I have had people asking me about healthy body care products. They say that they are trying to make their body and their life less toxic. They ask me what to look for on an ingredient list. What a great question and important to address. So, in this blog, I am going to address some ingredients to look out for in body care products.
One day when my children were small, I read about how the innocent Minnie Mouse Bubble Bath I’d just bathed my children in could cause blindness. I was so alarmed. So I started researching and reading ingredients on everything. How could the U.S. government allow toxic and carcinogenic ingredients in our toothpaste, bubble bath, shampoos, and more?
After going through my bathroom cabinets and reading all of the ingredients, I threw out almost everything! Ever since then, my children and I have been extremely careful about what we put on our bodies. Remember, what we put on our skin, our largest organ, is absorbed into the blood stream. Be sure to use safe, toxin-free products.
At least on the federal level, no one is checking to make sure that the chemicals you’re putting on your body are harmless. “Products are tested to make sure they don’t cause short-term problems, such as skin irritation. But they’re not tested for long-term safety,” says Dr. Kathryn M. Rexrode, associate professor of medicine and chief of the Division of Women’s Health at Harvard Medical School.
The FDA steps in only if people actually complain about a product because they suspect it harmed them. Prior to that, the onus is on the company alone.
According to the Environmental Workers Group, EWG, ” The average fragrance product tested contained 14 secret chemicals not listed on the label. Among them are chemicals associated with hormone disruption and allergic reactions, and many substances that have not been assessed for safety in personal care products.
Also in the ranks of undisclosed ingredients are chemicals with troubling hazardous properties or with a propensity to accumulate in human tissues. These include diethyl phthalate, a chemical found in 97 percent of Americans (Silva 2004) and linked to sperm damage in human epidemiological studies (Swan 2008), and musk ketone, a synthetic fragrance ingredient that concentrates in human fat tissue and breast milk (Hutter 2009; Reiner 2007).”
Here are some ingredients to look out for that might be on the label:
DEA or Diethanolamine. This ingredient is used in many household and personal products such as shampoo, bubble bath, lotions, and detergents for laundry or dishwashing. DEA is a known toxin in industrial applications, now proven to cause cancer when applied to the skin of rats. Dr. Samuel Epstein, author of The Safe Shopper’s Bible and founder of The American Coalition to Prevent Cancer, is a leading authority on toxicology. He issued a strong warning about the use of cocamide DEA or lauramide DEA. Many products contain these ingredients and simply don’t have warnings on them. (1)
Propylene Glycol. This main ingredient in antifreeze and hydraulic fluids is used as a solvent. It’s also found in pet food, lotions, shampoos, toothpastes, deodorants, processed foods, and more. A colorless, hygroscopic liquid, it has been tested by the American Academy of Dermatologists and found to cause skin irritation at low levels. It can be harmful if inhaled, ingested, or absorbed into the skin. It can also cause nausea, headaches, central nervous system depression, eye irritation, skin irritation, and gastrointestinal disturbances.
SLS or Sodium Lauryl Sulfate. This is found in detergents, concrete cleaners, engine degreasers, and more. It’s used in clinical studies to irritate skin tissue. It corrodes hair follicles and impairs the ability to grow hair. When combined with other nitrogen-bearing ingredients, carcinogenic nitrates can form. SLS enters (and maintains residual levels) in the heart, liver, lungs, and brain from skin contact. (2)
Talc. Talcum powder is a mineral made up mainly of the elements silicon, magnesium, and oxygen. Talc is similar to asbestos and “may result in fallopian tube fibrosis with resultant infertility,” according to the Journal of the American Medical Association (JAMA). “Talc’s harmful effect on human tissue has been known for quite some time. Long ago, its dry lubricating properties were used as a glove-donning powder (easy to glide on) for surgical gloves. As early as the 1930s, talc was linked to post-operative granulomatous peritonitis and fibrous adhesions.” (3)
Alcohol. This ingredient is used in many mouthwashes. “Mouthwashes with a content of 25 percent or higher have been implicated in mouth, tongue, and throat cancers.” (4)
A healthy solution for your mouthwash is at the Health Ranger Store. They offer several choices for healthy mouthwashes that don’t destroy your immune system.
which has historically been called “Thieves.” It’s a blend of cinnamon, clove, lemon, eucalyptus, and rosemary oils. That is a handy formula that can be used to disinfect and sanitize without harming the immune system.
The name Thieves came from a band of spice traders who would cover themselves with this oil combination and then rob dead people’s bodies who had died during the Black Plague. They contributed never getting the plague to their use of these oils. (5) Note: Weber State University tested the oils and found it had a 99.96 percent removal rate of toxic airborne bacteria. (6)
In conclusion, use body care products with all non-chemical, non-toxic ingredients. Even though many of the ingredients may not be listed on the label, I do recommend taking the time to read ingredient labels, use your common sense and be savvy about protecting you and your family from harmful chemicals in your daily life.
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