If your water is supplied by municipal drinking water, you might want to consider getting a water filtration system for your kitchen faucet. Most municipalities use chlorine as a disinfectant to make sure the water is safe to use and drink. But chlorine is also bad to drink, since it can disrupt what’s known as “gut flora” in your stomach. To avoid bottled water, opt for kitchen faucet water filters that can safely remove chlorine and leave you with nothing but healthy H20 to stay hydrated with.

ANDREWS MCMEEL SYNDICATION

There are lots of reasons to ditch paper towels in the kitchen. Obviously, the waste aspect is a big one, but there are health concerns as well. White paper towels are bleached and can contain chlorine and formaldehyde residue. Even recycled paper towels can contain the hormone disrupter bisphenol A (which is used in thermal receipts, which can end up in the paper recycling process). Skip paper towels and opt for reusable microfiber towels instead.

ANDREWS MCMEEL SYNDICATION

There are a lot of concerns about non-stick cookware with Teflon coating. If your cookware has Teflon on it, it’s safe to use as long as you follow a few precautions: Don’t overheat the pan, don’t use any utensils that could scratch the coating off and into the food, and don’t allow the pan to get too hot without food in it. If that seems like too much to remember, ditch it for cleaner alternatives. My favorite is a traditional cast-iron pan; when seasoned properly, it can be a non-stick wonder that sears, fries and browns food to absolute perfection, all without the worries of chemical residue.

ANDREWS MCMEEL SYNDICATION