Health and wellness is on the rise, especially with the recent global pandemic. Many products are being advertised as “safe” and “all-natural”, but are they really all that safe? The packages are pretty and the labels are clever, but the more you dig, the more you find out. This class will help you decide what’s truly safe and give you the tools you need to start making simple swaps for a healthier home.
According to the American Lung Association, there are many cleaning supplies and household products on the market that can cause numerous health conditions from minor things like throat or eye irritation to headaches all the way to major things like cancer. Read more about it here…
When choosing products to use in our houses, it seems easiest to just grab whatever items are available at our local stores. However, those products may not be the safest. Sadly many of them - even the “green” ones - contain ingredients you do NOT want in your house or anywhere near your family. But what ARE those ingredients and why don’t we want to use them? Let’s take a look!
- Formaldehyde - This is a preservative that is often seen in lotions, cosmetics, and baby wipes. It’s a known carcinogen and can cause skin and respiratory irritations.
- Phthalates - These are a group of chemicals found in personal care products and many plastics and vinyls. They can affect your endocrine system, reproductive health, and even potentially cause cancer.
- VOCs - Volatile organic compounds (VOCs) are gases that are emitted into the air. They’re found in some building materials, home and personal products, gasoline, and even things like glue and permanent markers. Breathing VOCs can cause eye, nose and throat irritation as well as difficulty breathing and nausea, even damage to the central nervous system and other organs. Some VOCs can even cause cancer.
- Sodium Lauryl Sulfate (SLS) and Sodium Laureth Sulfate (SLES) - These are surfactants commonly used as an emulsifying cleaning agent in household cleaning products (laundry detergents, spray cleaners, and dishwasher detergents). In other words they keep things mixed up and help them create lather. Oftentimes they are synthetically derived and have the potential to cause skin irritation.
- Ethanolamines (MEA, DEA, and TEA) - These are found in many household and personal care products and have been linked to organ system toxicity, bioaccumulation, and even cancer.
- Triclosan - This is found in many antibacterial soaps, hand sanitizers, and detergents as well as some toothpastes, deodorants, cosmetics, plastics, and more. It can affect the thyroid and endocrine system and was recently banned by the FDA to be used in “antiseptic washes” but can still be found in some other products like toothpaste, cosmetics, and even clothing, kitchenware, furniture, and toys.
- Fragrance - The word “fragrance” can appear on a label and contain an enormous list of ingredients that a company is not required to disclose, as it is considered a ‘trade secret.’ That means a product could contain some awful ingredients and the consumer wouldn’t even know! These chemicals could be linked to cancer, reproductive and developmental toxicity, allergies and sensitivities. Why take the risk?
These are just a FEW of the ingredients you want to avoid when bringing products into your home. But my oh my! Doesn’t that sound exhausting to have to read label after label, wondering if what you’re using is safe?
Well, I’ve got good news! You don’t have to. You won’t find ANY of those ingredients in Young Living products, especially in the Thieves line. You can trust that what you’re purchasing is truly a SAFE product. Young Living never uses any artificial dyes, harsh chemicals, or synthetic fragrances. How wonderful is that?!
And the best part… it all comes directly to your door. Easy peasy!
Have you taken a peak at the labels on the products in your home yet? Do you see any of the ingredients I mentioned above? Take time to check out what you are using and then come back here and find out how you can ditch & switch. We are ready to help you when you are ready.
Why Thieves?
All the products within the Thieves line contain the proprietary Young Living essential blend called Thieves, which is a sweet and spicy combination of Clove, Cinnamon Bark, Eucalyptus Radiata, Rosemary, and Lemon essential oils. The name ‘Thieves’ was inspired by the legend of four 15th-century French thieves who formulated and wore a special aromatic combination of clove, rosemary, vinegar, and other botanicals that they believed provided protection while they were stealing. The story goes on to say that when the thieves were caught they were offered a lesser punishment if they would divulge to the king the secret to their immunity, despite being exposed to a highly infectious, deadly disease. Pretty interesting, huh??
Thankfully, Young Living has taken this incredible cleansing blend and created an entire line of amazing household and personal care products for us! They are all backed by Young Living’s Seed to Seal quality commitment as well. You can rest assured that you’re getting a quality product made with the highest quality essentials oils and other naturally-derived ingredients.
Check out some of the strict guidelines they abide by to fulfill their promise in sending only the best products to your home.
- plant material that is grown on corporately-owned farms or carefully vetted partner farms (that you CAN visit!)
- sustainable farming and sourcing practices, providing the purest oil
- great care taken to preserve and protect natural resources
- hand-weeded fields and ZERO use of pesticides
- oils that retain all their natural constituents and therapeutic properties
- use of food-grade distillers with state-of-the-art design and distillation methods
- low pressure and low temperature distillation, without the use of solvents or synthetic chemicals
- rigorous testing on each batch by internal labs and third-party facilities
- oils that are carefully reviewed through every step of production in order to meet or exceed industry safety and purity standards (beyond organic!)
And the best part… if the oils do not meet these high standards they are rejected and will not be bottled as a Young Living product. Check out more info on their Seed to Seal promise at www.seedtoseal.com.
Thieves in the Laundry Room
The laundry room is a place most of us spend a lot of time in. I mean, we all need clean clothes, right? One would think it’s safe to just use whatever laundry soap or detergent you want based on the smell and washing ability. Sadly - that’s not the case.
Unfortunately the majority of the laundry soaps and detergents available to us are riddled with dangerous chemicals such as 1,4-dioxane; fragrance; SLS; and more. We breathe in those chemicals as the laundry is being washed and dried (hello toxic dryer sheets!) AND we can even be absorbing them as we wear our clothes and snuggle into our blankets and towels. Ahhh! Why risk things like skin, nose, throat, and lung irritation or long-term effects to our organs and hormones? Some of these dangerous chemicals have even been linked to cancer yet they’re still readily available to us and marketed as “safe” and “normal.”
Thankfully, Young Living wants nothing to do with those chemicals and has given you a legitimately SAFE solution with Thieves Laundry Soap. It is made of plant-based ingredients and leaves no chemical or synthetic residue so you can snuggle up with NO worries! It contains natural enzymes and cleaning agents and of course, the most powerful essential oils on the planet. Your clothes will be fresh and clean and left with a light citrus scent, not a heavy perfume.
The best part about this soap is that it’s concentrated so a little goes a long way! You can get 64 loads with just one 32-ounce bottle, making it economic AND a safe alternative for your family. Want to get DOUBLE that? Try this hack!
- Remove 16 oz. soap from the bottle (half).
- Add 3 capfuls of Thieves Household Cleaner (as a booster; optional).
- Add 16 oz. distilled or filtered water.
- Gently shake until completely incorporated.
- Use as directed on the bottle.
One last trick… instead of grabbing dryer sheets (also filled with dangerous chemicals), grab some wool dryer balls from Amazon or a store like Trader Joe’s. It's such an easy switch! Add 3-5 drops of your choice of essential oil to each dryer ball and freshen up that laundry. Tip: add the oils to the balls at the end of the cycle and let them toss for 5 minutes for best results.
Are you ready to get started? We are ready to help you! Click the link below and it will take ou to ALL THINGS THIEVES. You can grab your Laundry soap and more if you would like. We will plug you into our Members Only area of our website, facebook groups if you choose and email/texting with resources, education and classes. Like I said we are hear to help you!!!
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