Written by: Jenna Hua, Founder and CEO of Million Marker. An environmental health scientist and dietitian by training, Jenna is passionate about the environment, public health and everything food. Frustrated by the lack of data for how harmful chemicals (like BPA, phthalates and parabens) from plastics and everyday products affect our health and clinical outcomes, and the absence of personalized approach to mitigate harmful chemical exposures, Jenna set out on a mission to change these. She founded Million Marker, a health-tech startup dedicated to empowering everyone with the data and tools to determine how the products they use, the food they eat,the water they drink negatively or positively influence their health. Million Marker helps people understand what chemicals are inside of them — and then provides simple solutions for quickly reducing harmful chemicals through mail-in test kits, lifestyle audits, product recommendations, and counseling.
Scientifically Reviewed by: Dr. Jo Rochester, MS, PhD, Chief Scientific Officer at Million Marker
Written on 8/30/21
Growing your family is an exciting time for the whole household that can require good planning. Baby-proofing the home requires more than locking the chemical cabinet. Harmful chemicals can also be in everyday products in your bathroom and kitchen. Transition into this next chapter seamlessly by detoxifying your home of harmful chemicals. Your body (and baby) will be healthier for it.
Start your journey by acquainting yourself with ingredients lists on your cleaners, personal products, and foods. Keep an eye out for common chemicals in these items that may cause health concerns. Then, try some of our natural alternatives to promote a healthier pregnancy.
Body Lotions
Capture that illuminating pregnancy glow without potentially exposing yourself to harmful ingredients. Many body lotions contain preservatives that may cause hormonal imbalances. These chemicals mimic estrogen and can mess up your natural hormone system.
Try opting for products that are free of:
- Butylated Hydroxytoluene (BHT)
- Butylated Hydroxyanisole (BHA)
- Dimethicone
- Petroleum Jelly
Rather, use products that use natural skin moisturizers, like extra virgin olive oil, coconut oil, or shea butter. Lock in that moisture with natural skin protectants, like beeswax, candelilla wax, or rice bran wax.
Water Bottles
Optimal hydration is essential for a healthy body, let alone pregnancy. Water provides nutrients to cells that create the womb and promote embryo growth. Unfortunately, many water bottles contain endocrine-disrupting chemicals that promote hormonal imbalances. Purify that water by limiting your use of plastic water bottles.
Plastic is produced with human-made chemicals, including:
- Bisphenol A (BPA)
- Bisphenol F (BPF)
- Bisphenol S (BPS)
- Phthalates
- And More
These chemicals can permeate into the water we consume. Quench your thirst by using reusable water containers made from stainless steel, glass, or copper.
Unfortunately, many water bottles contain endocrine-disrupting chemicals that promote hormonal imbalances.
Oral Care
Showering your baby with affection is undeniable. Maintain a clean mouth when kissing your little one to prevent the spread of disease. Mouths are extremely porous and can readily absorb ingredients found in oral care products that are linked to hormonal imbalances. Keep up that fresh breath without the use of standard oral care chemicals.
Upgrade your oral hygiene by limiting your exposure to:
- Fluoride
- Triclosan
- Propylene Glycol
- Sodium Lauroyl Sarcosinate (SLS)
- Cocamidopropyl Betaine
Brighten your smile naturally with toothpastes and mouthwashes that contain ingredients like activated charcoal, tea tree oil, or coconut oil instead. These ingredients are clean and whiten your teeth!
Sunscreens
Lounging in the sun is a form of self-care any parent deserves. Protect the whole family's skin from ultraviolet rays by using sunscreen. Make sure the sunscreen is reef-friendly. Many commercial sunscreens contain chemicals that clog up the ocean...and your pores. Some of these chemicals, like oxybenzone, have also been linked to hormone disruption in parents and altered birth weight in babies.
Get your tan on without the use of:
- Oxybenzone
- Octinoxate (Octyl methoxycinnamate)
- Avobenzone
- Benzophenone
- Para-Aminobenzoic Acid (PABA)
These chemicals may prevent sunburn, but they also disrupt your hormones. Sunbathe safely by using a mineral-based sunscreen. Apply sunscreen with the confidence of UV protection by checking the ingredients lists for zinc oxide and titanium dioxide.
Some of these chemicals, like oxybenzone, have also been linked to hormone disruption in parents and altered birth weight in babies.
Cleaning Supplies
Disinfect your home without replacing dirt with potentially harmful ingredients. Polish your house with a natural glow. Cleanse your growing family from synthetic ingredients, like polyethylene glycol (PEG), which has been linked to fertility issues and carcinogenic growth.
Scrub these ingredients off of your shopping list:
- Methylisothiazolinone (MIT)
- Polyethylene Glycol (PEG)
- Parfum (Fragrance)
- Glycol Ethers
- Non-Vegetable Glycerin
Make your house spic and span with the use of natural cleaning agents that have been used for centuries. Ingredients like vinegar, Castille soap, and tea tree oil have always done the trick!
A Toxic-Free Today for A Healthier Tomorrow
Learning which everyday products might be exposing you to hormone-disrupting chemicals can help you make changes that can ultimately improve chances of conception. Million Marker's Detect & Detox Test Kit is an at-home urine test that analyzes the levels of 13 hormone-disrupting chemicals in your urine.
Then, Million Marker audits your daily products to determine which ones are causing the most exposure. Lastly, they provide conception-friendly product recommendations to help transition to a pregnancy-safe lifestyle.
Boost your chances of a healthy pregnancy with Million Marker's Detect & Detox Test Kit and Proov's Predict & Confirm Test Kit! Save $10 on your Detect & Detox Test Kit with the promo code PROOV.
