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If you’ve been trying to conceive for a while without success, you may have started looking at your daily routine with a much more discerning eye. If I begin eating organic, will it help me get pregnant? What kind of supplements should I be taking for optimal fertility? So much of this journey is out of our control, and it can feel empowering to make positive changes in hopes of increasing your chances of conceiving. We know because we’ve been there.
But what about the products we use every day in our homes? While most of us would rather not believe it, we are exposed to so many chemicals every day, from the environment to the food that we eat to our personal care products and cleaning supplies. And these endocrine-disrupting chemicals can be wreaking havoc on your hormones, and in turn, your fertility.
Detoxing Your Home When Trying to Conceive
So, how can you detox your home when trying to conceive? Before you throw away everything all at once, we’re going to break it down for you in 3 simple, achievable steps:
1. Remove Synthetic Fragrance
We get it – candles make your home feel warm and cozy, and the simple smell of a certain perfume can bring you back to a core memory with a person you love. But the truth is, synthetic fragrance exposure is hazardous to our health and the health of the people (and pets!) around us.
“Fragrance” or “parfum” on an ingredient list actually represents a fragrance recipe that could be made up of not just one or two chemicals, but hundreds of synthetic chemicals. And of this large number of ingredients, none of them actually have to be disclosed or tested for safety. In fact, according to an Environmental Working Group (EWG) study, 72% of products with the ingredient "fragrance" contained endocrine disruptors called phthalates, which have been linked to diabetes, liver and breast cancer, hormone disruption affecting fertility, and more.
In addition, the term "natural fragrance" or “essential oil” on an ingredient list does not necessarily mean it is safe. In a study analyzing 25 top-selling products, researchers found that the “green,” natural, and organic fragranced products emitted just as many hazardous chemicals as “regular” fragranced products.
When thinking about fragrance in your home, it’s important to read ingredient lists and consider all items that include fragrance, not just the obvious ones. Dryer sheets, air fresheners, potpourri, body sprays, trash bags, toilet paper, scented hand soap, and body wash can all contain harmful toxins. As a first step, try swapping these out for their non-scented counterparts, or getting rid of them altogether. Well, maybe not the toilet paper; you do need that.
2. Check Your Personal Care Products
According to EWG, people come into contact with over 500 synthetic chemicals daily in their homes. And personal care products typically contain Endocrine Disrupting Chemicals (EDCs), which can ravage your hormones. Yes, what you put on your skin can contribute to hormone health!
EDCs can affect the ovaries, adrenals, thyroid, and other glands—causing your hormones to go haywire and leading to unpleasant symptoms like painful periods, acne, and PMS. Additionally, endocrine disruptors have been linked to cancer, thyroid disease, birth defects, and, you guessed it, infertility.
While this may feel overwhelming, there is an easy way to find out which of your favorite makeup and skincare products contain endocrine-disrupting chemicals. The Skin Deep Cosmetics Database, a free online database maintained by the Environmental Working Group, provides information on the safety and potentially harmful ingredients in make-up, sunscreen, facial cleansers, shampoo, soaps, toothpaste, and other cosmetic and skin care products, and can be a great resource if you’re looking to “clean up” your daily routine.
Once you know what’s safe and what’s not, try making a swap every time you run out of an item. That way, you won’t have to overhaul everything at once, saving money (and your hormone health) in the long run.
3. Update Your Laundry & Cleaning Products
If you’re like most people, there are dozens of different cleaning products under your sinks, in drawers, in the laundry room, in closets, and in the garage. We all love a clean home, but regular exposure to conventional cleaning products can be detrimental to our health and well-being. These products are absorbed through the skin, inhaled into the lungs, and ingested as chemical residues that remain after dishes, laundry, and other household items have been washed.
Do a sweep of your home and pull out all cleaning products you are currently using and any lurking in the back of cabinets and closets. Review the labels and look for toxic red flags and ingredients. If the packaging says anything along the lines of “Caution” or “Danger” toss it immediately, checking in with Earth911.com for disposal rules in your area. Then, replace your cleaning products with ones that are truly non-toxic and human-safe.
Branch Basics is a non-toxic, safe, and powerful concentrated cleaning formula that is not irritating to the eyes or skin and can be diluted for virtually any cleaning use – from windows, stains, and laundry to veggies, faces, and pets. Not only that, all of their ingredients are rated a 1 on EWG Skin Deep, an A on EWG Healthy Cleaning, and a zero on Think Dirty.
This simple swap alone can improve the air quality in your home and take a tremendous load off of your body’s detoxification system, increasing its capacity for handling unexpected exposures to chemicals, strengthening the body’s resistance to viruses, and freeing it to use its energy to rejuvenate and heal. Branch Basics products are not only safe, but they provide peace of mind that the products in your home are not contributing to your infertility, giving you back some semblance of control on an unpredictable journey. Use the code RESCRIPTED for 15% off all Branch Basics Starter Kits!