Stop and Smell the People

Hairy armpits anyone?

Now, I am not much for granola, hairy armpits or wearing clothes that were better left in the 70s… but if you can’t beat ‘em, join ‘em…. ‘cept for the un-necessarily excessive body hair and hemp moo-moos. If given a choice and a big fat wallet, I am going Jimmy Choo over Birkenstock.

I feel like I have been through an all out mommy assault. First, the new enormous study that is showing a link between pesticides and ADHD in children (the suspects are contaminated fruits, veggies, chemical laden front yards, etc.) rocked my world. Then CNN’s medical unit filed a report about toxins making it into the womb (suspects include household cleaning chemicals, air pollution, beauty products, personal care products, etc.). The concern is that the chemicals are interrupting brain development and the way our hormones function… two areas I really don’t want tinkered with. And I can’t leave out the fact that there is BPA in some of our canned food and drink containers.

Then the Gulf…  It makes me absolutely sick that we are poisoning our oceans. So without getting on a soapbox. I’ll just tell you about the changes I am making ASAP… it’s not perfect, but I feel much better.

1) Household chemical cleaners are OUT – I clean with vinegar, lemon and baking soda… and everything is just as clean, even the bathtubs (though it does require more elbow grease). I am also dusting and sweeping as often as I can, research suggests that many of these chemicals from fire retardant furniture, building materials, etc. settle into the dust. Upside? Mopping with vinegar and water really makes your floors shine! And smell like a house salad!

2) Shoes stop at the front door. No more tracking in pesticides and fertilizers from the great outdoors, mainly because as I write this Crowley is rolling on the floor and he will literally lick the floor a couple times today.

3) All organic diet. And as local as possible. First thing we’ve noticed.. the flavor of organic meat is much stronger and better. Plus supporting local farmers and farmers doing the right thing is fulfilling.

4) No canned foods of any kind. The BPA in plastic bottles is also lining some of our cans.

5) For Baby, we try homeopathic first… such as teething tablets. This, after the second Tylenol recall (we had four bottles of recalled product).

6) Personal care products (shampoo, soap, lotions, conditioners, tooth pastes, etc.) – free of any ingredient that ends with the word ‘paraben’ Free of phthalates and BPA. I started this when I was pregnant and am very glad I did.

7) No chemical fertilizer on our plants or lawn. This was hard for Mike but he’s 100% on board.

With every passing moment, I am getting closer to an anti-Made in China kick when it comes to toys. First of all, Crowley only needs about a quarter of the toys he owns. All this plastic from China… that I am blindly trusting to be safe is creeping me out. Don’t get me wrong; I realize I cannot insulate him from every threat on this planet. And I know every generation of children is subjected to something poisoning them. Today’s children are under a chemical assault form a thousand sources. It’s incredible and sad. From medicine to baby bottles to toys to food to the chemical residue left on our bathtubs.

I can do a better job if I just pay attention and work a little harder. It’s not a perfect system but it is a better one for me… Anna