As I embark on what I affectionately call my new “hippie life”, I’ve come to reject or question much of what normal folk don’t give a second thought to. Pharmaceuticals, vaccines, gluten, the USDA food pyramid, cell phones and their effect on our health, and toxic chemicals in our environment, to name a few.
You should know before you read on that I don’t take any of this lightly. I’ve always approached things with a healthy dose of skepticism, which I think is important for any healthcare professional. I think my skepticism has made me smarter- I’m constantly asking questions and thinking on my feet. However, I usually tell people that the real reason I am as smart as I am and can explain things so well is because of who I have chosen to spend the rest of my life with. My husband is an engineer, and an incredibly smart one at that. His analytical left brain lives to seek proof and categorize everything into excel spreadsheets. He sees my “healthy dose of skepticism” and raises me one “pain in my butt”.
One debate that I had yet to win until recently was the debate about household cleaners. I started switching things to their more natural counterpart about two years ago- detergent and dryer sheets, lotions and face wash, shampoo and conditioner, and carpet cleaner. However, Mike has been especially resistant to switching to the more natural spray cleaners. He insisted that the toxic, chemically smelling Lysol and 409 did a better job at disinfecting and cleaning. The disinfecting was the thing he was most concerned about, and since I had no way to test this parameter at home, we have continued to use the toxic stuff.
But then one fateful day America’s Test Kitchen came to my aid! This week Mike and I watched a clip on America’s Test Kitchen where they tested and compared the most commonly purchased household cleaners. They tested their ability to cut through grease and baked-on grime, clean multiple kitchen surfaces, and (most importantly) disinfect. After rigorous testing the folks at ATK concluded that not only did the natural cleaners do just as good of a job cleaning, but they killed 99.8% of bacteria- nearly the same as the chemically antibacterial cleaners 99.9%.
The winner of the America’s Test Kitchen testing was Method All Purpose Spray. Method cut through grease and grime better than conventional cleaners, disinfected just as well, is better for the environment, and perhaps most importantly is undoubtedly safer for you and your loved ones. You need to have a subscription to ATK to watch the full video, but here’s a free video from the Today show that discusses the testing and their other recommendations.
So, go forth into the world, fellow health-conscious people- and know that you are getting your house just as sparkling clean as your neighbors!
In health,
If you or somebody you know is interested in working with a functional medicine doctor please call my office at (919) 238-4094 and see if we are the right fit for you. Infinity Holistic Healthcare is located in Chapel Hill, North Carolina, part of the Raleigh-Durham “triangle” area.
