Avoid Damaging Chemicals and Pesticides


Reduce your exposure to dangerous artificial chemicals by buying organic food, avoiding food packaged (especially wrapped) in plastic, by not using plastic cooking utensils or non-stick cookware and by not storing/re-heating food in plastic containers. Also, use an independently tested water filter jug and avoid both disposable and personal plastic water bottles. Finally, audit your cleaning and personal hygiene products for dangerous chemicals.

Want to look at the science later but, right now, you are just interested in some actions to take?

Transition to Organic Produce: Prioritise organic variations of meat, dairy, and vegetables to completely eliminate your daily exposure to neurotoxic organophosphate pesticides
Purge Plastic from the Kitchen: Never store, microwave, or re-heat food inside plastic containers (even "microwave-safe" ones). Switch entirely to glass, stainless steel, or ceramic alternatives.
Upgrade Your Cookware and Utensils: Throw away scratched or damaged non-stick pans and replace them with cast iron, carbon steel, or stainless steel. Swap plastic cooking spoons and spatulas for wood or silicone.
Filter Your Water Rigorously: Use an independently certified water filter (such as those using solid carbon block or reverse osmosis) capable of stripping heavy metals, microplastics, and PFAS from your daily drinking water. Avoid single-use plastic water bottles entirely.
Audit Your Personal Hygiene and Cleaning Products: Ditch products containing parabens, triclosan, or synthetic "fragrance/parfum" on the ingredients label. Choose clean, plant-based soaps, deodorants, and household cleaners.

Why should you care about chemicals and pesticides?

A vast number of artificial chemicals, toxins and pesticides are now found in the air we breathe, the food we eat and the water we drink. They are all around us in our homes, our cleaning products and the soil. This body of dangerous chemicals has a range of damaging effects [1] on your bodily processes such as:

  • Microbiome function
  • Gene expression
  • Hormone receptors
  • Intracellular signalling
  • Neurotransmitter signalling
  • Fetal development
  • Enzyme activity
  • Hormonal control of diet
  • Thyroid function
  • Resting metabolic rate
  • Liver function

In short, they can disrupt the good work you are doing across a range of the Big 10 areas.

With such a vast number of chemicals and with their ubiquity in modern life, it is tempting to feel that there is nothing you can do. However, by understanding at least the most dangerous chemicals to look out for and by taking some practical actions you can substantially reduce your risk.

What are the most common dangerous chemicals?

This is list is by no means exhaustive; however, by carefully looking out for at least these and by following the actions in the next section, you’ll be taking some robust and practical action to reduce your exposure.

This list has been taken from Chapter 8 of Dr Casey Means’ excellent book Good Energy, which is also referenced below.

Chemical Source Impact
Polychlorinated Biphenyls (PCBs) Now banned, these slowly degrading chemicals are still ubiquitously found in air, water, soil and fish worldwide. PCBs were often used in a range of industrial and domestic products such as lubricants, glues, paints and flame retardants. They accumulate as they move up the food chain, meaning they may be vastly more present in (for example) a fish that you eat than in the water the fish swam in. PCBs have been linked to skin and liver issues, increased risk of cancer, neurological and cognitive effects (especially in foetuses and children, immune system suppression, endocrine disruption (in particular thyroid and reproductive function, and metabolic disorders
Bisophenol A (BPA) TBD TBD
Phthalates TBD TBD
Parabens TBD TBD
Triclosan TBD TBD
Dioxins TBD TBD
Perfluoroalkyl and Polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) TBD TBD
Organophosphate pesticides TBD TBD
Heavy metals TBD TBD

What practical steps can you take to minimise your exposure?

TODO:

  • Buying organic food
  • Avoiding food packaged (especially wrapped) in plastic
  • Not using plastic cooking utensils
  • Not using non-stick cookware
  • Not storing/re-heating food in plastic containers
  • Using an independently tested water filter jug
  • Avoiding both disposable and personal plastic water bottles
  • Auditing your cleaning and personal hygiene products for dangerous chemicals.

Further sources of information

Good Energy by Dr. Casey Means

Dr Rhonda Partick on the Diary of a CEO podcast

References

[1] Good Energy by Dr. Casey Means, chapter 7, page 229