In the old days of mining, there were no electronic detectors for the dangerous gases that leaked from the ground into the air inside the mines. Instead, the miners used canaries, kept near them in cages, to warn them when the air became dangerously toxic. When the canaries collapsed after breathing in toxic fumes, the miners took it as a warning to get out of the mine before they, too, were hit by the deadly fumes.

Why canaries? Because their bodies are so small that only a small amount of toxic gases can kill them.

Children and pets are our “canaries in the mines” these days. Because their bodies are much smaller than those of adults, they are more susceptible to the toxins in their world. They are often the warning system that their environment is toxic to them…and to you too.

As a child, only children had allergies to the toxins in their world. As children’s bodies grew to adult size, they could handle more chemicals. This gave rise to the belief that only children had allergies and that they magically outgrew them. Today, the use of chemicals has increased so dramatically that adults now also suffer from a wide range of allergies. .

Toxins are commonly found in and around every home now. The most commonly used products that contain harmful and dangerous chemicals in the home are dryer sheets, household cleaners, and anything with an artificial scent. Outside the home, the use of chemical herbicides (RoundUp), pesticides and fertilizers is common in most gardens.

Allergies are difficult to identify. For example, a person who has had an allergy test and is found to be allergic to grass may actually be allergic to chemicals in the grass. When the lawn is mowed, microscopic bits of grass with all those chemicals are released into the air, just waiting to be inhaled by anyone nearby.

There are alternatives to all the chemicals that are used in and around the home. For example, here is a recipe for a non-toxic herbicide that works just as well as the very dangerous RoundUp:

1 quart white vinegar
1/4 cup salt 1
Yes. liquid dish soap
Spray on weeds. Sunny and hot days are the best to achieve the most benefit. The dishwasher helps the plant more easily absorb vinegar and salt.

And here are some alternatives to dryer sheets and fabric softeners:

– Add a quarter cup of baking soda to the wash cycle to soften fabric and eliminate odors
– Add a quarter cup of white vinegar to the wash to soften the fabric and eliminate static cling
– Wool dryer balls contain no toxic chemicals, last for thousands of loads, eliminate static and wrinkles, and soften clothes.

Remember that your immune system has to work overtime to counteract the effects that chemicals in your environment are having on your body. Your immune system can’t do much, and if it’s working to counter chemicals in your environment, it’ll be less able to protect you from other dangers, like an invasive virus. So help your immune system keep you healthy by cleaning out toxins from your personal environment.