THE ANTICANCER LIVING GUIDE TO DETOXIFY YOUR ENVIRONMENT
In an era when profits often take precedence over precaution, you, the consumer, are responsible for overseeing, monitoring, and controlling (where you can) your exposure to the toxins in your environment. While it is a challenge to avoid all exposure to toxins, in the pages that follow we will outline a prescription to reduce your chemical burden utilizing the precautionary principle. When it comes to limiting your chemical exposure, the precautionary principle means that you are maintaining awareness of what you are putting on and in your body and taking steps to avoid exposing yourself unnecessarily to toxins in your household and environment. If you aren’t sure whether or not something is harmful, don’t risk it. We examine our exposures from the top of our head to the tips of our toes. Then we go from room to room and look at everything we come in contact with—from the products we use to clean the house to the chairs we sit on and the beds we sleep in. Clear your body and your home as much as you can of potentially dangerous chemicals, and protect your children and your community when possible from the ever-expanding realm of toxic exposure. It goes without saying that you should avoid too much sun and never smoke or use e-cigarettes. Sun and smoke are known to contribute to cancer onset, so avoid overexposure to the sun and any exposures to tobacco and the chemicals in e-cigarettes.
Reduce your household chemical exposures.
Filter your water.
Reduce the toxins you put on your body.
Reduce the toxins you put in your body.
Interact carefully with your larger environment.
Many find it easiest to move from room to room in their house and eliminate potentially hazardous products as they go. Another way to proceed is to focus on products from the top of your head to the tips of your toes and then products you encounter in your immediate environment, starting with your home.
Keeping Your House Chemical-Free
Take your shoes off at the door. Streets and lawns are filled with pesticides, herbicides, oil, grease, and other toxic chemicals.
Open the doors and windows to ventilate your home. New homes especially build up toxins as they are so well sealed.
Don’t use toxic pesticides in your home.
Swap out your cleaning products for natural, toxin-free cleaners, including products for the laundry, dishwasher soap, and dish soap.
Go room by room to evaluate your house and what possible chemicals you are using in each room.
Invest in a vacuum that has a high-efficiency particulate air (HEPA) filter. Vacuum twice a week to remove dust and grime that can carry toxins.
Houseplants can act as natural air filters. Certain plants are more effective as filters than others. If you have a pet, read about specific plants’ possible toxicity to animals. The ASPCA has an informative page on poisonous plants.
Scented candles can present risks in two ways—the fragrance and the wax. Paraffin, the wax used in most candles, can emit chemicals like benzene and toluene. These substances are known carcinogens.1,2 Paraffin is a petroleum waste product. Also, many candles have lead core wicks that release lead into the air. The safest candle to use is one made of beeswax. Candles using artificial fragrance will lead to inhalation of a possible endocrine disrupter.3
Use low- or zero-VOC (volatile organic compounds) paint. VOCs are solvents that get released into the air as the paint dries. VOCs can cause acute symptoms, including headaches and dizziness. The long-term effects are less certain, but according to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, some VOCs are suspected carcinogens.4
Do not use flame-retardant or stain-resistant chemicals on your furniture, as these chemicals have been classified as carcinogens.5
If carpeting is necessary, air it out for a few days before bringing it into the house. Many carpets and pads contain VOCs and stain repellents that contain perfluorinated chemicals (PFCs). It is ideal to have carpeting free of VOCs and PFCs.
Avoid air fresheners. As a rule, they are loaded with chemicals of concern, such as EDCs and phthalates.
For your next mattress and pillow, consider a company that makes these products toxin-free (VOCs and flame retardants). This requires some research and cross-referencing to find companies that are honestly transparent about their practices.
As the majority of chemicals found in U.S. tap water are not regulated, use the precautionary principle and filter your water. There are so many contaminants in water, ranging from chlorine and fluoride and other toxic elements to chemicals (from runoff and manufacturing and household use to diluted prescription drugs and over-the-counter medicines), that filtering is a must in an anticancer living home (check out ewg.org/tap water to see about the water quality in your area).6
A number of filter options are available at different price points. An on-counter water filter or a sink-attachment water filter are cost-effective and easy to use. Don’t forget to add filters to showerheads to decrease breathing in aerosolized chemicals from the shower spray that will enter your lungs for transmission into your bloodstream. EWG.org has information on all the options.7
Don’t drink water from a plastic bottle. Much of the bottled water on the market is essentially municipal tap water. Also, chemicals such as BPA can leech from the plastic and contaminate the water. Carry a stainless steel or glass bottle with you. Keep it in your bag. Aluminum bottles can have a BPA lining inside, so do your research or stick with glass and stainless steel.
Many companies are seeing the demand for products that contain few if any known toxins. It is now possible to find almost any product in an endocrine-disrupter-free, carcinogen-free version. The next time you visit your hair salon or nail shop, ask about products they carry that are “green.” Then go home and look them up online to check what is being said about those products by organizations like EWG (ewg.org/skindeep).
Below is a common list of products men and women use every day. Use the check box to indicate if your current products are toxin-free. It might not be possible to find a completely healthy product, but you can certainly reduce your exposure burden by carefully reading labels and making changes where you can.
Don’t discount homemade solutions for many of the items listed below, especially for cleaning and laundering. They are inexpensive, nontoxic, and effective.
Refer to the “chemicals to avoid” list in this section of the book when reviewing ingredients on labels (also see ewg.org/healthy products).
Body Products
☐ Shampoo
☐ Conditioner
☐ Hairstyling product
☐ Soap
☐ Antibacterial hand soap
☐ Toothpaste
☐ Deodorant
☐ Cleanser
☐ Toner
☐ Moisturizing cream
☐ Eye cream
☐ Hand cream
☐ Body cream
☐ Perfume
Makeup
☐ Makeup remover
☐ Eye makeup remover
☐ Foundation
☐ Primer
☐ Powder
☐ Concealer
☐ Eye shadow
☐ Eyeliner
☐ Mascara
☐ Blush
☐ Bronzing powder
☐ Lip liner
☐ Lipstick or lip gloss
Nail Care
☐ Nail polish
☐ Nail polish remover
☐ Cuticle cream
Hair Salons
☐ Hair dye
☐ Styling lotion
☐ Hair spray
☐ Hair gel
Laundry
☐ Laundry detergent
☐ Fabric softener
☐ Fabric-softening sheets
☐ Bleaching products
☐ Wool dryer balls
Feminine Hygiene Products
☐ Sanitary pads
☐ Tampons
Sun Protection
☐ Sunscreen that is nonaerosol, as aerosolized sprays enter the lungs
☐ Lip protection
Bug Spray
☐ Nonaerosol bug spray
Household Products
☐ Toilet paper
☐ Dishwashing liquid
☐ Paper towels
☐ Air fresheners
☐ All-purpose cleaners
☐ Toilet bowl cleaners
☐ Floor cleaners
Cleaning Products
☐ Microfiber cloths that require only water to clean
☐ Sponges
Household Cleaning Products
☐ Household cleaners
☐ Air fresheners
☐ Any products with scent
Home Renovations
☐ Low- or zero-VOC paint
☐ Opt for hardwood floors and small washable rugs instead of carpeting
☐ Furniture that contains no stain proofing or flame retardant
Eat Organic
Eating organic is especially important with the twelve types of produce with the highest amount of pesticide residue: apples, bell peppers, celery, cherries, grapes, lettuce, nectarines, peaches, pears, potatoes, spinach, and strawberries (ewg.org/dirtydozen).8
Food Packaging
Where possible, buy food in glass instead of cans, plastic-lined paper, or plastic.
Food Storage
Use food containers that are glass, ceramic, or food-grade stainless steel.
When plastic storage bags are necessary, place the food item in parchment paper and then place the wrapped food inside the plastic bag.
Cookware
Use food-grade stainless steel, ceramic, and cast-iron cookware.
Look for cutting boards made of bamboo or wood.
Avoid microwaving in plastic or Styrofoam.
As we mentioned, it is important to control what you can and not obsess about what is beyond your control when it comes to environmental toxins. That said, there are steps we can all take to limit our exposure to potential carcinogens in our larger environment.
Be Careful Using Cell Phones: The connection between exposure to radio-frequency radiation and cancer remains hotly debated. In 2011, the International Agency for Research on Cancer concluded that cell phone use was a possible human carcinogen. But the results from numerous studies have been mixed.9 When it comes to cell phones, David Servan-Schreiber’s warning in Anticancer still rings true: “Be careful.” As we increase the amount of exposure we have to electromagnetic fields, we are likely to see increases in certain types of cancer, especially in those who have weakened immune systems or genetic predispositions.10,11 Because our brains are still developing through adolescence, children and teenagers could be more susceptible to the dangers of EMFs.
So, when we say “be careful,” this is what we mean:
Increase the distance between you and your phone, whether that means using a wired earbud when talking, using the speaker function, or keeping your phone away from your body, even when it’s on and you’re not using it.
Limit your cell phone use when reception is weak or when you’re on the go. EMF emission is strongest when your signal is weak. It is also stronger when your signal is moving from one receiver to the next.
The State of California had considered issuing warnings and guidelines in 2014 for safe cell phone use, but for complex reasons this never reached the public until 2017.12,13
Products for the Car: Purchase green products for interior cleaning of your car. Take green products with you to the self-service car wash and use on your car along with your own cleaning rags.
Dry Cleaning: About 85 percent of dry cleaners in the United States use PERC (percholoethylene or tetrachloroethylene), which has been listed as a “likely human carcinogen” by the National Academy of Sciences and shown to cause cancer in animal studies.14,15
While the toxicity of PERC to humans remains unclear, we recommend the following precautions when dealing with dry cleaning:
Remove dry cleaning bags outside of your home or apartment.
Hang up dry cleaning on a coat rack outside for at least two hours.
If you live in an apartment, remove the plastic at the dry cleaners and walk your laundry home, airing it out as you go.
Do not keep the plastic bag over your dry cleaning in your closet.
Do not leave dry cleaning in your car, as vapors will build up inside the car.
You can also look for “green” dry cleaners. There are a number of processes that have been developed to clean clothes without using PERC, and they include the following:
CO2 Cleaning: In this cleaning process, perchloroethylene or PERC is replaced by liquid CO2. The gas form of carbon dioxide is pressurized into a clear liquid in a special machine. After the process is completed, the liquid CO2 can be pumped into a storage tank and reused. CO2 cleaning has been endorsed by the EPA.16,17
Silicone Cleaning: This method is similar to conventional dry cleaning, but it uses a patented silicone-based solution to remove stains and odors from fabrics. The EPA is still assessing whether the solution, siloxane D5, poses potential risks to human health.
Wet Cleaning: This alternative to dry cleaning is a solvent-free laundering method in which garments are cleaned with water and special detergents in high-tech machines. The EPA has endorsed the method, as it does not use hazardous chemicals or generate chemical waste or air pollution.18
System K4: This German technology uses an acetal-based solvent that is reportedly biodegradable and safe for the environment.