When DH and I were choosing items for our wedding registry, we didn't give a thought to which things were safer and better for cooking. We picked whatever looked the coolest and nicest. The first time we ever questioned our cookware was when we were given a George Foreman indoor grill. We loved using it and used it often. Then we started hearing about how Teflon products were carcinogenic. We learned that while the nonstick Teflon coating is reportedly safe, if it chips at all it can get into the food and be ingested (and from my own experience I've found that Teflon seems to chip pretty easily). The FDA stated that these ingested chips wouldn't cause harm, but when have I ever fully trusted the FDA anyway, considering that they allow saccharin and aspartame on the market? We felt convinced that we should avoid Teflon just to be safe, so we got rid of our indoor grill (and missed it for a while...but got over it!).
I found several lists on the internet determining the pros and cons for different kinds of cookware and concluded that the best options are hard-anodized aluminum, cast iron, glass (Pyrex), and stoneware. I certainly was relieved to find out that, quite unknowingly, DH and I had chosen hard-anodized aluminum pots and pans by Calphalon for our wedding registry years before. It was nice to know these expensive items wouldn't have to be replaced.
But what about bakeware? I still had nonstick cookie sheets and a cheap, rusted cooling rack. There had to be something better for baking. I discussed this with my cousin and she mentioned that Pampered Chef has a line of stoneware products. A visit to their website confirmed this. I was giddy with excitement as I browsed all the options! My cousin then suggested I have a Pampered Chef party so that I could get discounts on the products I wanted. Genius! I did just that, and before long I was the happy owner of some lovely stoneware pieces, which have proven to be some of our favorite kitchen items.
We use our round mini bakers practically everyday. The round pizza stone gets used at least once a week, if not more. Any time I bake muffins I use the stone muffin pan. The fluted mini bundt pan is an item I especially love. I don't use it incredibly often, but when I do use it I have so much fun! I was a little intimidated at first, thinking stoneware would take a lot of maintenance, but I've found that it is easy to clean and the more you use it, the more it naturally become nonstick.
If you are interested in purchasing stoneware, I suggest making sure you are getting it from a reputable place, where they can state in writing that no lead is used. I know there are sometimes cute and inexpensive pans and dishes at discount stores. Unfortunately, these are more than likely laden with lead (the same goes for tableware, cups and mugs).
I don't own any cast iron items yet, but I plan to get a large cast iron griddle that can cover the length of two burners on my stove. With my family growing as it is, I'm going to need something big for when I cook multiple burgers, pancakes, french toast, grilled sandwiches, quesadillas and more!
Showing posts with label A Healthier Home. Show all posts
Showing posts with label A Healthier Home. Show all posts
Friday, September 21, 2007
Monday, September 17, 2007
A Healthier Home Part III - Cleaning Products
If I wanted to have a healthier home I knew I needed to reevaluate my cleaning products. I was certain that the products I was using were toxic and dangerous. And even if I did store them out of reach of my children, how was I to know what harm they were causing just by using them in my home? It was, and still is, an ongoing process, as I look for the best and the most affordable products. There are so many natural, non-toxic cleaning products out there, but many of them are expensive. I've had to try to find the right balance for our budget.
A product I've been using for a long time is Simple Green. I like how versatile it is, and that I can buy it in bulk and make up a spray bottle of it as needed. A more expensive product that I've tried is Seventh Generation's all purpose cleaner. When I first started using it I wondered if it was really doing anything because it didn't have a very "clean" scent like I was used to with the old products. We really do associate cleanliness with a strong smell (or at least I do!). I decided I'd just have to get over this association and know that if I was diligently cleaning my bathrooms once a week, even if they didn't smell like bathroom cleaner, they were still clean. This cleaner also didn't foam up and look impressive on the porcelain. If it wasn't foaming, was it truly cleaning? Yet again I knew I needed to get rid of the association. I eventually stopped using Seventh Generation because I couldn't afford it. Although looking on their website today I see they have coupons you can sign up for, so maybe I'll give them a try again!
Eventually I found Method cleaning products at Target. They were affordable and they were advertised as being non-toxic, safe around children, and safe for the environment, comprised mostly of natural ingredients you can pronounce. For this time in my life with the budget I'm on, this sounds perfect. I've been happy with Method products and feel comfortable using them while pregnant, and using them around my children.
Finally, I wanted to discuss something I think many of us don't even think about - dish detergent. I began to think about this when we moved into a house with a dishwasher and started using it on a regular basis. Every once in awhile there would be some residue from the detergent left on a plate or in a cup. I thought about the fact that we eat off of these things, so we should probably pay a little more attention to what we use to clean them. As seems to be the case with pretty much everything these days, there are plenty of alternative detergents out there that don't contain dangerous, toxic chemicals. We've been using Trader Joe's automatic dishwasher detergent for several years now and it has worked well for us (we also use Trader Joe's dish soap for hand-washing). A Google search will take you to all kinds of options. One concerned mom wrote an informative article about the dangers of dish detergent (among other household products), especially where children are concerned, here.
About a year ago I hosted a Pampered Chef party and I remember the consultant saying to all of us: "Did you know that your dish detergent is the most caustic thing in your house?" I was glad to know that we were using a safe alternative already when I heard that!
A product I've been using for a long time is Simple Green. I like how versatile it is, and that I can buy it in bulk and make up a spray bottle of it as needed. A more expensive product that I've tried is Seventh Generation's all purpose cleaner. When I first started using it I wondered if it was really doing anything because it didn't have a very "clean" scent like I was used to with the old products. We really do associate cleanliness with a strong smell (or at least I do!). I decided I'd just have to get over this association and know that if I was diligently cleaning my bathrooms once a week, even if they didn't smell like bathroom cleaner, they were still clean. This cleaner also didn't foam up and look impressive on the porcelain. If it wasn't foaming, was it truly cleaning? Yet again I knew I needed to get rid of the association. I eventually stopped using Seventh Generation because I couldn't afford it. Although looking on their website today I see they have coupons you can sign up for, so maybe I'll give them a try again!
Eventually I found Method cleaning products at Target. They were affordable and they were advertised as being non-toxic, safe around children, and safe for the environment, comprised mostly of natural ingredients you can pronounce. For this time in my life with the budget I'm on, this sounds perfect. I've been happy with Method products and feel comfortable using them while pregnant, and using them around my children.
Finally, I wanted to discuss something I think many of us don't even think about - dish detergent. I began to think about this when we moved into a house with a dishwasher and started using it on a regular basis. Every once in awhile there would be some residue from the detergent left on a plate or in a cup. I thought about the fact that we eat off of these things, so we should probably pay a little more attention to what we use to clean them. As seems to be the case with pretty much everything these days, there are plenty of alternative detergents out there that don't contain dangerous, toxic chemicals. We've been using Trader Joe's automatic dishwasher detergent for several years now and it has worked well for us (we also use Trader Joe's dish soap for hand-washing). A Google search will take you to all kinds of options. One concerned mom wrote an informative article about the dangers of dish detergent (among other household products), especially where children are concerned, here.
About a year ago I hosted a Pampered Chef party and I remember the consultant saying to all of us: "Did you know that your dish detergent is the most caustic thing in your house?" I was glad to know that we were using a safe alternative already when I heard that!
Wednesday, September 12, 2007
A Healthier Home Part II - Body Care
While evaluating the many products I was using in my home, I also started looking at the things I was using on my own body and on my children's bodies. The lists of ingredients on my shampoo, conditioner, lotion, deodorant and toothpaste were surprisingly long and filled with words I'd never seen before. What exactly was I putting on my body?
For years I'd picked out the body products that smelled the best or had the prettiest packaging, without giving a single thought to the ingredients. My shampoo had to be okay, right? It was cucumber melon scented! A scan of the ingredients showed me there wasn't even a hint of cucumber or melon in the shampoo. It was time to do some more research. I learned that a common ingredient in shampoos, soaps and toothpastes is sodium laurel sulfate (or variations of that), which creates a nice foaming effect. While there is still controversy surrounding SLS, many studies have shown that it has a carcinogenic effect. It didn't take me long to decide I didn't want to use a cancer-causing chemical all over my body. It seems some companies already recognize the potential dangers of SLS, and even advertise their products as being "sodium laurel sulfate-free!" There really are plenty of natural body and hair cleansers out there if you look in the right places (Trader Joes stores carry their own nice shampoos and conditioners, and then of course the usual health food stores have them). Try brands like JASON and Avalon Organics for a start.
What about deodorant? My parents were the first in my family to read about the problems with aluminum in antiperspirants. Aluminum is coming up more and more in studies about Alzheimer's, and many other diseases as well. I recommend using a deodorant without antiperspirant. Yes, you will actually sweat, but the deodorant should take care of odor. I know the idea of sweating is very undesirable for many, but when you think about it, isn't that what our bodies were designed to do? Is stopping our body from doing something natural like sweating causing more problems than we even realize? I think it's very possible.
As for cosmetics, I used the cheapest makeup I could find for years - usually Cover Girl products. Once again, during pregnancy, I re-evaluated what I was using on my skin (pregnancy is so great for making you think about how you are taking care of your body!). The ingredients in my makeup didn't look so good. I saw aluminum on the list, along with many, many other chemical names and artificial fragrances and colors. I know our skin is absorbent, so that meant my skin was probably absorbing those chemicals. This was an extra concern to me due to a health problem I had developed over the course of several years that ended up requiring a very serious and major surgery. This experience caused me to want the most natural of products on my skin, since no one truly knows the effects all these synthetic ingredients can have underneath the skin, in our organs and glands. I thank my mom for discovering bareMinerals makeup, with their great slogan: "Make-up so pure you can sleep in it." That's exactly what I was looking for! It costs a lot more than my Cover Girl products did, but it lasts an incredibly long time. And it's pure and made of minerals. I love it! There are lots of other natural make-ups out there. Debra Lynn Dadd has a great list of natural body products on her website.
Toothpaste was one item we struggled with for a while, trying everything from brushing our teeth with natural soap (not a pleasant experience!) and tooth powder (okay, but rather difficult to use). We finally settled on JASON toothpaste for us and Weleda Children's Tooth Gel for the boys. I can't say enough about how great Weleda products are for babies and children! The tooth gel is fantastic, and we also love their diaper rash cream and calendula baby cream. Our family doctor told me she thinks the calendula cream is a wonder product! I couldn't agree more. Toosht had some really bad cradle cap during his first few months. I started applying this cream and it helped so much, plus, he loved having it rubbed on his head and face. He got this look of total bliss as DH or I would massage it into his soft, sensitive skin.
Since I was spending a lot more time in health stores, I was noticing a common phrase on many body products - "paraben free." I assumed parabens must not be good if companies were boasting that they were free of them. I learned that parabens are chemical preservatives widely used in the cosmetic and pharmaceutical industries. Much like SLS, there is controversy about whether parabens really are dangerous. Here is one article warning of possible links to breast cancer.
We can't be completely sure that these chemicals are harming us, but why not avoid them if we can? It makes sense that the closer we are to nature, the better off we will be. Our bodies are natural, after all!
For years I'd picked out the body products that smelled the best or had the prettiest packaging, without giving a single thought to the ingredients. My shampoo had to be okay, right? It was cucumber melon scented! A scan of the ingredients showed me there wasn't even a hint of cucumber or melon in the shampoo. It was time to do some more research. I learned that a common ingredient in shampoos, soaps and toothpastes is sodium laurel sulfate (or variations of that), which creates a nice foaming effect. While there is still controversy surrounding SLS, many studies have shown that it has a carcinogenic effect. It didn't take me long to decide I didn't want to use a cancer-causing chemical all over my body. It seems some companies already recognize the potential dangers of SLS, and even advertise their products as being "sodium laurel sulfate-free!" There really are plenty of natural body and hair cleansers out there if you look in the right places (Trader Joes stores carry their own nice shampoos and conditioners, and then of course the usual health food stores have them). Try brands like JASON and Avalon Organics for a start.
What about deodorant? My parents were the first in my family to read about the problems with aluminum in antiperspirants. Aluminum is coming up more and more in studies about Alzheimer's, and many other diseases as well. I recommend using a deodorant without antiperspirant. Yes, you will actually sweat, but the deodorant should take care of odor. I know the idea of sweating is very undesirable for many, but when you think about it, isn't that what our bodies were designed to do? Is stopping our body from doing something natural like sweating causing more problems than we even realize? I think it's very possible.
As for cosmetics, I used the cheapest makeup I could find for years - usually Cover Girl products. Once again, during pregnancy, I re-evaluated what I was using on my skin (pregnancy is so great for making you think about how you are taking care of your body!). The ingredients in my makeup didn't look so good. I saw aluminum on the list, along with many, many other chemical names and artificial fragrances and colors. I know our skin is absorbent, so that meant my skin was probably absorbing those chemicals. This was an extra concern to me due to a health problem I had developed over the course of several years that ended up requiring a very serious and major surgery. This experience caused me to want the most natural of products on my skin, since no one truly knows the effects all these synthetic ingredients can have underneath the skin, in our organs and glands. I thank my mom for discovering bareMinerals makeup, with their great slogan: "Make-up so pure you can sleep in it." That's exactly what I was looking for! It costs a lot more than my Cover Girl products did, but it lasts an incredibly long time. And it's pure and made of minerals. I love it! There are lots of other natural make-ups out there. Debra Lynn Dadd has a great list of natural body products on her website.
Toothpaste was one item we struggled with for a while, trying everything from brushing our teeth with natural soap (not a pleasant experience!) and tooth powder (okay, but rather difficult to use). We finally settled on JASON toothpaste for us and Weleda Children's Tooth Gel for the boys. I can't say enough about how great Weleda products are for babies and children! The tooth gel is fantastic, and we also love their diaper rash cream and calendula baby cream. Our family doctor told me she thinks the calendula cream is a wonder product! I couldn't agree more. Toosht had some really bad cradle cap during his first few months. I started applying this cream and it helped so much, plus, he loved having it rubbed on his head and face. He got this look of total bliss as DH or I would massage it into his soft, sensitive skin.
Since I was spending a lot more time in health stores, I was noticing a common phrase on many body products - "paraben free." I assumed parabens must not be good if companies were boasting that they were free of them. I learned that parabens are chemical preservatives widely used in the cosmetic and pharmaceutical industries. Much like SLS, there is controversy about whether parabens really are dangerous. Here is one article warning of possible links to breast cancer.
We can't be completely sure that these chemicals are harming us, but why not avoid them if we can? It makes sense that the closer we are to nature, the better off we will be. Our bodies are natural, after all!
Monday, September 10, 2007
A Healthier Home Part I - Fabric Softener
I've come to realize that I will never be able to take away all the potentially dangerous toxins from my home. A millionaire could do it, but an average family can't possibly afford to create a totally "green" home. And even so, it still wouldn't stop the neighbors from continuing to use products that include chemicals. In the world we live in, we can't avoid exposure to bad things, and we would go crazy if we tried to protect ourselves from every single cancer and disease causing agent in existence. This is why we can rely on God to be our ultimate protector!
That said, I do still believe there are some easy and practical things any family can do to create a healthier environment.
I first started putting more thought into this when I was pregnant with baby #1. As I cleaned my bathrooms, I looked at my cleaning products with new eyes. As I did laundry, I read the ingredients on the detergent for the first time. I was most definitely using products that contained strong chemicals. Common sense told me the strong, eye-watering and stinging scents coming from these products couldn't possibly be good for me to breathe or absorb into my skin. And how much more harmful would chemicals like these be for babies and children?
The first thing I stopped was my use of fabric softener. Research quickly showed me that this seemingly harmless product that millions of Americans use weekly is filled with chemicals, coloring, and artificial fragrance. I think many people are very attached to their fabric softeners. They've come to love the mountain fresh or spring rain smell of their laundry as they pull it out of the dryer, and they carry that smell around on them all day like a perfume when they wear their laundered and fabric-softened clothes.
There are all kinds of articles that describe the dangers of fabric softener use. Here is one I particularly like, because it also provides alternative ideas for those who are still concerned with static cling.
When I stopped using fabric softener I started noticing other people's fabric softener scents on their clothes, and I couldn't believe how strong the scent was, nor how artificial it smelled. Over time my nose had grown accustomed to the potent scent of my own fabric softener so that it was barely recognizable to me, but once I stopped using it, I sometimes felt overpowered by other people's fabric softeners. It no longer seemed pleasant to smell.
I did, however, desire my laundry to have some scent, and it wasn't long before I found some lovely bags filled with dried lavender flowers, made especially for use in the dryer. I love these bags, and I know even a person with the most limited of sewing skills could make her own. My laundry comes out smelling lightly and subtly like a meadow filled with lavender. It's not overpowering in any way, and to me that seems so much more natural and desirable to have on clothing that I will wear all day, or on towels I will use on my own body or on my boys' bodies.
As for static cling, I don't seem to have that problem very often with my laundry, but there are lots of homemade fabric softener recipes out there. I've tried one of them and liked it, but haven't made it lately since I don't use it on a regular basis. I may have to mix up a new batch as fall begins and I notice more static in my clothing.
Here's the recipe:
That said, I do still believe there are some easy and practical things any family can do to create a healthier environment.
I first started putting more thought into this when I was pregnant with baby #1. As I cleaned my bathrooms, I looked at my cleaning products with new eyes. As I did laundry, I read the ingredients on the detergent for the first time. I was most definitely using products that contained strong chemicals. Common sense told me the strong, eye-watering and stinging scents coming from these products couldn't possibly be good for me to breathe or absorb into my skin. And how much more harmful would chemicals like these be for babies and children?
The first thing I stopped was my use of fabric softener. Research quickly showed me that this seemingly harmless product that millions of Americans use weekly is filled with chemicals, coloring, and artificial fragrance. I think many people are very attached to their fabric softeners. They've come to love the mountain fresh or spring rain smell of their laundry as they pull it out of the dryer, and they carry that smell around on them all day like a perfume when they wear their laundered and fabric-softened clothes.
There are all kinds of articles that describe the dangers of fabric softener use. Here is one I particularly like, because it also provides alternative ideas for those who are still concerned with static cling.
When I stopped using fabric softener I started noticing other people's fabric softener scents on their clothes, and I couldn't believe how strong the scent was, nor how artificial it smelled. Over time my nose had grown accustomed to the potent scent of my own fabric softener so that it was barely recognizable to me, but once I stopped using it, I sometimes felt overpowered by other people's fabric softeners. It no longer seemed pleasant to smell.
I did, however, desire my laundry to have some scent, and it wasn't long before I found some lovely bags filled with dried lavender flowers, made especially for use in the dryer. I love these bags, and I know even a person with the most limited of sewing skills could make her own. My laundry comes out smelling lightly and subtly like a meadow filled with lavender. It's not overpowering in any way, and to me that seems so much more natural and desirable to have on clothing that I will wear all day, or on towels I will use on my own body or on my boys' bodies.
As for static cling, I don't seem to have that problem very often with my laundry, but there are lots of homemade fabric softener recipes out there. I've tried one of them and liked it, but haven't made it lately since I don't use it on a regular basis. I may have to mix up a new batch as fall begins and I notice more static in my clothing.
Here's the recipe:
Homemade Fabric Softener
In a recycled gallon sized vinegar jug add 2 cups baking soda and 2 cups distilled white vinegar. When mixture finishes foaming, add 4 cups of hot water and essential oils to desired strength. (Try using 20 drops each of lavender and lemon.) Shake before each use and add about 1 cup for large loads in the rinse cycle. Essential oils can be found at health food stores locally and of course on the internet. They are a bit expensive but last a very long time.
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