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Evelyn | Certified Low Tox Educator for parents

@lowtoxtots

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LowTox Lifestyle guidance, bespoke 1:1 & group, offering nuance & context.
Science-backed strategies & swaps during pregnancy & family life
UK👇🏾

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11

5

5 months ago

Looking through baby photos of my little girl, I’ve been reflecting on how far I’ve come on this journey towards low-tox, eco-conscious living.

Like so many parents, I started with the best intentions but little “real” awareness.

I spent hours researching the best travel system and car seat, yet had no idea I should be asking about chemical fire retardants.
I trusted a renowned dermatologist for her eczema, unaware that paraffin-based lotions might not be the safest choice.
I bought supermarket cleaning and laundry products, assuming the big brands must be safe.
I cooked our meals in “regular” frying pans without a second thought.

I was doing my best with what I knew.

But here’s the thing: I didn’t know YET about the hidden dangers.

Once I DID start learning, I began choosing differently.

Gradually.

Gently.

One discovery led to another, and soon I found myself immersed in the world of low-tox living, deciphering ingredient labels, researching greenwashing claims, understanding hidden chemicals in everyday items and ultimately, studying environmental toxins.

It didn’t happen overnight.

It wasn’t perfect.

But knowledge gave me the freedom to change.

So if you’re standing where I once stood, overwhelmed, unsure where to begin, perhaps even a little guilty about what you didn’t know, please know this:

You’re not behind.
You’re not failing.
You’re evolving.

We all make choices based on the knowledge we have at the time.

When you know better, you can do better – and I’m here to help YOU do just that.

Your family’s low tox journey is unique, shaped around your values, your capacity, your rhythm. And along the way, you might just rediscover your own spark as a lifelong learner.

Let’s walk this path together – one empowered choice at a time.

Follow along 💛 Wanna hear my story? Lately, I’ve been looking through baby photos of my little girl, and with her 9th birthday just around the corner, I’ve been reflecting on how far I’ve come on this journey towards low-tox and eco-conscious living. Like so many new parents, I started out with the best intentions – but very little awareness. I spent hours researching the safest travel system and the best car seat, yet I didn’t know to ask about chemical fire retardants. I lovingly prepared organic weaning meals, but never questioned the colourful plastic plates that changed with heat. I turned to a renowned dermatologist to help manage my baby’s eczema, never thinking to question the prescription of paraffin-based lotions. I bought well-known cleaning and laundry products, trusting that if they were on the shelves – especially from the biggest brands – they must be safe. I cooked our meals in non-stick, Teflon-coated frying pans without a second thought. And honestly, I don’t judge that version of me – she was doing her best with what she knew at the time. But here’s the thing: I didn’t know any different back then. And that’s the message I want to share most: not to shame, but to empower. Because once I did start learning, I began choosing differently. Gradually. Gently. One discovery led to another, and soon I found myself immersed in the world of low-tox living – deciphering ingredient labels, researching greenwashing claims, uncovering hidden chemicals in everyday items, and eventually studying environmental toxins. It didn’t happen overnight. It wasn’t perfect. But knowledge gave me the freedom to change. So if you’re standing where I once stood – overwhelmed, unsure where to begin, perhaps even a little guilty about what you didn’t know – please hear this: You’re not behind. You’re not failing. You’re evolving. We all make choices based on the knowledge we have at the time. When you know better, you can do better – and I’m here to help you do just that. Your family’s journey can be flexible, shaped around your values, your capacity, your rhythm. I am here to guide you. Follow along 💛 by @lowtoxtots

43

3

a year ago

by @lowtoxtots

47

14

a year ago

When plastic comes into contact with food, what migrates into it depends on several factors:

👉🏿temperature
👉🏿heat exposure
👉🏿how long the food sits in contact with it
👉🏿its fat content
👉🏿its acidity

We know that fatty and acidic foods draw more out of plastic than dry or water-based ones which the graphic from @dr.williamwallace so neatly showcases.

Not all plastic is the same.

A 2024 peer-reviewed study published in Environmental Science & Technology, testing packaging from five countries including the UK, found over 1,200 chemicals in a standard PP (polypropylene) dairy pot, the kind your yoghurt, cream, or crème fraîche comes in.
In 33 of the 36 products tested, researchers found chemicals that disrupted hormone secretion and metabolism.

PVC which we find in cling film, PUR which we find in flexible food pouches (think kiddie foods) or sandwich bags and LDPE, found in frozen food bags or squeezable bottles are some of the worst offenders in this study with over 9,936 chemicals found in a single piece of UK cling film.

Our reality is that plastic is everywhere and we cannot avoid it entirely. But where you do have a choice, we can make it count and that’s what I am a big proponent of. 🫶🏻

So, for fatty + acidic foods, seek out glass @tomparkercreamery

Organic in glass is the ideal. @heckfield_place @happybutterghee @bionaorganic @browncoworganics @theestatedairy

Non-organic in glass still beats organic in plastic.

It’s important to know that switching to organic dairy meaningfully reduces your pesticide exposure, however for high-fat foods such as cream, the equation shifts because the packaging is in direct, constant contact with this high fat liquid from the moment it’s filled to the moment you open it.

@yeovalley would love your cream in glass

Check out @foodpackagingforum ‘s website to learn more about food packaging and unknown “non-intentionally added substances”.

Tag someone below who can benefit from knowing about this and let me know your thoughts 👇🏾 by @lowtoxtots

23

5

7 days ago

It’s a simple lunch, but the choices that go into it matter more than you’d think…

🫘 Beans. Most tins have a plastic lining, usually a type of bisphenol, and the beans are heat processed inside the sealed tin. While the EU now restricts BPA and certain other bisphenols in food packaging from July 2026, not every bisphenol is covered and the UK hasn’t legislated yet, so there’s no ban in force here. I buy in glass @boldbeanco @bionaorganic and soak, cook & freeze my own for a more budget friendly option.

Garlic. China supplies roughly 70- 80% of the world’s garlic exports, so supply chains are long and it’s hard to know how it was grown. Organic imports need certified paperwork, so you get traceability. @_packdco

Tahini, nut butters and oils. Fat can encourage chemicals to move out of plastic packaging during storage so I tend to opt for glass. Dark glass for olive oil also blocks the light and protects from oxidation… @citizensofsoil @carleysofcornwall

Leftovers. Always in glass, from jam jars to pyrex style glass containers that neatly stack in the fridge and for me plastic doesn’t belong in the dishwasher (although fully aware the dishwasher rack itself is made out of plastic but I am not adding to it)

Does any of this matter? A 2026 randomised trial in Nature Medicine put 60 people on a low-plastic diet with plastic-free kitchenware for just 7 days. Phthalates dropped by more than 44% and bisphenols by more than 50%. It was a small pilot in Australia but it shows just how fast your body responds when you cut the touchpoints.

Tiny steps 👣 count! Have you started with any of these swaps? 👇🏾 by @lowtoxtots

21

4

11 days ago

Phthalates are known as “the everywhere chemical”, and the encouraging news is that studies show urinary levels of some phthalates can fall within days of swapping out the main sources. (PMID: 26947464, 21450549)

I was so pleased to hear Naturopath Lucinda Miller @naturedockids speak about environmental pollutants at @earthcoveswim organic swimwear launch.

Phthalates turn up in hundreds of products - clothes, toys, food packaging, personal care, vinyl flooring and more. They’re endocrine disrupting chemicals, and we’ve known that for decades. Some have been banned, but not all. Diethyl phthalate (DEP), the one most used in anything labelled “fragrance”, is still permitted.

You know that lingering scent of perfume when someone walks into a room? Phthalates are often what help it “stick” and trace contamination from banned phthalates can still happen too.

How do they affect us?

They interfere with hormone signalling, and the research on babies and children is some of the most compelling in this field.

Exposure has been linked to:
✨ Earlier puberty in girls, with links to breast cancer risk & metabolic syndrome
✨ Disrupted puberty timing in boys
✨ Impaired fertility& sperm quality
✨ Insulin resistance & obesity

Prenatal exposure is a documented route, with some of the strongest developmental evidence.

How to reduce your exposure

Flip the bottle before you buy - if you see “fragrance” with no further explanation, I wouldn’t buy it. Fully essential oil based products list their oils, but some aren’t recommended for babies or sensitive, eczema-prone or allergic skin, so simple, fragrance-free is the way to go.

And for PFAS?

Early research suggests soluble fibres like oat beta-glucan may help the body excrete PFAS, but human evidence is still preliminary, so cutting exposure at source remains the priority.

My number #1tip is a decent home water filter & sadly many cheap filters don’t move the needle on PFAS.

If you want a system tailored to your family’s set up and budget, drop me a message.

When buying new waterproof outdoor gear choose brands that avoid perfluorinated compounds (see my post on brands getting it by @lowtoxtots

88

14

15 days ago

Felt honoured to be invited to the official launch @earthcoveswim celebrated at the wonderfully relaxing @wellnestlondon and it made me think how have we put up with plastic swim wear for so long?

Mum and founder Emma Bianco has long championed plastic free sleepwear and baby toys with @pureearthcollection, and I’ve been an avid fan since the early days.

Now she’s turned her attention to swimwear, which has been an overlooked category entirely until recently. With sauna spaces booming and more research emerging on chemicals in plastic clothing, it’s worth rethinking our swim gear next time we’re due an upgrade.

Most swimming costumes are made from polyester, and recycled polyester isn’t the easy fix it sounds. A 2025 lab study from a non-profit group found it shed around 55% more microplastic fibres in the wash than virgin polyester.

Recycled plastic tends to carry a wider mix of chemicals too from phthalates, bisphenols and even PFAS, all of which are endocrine disruptors impacting our reproductive health and can have lasting impacts on our babies.

And we must look at the bigger picture too - from production workers to the dying process all the way to the landfill, it’s a story that isn’t great for us or for the planet.

Lucinder Miller @naturedockids has been vocal about environmental pollutants for years and spoke about our bodies dealing with bisphenols, phthalates and PFAS and co-founder @wellnestlondon Wissem Souadi @just.wiss shared his conscious aim to create a plastic aware space for wellness lovers.

If you’re a regular sauna user, certified organic cotton makes even more sense - early lab research suggests sweat can help draw chemicals out of plastic fibres, making them easier for skin to absorb (maybe the UK will embrace towel only sauna experiences?!)

And if you fancy taking the plunge (pun intended), DM me for an exclusive code 💦 by @lowtoxtots

24

2

18 days ago

Your morning cup of tea shouldn’t be adding to your toxic load. It’s easy to overlook but the small rituals we repeat every single day are often where the real impact lives.

A simple cup of tea has become surprisingly loaded these days, with micro & nanoplastics, and a side of pesticides most of us never think to question.

I know, I know… when did brewing a cuppa get so complicated? Somewhere along the way, we were sold the idea that plastic makes everything easier, more convenient. But plastic + heat were never meant to mix, and plastic kettles replaced the metal stovetop kettles our grandparents relied on.

Then there’s the tea bag itself. Tea remains one of the most heavily sprayed crops there is & it’s often packaged into bags that still contain plastic or are sealed with PLA, a bioplastic that behaves like any other under heat.

You add hot water, it steeps and without realising it, you’re pouring yourself a concoction of microplastics 🫣

It gets harder still when you’re out and about. Those automatic hot water dispensers often run through plastic tubing, capable of releasing bisphenols& what you’re handed is a paper cup lined with plastic to stop it leaking.

And to be clear, this is not about one cup of tea. It’s about the years of small exposures that quietly stack up in tissue over time, and emerging research suggests that build-up may not be harmless.

But the fix is so beautifully simple & so doable!

Opt for loose leaf tea, ideally organic, use a 100% plastic free kettle or simply boiling water the old way, in a pan with the lid on.

…and just like that, you’ve avoided millions of plastic particles! by @lowtoxtots

9

2

24 days ago

I just spent my weekend at the Health Optimization Summit, and my biggest takeaway was that we need to lean back into what conditions create wellbeing in the first place…
There is no doubt that the wellness world is booming. Health events and retreats are blooming like mushrooms, mobile saunas and ice baths are popping up everywhere, new devices launching at lightning speed, new metrics defined, with new routines promising to help us function better.
And there’s real value in some of that.
But it made me wonder…are we attempting to build better ways to cope with lives that were never designed for us to thrive in?
Nature. Whole food & clean water. Movement. Breath & stillness. Natural light. Low body burden. Connection.
None of these have disappeared, but what’s eroded is our access to them, buried under the premise of fast, convenient food, bright offices that make us forget it’s time to unwind, the hustle culture, WhatsApp groups under the pretext of connection, screens everywhere resulting in overstimulation and non-stop notifications, yet across nations we feel lonelier than ever.
Now, the wellness industry sells it back to us, carefully engineered and beautifully packaged, backed by amazing marketing campaigns designed to make us want it all, want more, creating overconsumption of the very things we’ve taken for granted for so long, the things nature has been offering us all along.
Don’t get me wrong, I am a big proponent for science based innovation, but we do need to ask ourselves whether all these wellness gadgets are really serving us, and whether we can and want to “trick” our way out of the real deal?

@loui_blake @daviniataylor @rosemaryferguson_ @tonichealth

My main reflections:

👉🏿We all need to feed the little guys in our gut so much more fibre
👉🏿Our food systems are broken. We need to get serious about nutrition education for our children in schools.
👉🏿Let’s also focus on mind, body & emotion optimisation and learn to appreciate our breath
👉🏿Almost no homes are designed with biological outcomes in mind despite the fact that we spend over 90% of our lives in them
👉🏿Get nature snacking as much as you can!
👉🏿The total body burden of che by @lowtoxtots

12

8

a month ago

68

16

a month ago

Often when we’re out of the house, we feel a bit out of control, so we tuck into food that’s not ideal or grab a takeaway tea or coffee without thinking twice.

But taking a few minutes to find a cafe with porcelain cups and loose leaf tea (or just keep your own teabags with you and ask for hot water) helps reduce your microplastics exposure. Yes, the water itself will have microplastics too, but every bit of reduction counts.

Listen to this…a 2024 study in Chemosphere found that teabags release staggering quantities of microplastics and nanoplastics (MNPLs) into your cup.

Researchers tested three common types, polypropylene, nylon, and cellulose, by brewing tea as you would at home.

Their findings:
• Polypropylene teabags released around 1.2 billion plastic particles per mL
• Nylon teabags shed about 8.2 million particles per mL
• Even cellulose teabags, often sold as “eco-friendly”, leached 135 million particles per mL

Worryingly, these particles don’t just pass through the body. The study showed that nanoplastics can be absorbed by mucus-producing intestinal cells, with some particles entering the cell nucleus. This raises concerns about possible inflammation, DNA damage, and gut microbiome disruption, though the long-term health effects are not yet fully understood.

So what can you do? The easiest solution is opting for loose-leaf tea in a proper mug.

Why avoid take away cups? Because every “paper” cup has a hidden waterproof liner to hold the liquid in.

When you add hot water, that lining doesn’t just sit there… it sheds. Research from the University of Queensland found these cups release millions of nanoplastic particles into hot liquid, with particles around a thousand times thinner than a human hair.

These aren’t sitting harmlessly in your stomach either. Particles this small can cross your intestinal wall and enter your bloodstream. Your daily tea / coffee becomes a direct injection of foreign particles that act as endocrine disruptors (messing with your hormones), with researchers flagging links to increased cancer risk. by @lowtoxtots

6

1

a month ago

16

3

2 months ago