WHAT YOU NEED TO KNOW ABOUT TOXICANTS IN SELF CARE PRODUCTS

What could toxic chemicals (toxicants) in our everyday personal and skincare products do to us?

Written by Therese Kerr

The not so funny side of skincare and cosmetics – if only we knew!

Lets take a look at just a select few of the toxicants in our everyday products that we put on our skin daily:

Neurotoxins cause:

• Foggy thinking
• Alzheimer’s
• Depression
• Low libido

Obesogens cause:

• Weight gain
• Reprogram our normal cells to become fat cells and cause our fat cells to multiply
• Cellulite
• Obesity linked to Diabetes and Heart Disease

Carcinogens cause:

• Cancer
• Ovarian Cancer
• Breast Cancer
• Prostate Cancer

Endocrine Disrupting chemicals cause:

• Infertility
• Hypospadias
• Breast, Ovarian & Testicular Cancers
• Hashimoto’s, Thyroid illnesses

What are the most common toxicants / chemicals can be found on our counters?

The above are only few chemicals commonly found in your everyday products, there are many more you should definitely avoid as well. Almost all personal, skin, cosmetics products contain petrochemicals. Let’s discuss the classes of chemicals in your everyday products :

• Parabens also known as Methylparaben, Propylparaben, IIsoparaben, Butylparaben.

Parabens are a group of chemicals widely used as preservatives in the cosmetic industry. The use of these chemicals as preserving systems have decreased somewhat over recent years due to the increase in consumer awareness of their detrimental affects. Whilst this is great, the truth is, the chemicals the cosmetics industry have replaced the parabens with are believed to be even more damaging to health than the parabens themselves.

Unfortunately, Parabens are still found in many products so it is important to detail their detrimental effects. Parabens have been linked to possible carcinogenic activity. Sadly, unbeknown to consumers, the chemicals they have replaced the parabens with are even more toxic than the parabens!

When someone is being exposed to the continued use of parabens as preservatives, the parabens are believed to have an estrogenic impact on the body, with the US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) linking methyl parabens in particular to metabolic, developmental, hormonal, and neurological disorders, as well as various cancers.

Studies have shown that the estrogenic impact in relation to the extended use of parabens can lead to diminished muscle mass, extra fat storage, and male gynecomastia (breast growth).   Parabens are low-cost synthetic preservatives. Many large cosmetic brands have funded studies in the hope of proving that prolonged usage is safe; all studies failed.

So how does the cosmetic industry work? See below….

• Phthalates are endocrine disrupting, plasticizing ingredients and have been linked to hormonal health challenges, birth defects in the reproductive system of boys and lower sperm-motility in adult men, among other problems.

• Methylisothiazolinone (MIT) chemicals used in shampoo, hand and body wash, hand sanitizers and many other products to prevent bacteria from developing, which may have detrimental effects on the immune and nervous systems.

• Toluene is made from petroleum or coal tar, and is found in most synthetic fragrances, therefore in most products as almost all of the products on the market today contain synthetic fragrance of some sort. Chronic exposure has been linked to anaemia, lowered blood cell count, liver and kidney damage, and may affect a developing foetus.

• Triclosan is a registered pesticide. It is an antimicrobial active ingredient contained in a variety of products where acts to slow or stop the growth of bacteria, fungi, and mildew. Found in a large number of personal care products including deodorants, toothpaste (purportedly to stop gingivitis) and in antibacterial products. Brushing your teeth with any toothpaste containing Triclosan can expose you to the harmful effects that include impaired heart and muscle function and hypothyroidism.

• Silicones and siloxanes (Dimethicone found in skincare) These chemicals have marked effects on the adrenal glands and liver. They are classed as wildlife and environmental toxicants.

• Amines : TEA, DEA, MEA Sever skin and respiratory irritation. Suspected Carcinogen, suspected kidney, cardiovascular, liver toxin and toxic to the nervous and immune systems

The Reality and Hidden Secrets

All of the abovementioned toxicants/chemicals and thousands more are known to be associated with human health problems, they could cause developmental disorder, autoimmune diseases and suppress the immune system, cause infertility issues, endometriosis, fibroids, PCOS, some as serious and potentially fatal as cancer.  

We all know that we cannot live inside a bubble. There are things we can change to alter our chemical exposure on a daily basis, things we can’t change or alter and to be honest, things we simply don’t want to change and that’s ok…. Minimising and reducing the number of toxicants we expose ourselves to daily helps to relieve the chemical burden we place on our body and ultimately our health. Detoxifying our body is also vitally important but as always the best option is to avoid the problem in the first place and that is easier than people think.

If you refer to my website you will soon discover so many options for living a healthy live and removing the daily exposure to chemicals; from food to skincare and personal care products, limiting the toxicants you put in and on your body will support your health more than you possible know.

Detox and Minimising:

Detoxifying is vitally important especially in today’s world, however, detoxifying simply isn’t enough. Minimizing any chemicals exposure will assist in helping to avoid the illnesses that have become almost commonplace.  There is a greater awareness of the need to return to as natural as possible in all things including food, personal, skin and cleaning household products. 

The challenge is big corporations are jumping on the increased demand by consumers for healthier products and are, as such “green-washing”. Green-washing means that they (the companies) are using the word "natural" and “organic” to deceive and confuse consumers and that is why education is the key.

It is only when we are educated can we make informed choices. The simple truth is that companies will only stop making products that are detrimental to our health, the health of our children and of our planet when we stop buying them.

Start reducing, then removing the chemical burden you place on your body every day is vitally important in minimizing the detrimental effects that are now scientifically proven to harm our body and that of our children.

The simplest way you can minimize this burden is by switching to certified organic and trustworthy natural products and committing to, as much as humanly possible, a chemical free home and life. For more information go to: http://www.theresekerr.com There you will find links to all things health and wellness and discover a world of wellness and just how easy it is to transition to healthier choices daily.

If you are wanting to go directly to purchase the healthiest, anti-aging, certified organic skincare products, go to http://www.thedivinecompany.com.au and to access the world’s best online portal for health and wellness products go to http://www.innerorigin.com/theresekerr

At InnerOrigin, we take the hard work out of healthy for you with literally thousands of healthy products available on the one platform making choosing healthy a whole lot easier.

Much love and gratitude,

Therese Kerr xxx