Modern day consumers seem to be desensitized by the "warning label" on everything from the laundry detergent box to the toothpaste container - unquestionably assuming that it's safe. However documentaries have been made, reports been published and news journalists have revealed that there is an alarming number of harmful chemicals put in every brand-name product in our household, and not excluding the ones we rub into our skin, face, scalp and use in our mouth.
Methylisothiazoline (MIT)
According to researchers at the National Institutes of Health, a popular preservative ingredient in shampoo called Methylisothiazoline, or also known as MIT, causes neurological damage. The chemical can also cause Alzheimer’s disease as well as other various neurological disorders. Pregnant women using shampoo with this chemical can put their fetus at risk for abnormal brain development.
Parabens
You don't think twice about rubbing moisturizer into your face and body every day do you? Well think again. Avanweb.com reveals moisturizers and lipsticks can contain a chemical called Parabens, commonly used as a preservative and can be linked to certain types of cancer such as breast and testicular.
Sodium Lauryl Sulfate (SLS) and Sodium Laureth Sulfate (SLES)
Commonly found in soaps, shampoos, antiperspirants, bubble-baths, tooth paste, dish soap, laundry detergent, carpet cleaners, shaving creams, mascara, mouthwash and facial/body creams - this chemical is known to be used by mechanics to degrease car engines. The Natural Health Information Centre says that (SLS) and (SLES) can cause skin irritation and swelling. But that is not the only side-effect to be worried about. "One of the main effects of sodium lauryl sulfate is to mimic the activity of the hormone estrogen. This has many health implications and may be responsible for a variety of health problems from PMS and Menopausal symptoms to dropping male fertility and increasing female cancers such as breast cancer, where estrogen levels are known to be involved," according to natural-health-information-centre.com.
Why do the personal care and beauty industries allow their products to contain such harmful chemicals? Because they are cheap to mass-produce. They are used as fillers, so the expensive (and natural) compounds are used less to save money and make a larger profit. In addition to this, products have a longer shelf life when containing these chemicals, despite the effects they may have on human beings, animals and our environment.
Even the 'organic' alternatives out there can be misleading. The Organic Consumers Association provides great research and support for customers on what organic products are safe and purely natural. Naturalnews.com suggests throwing brand name shampoos out and use olive oil shampoo from Heritage Products. Another way to reduce the amount of chemicals that go into the body is to follow this wonderful safety guide by Skin Deep. It is the Environmental Working Group's Cosmetic Safety Database that gives a rating system for thousands of personal care products.
Although most people find it hard to avoid most products that are on the shelves in your regular pharmacy store, it's still worth the effort to go the extra mile when the Canadian Cancer Society estimates that 166,400 new cases of cancer and 73,800 cancer deaths will occur in Canada this year.
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