Heal Inflammation with a Non-Toxic Environment

If you’ve come here from my What is Inflammation and Why Are We Fighting It? post, welcome back! If not, I highly recommend you look at that post at some point, especially if you’re getting serious about understanding and reducing inflammation.

Here, I want to talk specifically about how our environment can increase or decrease inflammation in our bodies. But before I dive in, I’d like to take a minute to introduce myself to anyone who’s new here. My name is Nicole. I’m a Certified Holistic Nutritionist who specializes in helping others live anti-inflammatory, immunity boosting, low-toxin lifestyles. If this resonates with you, you’re in the right place.

Disclaimer: This post contains affiliate links. If you make a purchase after clicking one of these links, we may receive a commission.

So, let’s talk about environment and inflammation.

There’s a lot going on in our immediate environments. There are all sorts of chemicals floating around the air and clinging to surfaces we touch. In some cases, we have no control over the chemicals we’re exposed to. For instance, chemicals in the air we breathe from pesticides being sprayed is something that is completely out of our control. Chemicals in the air from cleaning supplies in the buildings we work in is also out of our control. These are situations where must accept the environment for what it is, and the best response is probably to build up your defenses through the food you eat while minimizing your exposure to harmful chemicals as much as possible by keeping toxins in your home environment to a minimum.

Here are three steps I recommend to help reduce inflammatory responses to your home environment:

Replace Your Laundry Detergent

We quite literally are exposed to our laundry detergent non-stop. Clothing, sheets, bedding… they’re all washed in whatever detergent you’re using. The chemicals from your detergent are lingering on your clothes and, therefore, being absorbed by your skin all day long. The same goes for our sheets and bedding, where we’re sleeping for (hopefully) a solid eight hours every night. Using a good detergent to clean your bedding is exceptionally important because sleep is a detoxing period for your body. Absorbing and inhaling more toxins while your body is trying to detox causes a vicious inflammatory response cycle and, ultimately, keeps your body in an inflamed state. Here are my top three picks for clean detergents:

Branch Basics – The founders of this brand take toxin exposure very seriously. Each of them had improved their own health through avoiding toxins in their environment, inspiring them to create this incredible brand. Branch basics uses clean, plant and mineral based ingredients in their multi-purpose cleaner. Their ingredients are human-safe, non-GMO, fragrance-free, not tested on animals and don’t contain any harmful preservatives. They’ll save space in your cabinet with their all-in-one multipurpose cleaner and they also offer a money saving subscription option.

Honest Baby – I love The Honest Company and I frequently shop their cleanest products. When it comes to detergent, you want to make sure you’re getting the baby detergent – but I can promise this isn’t just for babies. Their baby detergent is hypoallergenic, fragrance-free, and specifically designed for sensitive skin. It’s also accepted by the National Eczema Association and holds additional awards and seals as well. It’s affordable and there is also the option to subscribe and save.

Common Good – Common Good uses simple, clean ingredients in their detergent. They offer two scent options and an unscented (which we love). They never use chlorine bleach, ammonia, or other harmful ingredients in their products. Their detergent is also suitable for sensitive skin. Like Branch Basics and Honest, you can subscribe and save.

Replace Your Multipurpose Surface Cleaners

Let’s talk about surface cleaners. We’re constantly wiping down surfaces – windows, tables, counters, etc. – and it’s so important to be mindful of the products you’re cleaning with. This is because you’re exposed to the ingredients in those products, both during the cleaning process and after. As you clean, the product is touching your skin and, if you don’t know already, the skin absorbs everything. Then, even after you clean, the chemicals in your cleaners remain on the surfaces and so you’re continuing to absorb those chemicals into your system every time you touch the surface. When your body is absorbing toxic ingredients on a routine basis, the inflammatory response from your immune system becomes chronic. If you’re using spray cleaners, these particles are going into the air, and so in addition to absorbing them through your skin, you’re also inhaling them. The easiest way to reduce exposure to harmful chemicals in cleaning supplies is to replace the toxic supplies with more natural ones. Here are my top picks for low-toxin multipurpose cleaners:

Trader Joe’s Multipurpose Cleaner – If you have a Trader Joe’s near you, I highly recommend their cleaner. It’s extremely affordable and scores very well on the EWG app, meaning it’s free from allergens, endocrine disruptors, and carcinogens. It’s made with real cedarwood and sage oils, never tested on animals, and is a biodegradable solution. I, personally, use this daily and love it. If you don’t have a Trader Joe’s near you, you may also be able to get this cleaner here.

Branch Basics – Again, I highly recommend Branch Basics for all your cleaning needs. The founders, having improved their own health ailments through low-toxin living, created an all-in-one product that you can feel good about using. Branch basics uses clean, plant and mineral based ingredients in their multi-purpose cleaner. Their ingredients are human-safe, non-GMO, fragrance-free, not tested on animals and don’t contain any harmful preservatives. You can purchase their cleaning solution through their website with the option to subscribe and save.

ECOS – ECOS is affordable and uses clean, plant-based ingredients that are effective at cleaning and safe for your home. They’re transparent with their ingredients and have earned the Safer Choice certification. They are so particular about the ingredients they use, they even have a list of over 500 (commonly used) ingredients that they never use in their products. You can shop this brand directly through their website and check out their huge variety of cleaners.

Replace Your Dishwasher Detergent

Dishwasher detergent, in my opinion, is one of the most important swaps you can make for a healthier home. We’re becoming more aware of the importance of buying the right type of products for cooking and serving food, but we must be equally as mindful about what we’re washing our cookware and utensils with. Our food is sitting on these surfaces, often being heated to high temperatures in these surfaces, and we’re putting them in our mouths! Choosing a dish detergent that is going to leave your dishes free from harmful chemicals is a must. These are my top picks:

Branch Basics – No surprise here, at this point. In case you didn’t read about them above, Branch Basics was founded by women who have improved their health by reducing the toxic burden they were putting on their bodies. Branch Basics uses clean, plant and mineral based ingredients in their multi-purpose cleaner. Their ingredients are human-safe, non-GMO, fragrance-free, not tested on animals and don’t contain any harmful preservatives. You can shop directly through their website and subscribe for convenience and savings.

Common Good – This is another brand I’ve mentioned already, but they have a variety of products, and their dishwashing soap is one of the best. They offer two different scents and an unscented option. Their scented products use essential oils instead of harmful fragrances. They never use chlorine bleach, ammonia, or other harmful ingredients in their products. You can purchase through their website, and they offer a subscribe and save option.

Attitude – I learned about Attitude on the EWG app. They’re EWG Verified, meaning you can feel confident that their ingredients are clean and not harmful to your health. Their dishwasher tablets are phosphate-free and made from plant and mineral-based ingredients. You can purchase directly through their website where you have the option to subscribe and save. Attitude offers a wide variety of personal care, home, and pet products, all of which use clean, safe ingredients and are worth browsing.

To recap: we can begin reducing inflammation by minimizing exposure to toxins in our home environment. My top recommendations are to swap your laundry detergent, your multipurpose cleaner, and your dish soap or dishwasher detergent, as these are the products most of us are getting the most exposure to. My top swap brands include Branch Basics, Honest, Common Good, Attitude, ECOS, and Trader Joe’s. Keep in mind that the EWG app is full of helpful information that can help you to select safe cleaning products for your home, as well!

I hope you found this information helpful! If you haven’t already, head back to my What is Inflammation and Why Are We Fighting It? post for a simple explanation of what inflammation is, why it occurs, and the steps we can take to reduce it.

You’ll also want to check out my posts on healing inflammation with food and healing inflammation with personal care swaps.

That’s all for now. Until next time…

-       Nicole