Jennifer Blacklock

It seems that everywhere you look and read these days, there’s a new thing to be “informed” of- particularly all the things that are toxic and bad for us.

I know many people are, understandably, annoyed by this. Can’t we just live our lives without being worried about everything from our candles to deodorant to couch being toxic?

I’ve heard people say things like, “you can’t be concerned about all that; if one thing doesn’t kill you, it’ll be another thing”, or “I don’t even listen to that kind of stuff anymore, I’m not going to live in fear”.

There was a video trend going around recently making fun of the way the “health community” has ever changing advice- “eat a bowl of oatmeal with milk for a healthy breakfast because of the fiber except oatmeal is a grain and grains are bad, and make sure the milk is low fat, actually full fat, actually don’t have dairy, have nut milk instead, except actually nuts are high in anti-nutrients, so instead maybe have a bowl of cottage cheese with fruit except cottage cheese is a processed food and processed foods are bad…” (not any direct quote; I made that up based on the one video I saw and health advice I’ve known over the years).

I get it. Just when you think you’re doing the healthy thing, they change it on you. Now fats are bad, now fats are good; now you need more vitamin D, now you shouldn’t take supplements; now soy is the answer to everything, now it’s bad for your hormones. It’s confusing to say the least and can cause even the most health-conscious, well-intended person to feel fed up. Add to that finding out that there are toxic chemicals in almost every item we own, from our clothing to our cookware, and we can start to feel like giving up on any hope of being healthy or even begin thinking “health” is some sort of scam.

There are just two problems with this reaction.

The first is that the anger is misplaced. The irritation towards finding out there are toxins in everything isn’t because it’s a lie; it’s because it’s true. But who should we be mad at when we discover that our bedding and toothpastes and car seats are dangerous for our health- the people telling us they’re dangerous or the corporations who have designed, marketed and sold them to us like that? There should be anger or shock of some sort in finding out that the cute baby mat you bought for your precious newborn has flame retardants that cause hormone damage, but the anger shouldn’t be towards the “crunchy community” who says flame retardants are bad, that’s a classic case of blaming the messenger.

The second problem is that allowing the information and overwhelm to make you give up is complacency; it doesn’t make things better; it doesn’t help you. Saying there’s no use in caring about health concerns under the guise of “not living in fear” chooses to ignore real problems rather than face them. Yes, it can be hard work to get to the bottom of deception, marketing, and unwanted advice. But our health and the health of our children actually is worth it. There is real information out there. An insane and overwhelming amount, sure; but we don’t have to read every study and certainly don’t have to follow every “crunchy” influencer on social media to be informed enough to make good choices. We can (and should) pray for discernment, do the best we can with the knowledge (and time and money, etc.) that we have. And then do better when we find out better.

So if you’ve felt discouraged or like giving up on figuring out what’s healthy and how to have a home that’s not full of toxins, this is your encouragement to not give up! Make one switch that you’re confident about. Get rid of one toxic thing. Incorporate one more real food in exchange for a processed one.

We don’t have to be afraid or extreme; yes, this is the world we live in. But we must still seek health. Having a mindset that gives up when things are difficult or says “I’m going to die anyway so who cares” or thinks “if I cant have it all then I won’t have any” is small and deceptive. We can do this. You can do this! Health is not so impossible as the world (or internet) makes it seem.

Here’s just one very simple piece of advice: when in doubt about health or when trying to eliminate toxins, go basic. Think about what you would be eating if no one who had paid a marketing team had told you what to eat. Think about what products you would use and have if we didn’t have an extremely over-consuming society. Eat fruit and meat and milk; you know, foods that God made. Don’t use perfumes or clean your house with things made in a laboratory. Use/wear cotton, linen, solid wood, etc.- things that come from something real. Open your windows and air out the house.

Health and low-tox living are achievable, available, and within your reach!