Dr. Tannaz Mokhtari: Naturopathic Blog

I have been out of touch for a couple of weeks attending to my newborn! Finally found a few minutes to myself to write a blog.  Just before he was born I had the “nesting syndrome”, I just wanted everything cleaned and cleaned over, getting rid of the clutter in the house.  This time of the year many people feel the need to do “spring cleaning” or as I call it “detox” their home.  We are all becoming more conscious about and taking steps to improve the environment outside.  But what about the environment within the four walls of our own homes? With double-glazed windows and air-tight doors, the air we breathe day and night can become a toxic brew of chemicals, most of which the average person can’t even pronounce.  Using toxic cleaning agents, air fresheners, toiletries, and lots of other day to day products, we expose ourselves and particularly our children to this toxic stew! According to Dr. Lynn Marshall of the Environmental Health Clinic at Toronto’s Women’s College Hospital, children are particularly vulnerable to these chemicals. “They eat, drink and breathe in more contaminants relative to their body size.  They are lower to the ground and explore with their hands and mouths.  Their ability to handle environmental pollutants is immature, at the same time as development of key organs and metabolic processes are rapidly occurring and can be interrupted by exposure to toxins, even at low levels, with permanent negative consequences.”

There are a number of illnesses which may be linked to the excess environmental toxins. The causes of environmental sensitivities/intolerances, chronic fatigue syndrome/myalgic encephalomyelitis (CFS/ME) and fibromyalgia, also pegged as “21st century illnesses,” are unknown. It is suspected that there are a number of factors at work, leading to the body’s inability to adapt to a combination of stressors. One of the stressors commonly linked with these conditions is our exposure to an increasing number of toxic chemicals.

Here are some useful tips to remember: 

·         Open a window and run a fan. Fresh air improves air quality much more effectively than an air freshener which can itself contain damaging chemicals.

·         Use a one-inch pleated filter in your furnace, rather than the usual flat surface filter, as there is more surface area to collect more dust particles. Remember to replace the filter regularly.

·         Clean furnace ducts every two years.

·         Avoid indoor smoking.

·         If you have a gas stove, make sure your exhaust fan is functioning properly, and that you use it every time you use the stove.

Switch to all-natural cleaners such as vinegar and baking soda or use a line of organic cleaning products; 

White vinegar - use to clean windows, counter tops, chrome, grease, floors, etc.
Baking soda - absorbs odours; good for cleaning ovens, sinks, etc.
Lemon juice- cleans windows, sinks, grease, etc.
Vegetable oil, lemon oil - can be used as a furniture polish
Borax - for cleaning toilets, tubs, floors
Plant-based dish soaps

There are also a growing number of commercially available, less-toxic products on the market. Canadian products that have been certified as safer for human health and the environment have an Ecolabel (three doves intertwined to form a maple leaf.)

Products to use sparingly or avoid:

·         Window and floor cleaners containing ammonia

·         Drain cleaners containing sodium hydroxide

·         Commercial air fresheners

·         Aerosol products

·         Anything with added fragrances or dyes

Also remember this is a great time for doing a “body detox”.
Wishing you a wonderful spring.