A significant amount of residences in southern California homes exceed outdoor air quality standards for several pollutants on a weekly basis just from cooking with gas burners, according to a study published in Environmental Health Perspectives. Researched by a team at the Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory, indoor air researchers discovered dangerous levels of nitrogen dioxide and carbon monoxide.
Focusing on improving the air quality of your kitchen and home is a good first step in reducing toxins and improving your kitchen’s overall health. But a new range hood or cleaning out your air ducts can only go so far. Harsh chemicals and hazards are lurking around your kitchen, but they can be dramatically reduced with a few subtle changes.
Use a Water Purification System
Tap water in the United Kingdom routinely contains liquefied chlorine, aluminium sulphate, pesticides and a variety of chemicals added to kill bacteria and microorganisms. But how safe are the chemicals used, and how much do they really kill? If your family is prone to illness, it could be because of what’s coming out of your sink.
For added assurance, invest in a simple water purification device like the eSpring Water Treatment System. It reduces over 160 contaminants, including those that directly impact your health, like lead and mercury. There’s only so much your household cleaners can do when it comes to bacteria like Rotavirus and Poliovirus. Found in Amway’s Home and Living section online, eSpring can destroy nearly 99.99 per cent of such water-borne diseases that cause bacteria and viruses in drinking water without removing beneficial minerals like fluoride.
Ditch Traditional Cleaning Products
How you clean your kitchen goes a long way in optimising it for healthy living. Skip cleaners that require multiple applications and harsh chemicals, and instead opt for more eco-friendly varieties. For example, vinegar can inactivate the flu virus, but it may not be as effective as commercial cleaners when killing off some strains of salmonella. Use your commercial cleaners sparingly and tidy up with a more natural cleaner like vinegar or baking soda to scrub your pots and pans.
Remember that your kitchen surfaces, cookware and appliances aren’t the only things that require thorough cleaning. Fruit and vegetable cleaning can go a long way to keep your kitchen and your family healthy. But there’s no need to invest in expensive specialty washes or supplies. According to the National Pesticide Information Center, washing with water reduces dirt, germs and pesticides simply by holding it under flowing water or peeling and scrubbing your fruits and vegetables. Specialty washes haven’t actually proven to be more effective than water alone. And although no method can remove all pesticide residues, regular dish soap and other cleaners can get trapped in your produce’s pores and add residue.
Check Your Cooking Supplies
According to the Farmer’s Almanac, your cookware could be toxic. Teflon nonstick pans are coated with a petrol-chemical to eliminate scrubbing, but they can leak toxins into your food and could be linked to kidney disease and birth defects among other issues. Meanwhile, cast iron can improve your health if you’re low on iron; however, it could impair your memory and accumulate in the brain if you have too much iron in your body. The Farmer’s Almanac suggests ceramic cookware for its nonstick ease and because the material reduces the need to use large amounts of oil and butter.
Rethink Your Decor
Lighting up your favourite scented candles made from paraffin could contaminate your kitchen and emit carcinogens, like formaldehyde and carbon monoxide. That doesn’t even scratch the surface of how synthetic fragrances are typically derived from petroleum and the colour made from coal tar. That’s a lot of toxins just to dress up your kitchen. Instead, use a non-toxic, ceramic diffuser and add all-natural essential oils to freshen your home while keeping it toxin-free.