies together teaches them about the importance of measuring and temperature times. Resist the urge to do it all yourself because it’s easier. I promise it will get easier and less messy as you go along!

Are there any recipes that you and your family love to make? I’m always looking for new ones!

Did you learn to cook as a child? Let me know in the comments below.