In This Cycle Podcast

Fragrance, Bleach, PTFE: What to Avoid in Your Home

• Jazmin • Season 1 • Episode 6

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0:00 | 12:11

In this episode, we’re diving into four areas of your home that could be quietly affecting your health  your cleaning products, paper products, diapers/wipes, and cookware. Women drive the majority of household purchasing decisions, which means we have real power to demand better. I’m breaking down the hidden toxins in everyday household products  from  fragrances to nonstick cookware and sharing the brands and certifications that I trust . Simple swaps, no perfection required.

Cleaning Products

Paper Products

Diapers & Wipes

Cookware

  • 18/10 stainless steel and 100% ceramic

Certifications & Verified Labels to Look For


Connect with me on Instagram https://www.instagram.com/beingjazmin/



SPEAKER_00

Hey guys, welcome back to In This Cycle Podcast. I'm Jasmine. Before we dive into today's topic, which I'm so excited about, let's catch up. After recording the last two episodes, I realized I've been talking about human design more and more. And it feels like a sign. One of my favorite human design teachers, Erin Claire Jones, is offering certifications through her community group. So I decided to join to deepen my knowledge. I'm taking at my own pace, which is honestly pretty slow, but I'm so excited to become a certified reader and incorporate it even more into this podcast. I've also started reading again before bed, and it has helped me wind down. I hope you all did something special for Mother's Day. I heard a quote that really stuck with me. A tree is only as strong as the forest around it. A beautiful reminder that we need to take care of each other. Okay, let's step into today's topic because this one is jam-packed. You may want to pause and take breaks between each section to write notes or take a look around the house. Today I want to talk about how to live a more mindful and healthy life. And I'm covering your cleaning products, your paper products, diapers and wipes, and your cookware. If you know me, you know this is something I'm extremely passionate about. This is my lifestyle, and my hope is that sharing this helps you make better decisions for you and your family. This is not about being perfect. It's about being conscious of what we are buying and making decisions from that place. Before I get into it, I want to say companies should be held accountable. They should not be able to get away with selling us products that are proven dangerous or toxic to us in the environment. As women, we have real power here. Studies constantly show that women drive the majority of household purchasing decisions. We move the economy. So let's use that influence for good. The first place I want to start is cleaning products, and I mean everything: your sprays, soaps, detergents. If you have anything in your home with the word fragrant or parfume on the label, I would seriously consider replacing it. We've been conditioned to believe that fragrance means clean, that it means fresh, and that's a good thing. But fragrance or parfume can actually be made up of any combination of 4,000 chemicals used by the fragrance industry. And many of them are linked to cancer, birth defects, hormone disruptions, allergies, and other chronic health problems. Even if a label says natural fragrance, that doesn't automatically mean it's safe because this category isn't tightly regulated, there's no guarantee of what's actually in it. And some natural fragrances do contain harmful chemicals. A brand you can trust will tell you exactly what's in their fragrance. Now, I know some of you are going to say, but what about essential oils? And I hear you, because sometimes you want a scent. But I want to be real with you, not all essential oils are created equal. Pure essential oils are expensive to produce and aren't always available due to climate or crop changes, so some manufacturers stretch or fake them using cheaper chemical additives. A practice called alteration. To protect yourself, look for the botanical name on the label, check the information on the distillation method, and don't be afraid to ask the company questions. A transparent company will be happy to share that. And just so you know, if a fragrance or essential oil isn't making any health claims, it's not monitored by the FDA. So the responsibility really is on us as consumers. When shopping for cleaning products, look for California Proposition 65 warnings, EWG Verified, Made Safe, and Leaping Bunny. These labels verify that a product's ingredients have been reviewed for safety, environmental impact, and ethical standards. If a product claims to be natural or clean but isn't verified, I consider it greenwashing until I do my research. Some of my favorite cleaning brands right now are Meliora, whose entire product line is 100% free of single-use plastics, Branch Basics, Molly Suds, and Koala Eco if you want something with a scent. I also make my own cleaning solutions. Most only need a few ingredients, like water mixed with vinegar, lemon, or alcohol, and they work great. And if you want your home to smell good, open the windows more often or try simmering some water on the stove with fragrant fruit, a cinnamon stick, and cloves. It makes your whole house smell amazing. And if you have any air fresheners, sprays, plug-ins, this is your sign to throw them away. Moving on to paper products, toilet paper, paper towels, tissues. Did you know that Americans use the most toilet paper in the world? And a lot of that comes at a cost to our forests. When you're shopping, look for the FSC label. That stands for Forest Stewardship Council. And it means the paper was sourced responsibly. There are even brands that skip tree paper altogether, like plant paper, which is a great option. Most household paper products on the market are also bleached to look white and feel soft. And that bleaching process introduces chemicals you really don't want near your body. When you're shopping, look for these labels. PCF, which stands for processed chlorine-free, TCF totally chlorine-free, or ECF elemental chlorine-free. Any of these mean no harsh chlorine bleaching agents were used. You also want to avoid anything with added dyes, fragrances, or lotions. And look for products that are third-party tested. That just means an independent lab has verified what's actually in them, which gives you a level of trust that goes beyond what the brand is telling you. And if you're a parent, these labels matter for diapers and wipes too. A lot of conventional diapers have a plastic top layer. That's the part sitting directly against your baby's most sensitive skin all day long. Plastic has petroleum-based chemicals in it. It can trap heat and moisture, and it doesn't breathe the way natural fibers do. Look for diapers with a cotton top layer instead. It's a much more gentler option for their skin. And with wipes, they're cleaning your baby's most sensitive areas, so you really want them to be free of harsh chemicals. The ingredients list should be short, without scents, and ideally compostable, since most conventional wipes are made with plastic and end up sitting in landfills forever. We are currently using Kudos and Pura products in our household. I've personally found affordable undyed brown paper towels at my regular grocery store. For toilet paper, it can get a little pricier, but I think it's worth it. I've also switched to reusable paper towels, basically cotton cloths that wrap around the standard paper towel holder. I keep a small container nearby for the used ones and just toss them in the wash. Super simple once you get into the habit. Okay, bear with me for a second on this one because it gets a little sciencey, but I promise it's worth it. If you cook a lot and you're using nonstick pans, the section is really important. Most nonstick coatings are made with something called PTFE or Teflon, which belongs to a family of synthetic chemicals known as PIFAs. You may have heard of them called forever chemicals. They got that name because they don't break down easily in the human body or the environment. Now, many PIFA compounds were phased out of cookware in the US around 2015, but PTFE remains legal and is essentially a loophole in that process. When you heat a nonstick pan above 500 degrees Fahrenheit, the coating, which is made by plastics, starts to break down and release toxic fumes. And if your pan is scratched, those particles are going directly into your food. Here's why this matters so much. PIFAs chemicals actually resemble fatty acids, so your body gets tricked into treating them like nutrients. They bind to cellular receptors that regulate your metabolism, immune response, and fat storage. And by hijacking those receptors, they can weaken your immunity, disrupt your thyroid, and affect your kidneys and liver. Over time, exposure has been linked to high cholesterol, fatty liver disease, and kidney and testicular cancers. I know that's heavy. I wish these chemicals did not exist. The good news is that there's other options. My favorite, stainless steel cookware, specifically 1810 stainless steel. It's incredibly durable. On cookware, you can use metal utensils on it, and if you heat the pan properly before adding oil or butter, food really won't stick. And when it does, just add some water to the pan, turn the heat to low, and add some dish soap or a little baking soda. Within about 10 minutes, the food should lift right off. 100% ceramic cookware is also a great option. Alright guys, I'm going to stop here. I hope you enjoyed this episode and learned a few things about your household items, and I really hope it leaves you feeling empowered to make better choices. Remember, the point of this episode isn't to throw everything away. It's just about being more intentional the next time you're making a purchase. As women and moms, we have to use our dollars to tell companies we are not supporting these toxins in their products. I'll link everything below, extra resources, and all the brands mentioned. Share this with a friend if you found this helpful, and as always, I'd love to hear your thoughts. And remember, progress over perfection always. Let's chat soon.