Tag Archives: toxic chemicals

Natural Sunscreens, Say No To Toxins

Sun-Kissed Naturally – Use Natural Oils As Sunscreen

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Is Your Sunscreen Giving You Cancer?

Most of the commercial sunscreens contain dangerous ingredients like Oxybenzone, Retinyl Palminate, Para amino benzoic acid, Octyl salicyclate, Cinoxate, Dioxybenzone, Phenylbenzimidazole, Homosalate, Menthyl anthranilate, Octocrylene, Methoxycinnamate, Parabens etc.

Most of those common ingredients can actually provoke cancer, create hormonal disruptions and many other health issues!

Natural Dental CareNatural Oils Can Be Used As Sunscreen

It is not widely known that natural oils do offer great SPF protection.

For example red raspberry seed oil is SPF 28-50, carrot seed oil SPF 38-40, wheat germ oil SPF 20, karanja (pongamia) oil SPF 20, hazelnut oil SPF 15 non-GMO soybean oil SPF 10.

Other oils, such as coconut oil, jojoba oil olive oil, macadamia oil, sesame oil, avocado oil, hempseed oil, and shea butter offer low SPF protection (SPF2-8).

Red Raspberry Seed Oil – The Sunscreen of Choice!

Red Raspberry Seed Oil is a great choice not only because of very high SPF but because it offers great protection from both UVA & UVB rays. The essential fatty acids and host of antioxidants in this oil are also great for skin.

Other Natural Oils As Ingredients To Your Sunscreen

Important to note is that aside from Red Raspberry Seed Oil, most other plant oils protect only against UVB rays and should be used as an addition to the Red Raspberry Seed Oiland not stand-alone.

  • Carrot seed oil is an essential oil, so it has to be diluted in carrier oil anyway. It offers even greater protection than red raspberry seed oil.
  • Wheatgerm oil is packed with Vitamin E, K, B, E, D and A. It is great for smoothing skin and provides a golden glow that looks natural. It improves the elasticity of your skin and helps protecting your skin against harmful effects of sun.
  • Olive oil is rich in vitamin E, a naturally occurring antioxidant with soothing properties to not only moisturize the skin, but help to develop the golden tan.
  • Hazelnut Oil is rich in Vitamin E and one of the most popular ingredients in natural tanning oils. It is one of the easily absorbed oils due to its high fatty acid content.

Look at the super fast Sunscreen  DIY Recipe.

Which Natural Oil to Buy?

Since not all oils are created equal, the SPF can vary. Determining the exact SPF factor of an oil is not easy, especially given that natural oils oxidize (lose some of their medicinal properties) over time and when exposed to light.

Ensure that you are purchasing high quality oils from a recommended supplier and always do your own research.

A good Red Raspberry Seed Cold Pressed Oil can be found (Click here for EU link).

Look for a cold pressed, organic, non-diluted, non-refined high quality oil.

Some Safe Commercial Options

If you don’t have the time to do the home-made sunscreen and sun tanning oil here are few links where you can find some safe commercial alternatives.

  • Sunscreen

If you don’t have the time to do the home made here is the link to the safe SPF 50 sunscreen

You can make your own, it will take you 30-40minutes. This is one of my favorite recipes: (see here).

If you are too busy, we can make it for you. Here is a link to UNDER THE SUN – 100% Organic Nourishing Sun Tanning Oil

No-No List Of Toxins

Toxins: 20 Biggest Offenders

We live in a toxic world and are surrounded by hormone-disrupting and cancer causing chemicals. The truth is that we can’t fully avoid them, however we need to educate ourselves on the biggest offenders and try our best to avoid them.

Toxins 800The list of all offenders would be far too long for this type of article. I list here only 20 of the most common offenders: 10 Environmental Toxins and 10 Food Additives.

Top 10 Enviromental Toxins

  1. Phthalates. Phthalates are used to make plastics like polyvinyl chloride (PVC) more flexible. They are one of the most prevalent endocrine disruptors. They are found in everything from processed food packaging to detergents, toys and beauty products like nail polish, hair spray, shampoo, deodorants etc. Exposure to phthalates can lead to fetus malformations, reduced sperm counts etc.
  2. BPA (Bisphenol A). BPA is used to make certain kinds of plastics, and can also be found in thermal paper, canned goods, toys, in fact – everywhere. Environmental Working Group (EWG) detected BPA in the umbilical cord blood of 90 percent of newborn infants tested — along with more than 230 other chemicals. Some companies are simply replacing the offending BPA with another less known but equally toxic chemical called Bisphenol-S (BPS).
  3. Metalloestrogens. Metalloestrogens are cancer-causing estrogen-mimicking compounds. Lead, mercury, copper, aluminium, cobalt, chromium, nickel etc. are some of them. These metals are added to consumer products like deodorants, vaccines!, etc.
  4. Bovine growth hormones (rBGH). BGH’s, generally found in commercial dairy, have been associated with premature puberty. This highly toxic chemicals is found everywhere and can increase hormonal levels, impair immune system, cause liver damage etc. Majority of our exposure comes from eating animal products.
  5. Fluoride. Fluoride is added to some public water supplies and toothpaste. Fluoride is associated with lower levels of melatonin and earlier onset of puberty.
  6. PFC. Perfluorinated chemicals are dangerous substances that are found in the nonstick pans.
  7. Organophosphates. Organophosphates are found in pesticides and can cause neurotoxic effects.
  8. Glycol ethers. Glycol ethers like 2-butoxyethanol (EGBE) and methoxydiglycol (DEGME) are typically found in paint.
  9. Nonylphenol ethoxylates (NPEs). Found in housecleaning products, NPEs are known to be potent endocrine disruptors that affect gene expression by turning on or off certain genes, and interfere with the way your glandular system works.

Top 10 Food Additives To Avoid

  1. Artificial Sweeteners.  Aspartame is believed to be carcinogenic and accounts for more reports of adverse reactions than all other foods and food additives combined. The artificial sweetener Acesulfame-K has been linked to kidney tumors. All artificial sweeteners are dangerous.
  2. High Fructose Corn Syrup. High fructose corn syrup (HFCS) increases your LDL (“bad”) cholesterol levels and contributes to development of diabetes.
  3. Monosodium Glutamate (MSG). MSG is used as a flavor enhancer. It is an excitotoxin, a substance that overexcites cells to the point of damage or death.
  4. Trans Fat. Numerous studies show that trans fat increases LDL cholesterol levels and increases your risk of heart attacks, heart disease and strokes.
  5. Common Food Dyes. Artificial colorings may contribute to behavioral problems in children and lead to a significant reduction in IQ.
  6. Sodium Sulphite. This is a preservative used in processed foods. People who are sulfite sensitive can experience headaches, breathing problems, and rashes. In severe cases, sulfites can actually cause death.
  7. Sodium Nitrate/Sodium Nitrite. This common preservative has been linked to various types of cancer.
  8. BHA and BHT. Butylated hydroxyanisole (BHA) and butylated hydrozyttoluene (BHT) are preservatives that affect the neurological system of your brain, alter behavior and have the potential to cause cancer.
  9. Sulphur Dioxide. Sulphur additives are toxic and in the U.S., they have been prohibited in raw fruit and vegetables. Adverse reactions include bronchial problems, low blood pressure, and anaphylactic shock.
  10. Potassium Bromate. This additive is used to increase volume in some breads. It is known to cause cancer in animals, and even small amounts can create problems for humans.
Read about 8 Tips To Reduce Hormone Disruptive Substances

Sources and Credits

http://articles.mercola.com/sites/articles/archive/2012/12/19/precocious-puberty.aspx

http://www.foodmatters.tv/articles-1/top-10-food-additives-to-avoid

Healthy Food Essentials, Water

Water – The Beginning and the End

Bottled Water Dangers And How To Go About It

An increasing number of studies report the presence of EDCs (endocrine disrupting chemicals) in bottled water.  A recent research Identification of Putative Steroid Receptor Antagonists in Bottled Water indicates there are more than 24000 of such chemicals in any given bottle of water – some of them causing serious hormone-disrupting effects.

The German researchers tested 18 different bottled water products out of which 13 had “significant” anti-estrogenic activity, and 16 out of 18 inhibited the body’s androgen receptors by 90%.

Bottled water has been found to contain estrogenic, antiestrogenic, as well as androgenic, progestagenic, and glucocorticoid-like chemicals.

Hormone disruption has the potential to cause serious effects on human life, from early maturation in children, to increased risk of cancer.

Bottled water that has been left in a car is especially dangerous. The heated chemicals in the plastic release dioxin into the water. Dioxin is a toxin increasingly found in breast cancer tissue.

Another consideration to have in mind is that just because a plastic container says it is “BPA Free” doesn’t mean it is free of harmful chemicals!

Fluoride IS Poison

More and more people are waking up to the health risks of fluoride in their water. Fluoride, added sometimes in water supplies, is a neurotoxin that has been linked to cancer and many other health issues.

The Lancet, one of the oldest and most prestigious medical journals,  published a report that has officially classified fluoride  as a neurotoxin, in the same category as arsenic, lead and mercury.

Many European countries have rejected water fluoridation in general, however a number of countries are still using this practice – check here the flouridation by country report.

If you live in one of these countries where fluoride is not added to the water supplies, instead of buying the bottled water, it may be a good start to have a water filter like Brita Maxtra that reduces chlorine, lead and other heavy metals.

This by itself is a huge saving comparing to bottled water as Britta Maxtra Water Filter Jug Annual Pack will cost you only about £35.

According to the newest research (August 2014) done by NaturalNews, Britta in fact did not perform well when it comes to heavy metals removal (Aluminum,  Copper,  Arsenic, Strontium,  Cadmium,  Cesium,  Mercury,  Lead and Uranium). Please note that the research did NOT measure fluoride, pesticides and chlorine  removal.

Based on this research only two water filters performed well enough: ZeroWater and Waterman.

Water/Fluids Intake – How Much Do We Really Need?

How much do we need stays a highly controversial topic, as hydration needs are individual and vary.  “8 glasses rule” that you no doubt have heard of is more and more questioned these days.

Using your thirst and the color of your urine (it should be light yellow) to understand your needs is one way to go about it.  This doesn’t work for me as I constantly need to remind myself to drink water. My 5 year old as well rarely is asking for water. So I take a big, half/liter mug and prepare my morning and evening tea. Along with the rest of the fluids that I normally drink during the day, this way I know I have likely taken enough.

Quick Checklist

  • Avoid bottled water.  24 000 chemicals seem like a pretty good reason to do so, plus it will save you money.
  • Glass bottled water is normally safe but pricey. Other alternatives include water filter systems like ZeroWater  Waterman or Brita Maxtra.  Otherwise, a little pricier alternative could be a reverse osmosis system.
  • Your complete fluids intake needs to be limited to
    • Filtered, pure water
    • Tea (no caffeine, green tea is the only exception)
    • Freshly pressed juices from vegetables and fruits
  • Use your thirst and the color of your urine (it should be light yellow) to judge your personal needs.

Sources and Credits

http://www.plosone.org/article/info%3Adoi%2F10.1371%2Fjournal.pone.0072472

A very informative video about bottled water you can watch at http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Se12y9hSOM0

Flouridation by country http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fluoridation_by_country

http://authoritynutrition.com/how-much-water-should-you-drink-per-day/

http://articles.mercola.com/sites/articles/archive/2011/08/01/is-drinking-six-to-eight-cups-of-water-really-nonsense.aspx