Clean Toilet Paper, Sulforaphane’s Super Health Benefits, Cultivate the Generational Home
Lightbulbs & Pearls | 026
Clean Toilet Paper
I was a little taken aback by our 18-year-old son’s surprise request the other day: could I buy softer toilet paper? What on earth? I was bemused that touchier toilet tissue was a priority for him, but I suppose that makes him a very discerning young man! Nevertheless, his request got me thinking: maybe it was time to dive down a rabbit hole I had been skirting.
I’ve been coming across information about potentially harmful ingredients in toilet paper, but truthfully, I didn’t want one more thing to worry about! Now, if I’m going to make a change for my family, let’s go in the right direction.
Putting aside the enormous environmental impact of using 8 million tons of toilet paper a year, the million acres of forests that are depleted, and the incalculable effects of manufacturing that uses inordinate amounts of water, energy, and chemical cocktails to produce white, fluffy TP, we should be cognizant of the tangible health dangers of traditional paper.
Mainly, PFAS, commonly known as “forever chemicals,” pose a threat to human health and the environment. They are considered ubiquitous, persistent, and toxic. They have snuck into many products we unknowingly use and can be transferred through our skin into the bloodstream to wreak havoc at the cellular and systemic levels. They are in chlorine bleach, formaldehyde, dyes, fragrances, and lotions found in many toilet papers and have no business anywhere near delicate skin and sensitive areas. Remember my marble theory, it may seem inconsequential, but it ALL adds up.
So what to do? In my research, bamboo rose to the top as the healthier, more sustainable choice. Interestingly, it’s a grass, not a tree, and one of the fastest-growing plants on earth that doesn’t require pesticides or fertilizers. Its high cellulose content requires less intensive pulping and bleaching than traditional wood pulp, generally making it healthier and more eco-friendly. (Forgo recycled paper, which may contain even more chemicals and microplastics, to boot.)
But not all bamboo paper is created equal. Mamavation sent 17 of the top-selling products to an EPA-certified laboratory for PFAS testing, and, unfortunately, 4 bamboo papers didn’t make the cut due to detectable levels of organic fluorine. (A side note, the Scott brand we had used for years tested free of deleterious chemicals.) Anyhoo, to date, we’ve tried Caboo Tree-Free Bamboo Bath Tissue and Reel Bamboo Toilet Paper (love the packaging), both of which everyone seems to like.
A few of other brands that scored trace-free of PFAS are Bumboo Bamboo Toilet Paper (great name), Cheeky Panda Eco-Friendly Natural Bamboo Toilet Paper, and Seedling by Grove Tree-Free Toilet Paper. Granted, they may be a smidge pricier than traditional tissue, but your health is worth it.
Thank you to our son for prompting me to find a better all-around choice for our family!
Takeaway: Toilet paper can be toxic to our health and the environment.
Take Action: Choose sustainable bamboo with low-toxin processing.
Sulforaphane’s Super Health Benefits
As you may know, I read quite a bit and listen to a plethora of doctors, researchers, and scientists on health and wellness, and sulforaphane is mentioned by almost everyone as a promising tool in the longevity toolbox. Perhaps you may not have heard of or know much about this phytonutrient, but you should become familiar with the powerful health advantages of this stellar sulfur-rich natural compound.
Found in cruciferous vegetables such as broccoli, bok choy, and cabbage, sulforaphane has an impressive list of benefits. It is a potent antioxidant and anti-inflammatory with detoxification effects, potentially protecting against cancer, improving heart and brain health, aiding diabetes management, and even reducing autism symptoms by neutralizing toxins, reducing oxidative stress, and supporting cellular defense pathways. It could also help protect skin cells from UV damage by neutralizing free radicals and improving constipation symptoms.
So how can you reap the benefits of this magic compound? While there are no official recommendations, clinical studies suggest 10-20 mg of sulforaphane daily can be beneficial, with some research indicating effectiveness around 30-60 mg for specific conditions. Although broccoli is often mentioned first as a good source with 27 mg per ½ cup chopped, it is below other sources, such as Brussels sprouts with 104 mg per ½ cup serving, mustard greens at 79 mg per ½ cup chopped, kale with 67 mg per 1 cup chopped, and cabbage, which clocks in at 35 mg per ½ cup chopped.
Aside from these well-loved greens, the most potent source is broccoli sprouts, which can contain up to 1150 milligrams per 100 grams (about 1 cup). It may seem like a lot of sprouts, but tossed in a salad or used in a wrap, that cup won’t seem overwhelming.
To activate sulforaphane, vegetables must be cut, chopped, or chewed. It’s optimal to eat them raw, but very gently cooked passes muster. Additionally, new studies suggest that adding mustard seed or mustard powder to the preparation increases the bioavailability.
I know it may be difficult to consume so many cruciferous vegetables in a day, so sulforaphane is available as a supplement. The most studied and trusted brands recommended by leading longevity expert Dr. Rhonda Patrick is Avmocol, which comes in regular and extra-strength forms and is the top choice of researchers, scientists, and doctors.
Takeaway: Sulforaphane is very beneficial to overall wellness.
Take Action: Choose cruciferous vegetables and eat them raw or lightly cooked.
Cultivate the Generational Home
My husband, Andrea, was born and raised in Italy, and his fondest memories revolve around his grandfather, who lived with his family in Rome. The generational home is in his DNA. Fortunately for my mom, when she reached the point that she could no longer live on her own, it was Andrea who floated the idea that she should move in with us.
It wasn’t an easy move for her. Aside from the strain and regret of losing her independence, she was leaving friends and the city, Tucson, that she had called home for 45 years. In her own way, she tried to make the best of the situation, but she often complained to anyone who would listen (including the unsuspecting, comiserating dental hygienist) about how much she missed the desert and how much she wanted to go back. For 13 years. She never wavered. Although I didn’t take it too personally, it was nonetheless a very trying decade-plus!
Despite the fact that it was quite a bumpy, twisty road, Andrea and I often reminisce and agree that we would do it all over again in a heartbeat. As I sit here today, I’m an ardent advocate for generational living for a multitude of reasons, and I’m convinced it would resolve most of the problems facing the older population. But from our experience, and that of friends who are trying to convince their parents to move in with them, it’s clear to me it’s a mindset that needs to be cultivated years (maybe decades) before necessity forces the issue.
For instance, a married couple we know has a lovely Spanish-style home, and they recently completed a seamless, beautifully appointed ADU for her parents, complete with high-end appliances and a fireplace. Nestled amongst mature trees with privacy and a peaceful central courtyard…anyone would love to live there. Except her parents. The last time I spoke to her, she was still trying to convince them to give it a chance.
I believe the expectation of a generational home needs to be part of the family's fabric, woven in early. An aspect of life that is anticipated and prepared for. Perhaps if my mom had known 30 years prior that she would eventually be living with us, it would have been part of her mindset and planning. No resistance. No pining. Just the next chapter.
Like our neighbor, who is in her early eighties and looking ahead to selling her home and pooling resources with her daughter to buy a large enough property to accommodate grandma, mom, dad, and grandkids, future great-grandkids, and animals, etc. I think that’s a great plan. Because it’s just that. A plan that she and her family have all embraced, with time to accustom their minds and hearts to a shared future.
The generational home is now her frame of mind. That’s a nice place to be in the quest to live well, age great.