Healthy Home for a Healthy Baby

Happy Fertile Friday!!

Many people forget that their home is potentially their number one exposure to many different toxins. These toxins can impact the fertility of both men and women, and can also impact the health of a developing baby. Cleaning agents, laundry powder, flame-retardant clothing and bedding, and carpets, to name just a few, can be sources of toxins and hence put stress on the body. I always recommend that as couples clean up their diet, making sure their drinking water is pure and their food is organic, they also consider cleaning up their home and personal care products. Create a healthy home for a healthy baby!

Replacing chemical cleaning products with more natural ones can make a big difference. Health food stores will carry many different items including washing powder, washing up liquid, surface cleaners and more. In fact, many regular grocery stores do now too, as demand for these products increases. Alternatively, you can make your own products based on essential oils and other natural cleaning agents. I have a cleaning concentrate that I mix with water that works for floors, bathrooms, kitchen surfaces etc – it’s simple and inexpensive, and I don’t need a multitude of different bottles.

It’s important to consider the air too. I was listening to an interview recently that Dave Asprey (of Bulletproof fame) and Walter Crinnion, a Naturopathic Doctor who specializes in environmental medicine. Dr Crinnion was citing studies that show higher rates of autism closer to large freeways and congested urban areas; and lower rates in less polluted areas. I don’t have references for that – it was just a comment he made during the interview – but it makes sense that the more polluted the air is, the more toxic stress on our systems. An ionic air purifier can help remove dust and other particles from the air that can contribute to allergies and inflammation within the body. Especially in urban areas where there is more pollution being generated by high numbers of cars and greater industry, it could be wise to invest in a good air purifier. Dr. Crinnion mentioned Blue Air and IQ-Air as being good brands that he likes.

Our bedroom is another place to look at. Magnetic mattress pads could be helpful in balancing our bodies to enhance fertility and overall health. We all depend on a magnetic field to survive, and our every cell in our bodies is electromagnetic in nature. We have two sources of magnetic energy – the Earth, and our brains. When they are working together in harmony we have what is called magnetic resonance, and in this state the chemical reactions within our bodies are enhanced and we are better able to repair cellular damage, make enzymes etc. Unfortunately, the magnetic field of the earth has declined up to 80% over the last 4000 years, while external “man made” electromagnetic frequencies have increased. The result is that we are left feeling fatigued, our cellular reactions are not as efficient, our sleep is compromised, and our DNA and RNA are less able to repair themselves.

The good news is that these deficiency states can be overcome by providing an enhanced steady-state magnetic field (like the Earth’s) to the body during sleep. In North America, the magnetic field must be pure Negative(-) and completely pass through the body, in order to complement the Negative(-) field of the Northern Hemisphere. Magnetico Sleep Pads are the only system with pure negative fields. It is advised that you start sleeping on a Magnetico mattress pad at least 2 months prior to conception. Studies have shown these pads enhance detox, especially of heavy metals, so if you do not start prior to detox, you must wait until after your pregnancy to start. Anecdotal reports tell us that mother’s who slept on a mattress pad during their pregnancy had an easier delivery and happier baby than those who did not. Those mattress pads aren’t cheap, but many people report better quality sleep, more energy and more even mood when they sleep on them.

If your home is full of Clorox cleaners, Tide washing powder, Bounce laundry sheets and other chemically-based cleaners, it might take some time to transition over to more natural products. Or you could do what I did – I went around the house, found anything and everything that contained toxins, and chucked them all out at once (I Kon-Mari’d my cleaners)! Now my laundry room is a lot less cluttered, I need only laundry detergent and the cleaning concentrate, both which are all natural and contain cleansing and disinfecting essential oils (email me if you’d like the info on those). I have also changed all my skin care and hair care products to 100% natural, essential oil based, and my skin and hair look so much healthier for it. I still enjoy wearing perfume on special occasions, but since it’s artificial fragrance I make sure not to wear it every day.

I believe that making sure your home is as clean and healthy as possible is important for everyone, but especially for people who are wanting to have a baby. There’s no point spending all that extra money on organic food and then exposing yourself to other chemicals simply through your skin care or laundry products, especially when there are such good, all-natural, inexpensive options available to us all.