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We all live in a swirling broth of chemicals that pervades the air we breath, the foods we eat, and the water we drink. It has been estimated that perhaps 100,000 synthetic chemicals are registered for commercial use in the world today and 1,000 new ones are formulated every year. Chemicals sprayed on crops in England have been detected six days later in Texas. Sadly, there is no corner of the planet that is left untouched by the chemical residue of man. What I am talking about today is not the outright exposure to toxic chemical spills or even living under the cloud of a spewing factory smoke stacks or downstream of the unscrupulous corporation dumping into our waterways. In these instances, there may be an obvious toxin exposure that would have to be treated. What I am writing about is the insidious imperceptible exposure to harmful chemicals in our every day normal lives. Living the typical American lifestyle can no longer be classified as healthy living.
While toxins and pollution seem to be universally present there are definitely ways to minimize exposure and impact. I have learned that the big things in life are the little things. What I mean, is that it is often the small, seemingly insignificant things that we do in life that can make the most significant impact. The small rudder of a large ship determines the direction it sails. And so it is in life, little things can result in meaningful changes. Something as simple as a smile or a nod to a stranger can open the pathway to a friendship that would not have been established otherwise. Setting a goal to practice a musical instrument for only 15 minutes each day can result in an enriching creative outlet as well as put you in new circles of friends.
You may be familiar with the saying: Sew a thought, reap an action. Sew an action, reap a habit. Sew a habit, reap a character. Sew a character, reap a destiny. Our journey in life can be determined by little decisions or changes. Avoiding certain foods and exercising could prevent much pain and suffering in future years.
And so it is in life, the small choices we make can really determine our course in life. You choose to eat the foods that are convenient, knowing that they are probably not really healthy, but you've acquired a taste for them. You choose to stop for fast food at lunch with your coworkers rather than packing last night's leftovers and miss out on saving $30 per week ($120 per month, $1440 per year - WOW!). Sometimes in our fast-paced, get-it-now culture, we opt for the cheap and quick, only to discover the folly of our decision. Have you ever bought a cheap tool, only to regret it when it broke prematurely or didn't function as you desired? We are all well familiar with the saying "You get what you pay for".
I have often treated patients for what I term as "cumulative trauma". A person engages in little bit of repetitive stress and over a period of time results in a significant injury. Often they have no clue what caused it, yet the pain is intense and often debilitating. Only once the cause is discovered and remedied, can lasting healing begin.
More insidious in the world are the chemicals we are constantly being exposed to. We drink chlorinated water, which is designed to kills the bacteria and pathogens before the water comes out of our faucets. Yet when it comes out of one pipe and crosses our lips down the next pipe, the killing power of chlorine is not reduced. For this reason, I encourage everyone to drink purified water. The chlorine can be removed as easily as sitting a pitcher of water on the counter over night and letting it evaporate off or with a simple on the faucet Pur or Brita filter. Drinking chemical contaminant-free water can have a profound influence on your digestion, which in turn can determine your level of health.
Persistent exposure to plastics is another example of potential cumulative toxic exposure. Chemicals that leach out of plastic, particularly during microwave cooking, are suspected in a variety of diseases included hormonally related cancers in both male and females. (1)
And it is not just what we put in our mouths that can influence our health, but almost as profoundly, what we put on our bodies. From make-up, deodorants and antiperspirants to lotions, all of these can subtly and slowly influence our health.
Why don't you run and get a bottle of any of the skin moisturizers or lotion that you are currently using. You might find that your personal care products contain one or probably more of many possibly dangerous ingredients. (2)
Here are a few of the most common suspicious ingredients:
Mineral Oil, Paraffin, and Petrolatum - Petroleum products that coat the skin like plastic, clogging pores and creating a build-up of toxins, which in turn accumulate and can lead to dermatologic issues. These petroleum products slow cellular development, which can cause you to show earlier signs of aging (isn't that what your trying to avoid?). They are a suspected cause of cancer. These ingredients are disruptive to hormonal activity. By the way, when there's an oil spill in the ocean, don't they rush to clean it up - fast? Why put that stuff on your skin?
Parabens - Widely used as preservatives in the cosmetic industry (including moisturizers). An estimated 13,200 cosmetic and skin care products contain parabens. Studies implicate there is a connection with cancer and exposure to parabens. They have hormone-disrupting qualities - mimicking estrogen - and interfere with the body's endocrine system.
Phenol carbolic acid - Found in many lotions and skin creams. Can cause circulatory collapse, paralysis, convulsions, coma and even death from respiratory failure.
Propylene glycol - Used as a moisturizer in cosmetics and as a carrier in fragrance oils. Propylene glycol is shown to cause dermatitis, kidney or liver abnormalities, and may inhibit skin cell growth or cause skin irritation. This is also commonly found in many "natural" health care products.
Acrylamide - Found in many hand and face creams. Linked to mammary (breast) tumors in lab research.
Sodium laurel or lauryl sulfate (SLS), also known as sodium laureth sulfate (SLES) - Found in car washes, engine degreasers, garage floor cleaners... and in over 90% of personal care products! SLS breaks down the skin's moisture barrier, easily penetrates the skin, and allows other chemicals to easily penetrate. Combined with other chemicals, SLS becomes a "nitrosamine", a potent class of carcinogen. It can also cause hair loss. SLES is sometimes disguised with the labeling "comes from coconut" or "coconut-derived".
Toluene - Poison! Danger! Harmful or fatal if swallowed! Harmful if inhaled or absorbed through the skin. Made from petroleum or coal tar, and found in most synthetic fragrances. Chronic exposure linked to anemia, lowered blood cell count, liver or kidney damage, and may affect a developing fetus. Butylated hydroxytoluene (BHT) contains toluene. Other names may include benzoic and benzyl.
Dioxane - Found in compounds known as PEG, Polysorbates, Laureth, ethoxylated alcohols. Common in a wide range of personal care products. The compounds are usually contaminated with high concentrations of highly volatile 1,4-dioxane, easily absorbed through the skin. Dioxane's carcinogenicity was first reported in 1965 and later confirmed in studies including one from the National Cancer Institute in 1978. Nasal passages and liver are the most vulnerable. Dioxane is easily removed during the manufacturing process by "vacuum stripping". Warning: It is a synthetic derivative of coconut. Watch for hidden language on labels, such as "comes from coconut".
So, do you want to put these chemicals on your skin? Hopefully not. Remember the patient with a repetitive stress injury due to cumulative trauma. Well the same principle applies here. Putting stressful chemicals on your skin again and again can mount up to problems great or small. I guess, we each need to ask the question and decide how much toxicity is okay. Do any of us really know which and how many toxins we are hanging on to and what our bodies are able to eliminate. Many man-made chemicals have the potential to disrupt the endocrine (hormonal) system of humans, by mimicking the activity of a hormone, by blocking it, or through other mechanisms. (3) Because many of these chemicals are classified as hormone disrupters, they affect the developing fetus and the newborn children of those exposed. Pretty scary stuff.
In this instance, I believe you'd be better served by switching to skin care products made of plant names you recognize, can pronounce, and could even eat. It was for our own families that we at Western Botanicals developed our Essential Skin Care lotion. No hidden agenda. No disguising of ingredients. It is pure, safe, natural and honest. And it works to soothe and soften dry or irritated skin.
You must realize that not every company or corporation is looking out for the best interests of the consumers of their products. It can be difficult to comprehend how anyone can knowingly give or sell you something that could cause harm just to increase profits?! Well, sadly that is an aspect of the world in which we live.
There are companies and businesses, like Western Botanicals, who are uncompromisingly striving to keep their products pure. We need to live lives of vigilance. We need to read labels. We need to perhaps pay a little more for food that is healthier than the super bargains. We need to sway corporate decisions by how we spend our money. Perhaps, we would do well to plant a World War II style Victory Garden (organic of course), growing as much of our own food as we can to off set our personal expense of the rising food costs, reduce carbon emission related to growing and transporting food and to be able to eat healthier. Making changes rarely are convenient. But the consequences of accumulated toxins and an unhealthy lifestyle will be seriously inconvenient.
~ Dr. Kyle D. Christensen ~
1. The Hazards of Environmental Estrogens by Michele L. Trankina www.worldandi.com
2. Information of the chemicals listed in this articles were found on: DANGER: What in the World are you putting on your skin. www.mercola.com
3. Bad Chemistry: A Special Report. www.onearth.org
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