Behaviors

Lightly cook broccoli and cauliflower rather than overboiling them to preserve sulforaphane while improving tolerability; use a light boil, steam, or pan-cook instead of turning them into a mash or leaching nutrients into the water.

Bring your own bags or baskets to farmer's markets or grocery stores to reduce plastic packaging exposure.

Buy fewer clothes and keep using them longer instead of replacing them frequently to reduce microfiber and microplastic pollution from clothing production, disposal, and washing.

Decline paper receipts to reduce BPA exposure; choose an electronic receipt or no receipt when possible.

Avoid touching receipts when sunscreen or lotions are on your hands because this can increase BPA absorption into the bloodstream.

Inspect beverage cans, pans, and other kitchen items for BPA, BPS, and forever chemicals; assess likely exposure and choose safer options such as cast iron or ceramic when possible.

Do not watch more than half an hour of TV news in order to avoid getting emotionally hooked by exaggerated, fear-based media dynamics.

Avoid products with added fragrance because fragrance is described as a major source of phthalate exposure. Applies broadly to perfume, lotions, soap, shampoo, laundry detergent, and similar products.

Replace plastic food storage containers to reduce exposure from food storage plastics.

Buy foods in bulk to avoid plastic packaging and potentially save money; bring your own container, ideally a glass jar, to fill instead of buying plastic-packaged items.

Do not assume BPA-free plastics are safe because they may contain BPS or BPF, described as similarly harmful analogs.

Use Environmental Working Group consumer guides to look up products such as sunscreen and personal care products used on the face and body, and review their safety rating.

Distill water at home if concerned about water quality, then store it in glass containers in the refrigerator.

Leave shoes at the door to reduce bringing in dust that may contain PFAS chemicals.

Err toward cotton rather than synthetic clothing, especially workout wear, because heat and sweat may increase absorption of chemicals from clothing.

Prefer plant-based dyes in clothing when possible; dyes are mentioned as important.

Ask for an electronic receipt instead of handling paper receipts due to BPA exposure concerns.

For water-soluble chemicals such as phthalates and bisphenols, the recommendation is to stop exposure; they leave the body in hours without special detox methods.

Described as fundamental to healing, alongside exercise.

Creative practices such as painting or drawing can be used to bring up right-brain circuitry and help surrender out of the left brain into a more creative mode.

Writing things down while working or studying is described as helping put information more into memory.

Continue exercising the brain through education and learning to build cognitive reserve that may delay onset of Alzheimer's-related symptoms.

When reading, intentionally go a little faster than your default pace while still trying to retain the information; use this to find a cognitive sweet spot for learning.

Adjust the playback rate of audio so you must engage cognitively and can retain the information better.

Use transient stress that is limited in duration and under your control; examples include cognitive intervals and sprint intervals, which are framed as beneficial for brain and body.

Record ideas that arise during walking or jogging so you do not forget them.

If you're stuck on a concept or problem, stop pushing and step away; examples include cleaning the dishes or walking around the block so your mind clears and you can return with better insight.

Use music strategically to modulate emotional state, including before important events or when trying to shift mood and get into a desired mental frame.

Use affectionate, mutually desired touch such as embraces, skin-to-skin contact, or rubbing someone's back to soothe stress.

Use sensory inputs such as music, images, taste, and touch to shift emotions effectively for short periods, especially in a pinch.