Written by Dr. Eric Zielinski
Despite many people’s best efforts to live a healthy life at home, many of the products we’ve come to rely on daily are the ones bringing us harm. From the air we breathe to the water we drink, to the food we eat and beyond, it’s important to understand the prevalence of toxins in our everyday lives.
Here’s a look at six major toxins present in our homes—and how you can use essential oils to combat them.
1. Indoor Air Quality
Here’s a startling statistic: according to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), indoor air is two-to-five-times more polluted than outdoor air. And research shows that, on average, we spend approximately 90 percent of our time indoors. That means every day, we’re breathing in air filled with odors, potentially harmful gases, and chemicals, dust, and viruses.
The natural solution? Diffuse essential oils throughout your home to fight airborne pathogens and to leave a natural, healing scent in your rooms. For a spray to promote vibrance, try a blend of 10 drops organic 190-proof grain alcohol, 5 drops cardamom, 5 drops palo santo, 5 drops pink pepper, 5 drops vetiver, 10 drops witch hazel, and distilled water as needed.
2. Tap Water
The sad truth is that while we need water to live, the water coming out of our taps is rife with contaminants and pathogens. Some of the most common and well-documented include fluoride (hormone disruptor), chlorine (respiratory irritant), lead (toxin), mercury (toxin) and polychlorinated biphenyl (PCBs) (carcinogens).
Drinking pure, clean water is non-negotiable if you want to enjoy robust health, and there is no replacement for a high-powered water filtration system. Adding essential oils into your purified water regimen makes drinking clean water even more healthy because they are rich in antioxidants and anti-inflammatory compounds. Try mixing 10 drops each lemon and grapefruit essential oils with a few droppers full of liquid stevia to taste, a teaspoon of fresh lemon juice, a tablespoon of apple cider vinegar, and a gallon of purified water for a tasty, immune-boosting drink.
3. Electromagnetic Fields (EMFs)
Our cell phones, microwaves, Wi-Fi routers, computers, and other appliances send out a stream of invisible energy through electromagnetic fields (EMFs). EMFs are known to trigger oxidative stress on various tissues throughout the body and can cause free radical damage to cells.
Fight back against EMF by turning off your devices whenever possible, and reversing the effects of free radical damage using essential oils. Diffusing essential oils is a cornerstone to stop environmental threats and enhance your body’s ability to enjoy robust health because they are rich in antioxidants and have profound anti-inflammatory capacity. Introducing an immune-boosting blend of oils into your home and office goes a long way toward fighting back against the pathogens that likely inhabit it.
The first step is to make this immune-boosting blend that was adapted from a remedy researchers discovered was effective at killing the flu virus. Mix 10 drops of the following essential oils into a small 5 ml aromatherapy bottle: cinnamon bark, clove bud, eucalyptus, lemon, orange and rosemary. Next, put 4-6 drops of this warming aromatic delight into your aromatherapy diffuser to help detoxify the air you’re breathing and enhance immune function.
4. Household Cleaning Products
When doing laundry or housework, be aware that many household products are loaded with toxins that can contribute to autoimmunity and other chronic health issues. These include parabens and detergents, as well as industrial solvents and chemicals ranging from chlorine to triclosan—all of which have unique, harmful effects on our bodies.
Lean on tea tree, lemon and orange essential oils, which are powerful disinfectants that also smell great. Combine them with baking soda or vinegar and distilled water for effective cleaners that don’t come with nasty side effects. Best of all, you’ll preserve the good bacteria in the environment and on your skin!
5. Cosmetics and Personal Care Products
Our skin is an organ—the largest organ, actually. It absorbs everything we put on it. That means all the body creams, perfumes, deodorants, hair-care products, shampoos, and even our nail polishes—and the chemicals in these products—eventually wind up inside our body.
It’s time to ditch the store-bought, chemical-rich products with natural alternatives. Castile soap can replace virtually any commercial soap. Raw apple cider vinegar is a powerful cleaner for hair. Essential oils such as lavender, frankincense, Roman chamomile, neroli, helichrysum, sandalwood and rose all mix well in natural soaps, for great bath products.
6. Processed Junk Food
Photo: Caleb Oquendo
There are toxins in many of our foods, including added sugar, saturated fats, additives, colorings, preservatives, artificial sweeteners, and more. Found mostly in processed foods, fast foods, and junk foods of every type, these bad ingredients are among the leading reasons chronic disease is on the rise
Adding foods rich in essential oils and other bioactive compounds to your diet can help ensure your body gets the immune support it needs. Next time you prepare your homemade guacamole, add a drop of cilantro and lime essential oil. Or, try 1-2 drops of oregano oil in your pasta sauce. The sky is the limit and every recipe that calls for herbs, spices, and zest can be enhanced with essential oils!
The unfortunate fact is that these toxins will persist all around us. The best we can do is to fight back against them and their damaging effects. Knowledge of how to combat them and the right essential oils are your first line of defense. Follow these tips and live well, even in spite of our increasingly toxic world!
Dr. Eric Zielinski
Bestselling author and public health researcher, Dr. Eric Zielinski, has a new release that has just hit the bookstores. THE ESSENTIAL OILS APOTHECARY [Rodale Books | Sept 2021], co-written with his wife Sabrina Ann Zielinski, was released on September 7, 2021, and is the most comprehensive selection of scientific research that has been done on the benefits of Essential Oils in the treatment protocol for chronic disease.
Feature Photo by Monstera
