Eczema Symptoms – Why a home detox is so important if you have eczema

Eczema Symptoms – Why a home detox is so important if you have eczema

Your home is your castle. Home is the place where most of us spend 80% of our time – eating, sleeping, relaxing, living, entertaining, growing up… Home is also the place where your body is exposed to the most pollution in the form of hundreds of different toxins and synthetic chemicals.

This may surprise you – surely air pollution and industrial pollutants in the environment are a much bigger problem? The reality is that while air and other types of pollution can be harmful in certain circumstances, we just don't really know how much our bodies are exposed to, and it's somewhat beyond our control. On the other hand, each of us has the greatest control over the presence of toxins in the home. You choose every product that comes through the front door of your home – cleaning products, bath products, cosmetics, air fresheners, toothpaste, laundry detergents and soaps.

What you may not know is that each of these products contains a long list of ingredients - some of which have been proven to be harmful, toxic, poisonous, carcinogenic, hormone disrupting, and skin and eye irritating, which may be directly related to eczema symptoms. Many of these substances are also controversial or are suspected of being harmful to health - but it has just not been fully proven yet.

The difference between outside pollution and the chemicals in your home is close. Rarely does someone intentionally rub pollutants onto their skin, inhale large amounts or put them in their mouth. But at home, you can unknowingly do just that. And that means they can be far more harmful. The products you use in your home to keep it clean, bathe, and wash and moisturize your children contain a variety of synthetic chemicals, some of which are also used as industrial chemicals and pesticides.

Have you ever wondered why these powerful bathroom cleaners have to go into hazardous waste collection? Have you ever researched online what chemicals are used in common detergents or toothpastes? I hadn't either, but when a friend brought it to my attention and I started Googling the ingredients in my household products, I was shocked.

Even the supposedly “green” dish soap I chose contained SLS, or sodium lauryl sulfate, as its main ingredient. SLS is an industrial engine degreaser and garage floor cleaner that has been linked to cancer in animals and/or humans, a proven skin and eye irritant, and a respiratory irritant. SLS also accumulates in organs and is toxic to aquatic organisms. If you check your labels, you'll find SLS or its derivatives in many products in your bathroom - shampoos, bubble baths, hand wash, shower gel, toothpaste... No wonder these types of products trigger your eczema!

When using these products at home, apply them to your hair, your body, into your mouth. They are absorbed through the skin and into the bloodstream. It can befarmore harmful to your health than the air pollution you might be worried about outside – and SLS is just one example.

If you suffer from eczema, a home detox is essential for you. If you are concerned about your health, removing all avoidable toxins from your life is one of the best preventive measures you can take. You have the opportunity to choose the type of environment you want in your home. If you don't know that the ingredients in your household products are safe, then it's time for a complete detox at home.

Inspired by Anne M Wheeler