A Healthier Home: The Room by Room Guide to Make Any Space A Little Less Toxic

by Shawna Holman

Overview

“If you are looking for a tangible, stress-free guide to protect you and your family from everyday environmental toxins, THIS IS IT!”
—Dr. Vivian Chen, MD, founder of Plateful Health and Detox Right

With all the time spent at home in recent years, you probably realize how much the inside of your home contributes to your mental and physical health, for better or worse. But did you know that the Environmental Protection Agency estimates that indoor air is 2–5 times (and occasionally more than 100 times) more polluted than outdoor air?

The good news is that you can control and improve the environment inside your home, and A Healthier Home provides an accessible, room-by-room roadmap for doing just that. Wherever you are on your journey to a healthier home, author and founder of A Little Less Toxic, Shawna Holman, offers realistic steps you can take to maintain a less toxic living environment that aligns with your values. Create a healthy, happy living space with simple swaps and hacks for banning hidden harms in every room:
 

• Kitchen: Finding the best cookware, helpful tools and gadgets, safe serving ware and food storage, all about supplements, buying cleaning products, DIY cleaning products
• Laundry Room: Washing machine and detergent recommendations, DIY spot treatment, whitening without bleach, treating stains, clotheslines, tips and tricks
• Bathroom: Toiletries, oral hygiene, water (including chlorine and fluoride), self-care, skincare and a few DIY skincare recipes, medicine cabinet, hair training, cleaning (including deep cleaning/going beyond the basics of the kitchen!)
• Bedroom: Mattress shopping, pillows, linens, all about certifications and materials, condoms and lubrication, pregnancy prevention/fertility, sleeping tips, blue light, hacks and tips for cleaning in the bedroom
• Living Room: Indoor air quality, air purifiers, filters, furniture and rugs (materials and more), air fresheners (key swaps, essential oil how-tos, and candle info), mold mindfulness, EMF protection
• Garden: Lawn care, sun protection, insect protection, after-sun care, and grounding

From tackling toxins and revamping your kitchen to making a greener garden and ensuring cleaner laundry, A Healthier Home will aid you in creating a sustainable, safe lifestyle that benefits both your mind and body. Every corner of your home can be made to better serve you and your family—it’s just a matter of getting started!

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9780760377604
Publisher:	Fair Winds Press
Publication date:	02/14/2023
Pages:	176
Sales rank:	178,674
Product dimensions:	7.10(w) x 9.10(h) x 0.70(d)

About the Author

Shawna Holman, founder of A Little Less Toxic and author of the best-selling book A Healthier Home, is a mother, a wife, and a dedicated teacher. After battling life-altering health issues, Shawna was determined to find long-lasting and healthy solutions rather than harmful quick-fixes. In 2013, she began her journey toward making radical health improvements through small life changes, taking her followers along for the ride. By seeking out, implementing, and sharing her life transformation, Shawna motivates her audience to support their health and healing through sustainable, realistic, and mindful lifestyle changes. Since healing her health issues and finding solace in creating a healthy home environment, Shawna is intent on sharing her story and helping those looking to live life A Little Less Toxic. Find her online at alittlelesstoxic.com.

Table of Contents

Introduction 07

Quick Start Guide 09

What is Toxic? 11

On Toxins and Terminology 13

Important Terms

Common Toxins Found in the Home 16

Certifications 20

The Living Room (and Other Shared Spaces) 23

Indoor Air Quality 24

How to Improve Indoor Air Quality

Go Further, When Finances Allow

Walls, Furniture, Floors, and More 31

Walls

Furniture

Floors

Miscellaneous Materials

EMF Protection 38

Cleaning 41

Aroma

The Kitchen and Food 45

Food 46

When to Buy Organic

The Pantry

Fermented Foods and Eggs

Produce

The Freezer

Pots, Pans, and Bakeware 61

Stainless-Steel Pans

Cast-Iron Pans

Baking, Mixing, and Measuring

Tools and Gadgets

Cleaning Products 71

Simple DIY Recipes

Cleaning Tips

The Bathroom 81

The Big Picture 82

Bath and Shower Water 83

Cotton Products 84

Shower Curtains

Bath Mat

Towels and Washcloths

Cotton Hygiene Products

Feminine Hygiene Products

Toilet Paper

Personal Care Products 88

Hair Care 89

Oral Hygiene 93

Toothpaste

Tooth Whitening

Skin Care 99

How to Oil Cleanse

Simple DIY Recipes

Detox Baths 107

Epsom Salts Baths

Lymphatic System Care 109

Dry Brushing

Gua Sha

The Medicine Cabinet 110

First-Aid Kit

The Laundry Room 117

The Washing Machine 119

The Detergent (etc.) 120

Fabric Softener

Bleach

Treating Stains 125

The Bedroom 129

Everything for the Bed 131

Mattress

Pillows

Bedding

More than Materials 140

Blue Light and Electronics

Bedroom Activities 146

Candles

Contraceptive Options

Lube

Outside the Home 151

Get Outside! 152

Sun Protection

Insect Protection

Grounding 157

The Garden 159

Pest Control

Compost

Watering

Resources 166

Acknowledgments 170

About the Author 172

Dedication 172

Index 173

Editorial Reviews

"Many of us are on a quest for healthier lives. While much of that happens on the inside, our environment is also important. In A Healthier Home, Shawna Holman offers transformative but approachable advice for making your home a safe and healthier space to play, work, and grow.”—Dr. Josh Axe, D.N.M., C.N.S., D.C., founder of Ancient Nutrition and DrAxe.com

"A Healthier Home is now the go-to resource for realistic and safe alternatives to toxic home products that fill up your “Rain Barrel” and lead to poor health, low mood, a lack of energy, and eventually disease. Shawna has made becoming a little less toxic fun and easy for the whole family!”
 —Dr. Stephen Cabral, Board Certified Doctor of Naturopathy and author of The Rain Barrel Effect

“If you are looking for a tangible, stress-free guide to protect you and your family from everyday environmental toxins, THIS IS IT! Living a low-tox life doesn't have to be expensive or overwhelming. Shawna simplifies it all, provides wonderful DIY recipes, and gives you the step-by-step in this book.”—Dr. Vivian Chen, MD, MBBS MRCP MRCGP BSc, founder of Plateful Health and Detox Right

“A Healthier Home is a must-have guide for anyone looking to create a non-toxic, environmentally safe space for the whole family. As a practicing Environmental Medicine doctor for more than 20 years, this is one of the best books I’ve seen that addresses the total toxic load we all get exposed to on a daily basis and practical ways to make us all healthier and more resilient.”—Darin Ingels, ND, FAAEM and Fellow, American Academy of Environmental Medicine

“Shawna has made a huge impact in my life. The way she teaches makes me not only feel smarter—I feel loved, understood, and supported. I am beyond honored to call her my friend and equally honored to share her tips, examples, and style with everyone I know!”—Angi Greene Fletcher, founder of Mamoosh Productions Inc. and angi5.com

“It can be overwhelming to discover that your home (and everything inside it) is likely made from harmful toxins. Luckily, Shawna has always had the unique ability to share information in a way that makes it simple, fun, and approachable. Her writing challenges me to think critically and take one small step at a time towards a life with more health, freedom, hope, and joy (with lots of laughter along the way)!” —Dr. Courtney Kahla, DC, founder of Our Well House, Nervous System Chiro Database, and DrCourtneyKahl

From the Publisher