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Could Your Home Be Full of Toxins?

8 May 2018 by Donna Larcom

Could Your Home Be Full of Toxins?

It is fair to say that we live in a toxic environment, exponentially more toxic than the one our grandparents grew up in.

These toxins are entering our body via our skin, our food, the water we drink, even the air we breathe.

The reality is that all of us are exposed to a lot more than previous generations. It is the accumulative toxic burden that is the problem.

As humans, we have become very clever at making things out of chemicals, things we use every day, without thinking of it.

If you live in a relatively new home, then chances are the building materials used will be giving off Volatile Organic Compounds, (VOC’s), these are tiny chemical compounds that float around in the air.

A good example of a place that is full of them is the cleaning and detergent aisle of the supermarket, you can literally smell the onslaught as you approach the aisle; another is the new car smell, a real reason to consider purchasing a second-hand car!

By breathing the air these VOC’s are entering our body, they also enter through the skin, which is our largest, organ and very absorbent.

Another area of toxic concern is in the personal care products we use such as shampoo’s, toothpaste, soapy cleansers, moisturisers, make-up and perfume.

This industry is self-regulated and is not subject to any real scrutiny of ingredients.

These industries can also hide behind a veil of what is called ‘Trade Secrets’ for its formulas and recipes.

How many ingredients are there in your shampoo or face moisturiser?

Can you be sure that they are all non-toxic?


The scary thing is, toxins we absorb through our skin do not have the additional filter system that the liver provides for anything we consume through our mouth.


It is clear that household cleaning products and personal care products do not have to be chemical-laden and toxic, after all, our grandparents survived without them.

They used more natural things to clean with, such as white vinegar and bicarbonate of soda, which are proven to be just as effective.

We are all aware of the toxins that are used in our food chains, everything from the antibiotics used in standard animal farming to the insecticide and herbicide sprays used on our standard grocery produce.

It is the constant re-exposure to these chemicals and multiple sources of them, all day every day that is really creating a big toxic burden for our body and the environment.

By sourcing organic produce we can substantially reduce our toxic burden, alleviate some of the stress this causes on our body and help repair our Earth.

All toxins are an additional form of stress for the body. Did you know that stress in its many forms is a major contributor to disease?

Being aware of our daily toxic burden should be a concern for us all. We can take steps to minimise this burden by choosing alternative products.

There is a huge market emerging that is starting to address this by using much more natural, less harmful ingredients.

I challenge you to go through your home and swap out the toxic products for the non-toxic alternatives.

The market changes with us and our buying power, so let us change our toxic habits, and enjoy less of a burden on our body, which will ultimately be reflected in a healthier body.


Study Nutrition

Donna Larcom

Donna Larcom, FNTP, is part of the Pure Core Nourishment team and specialises in-house clinical functional testing and bio-individualised nutrition.