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Why Transition to Safer Natural Products

By Bryan Angstman



There is so much information all over the internet on how bad the chemicals are in our home

products. Most of us are realizing we need to make a transition to safe more natural products.

This article is supposed to be the first step in making that transition by giving you push in the

right direction. Having an Organic Cleaning Company, many of my clients began asking me how

to go green or non-toxic so their home is healthier. As I began doing research I found there is a

lot of information on going green but no one really lays out a clear plan for quickly and easily

transitioning your home. What I was hearing from individuals working to make a transition is

that they become over-welled with information and then find themselves giving up on the

process. So my goal became to guide you with a plan that walks you though an easy transition

into a healthier lifestyle and I hope this nudges you in the right direction.

Understanding why it is important to transition to safe natural products is the first step to

detoxifying your home. This will give you the knowledge to motivate yourself into and through

this process. These reasons range from heath concerns, to saving the environment, to de-

cluttering and giving you a more serein space to live. In this article, I am presenting a new term

that incorporates all of these reasons into one thought “The Health of the Home”. The Health

of the Home refers to keeping our home healthy from the toxins, bacteria, viruses, molds, etc.

which abound in our world. This is important because the health of your home is directly

affecting the health of you and your family.

I live in Los Angeles which has the worst outdoor air quality in the United States while the EPA

states that indoor air quality is 2 to 5 times worse than the outdoor air quality. For too long we

have ignored this and many recent studies are showing the detriment an Unhealthy Home has

on our personal health. So I suggest a transition to natural personal products is the first step to

improving your health and the overall health of your home.

Are we aware of the chemicals found in our home products we use every day and what is in

them? We are not! And there lies the problem for instance the EPA has simply left it up to

companies to do voluntary testing on the chemicals they use in cleaning products. So that

leaves us with only 7% of chemicals used in these products having had basic testing for toxicity

Most common household items such as personal products, cleaners, detergent, auto supplies

and paint contain dangerous chemicals but because of lack of testing we are not even sure

which chemicals are really bad for us or what products those contain which chemicals. There

are dangerous or potentially dangerous chemicals that can be found in every room of your

home. If we don’t make transitions in the products we keep and use in our home, the Health of

our Home will continue to deteriorate.


There is a growing amount of evidence environmental toxins are a causation for many diseases

and disorders in US. In my opinion our products are not well regulated and that allows for all

kinds of toxins to be used. There are also several ways toxic chemicals can be put in our

products via government loop holes. One is through the term ”Fragrance” which will allow up

to 1% of a chemical to be used and no further information or labeling is required.

We only know a small percentage of chemicals have had testing to determine toxicity but what

do toxins do to us. To begin with toxins damage enzymes and thus undermine countless bodily

functions. Enzymes create chemical reactions that keep the different systems in the body

working. These chemical reactions are catalysts to the body’s mechanisms of operation like

breathing, fighting and destroying toxins, building muscle, the production of hemoglobin in the

blood, breaking down food particles for digestion, keeping organs healthy and functioning just

to name a few important ones. The poisoning of enzymes effect the function of organs but

toxins can also cause damage to the organs themselves. This can effect the organs ability to

work properly.

Toxins also displace structural minerals resulting in weaker bones this is believed to be a major

reason the disease of Osteoporosis is skyrocketing among seniors in the United States. Another

major concern for older individuals is damage to DNA increasing rate of aging and degeneration

of the body. Even with all our modern medical advancements if the body ages faster more

physical ailments beset the body.

Along with this, toxins modify gene expression causing a host of physical problems from birth

defects to numerous types of cancers. There is also damage to cell membranes so they don’t

respond properly and toxins interfere with hormones causing imbalances. Finally, toxins impair

your ability to detoxify leading to sensitivities, allergies, cancer, birth defects, as well as other

health issues.


Now with all this effecting our bodies, there is no government agency that really overlooks and

documents the causation of people getting sick from house hold products. Since chemicals are

not well regulated in homes, we can however look at OSHA studies on chemicals in the work

place. They estimate that chemicals in the US cause more than 190,000 illnesses and 50,000

deaths suffered annually by workers. (This number is derived using the methodology from

“Green Chemistry in California: A Framework for Leadership in Chemicals Policy and Innovation,

deaths attributable to workplace chemical exposures.) Yet many of these same chemicals are in

the products we have in our homes.


As I do research, I keep running into the term Clean Beauty and I really like this term because

we use so many products on our skin and never think what are in these products. Clean Beauty

to me then means using products that have no harmful toxins in them leaving more toxin free.

I personally have had problems with my skin since I was a kid. Anything I put on my body

lotions sunscreens, even most gentle face cleansers ends up breaking out my skin in one way or

another. I finally started using natural products and I have had less issues in the last year than

ever in my life. One person asked if you wouldn’t eat it why would you put it on your skin. Yet

as much as 90% of beauty products, contain some type of petroleum additive. We would never

consider drinking a can of oil yet we rub it on our skin every day. Going back to organs…skin is

considered the largest organ in the body and anything you put on your skin will effect it. To top

that off 60% of chemicals applied topically on the skin can enter the bloodstream and travel

through your entire body.

Now as you’re thinking about some of this it’s scary and you want to know what to do and how

to transition to natural products. The good thing is the chemistry and research used to

develop nontoxic products is growing and evolving in all areas of personal products. We

now have options and it makes it so much easier today. I have one client who is now in

her late 70s but in her 30s suffered from skin cancer and realized she need to transition

to natural products. At that time very few products existed, she had to do the research

and develop her own personal products from toothpaste to makeup. Today we can go

and buy safe natural products and I think

Ultimately with this article, I am hoping to sway you to making a change. I am hoping a bit of

data presented here might twist your arm and push your motivation toward finally transitioning

to healthier way of life. We all want a better healthier life and making a transition with your

personal products is a great way to start.

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