Your wellness journey extends far beyond what you consume and how you move your body. Day in and day out we are exposed to hundreds of toxic chemicals that have been linked to many diseases, including cancer. According to the Environmental Defense Canada, before a women heads out the door, she has exposed herself to 126 different chemicals, many of which are toxic.
Yes, that’s terrifying. But how is this possible, isn’t the government regulating all of this? A cosmetic is labeled “safe for human use” by The U.S Food and Drug Administration if upon applying it, the individual didn’t experience a terrible rash. There are no tests done to determine the long-term health effects of the cosmetics we’re using daily.
Women aren’t the only one being exposed to these toxins. Every time a man shaves, he is exposing himself to harmful chemicals. Each baby bathed by her loving mother is exposed to toxins as well.
While the cosmetics are required to list their ingredients, not many people take the time to look at them or know the effects of said ingredients. The companies selling you these cosmetics won’t tell you, but I will. Below are a list of regularly used ingredients and their suspected
- Parabens
Parabens are absorbed through the skin, blood, and the digestive track. They’re used to inhibit the growth of bacteria and have been found in biopsies from breast tumors. You can find parabens hiding in your shampoo, conditioner, lotions, and facial and shower cleansers. They are known to disrupt endocrine function, which examples the strong link between parabens and breast cancers. Parabens mimic estrogen by binding to estrogen receptor cells.
You can learn more through this link.
- Phthalates
One billion tons of phthalates are produced worldwide. They’re food in fragranced lotions, body washes, hair care products and nail polish. On the label you’ll see them as phyhalate, DEP, DBP and fragrance. Phthalates are known endocrine disrupters, or harm reproductive functioning.
You can learn more through this link.
- Ethanolamine Compounds (Mea, Dea, Tea And Others)
Ethanolamines are found in cosmetics, personal care products and household cleaning products. They have been linked to liver tumors. Ethanolamine is banned from cosmetics in Europe. NDEA, a type of Ethanolamine is a known carcinogen linking this substance to cancer.
You can learn more through this link.
- Lead and Other Heavy Metals
Lead, arsenic, mercury, aluminum, and iron are found in a wide variety of personal care products. You can find them in your lipstick, whitening toothpaste, eyeliner and nail polish. Heavy metals have been linked to reproductive, immune and nervous system issues. While some metals such as iron play an important role in your body, metals such as lead and mercury do not.
You can learn more through this link.
You can learn about more of the toxic chemicals through this link. And you can find a list of companies that do not use these toxic chemicals by following this link.
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The purpose of this article is not to scare you from never leaving your house. Rather, I want it to encourage you to be mindful of the products you purchase.
Luckily for us, it is becoming more and more common to find products that do not contain these ingredients. The market is being flooded with natural alternatives, some excellent and some not so much. Thankfully, there are amazing resources that help you determine which natural product is truly natural, and which are not. This is a great resource to find out which “organic companies” are not all that they claim to be.
The same site also highlights truly organic companies that actually have their customer’s best interest in mind! You can visit it through this link!
I have also complied a list of the natural products I use and love! You can learn more through here!
This post wouldn’t have been possible without Gillian Deacon’s book “There’s Lead In Your Lipstick” It is a MUST read! Not only is it extremely informative, it’s well written and an easy read!
-Written by Sophie Gray, RHN Holistic Nutritionist and Certified Personal Trainer. Follow her journey about health and happiness on instagram: @wayofgray
