Did you know that babies are born ‘pre-polluted’, with toxic chemicals showing in their blood before they even take their first breath? Thankfully it feels like the world is starting to wake up to the effects of the toxic chemicals that we are surrounded by each and every day in our water, air, food, environment, and are making changes to the products we purchase for our homes.

Changes are necessary when we learn that research shows the correlation between children’s' exposure to these toxins and problems with health and development (Masson, 2015). Research from the National Institute of Environmental Health also reports that even a very low exposure to toxins in early life increases risk of behavioural problems and autoimmune conditions. As well as this, we know that some children who are experiencing skin inflammations like eczema, can be reacting to household products or environmental triggers.

While we should be concerned about these toxins for our health too, there are many reasons why toxins affect children more than adults. Dr. Leila Masson sums it up well by saying that the blood brain barrier, which is supposed to protect the brain from toxins, is immature in young children and allows contaminants to get into the central nervous system. It also makes sense when we realise that children have more toxin exposure in relation to body weight simply because they drink more water, eat more food, and have a higher breathing rate than adults do.

Just in our food alone, there can be toxins from pesticides, herbicides, fungicides, insecticides, fertilisers, preservatives, additives, dyes, flavourings…. The list honestly just goes on and on. Now, I know this information will be overwhelming to read. It’s a minefield. It feels disheartening. Like a task too huge to overcome. And to be frank, part of my intention with this article is to shock you with the reality of the ongoing exposure to these chemicals, but to also invite you and support you to slowly make simple low-tox swaps in your home if it feels right for you and your family. So don’t despair, there are things we can do to minimise the toxins our children are exposed to through deciding what products we decide to bring into our home.

One of the first places I encourage families to start is with cleaning products. Did you know that whatever product you use to clean your house with, you’ll find traces of this product in your food? Hard to believe, I know! As a child growing up, I developed gut issues and sensitive skin (you can read more about this here), which meant I used to always purchase the Persil Sensitive washing powder for my clothes thinking I was making the best choice for my body. Now I look back on this and realise that product was probably exacerbating the problem! About ten years ago, I switched to the EcoStore brand laundry detergent and found it was much gentler and less toxic. More recently, since having my first child, I’ve been diving deeper into the products we’re using around our home and researching to see what other non-toxic products are available.

In my research, I discovered a non-toxic, completely natural, eco-friendly laundry detergent alternative - Soapberries! ‘Soap-what?’ I can hear you thinking. Soapberries are the fruit of the Sapindus Mukorossi tree and the shell of the fruit is exceptionally high in ‘saponin’ which is nature’s soap. When you order these Soapberries, you receive a bag of the soapberries plus a small wash bag, so you simply put 5 whole shells into the smaller wash bag and throw that in with your washing machine and your clothes. It’s super easy! A set of 5 shells will last for 5 wash loads, and then best of all, they are waste-free you can throw them in your compost as they’ll break down like food.

I know, now you’re thinking, ‘Wait a minute, where’s the catch?’ Well, I’ve been using them for a month now and I’m yet to find one! The benefits don’t stop there either. They are also much cheaper than buying detergent and they’re really efficient at washing your clothes (they actually do work, promise). You can also make household cleaner, shampoo, hand wash, body wash, stain remover and glass cleaner with the one bag of soapberries! As they are also naturally hypo-allergenic, I particularly recommend these to parents I’m working with who have children experiencing eczema or any other skin inflammation or sensitivities.

Convinced it’s time to create your low-tox laundry? You can buy organic soapberries from That Red House directly if you live in Australia, or in NZ, I purchase mine from Oh Natural or Healthpost.

When I’m working with parents whose children are experiencing eczema or other skin sensitivities, I provide support to help parents get to the root cause of what’s behind the skin condition and create a unique plan for their family tailored to their needs. If your child is experiencing skin inflammation and you’d like support eliminating triggers, you can book your initial consult here.

References:

Masson, L. (2015). Children’s Health. David Bateman Ltd.

Carroquino, M. J., Posada, M. & Landrigan, P. J. (2013). Environmental Toxicology: Children at Risk. Environmental Toxicology: Selected Entries from the Encyclopedia of Sustainability Science and Technology.