CHEMICAL FREE
LIFESTYLE
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Chemicals are now everywhere in our lives, we
slap them all over our bodies contained in soaps, shampoos and creams, we spray
them all over our homes to keep them clean and smelling nice, and they are in
our food as sweeteners, preservatives & colours.
Yet few of us
question their safety and the effects they may have on our health, we just seem
to accept that they are are safe to use and have been thoroughly tested. Even
if they have been tested who knows what the long term effects may be. |
Many chemicals are unavoidable if we still wish to
use the products we have all become accustomed to, however, there are many
chemicals in our products that just don't need to be there for the product to
be usable. Some are just put in to make the product feel more silky, some for a
longer shelf life and some just to make the product lather up more, but none of
these actually make the product work any better.
Many chemicals could be
replaced with natural alternatives such as fragrances and artificial colours.
Some of the chemicals are now showing up in research to be potentially harmful,
including Parabens & Sodium Lauryl Sulphate. Take a look at the back of
your shampoo, bubble bath or toothpaste you are likely to find both of these
listed in the ingredients.
There are many organic products now showing
up on the market, without some of the most prolific chemicals. Look for no
Parabens, SLS or Parfum on the label. Sure they look and feel a little
different to use but they still the the job 100% and without the dangers these
chemicals may pose
Lastly don't forget that the majority of the
product ends up down the drain, without a thought for the effect it may have on
our planet and the environment. Some of the chemicals mimic the female hormone,
and these are starting to show up in, and affect the gender of our marine
life.
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Take a look at the ingredients on this product,
the label on the front implies that this is a simple and nourishing product,
however the small print on the back reads a little different. Note Sodium
Lauryl Sulphate and two types of Paraben. |
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CHEMICALS IN OUR
PERSONAL CARE PRODUCTS |
- Also Sodium laureth Sulphate (SLES) both
known as sufactants.
- Are degreasant and foaming agents.
- Used in toothpaste, shampoo, bubble baths,
soaps, and many detergents
- Eye irritatant.
- May cause eczema, skin irritation, dry
skin, & dermatitis
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- A synthetic preservative preventing the
growth of bacteria.
- Found in cosmetics, deodorant, face cream,
shampoo and toothpaste.
- Mimics the hormone oestrogen, which can
possibly affect the male and female reproductive organs.
- May decrease male fertility.
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- Phthalates are a class of chemicals used as
softeners, or plasticizers.
- Used in cosmetics & personal care
products such as nail polish, skin moisturizers, and perfumes.
- Studies have shown that phthalates can
damage the liver, the kidneys, the lungs and the reproductive system,
especially the developing testes.
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- Used as a fixative to make perfumes and
fragrances last longer
- Found in soaps, perfumes, body lotions,
laundry detergents, fabric conditioners, household cleaners and air fresheners
- May trigger headaches, migraines, alergies
and asthma.
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- There are over 700 chemicals which can be
used to make "parfum".
- A typical shampoo "parfum" may use 100 of
these chemicals together.
- There is potential for immune and nervous
system toxicity & cancer.
- There is potential for reduced fertility
or reduced chance for a healthy pregnancy.
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CHEMICALS IN OUR
FOOD |
- Used to make polycarbonate plastic
- Used in the plastic lining of some food
cans
- Mimics the hormone oestrogen when adsorbed
into the body, which can possibly affect the male and female reproductive
organs.
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- Makes materials stain and stick resistant
- Used in Teflon coatings
- Grease-resistant food packaging
- If Teflon-coated pans are overheated, PFOA
is released - PFOA is a likely human carcinogen
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- A chemical used for its antibacterial
properties
- Used in many detergents, dish-washing
liquids, soaps, deodorants, cosmetics, lotions, anti-microbial creams, various
toothpastes
- Also to treat plastics such as chopping
boards
- Hormone disrupter.
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- Too many to list
- Look out for: tartrazine (E102), ponceau 4R
(E124), sunset yellow (E110), carmoisine (E122), quinoline yellow (E104) and
allura red AC (E129)
- They may induce, headaches, asthma, eczema
and hyper activity
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- Too many to list
- Look out for: sodium benzoate, Sulfites
& Parabens (E214-9)
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CHEMICALS IN HOUSEHOLD
PRODUCTS |
But hold on it does not stop there, don't forget the
air fresheners, aerosol furniture polishes, kitchen cleaning sprays and the
like, they all contain chemicals. So not only do we put these chemicals in our
mouths, on our bodies and in our baths, we freely spray and rub them all over
our living environment. The next time you place two slices of bread on your
kitchen counter to make a sandwich, think of the chemicals that were in the
spray or gel you used to clean it, and the Triclosan that may be in the
chopping board you used to cut the cheese on.
Take a moment then to
think of all the chemicals that we are subjected to each day, many of them have
only been around a few years so their long term effect on our health is still
unknown. |
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ALTERNATIVE
PRODUCTS...
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Looking through the supermarket shelves you
will be hard pressed to find anything without SLS or Paraben in it. But dont
despair there are one or two companies on the Internet that sell organic
products without SLS & Paraben etc, one such company "The Green People"
supply organic bathroom products.
Their products feel a little
different to use, however they do smell very nice as their frangrance is
derived from natural oils only. |
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