Frustrating and Scarey

Slowly but surely I am making my way through "Master Your Metabolism" by Jillian Michaels. I am learning way more about hormones than I ever intended to. Frankly I can't keep track of what all does what all, but I get the idea: They are all interconected and can be thrown out of whack by what we eat, do, feel or allow to invade our bodies.

Toxins.

Everyone has heard of them. Usually it is associated with what we put in our mouths. What I am frustrated about is that now I realize how much garbage manufactureres put in EVERYTHING from meat to dairy and veggies... stuff you would think is good for you.

The problem is, to buy all organic all natural foods is expensive. The average american just can't afford to feed their family ALL organic foods. White starchy foods are cheap, available for everyone, and not very good for you. Refined sugary processed foods are readily available.

There are some steps you can take to get some organic food. Grow your own, if you can. Our soil is terrible. It is very rocky. However, we can get some produce, and we use it. You can go to a farmer's market, but honestly, I have't found very good deals. We did recently buy two gallons of raw honey from a local farmer. It ended up being cheaper per pound than buying at our local Aldi. I do try to find organic veggies on sale at a grocery store near us, but that is hit or miss.

What is a family to do? What is a LARGE family to do?

All that is just one little area of worry. Come to find out many of the plastics around us that have taken over our culture are toxic as well. Those toxins effect our hormones, and thus weight loss ability, among a myriad of other health issues. It is absolutely mind staggering the effect chemicals have on our systems. I STRONGLY recommend reading "Master Your Metabolism". Jillian Michaels, no matter what else you think of her, is extremely thorough in her explanations.

Oh, wait... it isn't just what we eat. It isn't just what we are totally surround by, but also what we are using for cleaning. I had just gotten to this chapter in the book when I got this little update email from the newsletter "Losing It With Jillian", adressed this very issue. Here is an excerpt from it:

From LOSING IT! With Jillian Michaels
Tuesday, August 31, 2010


The Toxins Under Your Kitchen Sink

If you've been reading this newsletter for a while, you've probably been getting the sense that our bodies are under assault in the modern world. We ingest toxins in the form of refined sugars, artificial sweeteners, and other additives in our food. Some toxins are present in our environment, in the form of air and water pollution. And some can be found right in our homes, under our kitchen sinks and in our bathroom cabinets.

Conventional cleaning products are full of toxic chemicals — in fact, most incidents of poisoning occur in the home and involve items like cleaning supplies. Chemical cleaners pump harmful volatile organic compounds (VOCs) into the air, which we then breathe in. The worst offenders are drain, oven, and toilet bowl cleaners and products containing chlorine and ammonia. (Get this: Chlorine and ammonia combine to produce chloramine, which was used as a chemical weapon in World War I.)

Instead of chemical cleaners, stick with products made from 100 percent natural ingredients to clean your house; they're just as effective and they're cheap too! Here are a few useful cleaners you probably already have in your pantry or bathroom cabinet:

Baking soda can be used to deodorize your fridge, freezer, and carpets, to clean cutlery, and to scrub toilets and tubs.

Lemon juice is a great substitute for bleach.

White vinegar mixed with water can be used to clean floors, windows, and mirrors. To clean kitchen surfaces, spray them first with pure white vinegar, then with hydrogen peroxide, and wipe the surfaces clean. Be sure to keep the vinegar and peroxide in two separate spray bottles — mixing them before you spray can create a hazardous concentration of the germ-killing acid formed when the two products are combined.

I am glad there is SOMETHING affordable and easy we can do to help eliminate some of the chemicals in our lives. I may not be able to get out from under the influence of all the toxins in our society, but I can do a little bit, one step at a time, and try to control what we use in the house at least. I can try and grow as many chemical free vegetables as possible, and find organic produce and chemical free meats on sale at the local Wegmans.

Every little bit helps!