You don’t have to live near a factory or work in a chemical plant to be exposed to environmental toxins. They are already in the air you breathe, the water you drink, the food you eat, and many of the products you use at home.
They come from traffic exhaust, aging plumbing, industrial pollution, cleaning sprays, air fresheners, nonstick cookware, and food packaging. One exposure may not seem like much, but the real danger is small doses, every day, for years.
This slow, steady exposure helps explain why so many people develop chronic conditions that seem to come “out of nowhere” such as asthma, heart disease, autoimmune conditions, hormone disorders, kidney disease, and some cancers have all been linked to long term exposure to environmental toxins.1
And unfortunately, this burden is not shared equally.2
What Environmental Toxins Actually Are
Environmental toxins are harmful substances in our surroundings that interfere with how the body functions.1 Some damage organs directly. Others disrupt hormones, weaken immune defenses, increase inflammation, or slowly damage blood vessels and DNA.1
They include air pollutants, heavy metals like lead, endocrine-disrupting chemicals, pesticides, industrial chemicals, and Per- and Polyfluoroalkyl Substances (PFAs), often called “forever chemicals” because they build up in the body over time.1
Your body can handle small amounts of toxins. But constant exposure overwhelms those defenses, placing long-term stress on the heart, lungs, brain, kidneys, and immune system.1
How Toxins Affect the Body Over Time
Environmental toxins rarely cause immediate symptoms. Instead, they work quietly. They increase inflammation. They strain the liver and kidneys. They disrupt hormones that regulate blood pressure, metabolism, and immune balance.1
Continued exposure to environmental toxins have even been shown to damage blood vessels and increase the risk of heart disease, stroke, asthma, autoimmune conditions, fertility problems, and some cancers.1
In children, these exposures have been shown to affect brain development. In adults, they may contribute to fatigue, breathing problems, memory issues, and chronic conditions.1
Why Black and Brown Communities Face Greater Exposure
Environmental harm follows the same lines as housing segregation and neighborhood disinvestment.2
For decades, redlining, discriminatory zoning laws, and political neglect have placed highways, factories, ports, landfills, and industrial facilities disproportionately close to Black and Brown neighborhoods.2 These same communities are more likely to live in older housing with lead pipes, poor ventilation, mold, and aging infrastructure.2
These exposures are not occasional. They are daily and unavoidable. Over time, this exposure may help explain why Black and Brown communities experience higher rates of asthma, heart disease, kidney disease, autoimmune conditions, pregnancy complications, and certain cancers.2
This is not about personal choices. It is about living in environments that make health harder to protect. Reducing exposure in this context is not about creating a perfect low-toxin life. It is about harm reduction in an unequal system.2
5 Everyday Habits That Can Lower Your Toxic Exposure
You cannot control everything in your environment. But you can reduce the total toxic load your body carries. Even small changes, done consistently, can lower inflammation and ease the burden on your lungs, heart, liver, kidneys, and immune system.
Habit #1: Make the Air in Your Home Easier to Breathe
Indoor air is often more polluted than outdoor air. Dust, mold spores, smoke, pet dander, scented products, and trapped outdoor pollution all build up inside, especially in older or poorly ventilated homes.3
Improving indoor air doesn’t require expensive equipment. Opening windows when weather allows helps flush out trapped pollutants. Using a basic fan improves circulation. Avoiding candles, incense, plug-in air fresheners, and strong chemical sprays removes a major source of lung irritation.3
If it’s within reach, a simple HEPA air filter in the bedroom can help even more, since that’s where you spend hours breathing deeply while you sleep.3
Why it helps: Cleaner air reduces lung irritation, lowers inflammation, and eases strain on the immune and cardiovascular (heart) systems.3
Cost-conscious tip: Opening windows and skipping scented products costs nothing and helps immediately.
Habit #2: Filter Your Drinking Water When You Can
Depending on your local infrastructure, tap water may contain lead, PFAS, or other contaminants from old pipes and industrial runoff.1 A basic pitcher or faucet filter adds a layer of protection. It won’t remove everything, but it can significantly reduce daily exposure to harmful substances.3
Why it helps: Filtering your water may help you reduce the ingestion of chemicals that quietly strain the kidneys, liver, and hormone systems over time.3
Cost-conscious tip: Pitcher filters are far cheaper long-term than bottled water and serve the whole household.
Habit #3: Reduce Plastic Contact With Food and Drinks
Many plastics release hormone-disrupting chemicals when heated or worn down. These chemicals migrate into food and drinks. 1
Avoid microwaving food in plastic containers. Don’t pour hot liquids into plastic bottles or cups. Store leftovers in glass or ceramic when possible.3
Why it helps: Lowering your exposure to plastics decreases your risk of exposure to endocrine disruptors that affect metabolism, fertility, blood pressure, and immune balance.3
Cost-conscious tip: Start small by reusing glass jars from foods you already buy.
Habit #4: Simplify Cleaning and Personal Care Products
Many cleaners and personal care products release fumes that irritate the lungs and expose the body to unnecessary chemicals.1
You don’t need dozens of products. Simple options like vinegar, baking soda, fragrance-free soap, and unscented detergents can handle most cleaning needs.3
Why it helps: Simplifying your personal care products helps to reduce daily chemical exposure through both skin and lungs.
Cost-conscious tip: Fewer products usually means lower costs, not higher.
Habit #5: Wash and Prepare Food With Exposure in Mind
Pesticide residues and surface contaminants are common on produce.1 Washing fruits and vegetables thoroughly, peeling when appropriate, and rotating the types of foods you eat reduces repeated exposure to the same chemicals.3
Why it helps: This simple hack may help to lower the amount of agricultural and industrial chemicals entering your body over time.3
Cost-conscious tip: You don’t need to buy all organic. Washing and variety still meaningfully reduce risk.
Why Small Changes Add Up
Lowering toxic exposure reduces inflammation, protects vital organs, and supports long-term health.3 For communities already carrying a heavier environmental burden, even modest changes can have meaningful impact.
This is not about perfection. It is about giving your body more room to heal and protect itself.
Inside the NOWINCLUDED app, we want to hear from you: Which habit are you starting with this week or what change have you already made in your home?
Your choices might help someone else take their first step too.
References
- Shetty, S. S., D, D., S, H., Sonkusare, S., & Naik, P. (2023). Environmental pollutants and their effects on human health. Heliyon. doi:https://doi.org/10.1016/j.heliyon.2023.e19496
- Perry, M. J., Arrington, S., Freisthler, M. S., Ibe, I. N., & McCray, N. L. (2021). Pervasive structural racism in environmental epidemiology. Environmental Health. doi:10.1186/s12940-021-00801-3
- Pizzorno, J. (2017). Toxin Exposure Reduction. Integrative Medicine Journal. doi:30936809
