Allergens, disruptors, pollutants: I protect my tribe from toxins

We choose safe cooking utensils

We favor stainless steel pans and saucepans which conduct heat very well without risk, because interactions with food are almost non-existent. Yes to ceramic utensils, on the sole condition that they are of French origin, NF Environnement labeled and guaranteed cadmium and lead free.

The glass dishes are always a safe bet for cooking or reheating food. Long live Pyrex and tin. On the other hand, it is better to avoid all utensils made of 100% aluminum because this component can migrate into food under the effect of heat. Likewise, be careful with non-stick cookware, as some types of coatings may contain PTFE (polytetrafluoroethylene), which can migrate into food if the bottom of the pan is scratched. “In addition, PTFE can emit toxic gases when it is heated to 250 ° C, a temperature easily reached when you put a pan on high heat for several minutes,” adds Dr. Laurent Chevallier, nutritionist.

We only eat the least polluted fish

To limit exposure to mercury and pollutants such as PCBs, by taking advantage of the nutritional benefits of fish, in particular their content of essential fatty acids (DHA and EPA), which are beneficial for the development of the brain, the nervous system and the retina, we opt for fresh or frozen and we vary the fishing grounds. Wild or farmed… it doesn’t matter, but for farmed ones, we prefer the AB label.

The right frequency: once or twice a week, fatty fish (mackerel, salmon, etc.) and white fish (hake, whiting, etc.). Caution, the National Agency for Food, Environment and Occupational Health Safety (ANSES) recommends for children under 30 months (and pregnant women) to exclude species likely to be highly contaminated. (swordfish) and limit others to 60 g per week (tuna, monkfish, etc.). And above all, we favor small fish: sardines, mackerel… which are at the end of the food chain and therefore have less stored pollutants and other heavy metals!

We prefer tin cans … in glass

As for preserves, we choose those in glass jars. Metal cans are avoided, because although bisphenol A has been banned from all food containers, metal cans contain other doubtful substances such as varnishes, epoxy resins, bisphenol S, etc. “Studies are lacking for the moment on the impact of these compounds on health and the toxicological standards are perhaps not sufficiently up to date”, explains Dr Chevallier.

Be careful with plastics and some silicones

To store food, we can opt for plastic containers bearing the numbers 1, 2, 4 or 5 on their back. For containers with the numbers 3, 6 or 7, we do not always know their origin. where use caution with hot food. These plastics can contain hormone disruptors and phthalates. Most stretch films should not be used with hot food, because they also contain phthalates. Silicone molds should be 100% platinum silicone, more heat stable. And here again, we prefer glass!

We prefer second-hand clothes, or organic cotton

We take advantage of family, friends, neighbors, Emmaüs, consignments rather than buying new! Often, it is also advisable to avoid dark clothing, the dyes of which may contain heavy metals. That’s good, but … “Chemicals can also be hiding in a blotchy pink bodysuit!” “, explains Émilie Delbays. To be sure that no residual substance comes into contact with the skin, We therefore opt for organic cotton and certified Oëko-tex label, a reliable label on the textile side that limits risks and is found in supermarkets. But we also ensure that the printing inks are vegetable … The best: second-hand clothes, because some of the substances will have already been removed during the washings!

Toys: stop pollutants!

To please the kids in complete safety, we buy plastic toys without PVC or phthalates, in raw solid wood (beech, maple …), unvarnished, without paint or with ecological organic varnishes and non-toxic paints resistant to saliva, dolls, soft toys and comforters in cotton or organic fabric. Look out for: reference labels such as EU Ecolabel, NF environment, GS, Spiel Gut, Gots. And we forget the chipboard toys (which often contain formaldehyde, classified carcinogenic according to the degree of exposure) and long-haired lint (which may contain more chemicals, especially fire-fighting). As before 3 years old, scented toys, because 90% of their scent comes from volatile chemical musks that can cause allergies.

We buy used furniture, or raw solid wood

The idea: to avoid the evaporation of substances such as irritating VOCs, especially produced by chipboard and plywood furniture. So yes to second-hand furniture that no longer gives off it! You can also prefer raw solid wood (without varnish). But new, it also gives off VOCs, but in lesser quantities. The best : systematically ventilate the room which has just received the furniture. And wait a bit before sleeping baby there!

Choose a healthy mattress

We spend almost eight hours a day in our bed, and baby almost double! So we make it an essential purchase.

If no allergy to dust mites or latex is suspected, we prefer organic cotton or 100% natural latex mattresses, with eco-label. Otherwise, we are looking for a NF Environnement certified model, or for a less expensive foam mattress, the Certipur label. This is certainly a voluntary commitment from the manufacturer, but it is better than nothing.

A good mural and we do it in advance

Eco-friendly paints are good, but they give off VOCs, especially the first few weeks, their spread easing over the first six months. Also to know: “It is very difficult to suppress the effects of an unwanted substance when it is applied”, warns Émilie Delbays. It is therefore from the outset that a satisfactory product is chosen. So if the wall was painted, we strip it before applying the new paint.

A fireplace, yes but … with real firewood or a wood stove

We tend to want to burn everything we have on hand: market crates, pallets, boxes, newspapers… Bad idea, because these materials are treated and often printed with inks, therefore toxic! So, either we devote a budget for firewood, or we equip ourselves with an insert fireplace. Better yet, a wood or pellet stove with afterburner.

And above all, no open wood fires or candles in case of asthma at home!

We opt for the shock trio of the fairy of the house

No bleach, scented disinfectants, deodorants… harmful to air quality. And honestly, do we really need a biocidal disinfectant at home? No, we need it to be clean, but not disinfected, except during particular periods of epidemics (gastro, flu). Biocides are avoided when baby crawls on all fours, putting everything in his mouth, because his immunity may be degraded. We have an alternative shock trio for a nickel green household: white vinegar (to be diluted), black soap and baking soda, efficient from the oven to the living room windows! Not to mention water and steam, microfiber cloths. In addition, we save money.

Note: you never mix two cleaning products!

What about “dromedary” depolluting plants?

Why not, but be careful not to give yourself a clear conscience and lift your guard. They have shown their ability to clean up under certain specific conditions (NASA labs!), With a controlled quantity of air. At home, we are far from such conditions! But it can’t hurt anyway!

The watchword of indoor air pollution control is: a-er! to lower the quantity of pollutants released.

We consume organic food

Dairy products, eggs, fruits particularly susceptible to being contaminated by pesticides, and most vegetables: we are going organic. « This limits the risk of exposure to pesticides by around 80%, as well as the risk of exposure to nanoparticles, GMOs, antibiotic residues… ”, explains Dr Chevallier. We can go further by consuming cereals (bread, rice, etc.), AB meat and fish. Organic or not, we rinse the fruits and vegetables well, and we peel the organic steps. We avoid ready-made meals, cookies… including organic ones, because they contain additives, even if the authorized list is reduced to 48 (against 350 in conventional products)!

A shower curtain not made of PVC

There is a saying, “The devil is in the details”! Yes, the pretty marine-patterned PVC shower curtain is perhaps full of VOCs, including the famous formaldehydes, but also and above all phthalates, additives … Not to be sucked or fiddled with by the little ones at bath time ! Here again, we can easily act by choosing a curtain of another material. There are all kinds of textiles, some of which have the Oëko-Tex label. More radical, install once and for all a glass pane (which one cleans with white vinegar, of course).

Banco for organic cosmetics!

And for the whole family, choose organic cosmetics it’s easy, now ! From oleo-limestone liniment (in hyper, in pharmacy or even do it yourself) for baby’s buttocks, to the green clay bucket of our preteen, through aloe vera (organic) that we buy in branch to the market for everyone to hydrate daily from head to toe … Not to mention washable bamboo fiber wipes, hyperabsorbent. Waste and suspect ingredients are easily avoided.

The best is still to consume less, or to recycle what already exists in noble materials. It is a concept to be developed… Our children will tell us Thank you!