7 Everyday Products That Can Be Toxic to Your Health, Per New Book

You can scour your house with homemade products and rid your place of toxic materials, but chances are you're still surrounded with everyday items that contain harmful chemicals linked to serious health problems. It's scary, and the New York Times best-selling author says it's important to be aware in order to be "free." In his new book Fatal Conveniences, Darin Olien, who co-hosts of the Emmy Award winning Netflix docu-series Down to Earth with Zac Efron, explains how things we touch and use on a daily basis have been made with a slew of dangerous chemicals that are "affecting you" and "our environment." Here's seven items that are ingrained with toxic ingredients you may not know about, according to Olien.

In his latest Instagram post, Olien posted a video talking about how harmful many articles of clothing are. Yes, what you wear could be making you sick. "What has pesticides, herbicides, glyphosate, GMOs, astrazine, teflon derivatives of PFAS, petroleum, plastics, plasticizers, phthalates, formaldehyde, azodyes, and about 8,000 other chemicals literally that go into making this product, and this product is the clothing that we wear. It's connected to neurological disorders," he said. "It's connected to testicular cancer, endocrine disruption, it's connected to breast cancer, it's connected to respiratory issues and asthma."      

Burning incense can be calming and relaxing, but it can also be fatal. "Did you know that incense contains about 35 percent of fragrances now?," Olien asks in an Instagram post. "It's not the normal fragrances. It's the manufactured kind hidden under the fragrance label. Chemicals that are linked to cancer, hormone imbalances, endocrine disruption." He added that the chemicals can even cause birth defects."   

Brushing our teeth is something we do multiple times a day, but did you know toothpaste contains dangerous chemicals? According to Olien, "Most toothpastes are filled with toxic chemicals and artificial flavors that you do not want to ingest." He said that we "swallow about 5-7% of your toothpaste every time you brush your teeth." He added, "think about how many times you brush your teeth every week that can really add up.

Waking up to eat your favorite breakfast cereal and watch cartoons has been a morning ritual for many on weekends, but cereals smothered in sugar are a no-no for the author. Olien did a podcast episode on the harmful effects of many breakfast cereals and said, " Tony the Tiger might stop telling children that cereal is "Grrreat" if he knew they were full of refined grains, GMOs, pesticides, herbicides, and sugar that are causing all kinds of health problems for the millions of people who start their day with a bowl of this stuff."

Many vegetarians and people trying to cut down on meat believe they're making a healthy choice by eating fake meat, but Olien stated that's not true. Since the products are highly processed, Olien said, they "lack certain nutrients and contain additives that could be detrimental to health when consumed." He also noted how many "plant-based alternatives lack certain essential nutrients found in animal products, such as vitamin B12, iron, and omega-3 fatty acids." In addition, there's environmental concerns. "The production of plant-based meat alternatives like Beyond Meat still requires significant resources, such as land, water, and energy," he explained. 

Astroturf, the thing your kids play sports on is another thing Olien wants to raise awareness for in his book. "Astroturf, also known as Sports turf or artificial turf, has revolutionized the world of sports. It has become a popular alternative to natural grass fields due to its durability, low maintenance, and ability to withstand extreme weather conditions," he said. "However, as with most innovations, sports turf comes with a heavy price to human health and the environment. In fact, did you know Monsanto created Astroturf?"

Wet wipes might be a convenient way to clean our tray table on the plane or wipe down surfaces to rid them of bacteria, but they're a single-use product and harmful for the environment, Olien warned. "When we flush a wet wipe down the toilet, we fail to think about the microplastics it contains, the blackages in sewage systems it causes, the harm it does to fish, birds, and other marine life that mistake them for food, the impact it has on our own health, and so much more."