Uploaded February 2023 | Updated September 2026, 3 days ago
Dr. Aly Cohen is a board-certified rheumatologist and integrative medicine specialist who creates curriculum for medical doctors as well as high and middle school students on living a less toxic lifestyle.
She began her education about synthetic chemicals in 2012 after her dog developed a rare illness. She learned quickly that just because a product is on the market doesn't mean it's safe! She points to the 90,000 chemicals on the market that have not been properly tested for safety. Fortunately, many people are starting to pay attention to environmental health and become aware of the impacts.
In this interview with EHT's Theodora Scarato, Dr. Cohen advises viewers to disengage from chemicals that disrupt health. Here's Dr. Cohen's advice for a beginner's path to detoxing your life:
1. Don't buy junk, whether it's toys or food or household products.
2. Reduce the use of too many cleaning products. We want an environment that is not dirty but contains the bacteria that we need to be exposed to for our own health. Substitute white vinegar, real lemon juice, sea salt, Borax soap powder, and other items that have been known to work for hundreds of years in place of chemical-laden cleaning agents.
3. Go fragrance-free. Products with fragrance can have up to 300-400 chemicals that are not disclosed to consumers.
4. Do not use antimicrobial or antibiotic or antibacterial products. They are for bacteria and don't affect viruses, but also they come with toxic chemicals. Plus, raising your exposure to antibiotics creates resistance to real antibiotics when we need them.
5. Reduce the use of cosmetics or shampoos that are not required by U.S. law to be tested. Don't put them on your face, eyes, or hair. They can absorb into the skin, the same way an arthritis cream reduces muscle pain, but without the benefits.
6. Remove dust from your environment. Air fresheners and other products that become dust, which means all those chemicals are remaining in place on your flooring and surfaces unless you remove them by cleaning dusty surfaces.
Dr. Cohen notes that testing for the effects of chemicals in our products is not done synergistically. Testing doesn't mix and match the exposures that we experience in our daily lives. But these products — and this is true of medication as well — end up compounded in our bodies and this can cause downstream effects.
Children are the canaries in the coal mine, she adds. They're on the floor, they get into dust, they breathe more air and drink more water than humans. Pound for pound, they have greater exposure.
Dr. Cohen also notes that Wi-Fi and cellular technologies can send up to 900 signals per minute. The combined effects of chemicals compounded with wireless radiation (RFR) has much higher levels of effects than non-synergistic studies alone. Children also have thinner skulls so the signal from using a cell phone against your ear goes deeper into the skull than it does for adults. She advises to keep RFR away from your head, genitalia, ovaries, breasts, or pregnant belly. Plus, you don't need sensors in your tampon to know when it's time to change it. Lay off the junk technology!
Most of the stuff that we bring into our lives is based on its "wow" factor but ultimately we never really needed them to begin with. We will be healthier without them.
Like what you see? EHT is crowdfunding on Patreon and every dollar counts towards our lifesaving work. Environmental Health Trust provides the educational resources, research studies, and facts on the biological and environmental impacts from electromagnetic and radiofrequency radiation as well as other avoidable, manmade environmental hazards. We expose the TRUTH about the science and policy.
Join Patreon to support EHT and be the first to speak with scientists, researchers, and leaders in this industry.
Sign Up for EHT's newsletter at ehtrust.org/publications/newsletters
Like EHT on Facebook: facebook.com/EHTrust
Follow EHT on Instagram: instagram.com/ehtrust
Learn and Support EHT on Patreon at patreon.com/ehtrust
Subscribe to EHT’s YouTube to get more news and information on 5G and wireless.
Dr. Aly Cohen is a board-certified rheumatologist and integrative medicine specialist who creates curriculum for medical doctors as well as high and middle school students on living a less toxic lifestyle.
She began her education about synthetic chemicals in 2012 after her dog developed a rare illness. She learned quickly that just because a product is on the market doesn't mean it's safe! She points to the 90,000 chemicals on the market that have not been properly tested for safety. Fortunately, many people are starting to pay attention to environmental health and become aware of the impacts.
In this interview with EHT's Theodora Scarato, Dr. Cohen advises viewers to disengage from chemicals that disrupt health. Here's Dr. Cohen's advice for a beginner's path to detoxing your life:
1. Don't buy junk, whether it's toys or food or household products.
2. Reduce the use of too many cleaning products. We want an environment that is not dirty but contains the bacteria that we need to be exposed to for our own health. Substitute white vinegar, real lemon juice, sea salt, Borax soap powder, and other items that have been known to work for hundreds of years in place of chemical-laden cleaning agents.
3. Go fragrance-free. Products with fragrance can have up to 300-400 chemicals that are not disclosed to consumers.
4. Do not use antimicrobial or antibiotic or antibacterial products. They are for bacteria and don't affect viruses, but also they come with toxic chemicals. Plus, raising your exposure to antibiotics creates resistance to real antibiotics when we need them.
5. Reduce the use of cosmetics or shampoos that are not required by U.S. law to be tested. Don't put them on your face, eyes, or hair. They can absorb into the skin, the same way an arthritis cream reduces muscle pain, but without the benefits.
6. Remove dust from your environment. Air fresheners and other products that become dust, which means all those chemicals are remaining in place on your flooring and surfaces unless you remove them by cleaning dusty surfaces.
Dr. Cohen notes that testing for the effects of chemicals in our products is not done synergistically. Testing doesn't mix and match the exposures that we experience in our daily lives. But these products — and this is true of medication as well — end up compounded in our bodies and this can cause downstream effects.
Children are the canaries in the coal mine, she adds. They're on the floor, they get into dust, they breathe more air and drink more water than humans. Pound for pound, they have greater exposure.
Dr. Cohen also notes that Wi-Fi and cellular technologies can send up to 900 signals per minute. The combined effects of chemicals compounded with wireless radiation (RFR) has much higher levels of effects than non-synergistic studies alone. Children also have thinner skulls so the signal from using a cell phone against your ear goes deeper into the skull than it does for adults. She advises to keep RFR away from your head, genitalia, ovaries, breasts, or pregnant belly. Plus, you don't need sensors in your tampon to know when it's time to change it. Lay off the junk technology!
Most of the stuff that we bring into our lives is based on its "wow" factor but ultimately we never really needed them to begin with. We will be healthier without them.
Like what you see? EHT is crowdfunding on Patreon and every dollar counts towards our lifesaving work. Environmental Health Trust provides the educational resources, research studies, and facts on the biological and environmental impacts from electromagnetic and radiofrequency radiation as well as other avoidable, manmade environmental hazards. We expose the TRUTH about the science and policy.
Join Patreon to support EHT and be the first to speak with scientists, researchers, and leaders in this industry.
Sign Up for EHT's newsletter at ehtrust.org/publications/newsletters
Like EHT on Facebook: facebook.com/EHTrust
Follow EHT on Instagram: instagram.com/ehtrust
Learn and Support EHT on Patreon at patreon.com/ehtrust
Subscribe to EHT’s YouTube to get more news and information on 5G and wireless.
