March 2015 Newsletter
In celebration of the coming spring… I’m offering THREE visits for just seventy-five dollars! That’s right, only $25 per visit, but they all need to be used in March. One of our most popular specials, the clinic schedule fills up quickly. So don’t delay, give us a call soon and reserve your time now.
Cancer advice, part five… is about skin and skincare products. About a year ago I was asked if I knew that soaps, cosmetics and lotions often have carcinogens in them. I said, “Welcome to the world of someone who tries to keep cancer from coming back, I’ve known this a long time.” So, this is about how you can help prevent cancer by making it a habit to check the ingredients of products that touch your skin, and avoid those that contain carcinogens. Included in this list would be hand, body, and dish soaps, cleaning solutions, and laundry detergent. These can all contain chemicals that are harmful if inhaled, or contact the skin. Effective cleaning products can be simply made using some common household items, including baking soda and vinegar, to name two. It was very serious and sobering news to me when I was told that the chemicals in my home could be absorbed through the skin, and might be contributing to my lymphoma. I began to read labels in stores and found products that don’t have perfumes, dyes, or petroleum in them.
I stopped using the little dryer sheets that prevent static cling. The skin absorbs chemicals from the residue of laundry products in clothing and towels. Start to examine whatever products directly touch your skin and continue on from there.
There is also a danger with attached garages, particularly those that are underneath living space. Stored paint, bug and weed killer, fertilizers, and other toxic chemicals could be emitting fumes into the house that can penetrate the body and cause harm to the immune system. These hazardous materials should be stored in a building separate from the house.
Surprisingly, most commonly sold skin care products contain many ingredients that at the least are harmful, and in some cases, toxic. Things that are topically applied penetrate the skin, and enter the bloodstream, potentially damaging organs, causing hormone shifts, and other damage to the body. Following are some examples of the typical chemicals found in many soaps, detergents, make-up, lotions and laundry products.
Petroleum products are present in most of our lotions and soaps. Isopropyl alcohol is derived from petroleum. It is found in antifreeze, hair coloring, exfoliators, hand lotions and aftershave. Reported complaints have been headaches, dizziness, nausea and vomiting, chronic coughing, and depression.
The first chemical is known as ethanolamine, and there are three types to look out for: triethanolamine (TEA), diethanolamine (DEA), and monoethanolamine (MEA). They are typically colorless, and are used as cleansers, foaming agents, emollients (to retain moisture), and as emulsifiers (holds oil and water together). Many lotions and night creams often contain them. There has been a strong link between these substances and both liver and kidney cancers. They also can cause allergic reactions, eye problems, dry skin and hair, how ironic.
The next one is a group of chemicals called parabens. Parabens are a synthetic preservative with four classes: methyl, propyl, butyl and ethyl. They too can cause allergic reactions like skin rashes and eye problems, and have also been associated with xenoestrogens. Xenoestrogens have been shown to increase the risk of breast cancer and cause low sperm count. Petroleum jelly, paraffin jelly, mineral oil (in baby oil), creams, lipstick, makeup remover and lip gloss are used to seal in moisture. However, they actually interfere with the skin’s own ability to moisturize, and can lead to chapping. People sometimes report a frequent need to reapply lip balm saying, “The more I use the more I need.”
Propylene glycol, when used as an ingredient for humans, should be a mix of vegetable glycerin mixed and natural grain alcohol. It also comes in the form of synthetic petrochemicals and is used in brake and hydraulic fluid, and anti-freeze. The ‘Material Safety Data Sheet (MSDS) warns users to avoid contact with eyes, skin and clothing and prolonged or repeated exposure, but this chemical is actually used in skin and hair products, antiperspirants and lipsticks. It breaks down protein structure of your cells, possibly causing liver and kidney damage, and fetus toxicity. Toxic reactions include irritation of the eye and upper respiratory tract.
Sodium lauryl sulfate (aka Laureth or SLS) is a foaming agent and detergent, also used in car washes and engine degreasers. Many contain large amounts of nitrates that can form nitroamines (proven carcinogens). Some items will say, “Comes from coconut”, which is a diversion not to be fooled by. SLS is quickly and easily absorbed into the body, stored in the eyes, brain, heart, and liver for up to seven days. It can slow wound healing, prevent children’s eyes from developing, strip hair and skin of key nutrients like essential fatty acids and amino acids, and cause cataracts,. According to the Journal of the American College of Toxicology, SLS damages hair follicles, causing hair to fall out.
Synthetic coloring, FD&C colors, should mean it is certified safe for, food, drugs and cosmetics. D&C colors, like D&C Yellow 8, are only to be used in drugs and cosmetics, failing to recognize that the colors can and do still enter the bloodstream, affecting the body. So, even the FD&C certification doesn’t mean it is safe. FD&C Blue 1 is so toxic it has been known to even cause death. You may remember that FD&C Red 4 is no longer allowed in food because it was toxic to the adrenal glands. These colors should not be used in eye products either, including eye shadow, eye liners, creams and foundations.
“Synthetic fragrance” is a label that can mean a list that includes two hundred ingredients that don’t all have to be individually listed. The minor problems it can cause are: headaches, dizziness, rash, coughing, vomiting, hyperpigmentation, and skin irritation. Even scarier, it has been shown to distress the central nervous system.
Triclosan is a chemical that is used in bug killer to eliminate microorganism bugs, and is also used as an antibacterial agent in skin cleansers, gels and toothpaste. Lately, it has received more media exposure. It can remain in the body, accumulating in the liver, lungs, and kidneys, reaching toxic levels over time. Triclosan has been shown to disrupt hormone function, suppress the immune system, and lead to heart problems, brain hemorrhages and paralysis. The use of triclosan in everyday hand cleansers is being phased out over the next three years.
Urea is a chemical that is commonly used as a preservative in shampoos, body washes, and skin cleansers, and can cause contact dermatitis. It is a formaldehyde donor, in some cases at temperatures just over 10°F. Formaldehyde is a known carcinogen. It is a colorless, unstable gas associated with allergies, birth defects, chromosomal changes, chronic fatigue, depression, ear infections, headaches, joint and chest pain, and menstrual irregularities.
Aluminum is typically used in antiperspirants and some deodorants. It is absorbed by the skin and is linked with Alzheimer’s and lymphoma.
Talcum powder has been found in the ovaries of women with ovarian cancer. The molecules are absorbed rather than eliminated and they irritate the ovaries.
Next month… hair dyes.
TCRAS March fundraiser… will be held on the 28th of this month, from 10am to 2pm. You can get a chiropractic adjustment or a meridian balancing in exchange for a donation that, this month, will benefit TCRAS.