Really, Jillian, I Just Wanted a Cute Butt – Master Your Metabolism #8
And now I have to be the self-appointed ambassador for my family to make sure we don’t poison ourselves with cleaning products, make up, etc. Actually, my mother-in-law has been using natural products since long before I met her. In fact, she has given us everything from toothpaste to dish washing liquid (she buys them from melaleuca.com). I have liked almost all of the products that she has given us so far. However, I have a public confession to make: I choose laundry products based on how they smell. I’m the girl who opens up twenty containers of fabric softener to find the best scented one. When someone walks by in me, or if I hug someone, I take a quick sniff to see what their clothing smells like – don’t worry, no one notices me sniffing them! Anyway, my mother-in-law has given us a lot of environmentally friendly laundry products, from detergent to stain remover, and I have been thinking that I will use it all up and then buy some more of “the good stuff.” Of course, it turns out that we have been using the good stuff thanks to her. So, thanks, M!
Chapter 8 is all about removing endocrine disrupting and cancer causing products from our homes. There are chemicals in everything from cleaning products to mouth wash. One one hand, I have worn make up probably three times since I got pregnant, so I am probably safe there. On the other hand, I DO brush my teeth, and I would like to avoid damaging my hormones (or worse!) in the process.
Did any of you read the article on CNN earlier this week that talks about how the lawn chemical, atrazine, can turn boy frogs into girl frogs? Jillian mentions this in her book as well. It may not turn human boys into girls, but it can negatively affect human endocrine systems. This is particularly disturbing to me because, on more than one occasion, I have caught by daughter licking the bottom of her shoe! I asked my husband what is used on our lawn (we have been paying a service to care for it), and he didn’t know. Homework!
Household cleaners – they may be doing more harm than good, and maybe we can save a little money for our expensive organic meats by cleaning with plain old water, lemon juice, baking soda, and white vinegar. And the plastics. We not only have to check codes to know what to recycle, we also have to make sure not to poison ourselves by putting food in the bad ones. Here are some rules to follow:
- Try to avoid buying foods packaged in plastics, but if you have to, try to make sure only to get the ones coded #1, #2, #4, or #5.
- When you do buy foods packaged in plastics, try to move them to glass containers as soon as possible.
- NEVER microwave food in plastic containers.
- Avoid buying flame-retardant clothing, bedding, pillows, or mattresses, as the chemicals used (PDBEs) are “linked to thyroid disruption, learning and memory problems, damage to hearing, decreased sperm counts, and birth defects.”
- Avoid antibacterial soap if it contains triclosan because “when triclosan combines with chlorinated tap water, it creates the carcinogenic gas chloroform and chlorinated dioxins, a highly toxic form of dioxin.” (Another quote from the book “The EPA found that dioxins, byproducts of chlorine, are three hundred thousand times more carcinogenic than DDT; they’re also very estrogenic.”)
Once again, I have not fact checked specifics, but as I read this section of the book, I was reminded of other things I have read on this subject, but chose to ignore because other sources (including government agencies and the manufacturers of products in question) found the chemicals listed here to be safe for human consumption. The more I hear evidence to the contrary, the more I am being forced to listen.
This chapter is full of ideas to keep your family safe from non-food toxins. Again, if you don’t buy or borrow the book, it might be worth it to skim Chapter 8 when you are somewhere that carries it.
Scroll down for other posts about Master Your Metabolism:
Other posts about Master Your Metabolism:
Review
Part 1: So Long, Chocolate, Old Friend
Part 2: I KNEW It – My Hormones are Out of Whack!
Part 3: Nothing Funny About Chapter 3
Part 4: “There’s No Food in Your Food”
Part 5: Artificial Sweetener Can Mess Up Your Brain?
Part 6: “Okay, I’ll Admit it. Organics Can Be Pricey.”
Part 7: Ice Cream and Chocolate are Allowed!!!
Part 8: Really, Jillian, I Just Wanted a Cute Butt
Part 9: Protein! I Need You Protein
Part 10: Now, Off to the Market
Diet/Fitness, Environmental Studies
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cleaning products, environmental toxins, Jillian Michaels, Master Your Metabolism, plastics
[...] with studies that show it is safe. I can’t agree with her. We are learning too much about hormone disruptors, and things that we once considered safe (like using plastic containers in the microwave or [...]
[...] “Okay, I’ll Admit it. Organics Can Be Pricey.” Part 7: Ice Cream and Chocolate are Allowed!!! Part 8: Really, Jillian, I Just Wanted a Cute Butt Part 9: Protein! I Need You Protein Part 10: Now, Off to the [...]
[...] “Okay, I’ll Admit it. Organics Can Be Pricey.” Part 7: Ice Cream and Chocolate are Allowed!!! Part 8: Really, Jillian, I Just Wanted a Cute Butt Part 9: Protein! I Need You Protein Part 10: Now, Off to the [...]
[...] “Okay, I’ll Admit it. Organics Can Be Pricey.” Part 7: Ice Cream and Chocolate are Allowed!!! Part 8: Really, Jillian, I Just Wanted a Cute Butt Part 9: Protein! I Need You Protein Part 10: Now, Off to the [...]
[...] “Okay, I’ll Admit it. Organics Can Be Pricey.” Part 7: Ice Cream and Chocolate are Allowed!!! Part 8: Really, Jillian, I Just Wanted a Cute Butt Part 9: Protein! I Need You Protein Part 10: Now, Off to the [...]
[...] “Okay, I’ll Admit it. Organics Can Be Pricey.” Part 7: Ice Cream and Chocolate are Allowed!!! Part 8: Really, Jillian, I Just Wanted a Cute Butt Part 9: Protein! I Need You Protein Part 10: Now, Off to the [...]
[...] “Okay, I’ll Admit it. Organics Can Be Pricey.” Part 7: Ice Cream and Chocolate are Allowed!!! Part 8: Really, Jillian, I Just Wanted a Cute Butt Part 9: Protein! I Need You Protein Part 10: Now, Off to the [...]
You might enjoy the book Green Chic by Christie Matheson. I checked it out from the library and loved it. Lots of great advice, and a very quick, friendly read. She covers some of the stuff you mention above, but I really think it’s a worthwhile read.