Know Your Personal Care Products

  

Some of the potentially harmful ingredients commonly used by the personal care industry and the products that you can find them in are as follows:

Antipersperant

The main culprit here is aluminium.  Aluminium is a metallic element used extensively in the manufacture of aircraft components, prosthetic devices, but also as an ingredient in antiperspirants, antacids and antiseptics.  Scientific research conducted on the brain tissue of deceased Alzheimer's patients, found unusually high levels of aluminium in the brain.  Aluminium compounds are known to be neurotoxic (a toxin that damages or destroys nerve tissue) for humans.  When we use products that contain these harmful substances, the liver must work harder to rid our bodies of these toxins. The US FDA advisory panel has requested the removal of such chemicals from antiperspirant deodorants but still they are widely available. Substances that have been considered safe in the past are now considered harmful and it is up to each of us to choose wisely when making our purchases for ourselves and our families.

Toothpaste

Hard to believe, but your toothpaste is not a harmless substance that leaves your teeth nice and clean and your mouth feeling fresh.  The average bathroom toothpaste contains two harmful substances fluoride and sodium lauryl sulphate (SLS) that are best avoided.  Fluoride is a chemical that has had much research conducted on its safety levels for humans. The following might be worth noting: that if as little as 1 gram of fluoride is ingested, it can cause poisoning in humans. Adults don't normally swallow toothpaste, but children do. However, adults don't get away unscathed, as according to the World Health Organisation, Fluoride can accumulate in body tissue and can be poisonous if ingested over longer periods of time.  So essentially, the choice is yours.  We don't need it.  If you are still worried about protecting your teeth from decay you are receiving more than enough of your daily quota of fluoride if you drink Irish tap water! So why have it in your toothpaste as well? The reasons why SLS is best avoided is set out below under the heading "shampoo".

 

Shampoo

Both sodium lauryl sulphate (SLS) and sodium laureth sulphate (SLES) are synthetic ingredients found in most shampoos bought in supermarkets and chemists. SLS is a harsh detergent and wetting agent used in garage floor cleaners, engine degreasers and auto cleaning products, but also found in many of our personal care products.  It is a known irritant that is rapidly absorbed and retained in the eyes, brain, heart and liver cells which can have long term health implications. Sodium laureth sulphate is another irritant that has a low molecular weight which is rapidly absorbed by the body and will readily penetrate the skin.

Other research has shown that SLS and SLES may cause potentially carcinogenic nitrates and dioxins to form in shampoos and cleansers by reacting with commonly used ingredients found in many products. Large amounts of nitrates may enter the blood system from just one shampooing. They are used in personal care products because they are cheap.

 

Skin Care Products

Considering the  skin absorbs almost anything that we put on it, perhaps the next time you shop for your products, you might note the ingredient list. These are products that are widely available in our supermarkets and chemists and ones that we are told are totally safe for human use.

I believe the wost of the harmful ingredients to be propylene glycol. This is a substance found in many skincare products, body lotions and even baby wipes.  Propylene glycol prevents the escape of  moisture and water from the skin, which has the effect of making the skin look plumper and younger in appearance.  The Environmental Defense Fund, state that propylene glycol can weaken the immune system and has been found to cause kidney damage and liver abnormalities. Propylene glycol is also found in paint, liquid laundry detergents, antifreeze and brake fluid. I for one have not used any harmful skin care products containing these ingredients for over 20 years, and I do hope that you will look on your bathroom shelf today and clear out any and all harmful products that do not serve the best interest of your or your family's health.

The above is by no means an exhaustive list of hazardous chemicals that we are exposed to every time we choose a personal care product . I have outlined some others to watch out for below.

 

Other harmful ingredients

Alpha Hydroxy Acid
Animal Fat (Tallow)
Bentonite
Collagen
Formaldehyde
Glycerine
Mineral Oil
Petrolatum
Talc

Over the coming days, I will add an article on the most commonly used E numbers used to preserve our foods that I believe are best avoided.

To your great health and empowerment!

Ruth.