Please… protect yourself from household toxics!
– says author Debra Lynn Dadd
The following excerpts from this pamphlet are used by permission of RM Barry Publications. See below for ordering information to obtain the complete printed version of this pamphlet.
The idea that the home can be a healthy or unhealthy environment is relatively recent. Terms such as "household toxics" and "indoor air pollution" have been coined only within the past few years as the medical and scientific communities have begun recognizing that common household chemicals can have an adverse effect on our health.
Like most people, I always assumed that if a product was on the market, it must be safe.
Until I created a new lifestyle for myself that replaced toxic products with more natural ones, I never knew what it was like to feel well.
Finally I came to realize that I was slowly being poisoned in my own home!
I immediately began to detoxify my house. The more I removed toxic substances from my life and replaced them with nontoxic alternatives, the better I felt, until I was completely free of my debilitating symptoms.
Since then I've devoted the last 15 years of my life to getting the word out about household toxics. Had I known about toxic household products before I got sick, I would have avoided them, and saved years of physical, emotional and financial suffering. Now that you have this information in your hands, there's no need for you or your loved ones to risk the very real probability of long-term illness or fatal poisoning from these products. In today's marketplace, there's no excuse to use toxic products, because safe, effective, affordable alternatives are available.
Here's a Little of What I've Learned
There are basically three ways that toxic chemicals can enter the body: by swallowing, by breathing, or by contact with the skin or eyes.
An EPA report stated that indoor air pollution is one of the nation's most important environmental health problems.
A 1985 EPA report concluded that the toxic chemicals in household cleaners are three times more likely to cause cancer than outdoor air pollution.
The Consumer Product Safety Commission reported that 150 common household chemicals have been linked to allergies, birth defects, cancer and psychological abnormalities.
What You Can Do
The first step is to educate ourselves. That's why I've written five books on this subject, and now this pamphlet—to share what I've learned with you so that you can prevent health problems. Now there are safer products on the market, so maybe I've made a difference, but the number of toxic products still being sold and purchased tell me that not everyone has gotten the message.
The next step is to begin to eliminate toxics from your daily life. While cleaning and personal care products are not the only source of toxic chemicals in your home, they are among the most toxic and deadly. Fortunately, they are also the easiest to replace.
There are some good sources for safer cleaning and personal care products. Check my books for ideas. [NOTE: see also on this web site Guidelines for Nontoxic Living.] Be well, and enjoy your health!
Debra Lynn Dadd
Since self-publishing her first book in 1982, Debra has been a pioneering consumer advocate, addressing how our consumer and lifestyle choices affect our health and the environment. She has written five books, including The Nontoxic Home & Office. Her latest book, Home Safe Home, was released in spring of 1997. She has been interviewed on numerous local television and radio shows in major markets across the country. Her national appearances include the "Today" show, "Geraldo," "CNN," and "NPR." She has been featured in articles appearing in "USA Today," "New York Times," "Washington Post," Boston Globe," and many local newspapers. Debra also works as a consultant. She lives in Forest Knolls, California with her husband.
To Order Printed Copies of this Pamphlet:
Please visit the publisher's web site:
