We have an unfounded belief that government
would not allow products that are unsafe to be sold.
It's simply not true.
Most of what consumers are buying is unnecessarily out of bounds in terms of toxicity. People disregard the dangers saying..."Well it hasn't hurt me yet!" We know that phrase to be a quote that kills when we remember cigarettes or the toxic debris of the fallen twin towers. It took years to see illness develop from cigarettes and decades more to decide the cause. When the towers fell on 9-11 the only concern was to rescue, but now we know that the effects of toxic contact can take decades to manifest.
It doesn't take a catastrophe to give you more toxicity than your body can manage. Even small doses everyday can be enough to overwhelm your body. Since waiting for the government to watch-dog your purchases could be deadly, you're better off to clean up whatever toxicity you have control over managing. This means cleaner household supplies, yard materials, cosmetics, medications, personal care products, water and food.
Some simple changes can do a lot to clear your life of the hundreds of toxins that we willing add to our day. You can stop the assault on your body by knowing a bit about what commercial products contain and making the switch to chemical-free versions.
Without a doubt, natural and chemical-free products are different. They don’t smell the same work the same or lather the same. Some don’t do the job as well, while others are better. We have become accustom to convenience and product behaviors that are not necessarily good for us. The bottom line is, we don’t really have a choice anymore. There are just too many victims of cancer and chronic illness to believe these chemicals are not hurting us.
Individually and in small doses ingredients are labeled as “safe” were suspected to be manageable. The problem is that some of the most common chemicals are used repeatedly in most of our household products, causing over exposure. Chemicals alone are dangerous, but when combined with other chemicals the dangers soar. Knowing just a few of the very common ingredients will help clean up your life significantly.
Common Culprits…
Lead in Lipstick: Completely unnecessary for the production of your beauty products, lead is a component of most lipstick and many other facial products. There are health conscious products that are clean and safe for use on your skin. Beware of those mainstream products that are heavily advertised, sporting beautiful colors that are killing you. The more vibrant and most excellent colors are often the bigger culprits. Non toxic choices are fewer, but that is the trade off.
Lead is a proven neurotoxin that causes learning, language and behavioral disabilities in adults and children. Lead is known to reduce fertility in men and women, delay the onset of puberty, increase chances of miscarriage, promote aggression, seizures and brain damage to name a few things.
The FDA has allowable levels of lead in lipstick and claims that "if used as intended" there should be no danger. "As intended" is a strange choice of words since the skin absorbs and the greater percentage of lipstick can be licked, swallowed or kissed onto unsuspecting recipients who will absorb the toxin.
Parabens: You now see “Parben Free” on lots of personal care products. Here's why making “Paraben Free” choices matter. Parabens, of which there are several types, are in most of our bathroom products from gels and deodorants to shampoos and shaving creams. It is used to extend shelf life. That is why when you buy more health conscious products the “use by” dates are much shorter.
Parabens mimic estrogen. They are suspect in altering fetal development, reducing sperm count, causing early puberty and causing cancer.
Just because a product is paraben free does not make it safe. You can check toxicity levels with organizations like EWG or Think Dirty.
Aluminum: Standard antiperspirant has aluminum. It is also in cosmetics, antacids, baking powder and bleached white flour. It is known to cause seizures and dementia among other conditions. Aluminum is commonly found in the brains of Alzheimer’s victims.
Propylene Glycol: This humectant is one of the most widely used ingredients in cosmetics. It is used to retain moisture, but it is also the primary ingredient in industrial antifreeze used in hydraulic fluid. Known, not suspected or believed, but known, to cause liver and kidney damage, this non-essential ingredient to your cosmetics also causes cancer.
Petroleum, petrolatum, paraffin, paraffin oil and mineral oil: These common ingredients in cosmetics, bath products and for use on your baby’s skin are all petroleum based, produced from crude oil. When used on the skin they form an oil film, that is counter to the needs of healthy skin which needs to breath oxygen and release carbon dioxide.
The impermeable layer of petroleum based product forces the skin to plump, giving the impression of rich, moist skin. Soon the skin dries out because the petroleum product does not feed the skin in the way a coconut or olive oil can moisturize. These petroleum products are known carcinogens and interfere with natural detoxing of the body.
Ethanolamine, 2-aminoethanol, monoethanolamine, MEA, Triethanolamine, TEA, Diethanolamine, DEA: These sudsing and scrubbing agents are known carcinogens. They are a toxic, flammable, corrosive, colorless, viscous liquid with an odor similar to ammonia.
Read a few labels. Clean up your act.