Living a Low-Tox Life in a High-Tox World
Embarking on a low-tox lifestyle is one of the best decisions I have made for my health, but it has not been an easy road. What began as small, practical changes soon turned into a deep dive into the hidden chemicals and toxins lurking in everyday products and foods. From figuring out which foods to avoid to realizing that stress and certain environments were impacting my autoimmune health, this journey has been a complete transformation.
Low-tox Products
I first realized how toxic everyday products can be when I was traveling with my partner. He had already eliminated all toxic items from his environment, so when he broke out in a rash from the hotel bedsheets, I was skeptical. Then it happened again after his clothes were washed in the regular detergent, and the rashes appeared right where his clothing touched his skin. Up until that point, I’d made a few small changes at home, swapping out laundry detergent and surface cleaners, but this made me curious. I started researching, trying to understand why these reactions were happening.
My functional nutritionist helped me dig deeper, recommending non-toxic alternatives for personal care, cleaning supplies, and laundry products. She introduced me to EWG.org, which helped immensely. With this knowledge came an overwhelming realization of how much money I had spent on products filled with toxins—products I was using multiple times a day. Many of them had endocrine disruptors, which can affect hormone health and even execrate autoimmune conditions. This is when I committed fully, I threw out boxes of skincare, haircare, candles, perfumes, lotions, and scented wall outlets. It was painful, financially and emotionally, but I felt more empowered knowing I was making choices that aligned with my health.
Low-Tox Food
When I started changing my diet, the first things to go were gluten, dairy, and sugar. My nutritionist told me to read every label and only buy foods with recognizable, whole ingredients. I quickly realized how difficult it was to find foods that were, well, just food. The most memorable moment was in the tomato paste aisle. After scanning every brand and every can, I could not find one that was just tomatoes. Finally, in the “health” section (why should there even be a separate section for that?), I found a tomato paste with one ingredient: tomato. Not only did it taste better, I used less of it because it was so rich.
From there, I started phasing out non-organic foods, which turned out to be a huge challenge. So many “healthy” products are marketed as gluten-free or sugar-free, but they’re still packed with preservatives, artificial sweeteners, or “natural flavors.” Protein bars might have tons of vitamins, but they’re often hiding food dyes or other additives I wasn’t willing to consume anymore. This made me rethink everything I had assumed about food labels. Words like “healthy” mean nothing unless the product is certified organic and the ingredient list is clean. Grocery shopping turned into a mini-investigation that included; reading labels, often putting items back on the shelf, realizing almost everything had something I did not want to put in my body.
I used to think vegetable oils were healthy, but they are often heavily processed and contain high levels of omega-6 fatty acids, which contribute to inflammation when out of balance with omega-3s. Oils like canola, soybean, and sunflower are usually extracted with high heat which make them rancid. These crops are also sprayed with toxic chemicals to terminate them before harvest which carries over into the final product. Switching to oils like olive, avocado, and coconut became an obvious choice. It was shocking to realize how many foods, even organic ones, rely on these cheap oils that can disrupt our health.
This overhaul didn’t happen in a few quick grocery trips. It was a year-long process of trial and error, of figuring out what I would and would not buy. Online shopping on Thrive Market became a lifesaver. Being able to filter options by gluten-free, paleo, or autoimmune protocol (AIP) saved me from the exhausting label-scrutiny at the grocery store.
Though it was a long road to relearn how to shop and eat, the changes in my health were undeniable. Within a few months of adopting this lifestyle, I lost nearly all the weight I had gained from my autoimmune condition. I realized that so many things I had considered “normal” were not, they were symptoms. Even those “signs of aging” I had accepted, disappeared. I felt sharper, more energized, and more like myself than I had in years. This was about more than what I took out of my diet; it was about feeling in control of my health and seeing real, positive changes.
Navigating social situations while avoiding foods with toxic ingredients is still challenging, even five years in. I can not expect others to prepare food the way I do, so eating out usually means I will encounter ingredients I try to avoid, such as inflammatory seed oils. I plan ahead by eating a filling meal before I go out and bringing snacks with me to stay on track. For meals, I love to make a big batch of something like a veggie and protein stir-fry or a hearty salad with homemade dressing. These meals are not only nourishing, they keep me grounded and remind me why I am making these choices.
Low-Tox Socializing
Recognizing that relationships and environments can also be toxic was a pivotal moment in my journey. Stress is a major contributor to autoimmune diseases like Hashimoto’s, and living in high-stress environments keeps your body in “fight or flight” mode. This constant change disrupts your natural cortisol cycle, which ideally should be high in the morning to help you wake up and gradually taper off by evening. When stress keeps cortisol levels elevated, it throws off sleep, energy, and overall health.
In January 2024, I took 30 days off work to travel with my partner, and the change was profound. I felt less inflamed, more energized, and more mentally clear than I had in years. But after returning and resuming work, I got sick within 36 hours. That was the sign I needed to step away from a career I had spent 13 years building. While I enjoyed my clients and the artistry of cosmetology, the constant exposure to product chemicals and daily stress of the environment did not align with my new self.
Leaving that career was a huge pay cut, but it was a choice I made for my well-being. Ironically, after quitting, I noticed the last bit of inflammation my body had been holding onto finally started to drop and within 45 days I was able to quit my thyroid medication that I had been working for years now to eliminate. Removing that daily stress allowed me to heal in ways I had not expected. This taught me that the people and environments around us are as crucial to our health as the food we eat or the products we use.
