My kids love Playdough, as did I when I was a child. It feels good in the hands and smells good enough to eat. Maybe just a taste, it is non-toxic so it won’t kill you. Or will it?
It is either all of nothing in today’s world and we fail to examine the middle ground I like to call the safe zone. Playdough is non-toxic so it must be safe for your children to play with, right? Wrong. Non-toxic simply implies there should not be any adverse health effects if you handle, ingest or otherwise use a product, but no claims that it is safe.
We have many of these safe zone products and people in or lives then wonder in 7 to 10 years why we are feeling ill or not quite like ourselves. I believe most things are good for us in moderation. Some things are great for us not matter how much we consume. Still others are not good for us whether we eat one slice or spend 2 minutes with them.
Most people understand that if I eat lead I will have some problems. Many people don’t know too much water can cause some problems as well. This questionable safe zone is in between the extreme toxic things and things our own actions can control. Think of it more like an allergic reaction. You may not start to itch after the first contact and maybe not after the tenth. However, on the 11th time you begin to sneeze, 12th you start to scratch and by the 15th contact you are in a full-blown allergic shock!
Just because something, or someone, does not meet your definition of toxic does not mean it is healthy for you to be around. If we thought in terms of living and non-living we would eliminate the confusion on what is or isn’t good for us. If something brings life to your body, mind and spirit then it is good for you to be around that thing or person. If something steals life out of you spiritually or physically then you should eliminate it from your presence thus preserving your health and sanity.
