The Glebe Report
"A Chemical
by any other name?"
Would you buy cocoamide DEA, diethanolamine, TEA, triethanolamine,
MEA
,propylene glycol, propylene oxide, polyethylene glycol ,Sodium lauryl
sulfate, sodium fluoride, mineral oil , petrolatum or coal tar? Have you
ever wondered why you shouldn’t swallow toothpaste?
In an increasingly toxic world, it is important to take a look at the
products we put in and on our bodies and into our environment. Petrolatum
is an easy one: would you put a by product of petroleum on your body? It
clogs the pores and that is not good. With all the talk about aluminum and
the potential link to Alzheimer’s Disease, one should probably consider
the
changeover to deodorant. They both fight odour with the major difference
that deodorants do not clog pores. Why is this important? Toxins in the
body that cannot be released through the pores become trapped in the body.
Not a pretty thought long term. My twelve-going-on-twenty-year-old daughter
started coming home with nail polish on her twenty digits. Sign of the
times? Maybe, but most nail polishes (and nail polish removers) contain
harmful solvents like toluene and acetone. Acetone has known health hazards
and should always be used with ventilation. Not only that, it defats the
skin and can cause peeling and splitting of nails, skin rashes and nail
brittleness. Yuck! Fortunately, there are companies that now supply water
based polishes and vegetable based removers! Phthalates have been getting a
lot of press the last year or so. They are a group of chemical plasticizers
added as thickeners to lotions and lipsticks and to toys so that plastic
skin on dolls, for example, is more pliable and realistic. They are also in
hair spray, shampoo and yes, nail polish. They are also used in a myriad of
ways in the home. Dibutyl-phthalate (DBP) is a suspected endocrine
disrupter, an ingredient that mimics or blocks hormones when absorbed. The
result is a disruption of the body’s natural functioning.
Parabens are also endocrine disruptors and are found as preservatives
in
many products.They are currently being studied for links to increased
breast cancer. Sodium laurel sulphate is a cheap foaming and emulsifying
agent used in
everything from shampoos to body lotions. And engine degreasers and car
wash soap.
Coal tar is an additive in dandruff shampoos, psoriasis treatments, hair
dye and eyeliner. And paint thinner and moth balls.
I think you see my point! This is only a brief overview of some of the
harmful chemicals around us. So what can we do to healthy up ourselves
and
our homes?
Along with reading ingredients and being a well educated consumer, we
can
seek out healthy alternatives. In body care, choose products that do
not
contain any phalates or parabens (aka methyl paraben, butyl parabens,
propyl parabens and parahydroxybenzoate). Or better yet: make your own!
There are lots of books and workshops out there to help you along the
way.
Choose basic ingredients like organic olive oil to moisturize the skin.
Try
natural absorbers like cornstarch and arrowroot powder instead of
antiperspirants. There are now many fluoride-free toothpastes on the
market. (Apparently, we get enough of this chemical in our drinking water
to keep our teeth healthy, and accidental ingestion leads to upset stomachs
at the very least).
Here are some websites to get more facts:
http://www.safecosmetics.org/docUploads/NotTooPretty_r51.pdf
http://lists.dep.state.fl.us/pipermail/pharmwaste/2007-May/001155.html