What Are Toxins Doing to Us?
Attention Deficit Disorder Autism, Alzheimers Disease, Asthma, Arthritis, Auoimmune Disorders, Candidiasis, Chronic Fatigue, Cancer, Epilepsy, Fibromyalgia, Gulf War Syndrome, Heart Disease, Insomina, Infertility, Kidney Disease, Liver Disease, Multiple Sclerosis, Parkinsons Disease, Schizophrenia, Thyroid Disorders... To name a few!!
Our intake of toxins is unavoidable, there is no place on this earth where we can escape them. If you decide to eat, drink or take a breathe today you are ingesting toxins into your body. Be Smart... REMOVE TOXINS!!
How Toxic Are You?
Between 1930 and 2005 The global production of man-made chemicals increased from 1 million to over 400 million tons per year
Everyday we are exposed to numerous chemicals, many without even knowing, that wreak havoc upon our health. These chemicals saturate our environment from the air we breathe to the water we drink.While some chemicals provide benefits to society most of them are damaging people and the environment.
The scary thing is we still don’t know much about the long-term effects of 95% of the chemicals being produced. Currently only 14% of the chemicals used have the "minimum required" amount of public data to make a basic safety assessment.
Hazardous chemicals are found in the tissue of nearly every person on Earth and exposure to them has been linked to several cancers and to a range of reproductive problems, including birth defects. Several studies have recently linked gender-bending chemicals to genital malformation, infertility and cancer. These chemicals are known as hormone disruptors or EDCs (endocrine disrupting chemicals).
They upset the delicate hormonal development of an embryo, fooling targeted cells into behaving differently. Or they act as a blocker, preventing natural hormones such as the male sex hormone testosterone from functioning properly. Both men and women can be affected by exposure to such chemicals, both inside the womb and later in life. The worry is that some chemicals can bio-accumulate (build up in body fat).
Watch MSNBC’s Toxic Report
5 Chemicals To Avoid!
• Organo-Chlorine Pesticides (OCPs): many pesticides have been banned in the UK because of their toxic effects, but they can remain in the environment for up to 50 years. Some pesticides have been linked to cancers, such as breast and ovarian. A study of 159 women in Occupational And Environmental Medicine found women with breast cancer were five times more likely to have the banned pesticide DDT in their blood.
• Polychlorinated Biphenyls (PCBs): once widely as coolants and lubricants. Now banned, they are still leaked into the environment from old building material, lighting and appliances. They also enter our food chain via small organisms and fish. A Dutch study found girls exposed to higher levels of PCBs tended to engage in masculine play, and boys in feminine play. Other research suggests babies who ingested PCBs in their breast milk were more likely to show low levels of physical and mental development.
• Perfluorinated Chemicals (PFCs): exposure to perfluo-rinated chemicals such as PFOS and PFOA may cause birth defects, damage the immune system and disrupt thyroid function, which can lead to develop-mental problems in pregnancy. A 2005 Greenpeace study found PFCs in umbilical cord blood from newborn babies. PFCs are used in non-stick pans, stain removers, floor waxes, and fast food packaging.
• Phthalates: found in plastics, perfumes and toiletries. A recent American study linked exposure to phthalates to a higher risk of genital abnormalities in baby boys. Some experts believe that women may also be vulnerable. Children can be exposed by chewing older PVC toys as phthalates leak into saliva. Phthalates can also be transferred from plastic packaging into meat and dairy products.
• Brominated Flame Retardants: used to make products fireproof, found in carpets, foam-filled cushions, TV and computer screens and plastics.Linked to breast cancer and cause sterility in mussels and marine snails, as well as rats to miscarry. They are released into the atmosphere where they are inhaled, and also mingle with house dust and settle on food.
Here are some of the ways in which man-made chemicals are being used in our daily lives:
Food and drink
Nearly 1,000 different chemicals might be present in our food. Most food tins are lined with a resin which contains a hormone-disrupting chemical called bisphenol A, which can leach from the tin into the food inside. Bisphenol A is also found in Polycarbonate (PC) plastics, from which some bottles and storage containers are made.
Clothing
Many clothes are made from artificial fibres or from a mixture of natural and synthetic fibres and are often treated with chemical dyes and flame retardants.
Cleaning Products
The number of household cleaning products and disinfectants containing anti-bacterial agents such as Triclosan is increasing. Synthetic fragrances are also widely used in household products. They can persist in the environment for long periods and build up in our own bodies as well as wildlife.
Cosmetics
Buying cosmetics is a lottery, because we’re often unable to determine whether or not hazardous chemicals are present in a product. This is especially true of phthalates. They are found in cosmetics, but are rarely listed in the ingredients. Indeed, the identities of up to 100 potentially persistent or allergenic chemicals are hidden by the use of the word ‘parfum’ on cosmetics or toiletries. Research indicates that regular long-term use of hair dyes may be associated with the development of allergic reactions or bladder cancer in some people.
In the living room
Furniture, televisions, other electrical appliances, carpets and rugs often contain chemicals that are stain repellent or fire retardant. Some chemicals used as flame retardants (brominated flame retardants) persist for a long time in the environment, accumulate in our bodies and can disrupt our natural hormone systems.
Toys
There is a temporary ban on using phthalates in toys intended to be sucked by children under three, but other toys continue to contain such chemicals.
Reduce Your Exposure to Harmful Chemcials
In the Living Room/Bedroom
Avoid
- dry cleaning wherever possible
- re-carpeting when you are pregnant
- synthetic carpets, carpet underlay or upholstery with synthetic foams, foam rubber, latex or plastic coverings, because these emit VOCs
- air fresheners, go for fresh air – open your windows! If you can’t do that, use natural odour eaters such as a bowl of baking soda, or natural fragrances such as potpourri
Buy
- carpets from organic natural fibres such as wool, cotton, rattan or jute
- machine washable clothes and clothes with fewer chemical treatments such as stain repellents
In the Bathroom
Avoid
– cosmetics, toiletries and perfumes with synthetic fragrances
– long-term use of permanent hair dyes, especially those carrying a warning “can cause an allergic reaction”
Use
– beauty products such as soaps, shampoos, conditioners and hair care products made from natural ingredients
- fragrance-free products
- unbleached toilet paper and sanitary products
In the Kitchen
Avoid
- tinned food products
- chemical air fresheners or heavily scented cleaning products such as dishwashing liquids, floor cleaners and washing powders
- cling film when reheating or cooking food in the microwave
- microwaving food in plastic containers unless they are designed for that purpose
Use
- organic products whenever possible
- fresh, frozen or dried food rather than tinned food;
- a water filter to reduce the levels of chemical contaminants in drinking water
- non-vinyl flooring
In the Garden
Avoid
- using creosote-based preservatives or products pre-treated with creosote
- using pesticides indoors or in the garden – use alternatives and try gardening organically
Use
- paints, varnishes and glues labelled ‘Low VOC content’, or those that are water-based water-based
- organic or natural paints made from plants oils – ask in the store to find which products are available.
- garden furniture not treated with creosote
In the nursery
Avoid
- polycarbonate-plastic baby feeding bottles. The vast majority of plastic feeding bottles are made from polycarbonate which contains bisphenol A, a hormone disrupting chemical that can leach into the liquid inside. Polycarbonate can be identified by looking on the packaging for PC 7 or looking inside the recycling triangle for the number 7.
- using old and worn plastic baby bottles.
Use
- baby bottles that are not made of polycarbonate
- children’s teething products and dummies from a reputable source
