I want to get the chemicals out of my life!
Posted: Tue Dec 25, 2007 7:12 am
Folks, now that I've got my innards cleaned out through the McDougall Program, I'm become interested in improving the outside of my body. I'm talking about the personal care products (soaps, makeup, lotions, shampoos) as well as the household products (dish detergent, etc.) that I use.
I'm convinced that the chemicals contained in personal care and household products we use are causing some of the rampant cancer cases we're seeing in America. I've done a little research lately and have come up with the following list of chemicals to avoid:
1) Antibacterials - antibacterial agents such as Triclosan encourage the rise of drug-resistant bacteria (Do we really need antibacterial Windex??)
2) Coal-tar colors - FD&C (Blue 1, Green 3, Yellow 5, Yellow 6) or D&C (Red 33) are known carcinogens.
3) Diethanolamine (DEA) and Triethanolamine (TEA) - can be contaminated with nitrosamines, which cause cancer in lab animals. Found in shampoos.
4) Formaldehyde - found in eye shadows, mascara, etc. Present in the ingredients DMDM hydantoin, diazolidinyl urea, and quaternium 15. Bronopol (often listed as 2-bromo-2-nitropropane-1,3-diol) breaks down to produce formaldehyde and cancer-causing nitrosamines. Classified as a probable human cardinogen.
5) Glycol Ethers - listed on labels as EGPE, EGME, EGEE, DEGBE, PDME DPGME and those with "methyl" in their names. Hazardous to the reproductive system.
6) Heavy Metals Lead and Mercury - brain- and nervous-system toxin and cardinogens. Found in hair dyes and makeup.
7) Parabens - butyl-, methyl-, ethyl- and propyl-parabens are used in underarm deodorants. They have been found in tissue samples from human breast tumors.
8. Petrolatum (vaseline, petroleum jelly) - Causes allergic reactions. Found in lipsticks, Chapstick, baby creams, eye shadow.
9) Phenylenediamine (PPD) - found in hairdyes, banned in Europe. Also called oxidation dyes, amino dyes, para dyes, or peroxide dyes.
10) Phthalates - used in fragrances, deodorants, nail polish, hair products & lotions. Various members of this family of chemical plasticizers have been found to cause cancer of the liver, birth defects in lab animals, etc. Hidden behind the term "fragrance," so "fragrance-free" products should be chosen.
11) Sodium Lauryl Sulfate (SLS) - causes severe changes to the skin of mice.
12) Toluene - solvent found in nail products can cause liver damage, skin & respiratory tract irritation.
I would like to solicit further ideas from others as to the safety of these and other chemicals. If you know of other chemicals to avoid to add to the list above, please post those.
I plan to go shopping at my health food store soon and I would love for you folks to recommend some products for me to use. I'm specifically looking for soaps (both bar and liquid hand soap) and lotions for dry skin and shampoo. I'm not a big makeup user, but I do use eye liner every day, so makeup suggestions would be welcome.
I'm also interested in cleaning products, especially dish detergent.
This is a new area in which I'm trying to become an informed consumer, so any assistance and advice would be most welcome. I'm primarily looking for products that are not only efficacious, but safe. No sense having nice, smooth skin while giving myself cancer!
Nettie
I'm convinced that the chemicals contained in personal care and household products we use are causing some of the rampant cancer cases we're seeing in America. I've done a little research lately and have come up with the following list of chemicals to avoid:
1) Antibacterials - antibacterial agents such as Triclosan encourage the rise of drug-resistant bacteria (Do we really need antibacterial Windex??)
2) Coal-tar colors - FD&C (Blue 1, Green 3, Yellow 5, Yellow 6) or D&C (Red 33) are known carcinogens.
3) Diethanolamine (DEA) and Triethanolamine (TEA) - can be contaminated with nitrosamines, which cause cancer in lab animals. Found in shampoos.
4) Formaldehyde - found in eye shadows, mascara, etc. Present in the ingredients DMDM hydantoin, diazolidinyl urea, and quaternium 15. Bronopol (often listed as 2-bromo-2-nitropropane-1,3-diol) breaks down to produce formaldehyde and cancer-causing nitrosamines. Classified as a probable human cardinogen.
5) Glycol Ethers - listed on labels as EGPE, EGME, EGEE, DEGBE, PDME DPGME and those with "methyl" in their names. Hazardous to the reproductive system.
6) Heavy Metals Lead and Mercury - brain- and nervous-system toxin and cardinogens. Found in hair dyes and makeup.
7) Parabens - butyl-, methyl-, ethyl- and propyl-parabens are used in underarm deodorants. They have been found in tissue samples from human breast tumors.
8. Petrolatum (vaseline, petroleum jelly) - Causes allergic reactions. Found in lipsticks, Chapstick, baby creams, eye shadow.
9) Phenylenediamine (PPD) - found in hairdyes, banned in Europe. Also called oxidation dyes, amino dyes, para dyes, or peroxide dyes.
10) Phthalates - used in fragrances, deodorants, nail polish, hair products & lotions. Various members of this family of chemical plasticizers have been found to cause cancer of the liver, birth defects in lab animals, etc. Hidden behind the term "fragrance," so "fragrance-free" products should be chosen.
11) Sodium Lauryl Sulfate (SLS) - causes severe changes to the skin of mice.
12) Toluene - solvent found in nail products can cause liver damage, skin & respiratory tract irritation.
I would like to solicit further ideas from others as to the safety of these and other chemicals. If you know of other chemicals to avoid to add to the list above, please post those.
I plan to go shopping at my health food store soon and I would love for you folks to recommend some products for me to use. I'm specifically looking for soaps (both bar and liquid hand soap) and lotions for dry skin and shampoo. I'm not a big makeup user, but I do use eye liner every day, so makeup suggestions would be welcome.
I'm also interested in cleaning products, especially dish detergent.
This is a new area in which I'm trying to become an informed consumer, so any assistance and advice would be most welcome. I'm primarily looking for products that are not only efficacious, but safe. No sense having nice, smooth skin while giving myself cancer!
Nettie