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- Non-Toxic Dad News: February 19, 2026
Non-Toxic Dad News: February 19, 2026
Warren Phillips
February 19, 2026
Hello Non-Toxic Friends!
Winter has a way of quietly wearing people down. Short days, gray skies, cold air, and long nights can leave even the most motivated person feeling flat, tired, and unmotivated. Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD) and winter blues are real, and they affect mood, energy, sleep, and even motivation to take care of yourself. When sunlight drops and routines shift, the body feels it on a hormonal and nervous system level, not just mentally.
This time of year calls for more intentional self-care that actually fits real life. Moving your body daily, getting outside even when it’s cold, letting early morning sunlight hit your face, and supporting your system with vitamin D and magnesium all make a measurable difference. Add in dry winter skin and increased time spent indoors, and winter wellness starts to focus on daily habits that protect your mood, energy, and resilience.
What’s Happening
A few months ago, I had the pleasure of flying to PA, met up with my friends from Fontana Candle, and we designed my very own non-toxic candle. My new candle, Uplift, was created out of my own journey with chemical sensitivities andmy refusal to compromise on what goes into my home. Learn more about my Uplift candle HERE. |  |
Did you know?
Did you know there’s a reason traditional European cultures emphasized daily air exchange during the colder months? In Germany and across parts of Scandinavia, the practice is known as Lüften, an intentional ritual of opening windows to refresh indoor air, even in the depths of winter. During this time of year, homes are sealed tight, and indoor air becomes concentrated with carbon dioxide, volatile organic compounds, cleaning residues, cooking fumes, and excess moisture. Intentional air exchange, opening several windows for a short burst to create cross-ventilation, rapidly replaces stale indoor air with fresh outdoor air. This supports respiratory health, reduces microbial load, lowers toxin accumulation, and improves overall oxygen availability. Even in the coldest months, a brief daily reset of your indoor air can have measurable effects on energy, sleep quality, and immune resilience.
Blog Spotlights
Understanding Seasonal Affective Disorder in the Depth of Winter
Seasonal affective disorder, often abbreviated as SAD, is a pattern of mood disruption that tends to emerge during the darker months of the year when daylight hours shrink and outdoor exposure drops. By mid-February, many people have been running on reduced sunlight for weeks, and the cumulative effect can show up as low energy, flat mood, disrupted sleep, and decreased motivation. These changes are not simply psychological reactions to cold weather but are closely tied to biology, particularly circadian rhythms and light-sensitive hormone systems.
A Visible Sign of Changing Food Priorities
Walking through the aisles of Costco Wholesale recently, a small but meaningful detail stands out: green signs marking products that are certified 100% organic. At first glance, it might seem like simple shelf labeling, but it reflects something much larger happening in the food system. Major retailers do not redesign signage or adjust inventory without strong signals from shoppers. When a warehouse giant begins highlighting organic options this visibly, it is responding to a sustained shift in consumer priorities toward cleaner, less chemically intensive food.
Rethinking Smoke Point and What It Really Means for Cooking Oils
For a long time, smoke point has been treated as the primary criterion for choosing a frying oil, with the assumption that a higher smoke point automatically means a safer, healthier fat. That idea sounds logical on the surface, but newer research is challenging it in a meaningful way. Smoke point only tells part of the story because it measures when an oil visibly starts to smoke, not what is happening at a chemical level as heat breaks it down.
A Walk Through Everyday Toxin Exposure at Home
Modern life is full of conveniences that make daily routines faster and cheaper, but many of those conveniences come with tradeoffs that are easy to overlook. A typical home contains dozens of products that quietly introduce low levels of chemical exposure through food, air, and skin contact. Most of these exposures are not dramatic or immediately noticeable, which is precisely why they tend to persist without much scrutiny. Taking a closer look at everyday household items can reveal patterns that are worth understanding.
Non-Toxic Tip of the Week
Beat the Winter Blues Naturally
When daylight is limited and routines shift, small daily habits matter more than ever. Use this simple checklist to support mood, energy, and resilience through the winter months.
🚶♂️ Move your body daily
Aim for at least 20 to 30 minutes of walking, stretching, strength work, or play. Movement supports dopamine, serotonin, and circulation, all of which help regulate mood.☀️ Get early daylight on your face
Spend 5 to 15 minutes outside in the morning without sunglasses when possible. Natural light helps reset circadian rhythms and supports healthy sleep and hormone balance.🌲 Spend time outdoors, even when it’s cold
Fresh air and nature exposure lower stress hormones and improve mental clarity. A short daily walk is enough to make a difference.🌱 Get your hands in real soil
Gardening, houseplants, or potting soil exposure introduces beneficial microbes linked to improved mood and immune function. Even tending one plant counts.🧴 Support vitamin D levels
Low sunlight often means low vitamin D. Consider food sources, safe sun exposure when available, and supplementation if needed.💊 Replenish magnesium
Magnesium supports nervous system balance, sleep quality, and stress resilience. It is commonly depleted during high-stress, low-light months.🌙 Protect your sleep routine
Go to bed and wake up at consistent times. Limit screens at night and keep bedrooms dark and cool to support deep, restorative sleep.🪟 Reduce indoor toxin load
Open windows regularly, avoid synthetic fragrances, and use clean personal care and cleaning products to lower chemical stress on the body.🍳 Eat grounding, nutrient-dense foods
Prioritize quality protein, healthy fats, and mineral-rich foods to stabilize blood sugar and support brain chemistry.💬 Stay socially connected
Even brief check-ins with friends or family help regulate mood and reduce isolation during darker months.
My go-to Products for Beating Seasonal Blues
Non-Toxic Recipe of the Week
Homemade Whipped Body Butter
Cold air, indoor heating, and low humidity can quietly strip moisture from your skin during the winter months. Many people reach for store-bought lotions, unaware that most contain synthetic fragrances, preservatives, and hormone-disrupting chemicals. Over time, these ingredients can irritate sensitive skin and add to your overall toxic load. Making your own whipped body butter gives you full control over what goes on your body. It is simple, affordable, and one of the easiest ways to upgrade your family’s skincare routine.
Homemade whipped body butter delivers deep, long-lasting moisture without petroleum-based fillers or artificial stabilizers. Because it is made with real fats and oils, it works with your skin’s natural barrier rather than against it. This makes it especially helpful for dry hands, cracked heels, winter eczema, and rough patches that never seem to heal with conventional lotions. A small amount goes a long way, making it both effective and economical. Once you try it, most people never go back to commercial moisturizers.
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In Closing,
Winter can be challenging, especially when light is low, and routines feel heavier than usual. If you’ve been feeling more tired, unmotivated, or disconnected lately, it’s not a personal failure; it’s your biology responding to the season. Moving your body, getting outside, supporting your sleep, and keeping your home and personal care products clean and non-toxic all add up. As we move through the rest of winter together, remember that brighter days are coming, and you can feel stronger and more grounded even before spring arrives.
Warren (Non-Toxic Dad)