How to Clean Your Entire Bathroom Without Using Chemicals

People ask me all the time what I use to clean my house since I don't use commercially produced cleaners anymore. Today I'm going to share with you how to clean your entire bathroom without using harmful chemicals. 

When I was looking for ways to feel better from my horrible fibromyalgia symptoms, the first thing I did was eliminate as many chemicals as possible from my home environment. I found numerous articles that explained how harmful toxic chemicals are to our overall health and well-being. Daily exposure to these chemicals has been linked to numerous autoimmune diseases, including fibromyalgia. They are used to make all kinds of cleaning solutions, cosmetics, perfumes, and household products that I used everyday. Every time I touched a surface covered in one of these products, took a breath of air that was loaded with their noxious fumes, or slathered chemically created lotion on my skin, I was exposing myself to unacceptable health risks.

Of course, I didn't know that until I got sick. I used all kinds of products for decades without a single thought about what ingredients were used to make them or the harm they could cause. By the time I had suffered with fibromalgia for over a year, I was in so much constant severe pain and had such debilitating fatigue, that I was desperate to try anything that might make me feel a little better. I was even willing to change lifestyle routines I had been comfortable with for years. Because I felt so wretched, this seemed like a daunting and insurmountable task. But the thought of being a semi-invalid for the rest of my life was even more horrible; so I was willing to give it a try.

Learning new ways to clean everything in my house took time. I gradually replaced every cleaning product in my home with something free of chemicals. It took me a year to figure out everything I needed to do. I don't want it to take anybody else that long,so I'm blogging to get the word out that you can recover from fibromyalgia and other autoimmune diseases. There are many practical changes you can make to move toward healing.

Here's how to clean your entire bathroom without using chemicals.


Dusting

Use a Swiffer duster, microfiber cloth, or similar product on wood cabinets and light fixtures. This type of tool efficiently collects dust. Swiffer and other companies that make this type of duster also market scented sprays to use with the dusting tool. Do not purchase these.The scents and propellants used in the aerosol cans are full of harmful volatile organic compounds (VOCs) Besides, the duster by itself works great.


Mirrors, Sinks, and Surfaces

Make your own all-purpose cleaner. Put equal amounts of plain white vinegar and water in a spray bottle. Spray the homemade mixture over the surface you want to clean.Scrub and wipe off with paper towels, a clean sponge, or a clean cloth. No rinsing is required. Use a clean micro fiber cloth to wipe off mirrors to avoid streaking. This is great for mirrors, sinks, faucets, countertops, doorknobs, light switches, etc. Vinegar kills most household germs as effectively as commercial products full of toxic chemicals. 


Shower and Tub

Use the homemade all-purpose cleaner on faucets and the outside surfaces of the shower and tub. To cut through soap scum on the inside of the shower, buy a dishwashing sponge with a handle that can be filled with liquid. Fill the handle reservoir with equal parts of dishwashing soap and plain white vinegar. Use a biodegradable soap like Castille or one of the organic dishwashing liquids made by companies like Method and Seventh Generation. Scrub the shower walls with the sponge and rinse. 


Whirlpool Tub Jets

Jets need to be cleaned once a month to prevent the buildup of gunk. Have you ever settled into your whirlpool tub anticipating a relaxing bath only to be slimed by gunk shooting out from the jets when you hit the on switch? Use the following mixture once a month to clean the jets and you will never be slimed again.

Fill the tub with warm water until all of the jets are completely covered with water.
Add 2 cups of borax, 1 cup of baking soda, and 2 quarts of white vinegar to the water.
Turn on the jets and let them run for 30 minutes.
Turn off the jets and drain the tub.
Use paper towels to wipe up all of the gunk that has come out of the jets.
Fill the tub with enough cold water to cover the jets and run the jets for 30 minutes.
Drain the tub and wipe up any remaining residue.
Spray vinegar and water all-purpose cleaner inside the tub and wipe with paper towels or a microfiber cloth to leave the tub clean and sparkling.


Toilet Bowl Cleaner

Buy a 16 ounce or larger squirt bottle or thoroughly rinse an empty dishwashing liquid bottle. Use a funnel to put these ingredients in the bottle in this order: 3 tablespoons of baking soda, 1/3 cup of Castille biodegradable soap. Add water to fill the rest of a 16 ounce bottle. If using a larger size bottle, add 2 cups of water.

Shake the bottle to mix the ingredients thoroughly. Squirt underneath the rim and on the inside surfaces of the toilet bowl. Scrub with your favorite toilet bowl brush and flush to rinse. Castille soap is made from olive oil. It can be purchased from Amazon.com or other online retailers. It can also be found at health food stores and camping and hiking stores. It is used by hikers because it is organic and biodegradable and will not harm the environment. I rarely use scented products because most of the time the scents are bound to the product with toxic VOCs. The scented forms of Castille add natural oils like peppermint and lavender to create a light scent. Castille soap may seem expensive at first: around $7.00 for an 8 ounce bottle. However, you can make four 16 ounce batches of toilet bowl cleaner from one 8 ounce bottle for a cost of under $2.00 per batch. It is difficult to find commercially made toilet bowl cleaner for this price. And the homemade version works great and is free of toxic chemicals.

Tile Floors

I like to use a steam cleaner that only requires water for routine cleaning of my tile floors. The brand I have is a vacuum/steamer combo so I can do both tasks at the same time. 

When I feel my tile floors need a more heavy duty cleaning, this is what I use.

Mix the following ingredients in a one gallon plastic pitcher with a pouring spout:

2 teaspoons of Castille soap or organic liquid dish soap
½ cup of baking soda
1 gallon of warm water
½ cup of white vinegar

Put the liquid dish soap, baking soda and half the warm water into the pitcher and mix well with a large spoon. Then add the vinegar.The mixture will bubble up and foam when you add the vinegar. Wait for the foam to subside before adding the rest of the water.

Pour the mixture into a mop that has a reservoir for adding your own cleaning mixture. I like the Libman mop. It has a plastic container that is easy to fill and a washable microfiber pad that you attach to the bottom of the mop. There are several brands of this type of mop so you can chose whichever one you prefer.  

Vacuum the floors to get up any loose dirt. Mop with the homemade floor cleaner. Use your favorite clean mop to rinse the floors with plain water.This system of cleaning my tile floors is nontoxic and it works better than any commercial cleaning product I have ever used.

Getting rid of toxic household products was the first step I took to move toward feeling better. I also quit eating most processed food which is full of harmful chemicals. And I started eating real food with lots of antioxidants and anti-inflammatory nutrients. You can find recipes that use antioxidant rich foods in previous posts.

I have been symptom free from fibromyalgia for over three years.


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Are You Rusty on the Inside? These 15 Super Foods Can Help.

The poor Tin Man in "The Wizard of Oz" became so rusty from exposure to the outside elements that he was unable to move. We hear a lot about the importance of eating foods that contain antioxidants.That's because we get "rusty" on the inside without them.

Oxidation is what happened to the Tin Man. Rust develops when metal is exposed to air. 
In our bodies the rust equivalent is known as free radicals. Free radicals are created when we use oxygen. Eating processed food loaded with harmful additives and breathing air polluted by chemicals from industrial waste, cigarette smoke, cleaning products, etc. increases the damage to our cells from free radicals.

Antioxidants are designed to fight the oxidation process. Fortunately, there are many real foods that are loaded with natural antioxidants like vitamin A, vitamin C, vitamin E, and lycopene. Any nutritional component of real food that fights free radical formation is an antioxidant. Eating these foods not only helps prevent destruction to our cells from free radicals, it also repairs damage that is already there. Foods loaded with antioxidants help prevent disease, repair damaged cells, and boost our immune systems.  

To help fight fibromyalgia, I stopped eating processed food that can accelerate oxidation and free radical formation in our cells. I started eating real food that has a lot of antioxidants and anti-inflammatory nutrients. 

We'll look at anti-inflammatory foods in a later post.Today, I'm focusing on foods that will keep you from getting "rusty" on the inside.There are many delicious foods for you to choose from to up your antioxidant intake Helpful hint: think colorfully. Usually,the foods with the deepest, richest colors have the most antioxidants.

These are some of my favorite antioxidant rich foods.

Almonds. Buy plain raw almonds with no salt or additives. Eat them by the handful for a snack. Add to stir-fry recipes. Sprinkle chopped almonds over yogurt. Add 1/2 cup of chopped almonds to homemade muffins. 

Apples. Buy organic ones when possible. Apples are on several dirty food lists because of the high concentration of chemical residue in commercially produced apples. If you buy them from the supermarket,wash thoroughly and peel before eating. I soak mine in a mixture of vinegar and water to help lift off the residue. 

Beans. Black beans and dark red beans are especially nutritious. I love them mixed with salsa and served over whole grain rice. They are a great addition to chili, soup, and stew.

Bell Peppers. Green, red, yellow, and orange bell peppers add a colorful nutritious boost to fajitas and stir-fry. Red peppers have the highest concentration of antioxidants but the other colors have them as well. 

Berries. Blueberries, blackberries, and strawberries pack a lot of healthy benefits in every delicious bite. Use them in a mixed fruit salad. Add them to cereal and bread. Toss your favorite berry in the blender with almond milk, half a banana, raw honey, crushed ice, and a dash of pure vanilla extract to make a delicious smoothie. 

Broccoli.This crunchy green veggie is on almost everyone's list of super foods. It's great raw in salads. Roasting it in the oven is a delicious and easy way to eat it cooked.Preheat the oven to 425. Cut the broccoli into florets. Put them on a baking sheet brushed with olive oil.Sprinkle with sea salt, ground pepper, and your favorite spices.Brush generously with olive oil. Cook until the broccoli starts to brown and get crispy around the edges. Add chopped onions and garlic to the dish to get an even higher antioxidant boost.

Carrots. Eat them raw or cooked. Eat raw carrot sticks for a crunchy side with a sandwich instead of chips.

Dates.Try whole Medjool dates with no added sugar.They are naturally sweet. Stuff chopped nuts into a whole pitted Medjool for a quick energizing snack.

Grapes. Dark red and dark purple are best. Grapes, like apples, are on some dirty food lists because of high concentrations of chemical residue. If you can't find organic grapes, soak them in a large bowl with 1/4 cup of white vinegar and water to remove the residue.

Oranges.They have a lot of Vitamin A and Vitamin C. Eat the whole fruit, instead of just drinking orange juice, to get the most nutritional value.

Sweet Potatoes. Get in the habit of eating them more frequently than white potatoes since they have many more nutrients than white. Toss them in the oven to bake. If you love fries, try this recipe. Sweet Potato Fries

Tea. Green or black. Drink several cups a day.Tea starts to lose its concentration of antioxidants about an hour after it is brewed. So try drinking hot tea. Add raw honey, freshly grated ginger, ground cinnamon, and lemon to hot tea to get even more antioxidants out of each cup. If you love iced tea, drink it is as soon as possible after brewing.

Tomatoes. They are versatile raw or cooked. Small varieties like cherry tomatoes pack more nutrition per bite than larger varieties and are an easy addition to salads.

Walnuts. A lot of nutrition is packed in this delicious nut. Use raw unsalted walnuts with no additives. Add them to salads, stir-fry recipes, and baked goods.

Yogurt. Greek yogurt has the most protein. It is full of riboflavin which helps us utilize antioxidants in our cells to get rid of free radicals. Yogurt tastes great topped with a sprinkle of crunchy granola and raw nuts. Whirl it in a blender with crushed ice and your favorite fruit to make a delicious smoothie.

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3 Ways to Eliminate Chemicals in the New Year

Let it Snow

Happy New Year! After an unusually warm December which included temps in the 70s during Christmas week, the high is only in the 40s today. I'm keeping my fingers crossed that maybe we'll see snow before spring arrives.

There is nothing like looking at all the lovely empty spaces on a brand new calendar to inspire me with the possibilities waiting in 2016. I celebrated three years of being symptom free from fibromyalia last month. I'm excited about how many people are recovering from fibro and other autoimmune diseases after making these same lifestyle changes.

I got as many chemicals as possible out of my home, stopped eating processed food, and started eating real food full of antioxidants and anti-inflammatory nutrients. Some people thrive on change. Others are overwhelmed by just the thought of changing daily living routines that have become second nature over decades. Many of you have asked me, "Where is the best place to start?"

A few observations. Don't try to change everything at once. It will drive you nuts and you'll end up not changing anything. It took me over a year to figure out what I needed to do and shift my lifestyle into a healthier mode. Make changes at your own pace. Pick the area that you think will be the easiest for you.

If you are ready to give it a go, here are three ideas for ways to jump start living a healthier chemical free life in the new year.


SODA

Depending on what part of the country you live in, you may call it soda, soft drinks, or pop. Here in the south we call every soft drink coke even if it's Dr. Pepper or Mt. Dew. Whatever you call it, here's the 411. Researchers have linked consuming soda to obesity, kidney disease, elevated blood pressure, heart attack, stroke, some types of cancer, asthma, reproductive issues, tooth decay, diabetes, bone weakness, suppressed immune system disorders, and tissue damage on a cellular level.Read the ingredients label. We are drinking chemicals in a can every time we consume it.

I quit drinking soda cold turkey. Some people have more success cutting back gradually. Tea, coffee, and water are great substitutes. I've always liked hot tea. I used to just plop a tea bag in a cup of hot water.Now I enjoy discovering new blends.I didn't know there were so many choices of teas. My current faves are Ceylon, Darjeeling, Irish Breakfast, Nilgiri, Oolong, and Russian Caravan.

I know several people who have experienced reduced pain and reduced inflammation just from cutting out soda and not doing a single other thing. 


SCENTS

How can something that smells so good be so bad? The delightful smell is not the problem. It is the volatile organic compounds (VOCs) used to bind the scent to the product that is harmful. The VOCs release the scent into the air so that every time we breathe in the scent we are also breathing in the VOCs which wreak havoc on our bodies at a cellular level. VOCs have been linked to all kinds of disease processes. 

I know people who have recovered from recurrent migraine headaches, constant sinus problems, joint pain, and a lot of other chronic conditions simply by eliminating scented products from their daily routines.

Scented products are an easy category of potentially harmful chemical substances to get out of our home environments. Some are obvious like perfume, scented candles, and air fresheners. Other not so obvious products that may contain scents with harmful VOCs are makeup, laundry detergent, cleaning products, soap, and hairspray.Fortunately there are unscented VOC free varieties of all of these products.

Try this. Ditch the obvious sources of VOCs like perfume and air fresheners right away while you are looking for substitutes for the not so obvious products. Replace those a little at a time. If your laundry detergent is scented, look for an unscented brand the next time you need detergent. Replace cleaning products and personal grooming products with a scent free version if needed as you run out of your current ones.


SMOKING

By now everyone who hasn't been living in cave for the past fifty years knows that smoking has been linked to all kinds of health problems including a wide variety of cancers. According to the Centers for Disease Control (CDC), "Cigarette smoking harms nearly every organ of the body, causes many diseases, and reduces the health of smokers in general. Quitting smoking lowers your risk for diseases and can add years to your life." Interested in more info? Check this out What Smoking Does to Your Body 

If you don't smoke or used to smoke but have quit, then you have already taken a giant step toward living a chemical free life. Eating all of the organic healthy food in the world won't counteract the harmful effects of the hundreds of known toxins found in cigarette smoke. If you are a smoker, talk to your physician about options for smoking cessation programs. If you are not a smoker, protect yourself from second hand smoke by not allowing anyone to smoke inside your home. 


Start by picking just one way you would like to improve your health this year. Set your own pace for making changes and go for it. Changing my lifestyle literally changed my life. Here's to a healthier you in 2016. 

May the road rise up to meet you.
May the wind be always at your back.
May the sun shine warm upon your face,
And rains fall soft upon your fields.
And until we meet again,
May God hold you in the hollow of His hand.
                                              - Irish Blessing

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Buckeye Balls with a Twist

Buckeye Balls with a Twist

One of our favorite family Christmas treats is buckeye balls. I've tweaked the recipe to make it a little more nutritious than the recipe I used before I switched to a real food eating plan to help my fibromyalgia symptoms. Check out the blog post from December 9, 5 Ways to Make Christmas Treats Healthier, for more info on surviving the holidays without wrecking your healthy eating plan. 

I used to use peanut butter to make these. Many commercially produced peanut butter brands contain added ingredients other than peanuts. Here is the label from one popular brand of peanut butter:

INGREDIENTS: ROASTED PEANUTS, CORN SYRUP SOLIDS*, SOY PROTEIN CONCENTRATE*, SUGAR, LESS THAN 2% OF: HYDROGENATED VEGETABLE OILS (COTTONSEED AND RAPESEED), SALT, MINERALS (MAGNESIUM OXIDE, ZINC OXIDE, IRON PHOSPHATE, COPPER SULFATE) AND VITAMINS (NIACIN, VITAMIN B6, FOLIC ACID). CONTAINS: PEANUTS, SOY.

If you love peanut butter, try one of the natural brands that has only two ingredients: peanuts and a dash of salt. The texture may take a little getting used to because it's coarser than commercial brands that have added chemicals to produce smoothness. The flavor is a lot more robust. You can taste the peanuts. You have to stir the peanut butter to incorporate the oil because there are no chemicals to do this for you. Refrigerate the peanut butter after you stir it and the oil will not separate out again.

I prefer to use almond butter because it has more nutritional value than peanut butter.Almond butter contains omega 3 and omega 6 fatty acids, niacin, folate, calcium, iron, riboflavin, manganese, and other healthy minerals. Look for an organic brand that contains fewer than five ingredients. 

Christmas treats are one of the few things I make that sometimes contain ingredients I don't normally use on a daily basis. This recipe contains confectioner sugar, which is a more refined sugar than I normally use, and graham cracker crumbs, which contain two of the red flag ingredients I normally avoid: high fructose corn syrup and partially hydrogenated fat. You can purchase organic graham crackers that do not contain these two ingredients at a health food store like Earth Fare, Trader Joe's, or Whole Foods Marketplace. Or you can use regular graham crackers from your local supermarket and make sure you stick to the 90%/10% real food eating guide.

The rule of thumb I have set for myself is to eat whole real food 90% to 95% of the time. That gives me a 5% to 10% margin to cover occasions like eating out when I may not know what restaurants include in their recipes and to enjoy special treats during the Christmas holidays. The secret for me is to make sure I continue to eat a healthy diet during the holidays, to eat only one or two Christmas cookies and treats after a healthy meal to minimize my exposure to less healthy ingredients, and to add a few nutritious ingredients to everything I make.This is a practical plan that allows me to make holiday treats for my family and friends and indulge a little myself. I don't feel deprived and I don't destroy my overall eating plan.


Buckeye Balls with a Twist

You can make these in the traditional buckeye ball shape or plop them in a pan for a quicker version that is just as delicious as the original. I'll share how to make them both ways.

Put into a large mixing bowl:

1 c almond butter
1 c graham cracker crumbs
1 box of confectioner sugar
2 packets of travel size milled flaxseed and chia seed combo. If you can't find the box that contains the flaxseed/chia combo, use plain milled flaxseed.

Melt: 
1/3 c butter, or butter substitute if you want these to be dairy free
1/3 c organic coconut oil

Add to the dry ingredients:
The melted butter and coconut oil
1 tsp.of pure vanilla extract

Mix thoroughly. I start by stirring this with a large spoon and then use my hands to completely incorporate all of the ingredients. Mix until you have a smooth ball of dough. Note:The amount of oil in the almond butter can vary depending on the brand you use. Pinch off a bit of dough and roll it into a ball. If it seems to be a little dry and crumbly and doesn't form easily into a ball, add a little more melted butter and coconut oil. If it seems to be too sticky, add a few more graham cracker crumbs.

For traditional buckeye shaped balls do this.

Line a cookie sheet with a piece of wax paper.
Pinch off 1 T of dough at a time and roll into a ball.
Place the balls of dough on the cookie sheet.
Stick a toothpick into each dough ball.
Put the pan in the freezer for at least one hour to chill the dough.

In the top of a double boiler melt:
1 bag of Enjoy Life Semi-Sweet Chocolate Chips. I like this brand because it is gluten free, dairy free, peanut free, soy free. and non GMO. 
2 T of organic coconut oil
Keep the chocolate mixture over warm water while you dip the balls.

Use the toothpick as a handle to dip the bottom half of each ball into the melted chocolate.
Place the balls back on the cookie sheet to cool.
Remove the toothpicks

Don't have time to roll and dip all those little balls? For a quicker version do this.

Place the dough mixture in a 9" x 13" pan.
Use your hands to press the dough into an even layer.
Pour the melted chocolate mixture over the dough.
Use a knife or spatula to smooth the chocolate to the edges of the pan.
Put the pan in the refrigerator to chill for at least thirty minutes.
Slice into small finger size bars and serve.

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Two in One Oatmeal Cookies

These delicious cookies are full of healthy ingredients like oatmeal, nuts, honey, and flaxseed. They are a holiday baking time saver because you can make two different cookies out of the same batch of batter: Raisin Nut Oatmeal Cookies and Chocolate Chip Oatmeal Cookies.They are great for Christmas gatherings or anytime you want a healthier cookie throughout the year. Check out yesterday's post, 5 Ways to Make Christmas Treats Healthier, for more holiday baking ideas.

Two in One Oatmeal Cookies

Two in One Oatmeal Cookies

Preheat the oven to 325.

Cream together in a large mixing bowl using an electric mixer:

½ c of organic coconut oil

½ c of butter, or butter substitute if you want them to be dairy free

½ c raw honey

½ c raw organic sugar

½ c brown sugar, use raw organic brown sugar if possible

Beat in:

2 eggs, use organic free range eggs when possible

2 tsp. of pure vanilla extract

In a separate bowl mix together:

3/4 c unbleached flour

½ c of whole wheat flour.

(You can make a gluten free version of these by using 1 c of gluten free flour such as coconut flour, rice flour, tapioca flour, and/or almond flour in place of the unbleached flour and the whole wheat flour.)

½ tsp. baking soda

½ tsp. salt

2 T of milled flaxseed, or use 1 or 2 travel size packets 

3 cup of rolled oats, regular not quick cooking

Blend the flour mixture thoroughly into the creamed mixture.

Scoop out half the batter into another mixing bowl.

Add 1 c of chocolate chips to one of the bowls. I like to use Enjoy Life Mini Chocolate Chips. They are dairy free, gluten free, soy free, peanut free.

Stir until all of the ingredients are completely blended.

To the other bowl add:

½ c chopped walnuts

½ c chopped almonds

½ c raisins

½ tsp. ground cinnamon

½ tsp. ground ginger

Stir until all of the ingredients are completely blended.

Drop the mixture in both bowls by 1 heaping T onto greased cookie sheets.

Bake at 325 for 12 to 14 minutes or until the cookies are lightly browned on the bottom and just starting to turn a golden brown on the top.

Remove the cookie sheet from the oven and allow the cookies to cool for two minutes on the pan. Use a spatula to remove them from the cookie sheet and place on a wire cooling rack to cool completely.This recipe makes about 80 cookies, 40 of each kind. Store them in an airtight container if you are planning to serve them within a couple of days. Store in a freezer safe container or bag if you want to bake them ahead of time to serve at a family gathering or Christmas party. 

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Book Nook: Eating on the Wild Side

Kindle version of "Eating on the Wild Side"

I've read a lot of books about food, healthy eating, fibromyalgia, faith, chemicals, autoimmune diseases, and making lifestyle changes as I've searched for information and ideas about ways to cope with chronic illness. From time to time on the blog, I'll share reviews of books that I have found to be especially helpful.

Eating on the Wild Side:The Missing Link to Optimum Health by Jo Robinson is full of fascinating and useful information. The book describes the earliest origins of the food we eat today, gives pointers on how to select the most nutritious varieties of the fruits and vegetables available, and shares delicious and nutritious recipes.

I learned how to make smart choices at the salad bar; found out which potatoes, onions, and apples are the healthiest; learned how to select the most nutritious tomatoes, broccoli, peaches,and berries, and discovered the best places to find the best produce. 

I added new recipes to my collection including recipes for:

Honey Mustard Vinaigrette
Potato Salad with Sundried Tomatoes and Kalamata Olives
Baked Kale Chips
Apple Crisp with Apple Skins
Cranberry Horseradish Relish

The book is available at your favorite bookstore or you can buy the paperbook, hardback, or Kindle version at amazon.com Eating on the Wild Side

Want to stay connected?

Like my Facebook page: Practical Healing in a Toxic World  to find lots of practical ways to move toward a healthy life.The page has recipes, tips on chemical free living, fibromyalgia facts, and spiritual encouragement. 

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How Do Chemicals Impact Our Health?

We can't always see the immediate effects of toxic chemicals on our bodies, but, nonetheless,our health is being compromised with every exposure. Potentially harmful ingredients can be found in cleaning supplies, makeup, scented products, paint, and other things we use daily. One group of chemicals that has been linked to increased inflammation in the body is VOCs (volatile organic compounds).This increased inflammation sets up the perfect environment for developing symptoms like fatigue, joint pain, skin and eye irritation, tingling and numbness in the extremities, dizziness, and headaches. Increased inflammation is suspected as an underlying cause in autoimmune diseases, fibromyalgia, and even in some types of cancer.

Some folks don't have an immediate response to the VOCs. But the body is effected on a cellular level with every exposure; and even at low levels of contact, inflammation increases and health starts to deteriorate. 

I read numerous articles and research papers about the possibility that chemicals in our environment, like VOCs, and additives in our food like dyes and preservatives, could be an underlying factor in the onset of fibromyalgia. Even after I found this information, it took months for me to summon up the energy and determination to change my lifestyle.

It was not easy for me to radically change the way I did things each day. I wasn't willing to even try until I was overwhelmingly and completely sick and tired of feeling sick and tired all of the time. Getting rid of the chemicals in my home couldn't hurt anything and resigning myself to feeling horrible all the time was not an option. So,I decided to find out where the chemicals lurked, how to get rid of them, what to substitute in their place, and see what happened.  

I did not expect this to be a quick fix. After all, I had been exposed to hundreds of chemicals every day for decades in the household products I used and in the processed foot I ate. It made sense to me that it would take time, maybe a long time, to notice any difference. But I had nothing to lose and potentially everything to gain.  

I started with what I felt would be the easiest group of chemicals for me to eliminate: anything that has a scent. Scents are created by adding chemicals to products. Even so- called "natural" scents often use VOCs to bind the scent to the product. When the scent is released, so are the VOCs. You breathe in the chemicals when you breathe in the scent.

It is possible to create a scent free environment in your home but it may require that you change almost every product you use. I had to eliminate obvious scented products like perfume, air fresheners, and scented candles.

I read the labels on everything I used on a daily basis and found that there were other not so obvious products that contained scent like makeup, hairspray, deodorant, laundry detergent, bath soap, hand lotion, and more. I was able to find scent free versions of all of these. I changed a lot of other things before I recovered from fibromyalgia. But this was the first small step I took. On December 6, I will celebrate three years of being symptom free.

I suppose it is one of those blessings in disguise things that I have an immediate reaction to VOC exposure. I know from firsthand experience what harm it can do. Other people experience equal harm to their health when they come in contact with VOCs. They just don't connect the dots because symptoms like headache, recurrent sinus pressure, dizziness, nausea, pain, and fatigue don't appear until days after exposure to the scented products laced with VOCs.

Just call me your canary in the coal mine. Years ago, coal miners took a caged canary with them down into the mines to warn them it there were any dangerous chemicals lurking about underground. If there was methane or carbon monoxide in the work area, the canary died before those chemicals reached levels hazardous to humans and the miners were able to escape without harm. 

I thought of that canary a few months ago. I love playing competitive Scrabble. I was playing in a tournament with at least forty other people in the room. I zoomed through the first two games, winning both of them. During the third game I had a sudden onset of headache, nausea, and dizziness.I had difficulty breathing and was finding it hard to concentrate. Everyone else seemed fine, but they weren't. Someone had lit a scented candle and the odor and accompanying VOCs were flowing through the room. 

Chirp. Chirp. Clunk.

You're welcome.

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3 Non Toxic Cleaning Products Easy to Make at Home

Thanksgiving is over and Christmas is twenty-three days away. My extended family was here for five days of feasting and gratitude over the long Thanksgiving weekend. The grandchildren spent hours down at the creek catching minnows and tromping through falling leaves and mud, racing back to the house to refuel on mac and cheese and chocolate cake, and running up to the playroom to create artistic masterpieces out of paint and Play Doh. So there are a few, ahem, (well maybe a lot) of bits of dirt and crumbs, well, just about everywhere. I am in the middle of cleaning up the Thanksgiving detritus before I start dragging out the Christmas decorations.

I can take care of all the mess without using a single harmful toxic chemical cleaning product. When I started my quest to feel better from the awful symptoms of fibromyalgia, I found a lot of info on how many potentially harmful chemicals we are exposed to in the household products we use.This exposure has been linked to many chronic illnesses. I had been using the same favorite cleaning products for years. I read the labels on all of them, researched the side effects of exposure to the ingredients, and realized I needed a new routine for household chores.

I started searching online for information about chemical free cleaning options. There are some great non-toxic manufactured products that I use. Seventh Generation makes liquid dish soap and laundry detergent. Method makes dishwasher tabs and liquid hand soap. Ecos makes laundry detergent. I prefer versions of these products that are scent free since scented products may contain VOCs (volatile organic compounds). The containers for scent-free products usually include the phrase "free and clear." If you prefer a scented version, make sure the scent is derived from a natural source and doesn't contain any added VOCs. 

You can buy these non-toxic cleaning products at big box stores like Target and Walmart or order them online. Since they can be expensive and aren't always easy to find in my little rural corner of the world, I have discovered a simple way to go chemical free. I make a lot of the routine daily cleaners I use from simple inexpensive ingredients like vinegar and baking soda. Here are three of my favorites:

All Purpose Cleaner

All Purpose Cleaner

Mix equal parts of plain white vinegar and water in a spray bottle. That's it!

Use this mixture to clean countertops, mirrors, appliances, chrome, faucets, and anything else you would normally clean with a commercial all-purpose cleaner. Spray the solution on the surface you want to clean. Wipe it off with paper towels or a micro fiber cloth. No rinsing needed. Be sure to use a micro fiber cloth when cleaning mirrors and chrome. It will leave them clean and shiny without leaving behind paper residue. You can buy large jugs of inexpensive vinegar at any big box store or supermarket.  

Interesting factoid:  Vinegar contains 5 % acetic acid which kills bacteria and viruses. Vinegar is such an effective germ killer that it is used in many hospital high risk neonatal units to protect vulnerable newborns from exposure to both germs and harsh chemicals.

Tile Floor Cleaner

Tile Floor Cleaner

I have quarry tile floors in my kitchen, den, sunroom, and foyer. I love the natural swirly look of the tile that makes me feel like I'm walking across stones on a creek bed. I don't love that the floors need heavy duty cleaning because this area gets a lot of foot traffic. I experimented with various combinations of ingredients and the one I settled on keeps my floors cleaner than any commercial product I have ever used.

Mix a little less than one gallon of warm water with 1 Tbs of mild dish detergent, 1/2 c plain white vinegar, and 1/2 c baking soda. Fill a one gallon plastic pitcher half full with warm water. I use an old pitcher that has a lid. Add the dish detergent to the water and stir before you add the vinegar and baking soda to prevent excessive fizzing. And the vinegar and baking soda and stir. Slowly add more warm water to finish filling the pitcher. You can use your favorite mop and just pour a little of the solution on the floor and mop away. I like to use a mop that has a pump sprayer, a reservoir to add your own cleaning solution, and a micro fiber cleaning pad that can be tossed in the washing machine after each use. It is easy to fill the mop reservoir with the solution since my pitcher has a pouring spout. Put the lid on the pitcher when you are done and store any leftover solution for your next mopping task. After you mop the floor with this solution, go over the floor again with a clean damp mop using only water.Your floors will be sparkling clean and fresh. 

I like to use this cleaner in my kitchen which is a heavy traffic area. I also have an electric steamer and vacuum combo made specifically for tile floors. I use this in the foyer and den and other light traffic areas to clean the tile. It vacuums and cleans the tile in one step. And I don't have to worry about harsh chemicals since it only uses water.

Wood Cleaner

This mixture is great for cleaning and restoring scratched wooden surfaces. Use it on tabletops, furniture, doors, or any wooden object in need of a little TLC. I have used it to make 30 year old rocking chairs look brand new and to erase all the scratches on a dining table I purchased at a huge discount because it had been a floor sample. I used some on the scratched closet door pictured below. The scratches disappeared as soon as I put the solution on the door.

To make the wood cleaner: Mix 3/4 of a cup of canola oil with 1/4 of a cup of white vinegar. Apply to the marred wooden surface with a clean rag, micro fiber cloth, or a paper towel. Leave the mixture on overnight. Buff with a clean dry cloth the next morning. The wood usually soaks up most of the mixture so there may be little or no residue of the oil to wipe off as you buff. If you are unsure about using this on a specific type of wood or a treasured family antique, do a test run first. Apply some to an inconspicuous spot on the back or underside of the piece of furniture and leave overnight to see if you like the results before doing the entire piece of furniture.

Before using wood cleaner

After using wood cleaner

Looking for safer cleaning products is just one of the changes I made as I moved toward healing from fibromyalgia. I also got rid of scented products that contain harmful VOCs and looked for cosmetics and personal grooming products that contained less toxic ingredients. I made changes in what I eat. I stopped eating processed food which is full of all kinds of toxic chemicals. I started eating real foods that are rich in antioxidants and anti-inflammatory nutrients. 

I have been symptom free for almost three years. I learn something new every day about how to help my body stay healthy. And every single day I am thankful for this blessing.  

Want to stay connected?

Like my Facebook page: Practical Healing in a Toxic World  to find lots of practical ways to move toward a healthy life.The page has recipes, tips on chemical free living, fibromyalgia facts, and spiritual encouragement. 

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