My Home Was Making Me Sick—And I Had No Idea
The Forgotten Frontier: Why Your Indoor Space Shapes Your Health
Most of us spend about 90% of our time indoors. When we think about health, we obsess over food, exercise, or supplements. Think about it, what do you focus on when you think about those things?
Now consider how often you actually think about the space you live in?
Your home can either be your greatest ally—or your silent saboteur.
This was a lesson I had to learn the hard way and I suffered for it.
My Journey to Healthy Homes
A few years ago, I hit a wall.
I was in pain, energy drained, my hormones were all over the place, and no doctor could figure out why. I was constantly told, “You’re fine.” But the reality is, I wasn’t fine.
Frustrated and desperate, I turned to my favourite pastime—learning.
Health podcasts became my new obsession, and one podcast, in particular, changed my life and direction. I can’t remember exactly which one it was, but I do remember sitting there, feeling absolutely gobsmacked. Finally, everything made sense to me as the guest described my symptoms exactly. I felt like I’d won the lottery and there was a ding, ding, ding going off in my head—and that’s when I first learned about mould. My hidden enemy finally had a name!
Around the same time, while struggling with hormonal issues, I started digging into endocrine disruptors. What started as a small exploration quickly snowballed. I remember my functional medicine doctor telling me about hormone disruptors hiding in makeup and beauty products. What?! (I hardly even wear makeup!) I was floored. How was this even allowed?!
The first thing I did was swap out my makeup products for safer alternatives, then I moved on to cleaning products. Before I knew it, I was deep in the rabbit hole. Everywhere I turned, I found toxins—lurking in the air I was breathing, the water I was drinking, and even the furniture I was sitting on.
And what motivated me even more was realising that all of these things could be hurting my pup even more. His body is so small, and I was terrified about the overload he must have been dealing with. My poor boy! He had such bad allergies and I realized in that moment where they could be coming!
At first, it felt like everything in my environment was out to sabotage me. But I wasn’t about to run off to a cave and give up on my ambitions. Instead, I decided to take control of my health by fixing what was wrong in my environment.
Taking Control
• Mould: I tackled it head-on, removing it from my home and becoming hyper-aware of air quality.
• Toxins: I swapped out harmful products one by one—cleaners, candles, even furniture—and embraced healthier alternatives.
• Lighting: I optimised my bedroom lighting for better sleep, starting with red lights. (Yes, I was that person years ago!)
The results were life-changing: more energy, better sleep, and a renewed sense of clarity. My home went from being a silent villain to my sanctuary—a safe haven that recharges me every day.
It wasn’t until I focused on my environment that I began to truly heal. I’d been doing everything “right”—green juices, supplements, workouts—but it turned out that where I was putting my body mattered as much as what I was putting into it.
This journey made me realise how little we think about the spaces we live in. We obsess over what we eat, but rarely about the air we breathe, the water we drink, or the materials surrounding us.
This was my wake-up call.
To learn more please subscribe and read my next post on the shocking link between your home and your health.