Detoxification is a priority when it comes to preventing and healing Breast Cancer. There are so many mechanisms in the body that play a role in this process – the liver, the gallbladder, the kidneys, the pancreas, the lymph system, the colon, and even certain cells within the blood. They are all busy breaking down and flushing out toxins and waste– and thank goodness for them! Our job is to help all of those mechanisms that are helping us. Essential #2 is all about Reducing Your Toxic Exposure. Here are a few of my favorite ways….some of which you may have never thought about.
Brands That Help You and Your Home
These are three of my absolute favorite products for laundry and also for personal hygiene.
#1 My Green Fills
Thanks to the work of Australian scientist Dr. Anne Steinemann, many more people now know of the dangers of commercial laundry detergents [1]. Her research [2] discovered over 125 chemicals Americans are exposed to every day through laundry detergent and fabric softeners.
Her work also inspired pioneering health-conscious entrepreneurs to come up with alternatives. The company I love the most (and use in my own home) is called Truly Free Home [3].
[3]Truly Free Home [3] is as safe as you can get when it comes to laundry detergent. Better yet, it works well to get clothes fresh and super clean! This company is so environmentally conscious that when you place your first order, you receive 2 plastic jugs that you keep forever. Then the concentrate of detergent and rinse is sent to you in small packets. Think of the millions of jugs this keeps out of the landfills! Don’t forget to use coupon code “BCC” at checkout for 30% off.
Listen to the podcast interview I recently did with Stephen Ezell [4], founder of Truly Free Home, to learn more. You can also go right to their website [3] to take advantage of 30% off at checkout with coupon code “BCC”!
#2 Bim Bam Boo Toilet Paper
With a name like that, how can you go wrong? The fact is that you need clean, safe, chemical-free T.P. just as much as you need safe laundry soap. What you put “down there” is absorbed through the fragile skin and eventually goes throughout your whole body, including chlorine, perfumes, and worse.
A 2010 Canadian study [5] found that Charmin brand toilet paper was to blame for chronic irritation of the vulva experienced by many women. The reason was that the company was using formaldehyde to improve the strength of their T.P. Formaldehyde is a known carcinogen [6].
Now there is a solution. I recently discovered Bim Bam Boo and I love it. It is fairly inexpensive and can be ordered online. What’s more, it is made from all-natural, fragrance-free bamboo. It is hypoallergenic for “young baby bums and adults with skin sensitivities.” It also pH-friendly and is eco-friendly. Rather than using trees as the source of paper, it uses bamboo which regenerates and grows quickly. You can order it online HERE [7].
#3 Embrace Biological Dentistry by Using the Right Kind of Toothpaste!
Essential #5 in the 7 Essentials System® [8] is ”Embrace Biological Dentistry.” Why is oral health so important for preventing and healing Breast Cancer? The answer is simple: your teeth (and your oral cavity as a whole) are connected to every other part of your body. This is evidenced in the Chinese meridian system but also in terms of toxins. Did you know that there is a correspondence between the location of Breast Cancer tumors and root canals or metal fillings? They are usually on the same side of the body; I have seen this time and time again with the thousands of patients I have worked with over the years.
That is why you must choose clean toothpaste since anything you put in your mouth is absorbed directly into the bloodstream. (Think of nitroglycerine for someone with a heart condition and how quickly it acts.) One known carcinogen that many commercial toothpaste brands contain is Triclosan. This chemical, which has been shown to disrupt the thyroid and raise the risk of many kinds of cancer, has been banned by the FDA [9] in soaps and other sundry products since 1997. Yet it still shows up in toothpaste because of research studies sponsored by Colgate [10].
A toothpaste brand that I enjoy and highly recommend is Ora Wellness [11]. Ora Wellness uses unique formulations to help teeth stay white and shiny without harmful chemicals. Your order also comes with a blend of gum-nurturing essential oils for mixing when you brush.
Another toothpaste alternative I like is called Uncle Harry’s [12]. Uncle Harry used bentonite clay as well as essential oils in one paste. I have used it for years and I love it!
#4 Vibrant Blue Oils
Using essential oils for detoxification and overall health has proven the science behind it. Oils like frankincense, rosemary, lemon, and peppermint can enter the brain and body quickly for fast, effective relief as well as deeper detoxification. Many essential oils have hormone-balancing and anti-inflammatory characteristics as well.
A company I highly recommend is Vibrant Blue Oils [14]. Vibrant Blue was created by Jodi Cohen in 2010. Jodi experienced firsthand how a breast lump could be healed. I enjoyed my interview with her on the Wellness Warriors podcast [15].
“I was really surprised that no one was looking at essential oils through the lens of physiology,” Jodi explained in our interview. “And also that they made it so complicated.”
Jodi has been on her health journey. Besides breast issues, she has also suffered from anxiety and adrenal burnout throughout her life. That is why she has made it her life’s mission to educate others in a simple, straightforward way about how essential oils can help for health on all levels, including energetically and emotionally.
[15]Check out the podcast HERE [15] to listen to this highly informative interview and learn more about Jodi’s new book, Essential Oils to Boost the Brain and Heal the Body. [16]
Make Your Cleaner with Essential Oils
Did you know that you can also use essential oils for cleaning your home? Because you only need a little, it turns out that they can be an economical choice as well.
Here is a simple recipe using citrus essential oils to make at home for everyday cleaning. The beauty of citrus essential oils is that not only are they antibacterial but they also cut through grease and oils.
Citrus oils [17] like lemon, grapefruit, and orange are breast-protective. This is because they contain certain phytonutrients, especially the monoterpenes limonene, carveol, uroterpenol, and sobrerol, which can activate Phase II liver detoxification [18] and kill cancer cells.
Household Cleaner Recipe
Ingredients:
-Reusable glass spray bottle
-Distilled water
-Measuring spoons and cups
-Deep glass bowl for mixing
-1 cup vinegar
-1 tablespoon baking soda
-5-7 drops of lemon or orange essential oil
Directions:
Mix the vinegar and baking soda in the bowl. If you have school-aged kids (or anyone in your household who is a kid at heart), they may want to stick around for this part. It’s pretty entertaining to watch these two substances come together and create quite a fizz. PS… This is why you need a deep bowl for mixing these two ingredients.
Next, add the essential oil and enough water to fill up your spray bottle. Mix it all and pour it into the spray bottle. You can use this cleaner for any surface except marble or wood.
(Thank you to the Life Made Sweeter [19] blog for the inspiration for this recipe)
Finally, Get This App!
Of course, toxins don’t just exist in your laundry room and bathroom. Each year, we purchase dozens of brand-name products. These include not just food products, but also cleaning products, make-up, perfumes [20], sundry products, laundry soaps, and more. Through these products, we are exposed to literally thousands of chemicals, many of them cancer-causing.
The Environmental Working Group [21] has perhaps the largest database of brand-name products with a thorough rating system for chemical safety. Recently, the EWG created a phone app. Now you can check product safety right at the store or before you buy online. For more information about the Environmental Working Group Healthy Living app, which comes equipped with a barcode scanner to quickly get the information you need before you buy, click HERE [22]. The app can be downloaded for Android through Google Play or for iPhone from the App Store.