Natural Allergy Relief: Kitchen

Most of us spend a great deal of time in the kitchen or in adjoining rooms. Open kitchen design in the last ten years has only increased the need to have a clean kitchen, with as few allergens as possible. The kitchen is the host to many lesser-known allergens and may actually be one of the worst rooms in the house in terms of overall allergen count.

Here are some easy changes you can make to help keep your kitchen sanitary and safe.

Pots and Pans (Teflon, aluminum, nickel)

Your pots and pans may be full of chemicals which can leach into your food and are difficult for the body to process, overburdening the liver and organs. Non-stick pans that use Teflon are full of toxic chemicals and even stainless steel is high in nickel, which also can produce allergic symptoms. Aluminum products, including aluminum foil, also leach metals into food and can damage organ functioning.

Fortunately, you can use glass, iron and enamel pots and pans. Glass is quite inexpensive and widely available, although enamel is highly recommended. These products will help minimize your exposure to allergens and toxic metals. Instead of aluminum foil, use parchment paper, which is often used in baking and can sustain the high temperatures that aluminum can.

Refrigerator (mold and mold slime)

Everyone knows it’s a hassle to clean the fridge when it means pulling everything out, washing everything down and then putting it all back in. However, cleaning your fridge once a week is essential in order to minimize mold, bacteria and mold slime which spread quickly in drawers and shelves.

By using a natural solution of water and white vinegar, you don’t have pull everything out when you clean since it is a non-toxic cleaner. A clean refrigerator is key so you don’t ingest mold.

Looking for even more tips on how to turn your kitchen into a clean, allergy-repelling space? Check out Dr. Bennett’s e-book The 7 Day Allergy Makeover