Is your dishwasher detergent giving you leaky gut symptoms? If you exist online at all, you know that “gut health” is a hot topic amongst holistic providers and functional doctors. Why? Because gut health does not start and end with “my stomach hurts.” A lack of biodiversity in the gut microbiome can lead to a whole host of issues. Amongst them are diabetes, rheumatoid arthritis, multiple sclerosis, chronic depression, Alzheimer’s, and more.

So, if one simple swap can help you move in the direction of a healthier gut? I think it’s worth investing in.

I’m willing to bet you don’t think twice about your dishwasher detergent. We unconsciously use dishwasher detergent left and right every single day. But we might now think about the harsh surfactants in our dishwasher detergent that can damage your gut lining, disrupting your immune system and metabolism.

My favorite thing about this swap is that it’s easy. I don’t know a lot of people who are married to their dishwasher detergent. It’s an essential product, but not a day maker or a sensory experience that’s hard to give up. If you ask me, a shiny plate is not worth all the pain of an unhealthy gut.

In this episode, you’ll learn:

• Why dishwasher detergent should be high on your list of swaps

• The study showing that alcohol ethoxylates cause holes in your gut lining

• The negative effects of an unhealthy gut microbiome

• Gut friendly alternatives here

Why Swap Dishwasher Detergent?

This was a really important piece for me in healing my Hashimoto’s. I had to work hard to do the things that would repair my gut lining, which is responsible for fighting off pollutants and toxicants. It’s part of your immune system. It’s also responsible for absorbing nutrients and electrolytes into your body. The health of your gut is really important.

When you run your dishes through a dishwasher, you may think it’s rinsed at really high temperatures, and everything rinses off it. But that’s not true. What your dishwasher is being washed with likely has some rinse aid ingredients in it that are being left on your dishes.

Try this exercise: Take out a plate from your dishwasher and run it under some water. Run your hand along the plate as you’re rinsing it. It’ll feel like a slick surface, and that is going to be that rinse aid. Some ethoxylates and alcohols are used to help make dishes look sparkling clean with no streaks on them.

Issues Caused by Dishwasher Detergent

A study published at the end of last year in the Journal of Allergy and Clinical Immunology looked at dishwasher detergents and rinse aids. They tested what it did to your gut barrier, and they found that the alcohols used in rinse aids:

• Damage the natural protective layer of your gut

• Contribute to the onset of chronic diseases

• Upregulated cell death

• Messed with the signaling and communication of your metabolism, immune system, and inflammatory response

All this from what you wash your dishes in! Every day, we mindlessly put our dishes in our dishwasher. We put our dish detergent in our dishwasher. We think that our plates are coming out squeaky clean, and we probably aren’t even thinking about the fact that they are coated in these ingredients that are causing us so much harm.

A lot of people think they don’t have gut health issues because they don’t have stomach issues like bloating, IBS, or constipation. Actually, over the last five years, there have been several published research articles and science that show the impact of holes in our gut barrier. The lack of biodiversity in our gut is associated with:

• Food allergies

• Diabetes

• Obesity

• Cirrhosis of the liver

• Rheumatoid arthritis

• Multiple sclerosis

• Autism

• Chronic depression

• Alzheimer’s

• ADHD

• So. Much. More.

So yes, swapping your dishwasher detergent for a clean option is a MUST! This is a simple swap that can greatly impact your overall health. You can shop my recommended products in my toxin-free shopping guide.

Related Episodes:

Episode 8: Toxin Free(ish): How to Prioritize What Matters Most

Episode 15: Holistic Healing & Hashimotos with Dr. Hannah Lindsey

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