About ➜ About Interior Medicine

About Interior Medicine

Interior Medicine, founded by physician Dr. Meg Christensen, exists to replace marketing hype, fear, misinformation, and black-and-white thinking with nuanced, transparent, research-backed product reviews and education on household exposures.

Interior Medicine launched in early 2021 for people who want to make more informed decisions about their home environment without being scared, misled, or overwhelmed. Every product review is grounded in thorough material analysis, verified certifications, and medical and environmental health research. The approach is open-minded and evidence-based in equal measure.

The site includes healthier home product reviews, material and chemical guides, exposure resources, and educational materials for thinking critically about how your home impacts your health.

Philosophy

Interior Medicine’s philosophy is completely hashed out in my What Does “Non-Toxic” Actually Mean? course. It’s free.

You might notice I use the words non-toxic, chemical, toxin and toxic, even though there is no agreed-upon definition of the term non-toxic, and that everything, even water, is made of chemicals, so nothing is truly chemical-free. Likewise, toxin refers to a natural substance like a plant poison or venom, whereas toxicant is a more accurate term for the chemicals in products that have a negative health impact. I recognize that something that is toxic does not automatically make it a health risk.

I choose to use these scientifically inaccurate words anyway purely for practical purposes, for now. These words are currently the most culturally agreed-upon, descriptive, and accessible terms that allow people to find the information they’re looking for.

In short, “non-toxic” is shorthand for a complicated problem.

Balance

Your health is far more than how non-toxic your home is. Cost, aesthetics, risk tolerance, and so many other factors are legitimate reasons to not choose the "healthiest" option. You can be healthy in an imperfectly healthy home.

Transparency

Clear, consistent rating scales show exactly how and why products earn their scores. Every affiliate partnership is disclosed under the product, not buried in a blanket statement at the bottom of the page.

Open-Mindedness

Curiosity, humility, and a willingness to be wrong are what move us forward. Rigid thinking on both ends of the wellness spectrum keeps people stuck, and the conventional-versus-alternative divide isn't useful to anyone making thoughtful decisions about their health.

Intellectual Integrity

Skepticism is applied equally to industry healthwashing and wellness fearmongering alike. Nuance wins over oversimplification, and “probably” and "I don't know" win over false confidence. Claims are backed up with supporting research.

Humor

Fear sells, and the non-toxic industry has no shortage of it. Some facts are genuinely alarming, but fear isn't a tool used here. Humor is always better, both now and long term.

Health First

Sustainability matters deeply. But "eco-friendly" and "human-friendly" don't always mean the same thing, and knowing the difference matters. When they conflict, health comes first.

Non-Judgement

An informed decision matters more than a perfectly non-toxic one. Everyone's circumstances and priorities are different, sometimes hidden, and always respected.

Education

Information, thought processes, and resources rather than just shopping lists. The depth is there for those who want it; the recommendations stand on their own for those who don't.