So , what should you do about it ?
Which brings us to ...
You can ' t just be mindful about what you are putting in your body and then forget about the rest . I ' ve seen it time and time again ... people who consider themselves to be health-conscious , eating organic whole foods and then keeping toxic products in their bathroom and kitchen cabinets .
The skin is the largest organ in the body . That means what you put on your skin will quickly penetrate through the skin and into your bloodstream , free to roam about your entire body ! As will the ingredients you inhale through your nose or get in your eyes .
Your body is like a big sponge ... absorbing everything on and around it . So , you have to pay attention to what you ' re exposing it to .
To give you an idea of how serious the issue is , here are just some of the conditions / issues the toxic ingredients that are found in many common everyday products can cause : qq
Endocrine disruption ( that ' s your hormones ) qq Kidney damage qq Birth defects & reproductive issues qq Heart disease & heart failure qq Neurotoxins ( that ' s your brain ) qq Cancerous tumors qq
And that ' s just the tip of the iceberg . They can also cause damage to your skin , your GI tract , cause headaches , allergies , asthma , bronchitis and more .
Yes , products like toothpaste , shampoo , conditioner , deodorant , lotion , body wash , candles and household cleaners ... things you use every day ... may contain some of these toxic ingredients at this very moment .
So , what should you do about it ?
1 . BE AWARE .
First and foremost , start paying attention . Remember , that you can ' t assume that a product is safe just because it is for sale or because it is being advertised as a " natural " product . Typically , that is more of a marketing ploy than a factual claim about its ingredients . Read your labels !
FITNESS HEALTHY & BEAUTY KIDS · · AUGUST 2017 2017
Which brings us to ...
2 . KNOW WHAT TO LOOK FOR .
There are LOTS of ingredients out there , way too many to remember ( which is why I made a guide for you to download at the end of this post !), but you can keep an eye out for some of the " biggies ":
▶▶
BHA OR BHT - typically found in moisturizers and make-up ; can cause endocrine damage and are possible carcinogens
▶▶
COAL TAR DYES - found in hair dyes and other colored products ; can cause nervous system damage and is a possible carcinogen
▶▶
DEA - found in creamy and foaming products like shave gel and hand wash ; can cause asthma , skin & eye irritation and is a possible carcinogen
▶▶
PHTHALATES - found in nail polish , perfume , hairspray and deodorant ( among others ); disrupts endocrine function
▶▶
FORMALDEHYDE - often found in cosmetics ; is an irritant and possible carcinogen
▶▶
PARABENS - found in cosmetics , shampoos and conditioners ; are carcinogens and can cause endocrine disruption and reproductive issues
▶▶
TRICLOSAN - found in toothpaste , face cleanser , deodorant and antibacterial products ; promotes growth of drugresistant bacteria ( defeating the purpose of " antibacterial "), disrupts endocrine function and is a possible carcinogen
▶▶
SODIUM LAURETH SULFATE ( SLS ) - found in shampoos , bubble baths and cleansers ; is a skin irritant and possible carcinogen
▶▶
POLYETHYLENE GLYCOL ( PEG ) - is a carcinogen often found in cosmetics
▶▶
PARFUM ( OR FRAGRANCE ) - found in all kinds of products ( even unscented !); can casue allergies , asthma , neurotoxicity and is a possible carcinogen
( Btw , if you don ' t already know ... " carcinogen " means cancer-causing )
You can also use the Environmental Working Group ( EWG )' s " Skin Deep Cosmetics Database " to look up any product and find it ' s level of toxicity .
3 . ASK QUESTIONS !
Manufacturers are not required to be very clear or forthcoming about the ingredients in their personal or beauty care products , so don ' t be afraid to ask questions if you aren ' t sure ! All companies have some sort of support center , whether it ' s a phone number or an email address , so don ' t be afraid to use it and ask them outright about what ' s in their products !
4 . CHOOSE LINES THAT ARE TRULY ORGANIC AND NATURAL OR MAKE YOUR OWN PRODUCTS .
Yes , there are companies that really ARE organic and natural and really do make nontoxic products . Depending on how natural you want to go , you may want to check out companies like :
• ZuZu Luxe / Gabriel Cosmetics
• Andalou Naturals
• Alterna
• Dr . Bronner ' s
• Beautycounter ( which keeps a list of over 1,500 ingredients they will never use in their products )
You can also make many of your own personal care products at home like deodorant , shampoo and toothpaste using ingredients such as baking soda , coconut oil and essential oils .
Remember ... you only have one body . So it ' s up to YOU to take care of it ! Stay informed , stay encouraged and don ' t be afraid to take control of your health and your life !
By Jenn Baxter
35 HEALTHY MAGAZINE