***Disclosure: I participated in a campaign on behalf of Mom Central Consulting for Seventh Generation. I received a promotional item and product samples as a thank you for participating.***
I have a confession to make: Before we started trying to conceive our now 4 year old daughter, I paid absolutely no mind to the ingredients in household cleaners. My main concern was usually the price as well as whether or not the products worked. I didn't stop and think about the potential hazards that were hidden in those brightly colored bottles that promised me a sparkling clean home. (Yep. Pretty horrible, right?)
Well, we ended up running into issues with secondary infertility, and it took us quite a long time to get pregnant. I wanted a baby so badly, and I felt pretty defeated every month that a pregnancy test showed a BFN. (Big Fat Negative.) I actually fell into a deep depression because I felt "broken" and helpless.
I wanted our chances for conception to be as high as possible, so I started doing a ton of research. During this time, I learned a lot about how environmental factors such as toxic chemical exposure could actually impede fertility.
Did you know that according to Seventh Generation, there are a whopping 80,000 chemicals are available in the United States that have NOT fully been tested for adverse effects on health and the environment? Yes, I did just say 80,000. That was not a typo, unfortunately. An even scarier fact? Scientists have linked chemical exposure to some pretty serious health risks, such as Cancer, Alzheimer's Disease, birth defects, reproductive health, and even asthma and learning disabilities. That's some pretty sobering information, don't you agree?
Well, we ended up running into issues with secondary infertility, and it took us quite a long time to get pregnant. I wanted a baby so badly, and I felt pretty defeated every month that a pregnancy test showed a BFN. (Big Fat Negative.) I actually fell into a deep depression because I felt "broken" and helpless.
I wanted our chances for conception to be as high as possible, so I started doing a ton of research. During this time, I learned a lot about how environmental factors such as toxic chemical exposure could actually impede fertility.
Did you know that according to Seventh Generation, there are a whopping 80,000 chemicals are available in the United States that have NOT fully been tested for adverse effects on health and the environment? Yes, I did just say 80,000. That was not a typo, unfortunately. An even scarier fact? Scientists have linked chemical exposure to some pretty serious health risks, such as Cancer, Alzheimer's Disease, birth defects, reproductive health, and even asthma and learning disabilities. That's some pretty sobering information, don't you agree?
In 1976, the Toxic Substances Control Act was passed. Even though passing the TSCA was a step in the right direction, this act has not been updated. Companies are still using tens of thousands of potentially harmful chemicals, and there is no mandatory testing or disclosures to the public about these substances.
Think about it....No real testing for safety in almost 40 years. And we, as consumers, blindly trust brands to only produce products that are safe. Well, I hate to say it, but many products we use every single day could be potentially very unsafe, and can lead to health problems in adults, pets, and the most precious commodity of all, our children.
These facts are the exact reason I started seeking out a greener, cleaner lifestyle. When I learned how many scary things were in typical household products, personal care products, and even in our food, I went a bit nutso and started tossing out anything that contained about 5 million ingredients that I couldn't pronounce. I also switched out the meds my doctor prescribed for fertility, against his advice of course, and began taking all natural, Ayurvedic fertility supplements.
After only about 4 months of using eco-friendly products and organic supplements, we were pregnant with our feisty little Sophie. When she was only 3 months old, we found out we were expecting again, this time with our son, Xander. Some may argue that this is mere coincidence. Deep down, I know there is no coincidence about it. Once we changed our lifestyles and were more mindful about safety of ingredients in everything we touched or consumed, our struggles with infertility seemed magically reversed. Even my doctor was surprised.
Now my "babies" are preschool-aged, but our commitment to living greener, cleaner lives is still going strong. In a way, I am thankful for our struggles with infertility. While that time period was one of the darkest in my life, a lot of good has come of it, and I have learned so much about how to give my kids the best possible chance at life. We're very blessed to have happy, healthy kids, and we want to take every possible precaution to ensure that they remain exactly that.
If you're also concerned about the many potential toxins in your home, you might be more than a little outraged at our outdated regulations regarding chemicals. Thankfully, there is something you can do to help.
Seventh Generation has started a petition urging congress to take a closer look at the TSCA that was passed in 1976. They would love to see more disclosure, as well as proper testing of chemicals to make sure that our families all remain safe and healthy.
Think about it....No real testing for safety in almost 40 years. And we, as consumers, blindly trust brands to only produce products that are safe. Well, I hate to say it, but many products we use every single day could be potentially very unsafe, and can lead to health problems in adults, pets, and the most precious commodity of all, our children.
These facts are the exact reason I started seeking out a greener, cleaner lifestyle. When I learned how many scary things were in typical household products, personal care products, and even in our food, I went a bit nutso and started tossing out anything that contained about 5 million ingredients that I couldn't pronounce. I also switched out the meds my doctor prescribed for fertility, against his advice of course, and began taking all natural, Ayurvedic fertility supplements.
After only about 4 months of using eco-friendly products and organic supplements, we were pregnant with our feisty little Sophie. When she was only 3 months old, we found out we were expecting again, this time with our son, Xander. Some may argue that this is mere coincidence. Deep down, I know there is no coincidence about it. Once we changed our lifestyles and were more mindful about safety of ingredients in everything we touched or consumed, our struggles with infertility seemed magically reversed. Even my doctor was surprised.
Now my "babies" are preschool-aged, but our commitment to living greener, cleaner lives is still going strong. In a way, I am thankful for our struggles with infertility. While that time period was one of the darkest in my life, a lot of good has come of it, and I have learned so much about how to give my kids the best possible chance at life. We're very blessed to have happy, healthy kids, and we want to take every possible precaution to ensure that they remain exactly that.
If you're also concerned about the many potential toxins in your home, you might be more than a little outraged at our outdated regulations regarding chemicals. Thankfully, there is something you can do to help.
Seventh Generation has started a petition urging congress to take a closer look at the TSCA that was passed in 1976. They would love to see more disclosure, as well as proper testing of chemicals to make sure that our families all remain safe and healthy.
How You Can Get Involved and Spread Awareness :
- You can become a Toxin Freedom Fighter by signing Seventh Generation’s petition to urge Congress to reevaluate the Toxic Substances Control Act for the first time since 1976.
- Make sure that parents and the general public are aware that of the 80,000 synthetic chemicals introduced into the market since the Toxic Substances Control Act was passed in 1976, the EPA has required testing on less than 10%.
- Help Seventh Generation reach its goal of collecting 100,000 Signatures by April 24th by signing the petition for chemical reform and urging your friends and family to do the same!
Would you like to join me and become a Toxin Freedom Fighter? You can! Just click the badge above and sign the petition. Be sure to share with friends and family, too! If we all band together, we can create some real change. By fighting toxic chemicals, you can help ensure that the world is a safe and beautiful place for future generations. I think our kids and future grandkids deserve it, don't you?
To learn more, be sure to visit the Natural Resources Defense
How do you #FightToxins in your home? I'd love to hear all about it!
How do you #FightToxins in your home? I'd love to hear all about it!
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