Authors: Jessica Alba
EDEN ORGANIC (CANNED BEANS)
EVOLUTION FRESH (JUICES)
GLUTINO (PRETZELS AND PIZZA CRUST)
GREEN & BLACK’S ORGANIC (CHOCOLATE)
HONEST KIDS (JUICES)
KINDERVILLE
KING ARTHUR (GLUTEN-FREE PANCAKES MIX)
LIGHTLIFE SMART DOGS
MELISSA’S SOYRIZO
PLUM ORGANICS (BABY FOOD)
PYREX
REED’S ORIGINAL (SODAS)
SODASTREAM
TOVOLO
VAN’S (WAFFLES)
WEAN GREEN
ANTHROPOLOGIE
CAPEL RUGS USA
FLOR
GAIAM
GARNET HILL
GRAHAM & BROWN WALLPAPER
GREEN DEPOT
THE HONEST COMPANY
ICESTONE COUNTERS
MYTHIC PAINT
NATUREPEDIC
PHILLIP JEFFRIES WALLPAPER
PRISTINE PLANET
RESTORATION HARDWARE
ROCK CANDY LIFE
SAFECOAT ACRYLACQ
SIMPLY ORGANIC
SUNDANCE CATALOG
URBAN OUTFITTERS
VAN DYKES
VERMONT NATURAL COATINGS
VINTAGE WOOD FLOOR COMPANY
WEST ELM
FLORAFELT
PLAY WELL
CRAIGSLIST
EBAY
ETSY
TINI (THIS IS NOT IKEA)
YOU’VE SEEN THESE THROUGHOUT THE BOOK, BUT I’VE LISTED THEM ALL HERE SO YOU CAN REFER TO THEM EASILY. HERE’S YOUR MASTER GUIDE TO THE TOXIC CHEMICALS TO AVOID THROUGHOUT YOUR HOME AND LIFE (ESPECIALLY WHEN YOU’RE EXPECTING OR HAVE LITTLE ONES).
There’s no pressure to memorize this list of confusing-sounding chemicals and other sciencey terms . . . but if you want to sound authoritative when you’re talking to friends and family about your new Honest Life, trotting out a couple of these will do the trick.
BISPHENOL A (BPA)
“bis-PHEEN-al A”
DIETHYLENE GLYCOL
“DI-ethel-leen GLI-col”
FORMALDEHYDE
“for-MAL-de-HIDE”
HYDROQUINONE
“HIGH-dro-quin-ohn”
MONOSODIUM GLUTAMATE (MSG)
“mono-SEW-dee-um GLOO-ta-mate”
PARABENS
“PARE-a-bins”
PERFLUORINATED COMPOUNDS (PFCS)
“PER-FLER-in-ate-ed”
PHTHALATES
“THAL-ates”
TRICLOSAN
“TRIK-lo-san”
TRIETHANOLAMINE (TEA) AND DIETHANOLAMINE (DEA)
“TRI-eth-anol-a-meen” and “DIE-eth-anol-a-meen”
TOLUENE
“TOL-loo-een”
BE AWARE THAT THIS STUFF:
Beef, pork, lamb, and poultry
COULD CONTAIN THIS TOXIN . . .
Antibiotics,
which are fed to livestock in mass quantities to prevent the spread of disease on cramped factory farms.
WHY IT’S SKETCHY?
When we have to use so many antibiotics as a preventive measure to raise healthy food, we wind up not having enough robust antibiotics to treat ourselves when we get sick because bacteria evolve so rapidly—a growing problem known as antibiotic resistance.
WHAT TO DO ABOUT IT?
Look for the words “no antibiotics added” whenever you buy meat or poultry products, to make sure your dinner wasn’t raised on medication. For more information, see
Chapter 1
.
BE AWARE THAT THIS STUFF:
Canned goods, cash register receipts, plastic water bottles, and any other plastic labeled #7
COULD CONTAIN THIS TOXIN . . .
Bisphenol A (BPA),
a plasticizer that makes polycarbonate plastic clear and hard.
WHY IT’S SKETCHY?
BPA is an endocrine disruptor, which means it messes with healthy hormonal development. It’s associated with infertility, obesity, metabolic disorders, thyroid problems, and low birth weight.
WHAT TO DO ABOUT IT?
Avoid fast food and canned goods.
Say “no receipt, thanks” at the cash register.
Cut back on bottled water (it’s also less regulated than tap, so may be more contaminated in general) and avoid any other #7 plastic containers.
Don’t microwave in plastic; when it heats up, BPA can leach into your food.
BE AWARE THAT THIS STUFF:
Laundry detergent, stain removers, bleach (duh)
COULD CONTAIN THIS TOXIN . . .
Chlorine bleach,
the stuff used to make whites whiter and kill bacteria
WHY IT’S SKETCHY?
When the active ingredient in bleach reacts with water, it forms a group of nasty, cancer-causing by-products called dioxins.
Bleach is harmful if inhaled and powerfully irritating to eyes, noses, and throats. It also wears your clothes out faster!
WHAT TO DO ABOUT IT?
Pretreat stains with a paste of baking soda and white vinegar, which have natural antiseptic properties.
Look for “oxy” stain removers made from sodium percarbonate (a solid form of hydrogen peroxide bonded with natural soda ash) and sodium carbonate.