I remember watching The Oprah Winfrey Show a couple of years ago, where they had a woman on who spoke about ‘clean’ living. I was shocked (and mildly grossed out) when she stated that funeral homes have been reporting less formaldehyde being used on corpses in the last decade or two, because our environment and the food the person ingested during their life had done the work for them.
Well, as much as I support Oprah and living a less toxic lifestyle – this statement seems to be an urban legend. The whole idea really didn’t make sense if you understand the embalming process.
This was a thread I found that posed this question and really ended up serving no purpose other than being entertaining.
The truth is, every day we are using products which contain formaldehyde (the current method used in embalming bodies).
We know formaldehyde has been linked to cancer, so if we saw “formaldehyde” was listed as an ingredient in a product we are using, we would probably avoid it.
That is why formaldehyde has many aliases.
Same crap, different name.
Names for formaldehyde include:
- Quaternium-15
- 2-bromo-2nitropropane-1,3-diol
- imidazolidinyl urea
- diazolidinyl urea
- Formalin
- Methanal
- Methyl aldehyde
- Methylene oxide
- Morbicid acid
- Oxymethylen –source
What products contain formaldehyde?
- Glue
- Plywood
- Fiberboard
- Insulation
- Particleboard
- Timber Paneling
- Carpet
- Wood furniture
- Cloth furniture
- Children’s clothing
- Adult Clothing
- Shoes
- Mattresses
- Bedding
- Cars
- Books and Magazines
- Cleaning products
- Lotions
- Shampoos
- Sunblock
- Soap Bars
- Cosmetics
- Nail polish
- Perfume
- Body Wash
- Toothpaste
- Baby Wipes
- Bubble Bath
-And the list goes on and on…
So basically….it’s in everything…
What are we to do?
Look for non-toxic products for humans as well as biodegradable products.
Most companies these days happily market their products to be free of various toxins. Search around and find your favorites.
Forget the past.
photo credit: Pinterest
If you start today you’ll still be better off than where you were yesterday. Don’t fret that you’ve done irreversible harm to your body. because a. I don’t believe that, and b. Your body, when not overwhelmed and well-cared for, is self-healing.
Start small.
Don’t go broke changing your home into a ‘clean’ living space. Start with the products you buy more frequently (shampoos, soaps, toothpaste etc) and replace them with ‘green’ products.
Prioritize bigger items.
photo credit: Pinterest
A lot of the pricier products have probably substantially off-gased if you’ve owned them for awhile. You don’t have to rush out to get a new couch, but maybe choose which of the bigger items you will start saving for, and replace when the time comes. For instance, a non-toxic mattress may be priority number one because so much time is spent lying on (and inhaling) whatever it is made out of.
Compensate for (and don’t be afraid of) the things you cannot change.
photo credit: Pinterest
I think it is important to remember we can only do our best, and we cannot allow ourselves to be consumed by daily toxins- An obsession (especially one like that) lowers your quality of life. So, if you’re renting and you can’t replace your carpet, make yourself feel better by eating as healthy (chemical-free) as you can, and maybe doing something like adding extra live plants to your home decor to improve the air quality.
Until conventional companies and our government start taking certain toxins seriously, we’ll just have to do our best. We must understand that while we can’t completely live chemical-free, we can greatly reduce our bodies’ (especially our children’s) absorption of chemicals, and improve our quality of life.
Let’s help each other out:
What are your favorite non-toxic (and effective) products and companies?
Here are some of my favorite non-toxic products:
