Chemical Sensitivity is a Good Thing!

I've gotten to the point where if I eat something that my body doesn’t agree with, or I apply anything onto my skin or hair that’s not chemical-free, I’ll have an immediate reaction.  Sometimes the reaction is subtle and other times it can be a nightmare.  Regardless I feel blessed to know immediately that something isn’t good for me. I do my best to avoid those things. 

I consider myself chemically sensitive so I avoid chemical household cleaners, processed foods, chemical laden cosmetics, and synthetic fragrance. I do my best to learn as much as possible about natural healthy alternatives to use. I like sharing what I’ve learned here on Minimalist Beauty.

There are so many harmful chemicals that we can easily introduce into our lives without even thinking twice about it that are in air freshener, perfume, household cleaners, hand sanitizer, toothpaste, makeup, nail polish, lotion, shampoo, conditioner, household paint, GMO foods, artificial sweeteners, food preservatives, PVC/BPA products, and flame retardent mattresses and furniture.  Encountering chemicals in our daily life have become the norm, and it takes a conscious effort to eliminate them as much as possible.  Unless we hear more stories about how harmful chemicals in cosmetics and other daily products are to our health, it’s easy to label the toxic-free natural lifestyle as "too green" or "granola."

A few years ago I again tried a popular curly hair product that I had used before, yet this time it gave me an immediate headache.  This product contained synthetic fragrance and color plus other chemical ingredients.  At first I decided to lay down and take a nap thinking that it would go away.  It had been awhile since I had consistently used this product without any problems, yet why would I get a headache from it this time?

What I didn't know was that I was becoming more sensitive to chemicals the more I detoxed these chemicals from my body.  After laying down a few more minutes I got the notion to get back up and wash my hair reluctantly again.  As soon as I washed the product from my hair the headache subsided.  The next day I returned the curly hair product to the beauty supply store.

Chemical sensitivity isn't a bad thing at all.  It is actually a good thing because it is an innate chemical radar that we can use to avoid consistently putting toxins into and on our body.  This same radar works for food that may not be the best for you too.  This theory proved itself again once I removed gluten from my diet for a long time.  Whenever I eat gluten now I feel awful and see extreme bloating soon after.  The more we learn about the toxic chemicals used in cosmetics, household products, etc. as well as pay attention to how the food we eat individually affects us, the better choices we can make for our health and our families.

Have you become more sensitive to chemicals or certain foods? You can also see the chemicals that should definitely be avoided in cosmetics here.

Image by Dawn Michelle