Good Morning Oh My Health-ers!
Thanks to modern life, we unfortunately have to face the fact that we live in a toxic world – ingesting, inhaling, and absorbing all sorts of chemicals and toxins all the time. The widespread use of hazardous chemicals, combined with lack of adequate information and control, has brought us to the chemical crisis we face today.
While the occurrence of hazardous man-made chemicals in the environment and in our bodies is increasingly widely documented, few of us are aware that many of the ingredients in cosmetic, personal care and beauty products are toxic and hazardous to your health.
WHAT CLASSIFIES AS A PERSONAL CARE PRODUCT?
Personal care products are everyday consumer products used to cleanse, enhance, or alter the appearance of the body, including, but not limited to, shampoos, body washes, lotions, and cosmetics. Personal care products can be considered both a drug (mouthwashes, acne medications, steroid creams, lip balms, hand sanitizers and soaps, etc.) and a cosmetic (lotions, makeup, perfume, etc.)
HAZARDOUS INGREDIENTS IN COSMETICS, PERSONAL CARE AND BEAUTY PRODUCTS
The major culprits in cosmetics and personal care products fall under four main classes of chemicals, phthalates, parabens, triclosan, and fragrances.
Many of these chemicals are known endocrine disruptors, and appear in personal care products or the environment at hormone relevant concentrations, leading to adverse neurological, developmental, or sexual developmental effects, which can be extremely detrimental to a fetus or to younger organisms.
Not only are these chemicals and toxins potentially harmful to our personal health, it could also prove to be harmful to the environment, our entire food supply and our planet as a whole.
THE EFFECTS OF CHEMICALS FOUND IN OUR PERSONAL CARE PRODUCTS ON THE HUMAN BODY
Studies have shown that the chemicals can have a dizzying array of health risks, including diseases on the rise in human populations such as diabetes, obesity, autism, ADHD, learning disabilities and other neurological disorders, infertility, and some cancers.
Many of these health effects have also been observed in other organisms exposed to these chemicals in the environment. Some exposures have even been shown to be toxic to certain species at high enough concentrations.
WHAT YOU NEED TO KNOW ABOUT THE INTEGUMENTARY SYSTEM – THIS SKIN WITH ITS GLANDS, HAIR AND NAILS.
The skin with its glands, hair, nails and other structures make up the integumentary system. It forms the external covering of the body and constitutes THE LARGEST ORGAN OF THE BODY with several functions. The skin is in constant contact with the external environment and is subject to continuous wear and tear, yet fulfils the most important task, WHICH IS TO PRESERVE THE INTERNAL ENVIRONMENT.
All toxins that you take in through living, breathing, eating, RUBBING & SPRAYING STUFF ON YOUR SKIN, etc. all gets absorbed into the body and directly and indirectly effects your overall health and the proper functioning of your entire human body.
Applying creams, serums, gels or sprays is NO DIFFERENT from eating them, because they enter the blood-stream regardless if they are ingested in the mouth or absorbed through the skin! Many cosmetic chemicals are designed to penetrate into the skin’s inner layers, and they do.
Research conducted by the Herb Research Foundation, revealed that the skin absorbs up to 60 per cent of the chemicals in products that it comes into contact with directly into the bloodstream.
WHAT CAN YOU DO?
The toxic chemicals found in our COSMETIC, PERSONAL CARE AND BEAUTY PRODUCTS is such a huge concept and the implications are massive. There are thousands of chemicals in your products, many of which are being absorbed into your body.
When a person is told that their COSMETIC, PERSONAL CARE AND BEAUTY PRODUCTS contain toxic and hazardous chemicals the reaction is usually one of anger, even being appalled that chemicals in cosmetics, personal care and beauty products are still not regulated.
(In truth, personal care products are one of the least regulated industries). Under the Federal Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act (FD&C Act), cosmetic products and ingredients, other than color additives, do not need FDA approval before they go on the market.
For this reason there are no specific safety tests required for chemicals used in personal care products, the manufacturer can really pick and choose which tests are performed and what conditions are considered safe. Not surprisingly this can cause worry and panic for most consumers.
SO, WHAT ARE OUR CHOICES AS CONSUMERS?
The truth is that it is impossible to avoid every single synthetic chemical used today, but you can do your part in limiting the amount of toxins your body is exposed to and that of your family’s.
The information I am sharing with you here is not intended to make you fearful or to cause you to spend the rest of your life in, paranoia and deprivation. In fact you have options, you don’t have to compromise on the luxury and choice when you start using natural and handmade products.
This information being shared here is about being informed and being aware of what actually goes into your cosmetic, personal care and beauty products so that you will be empowered to make more intelligent and conscious choices for yourself, your family, and the planet as a whole.
Everything little thing we do to assist an natural and eco-friendly lifestyle promotes our healthy and help the environment.
Our choices today matters!!!!
We can either decide to continue to contribute to the staggering amount of chemicals we expose ourselves to on a daily basis or we can decide to replace hazardous substances with safer alternatives for a healthier and happier you.
HERE ARE SOME SUGGESTIONS TO CONSIDER:
First and foremost, DON’T PANIC! Consumers have options when it comes to what we put on our faces and bodies.
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Evaluate simple changes you can make moving forward.
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Replace hazardous substances with safer alternatives.
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Read the labels and steer clear of products without an ingredients list. The label might lie but the ingredients don’t.
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Our number one rule when it comes to beauty and body care products are: If there’s more than 10 ingredients, it’s probably not good for you!
Changing your way of shopping for personal care and beauty products to support your health and that of your family involves not a single step, but is AN ONGOING PROCESS THAT BECOMES AN INTEGRAL PART OF YOUR JOURNEY. You can best make stable and lasting changes in your personal care regime THROUGH STEP BY STEP CHANGES in what products you choose to purchase, to care for and clean the human skin.
Instead of overhauling your entire bathroom, beauty product and household cleaning cupboard all at once, start by replacing essentials that you use on a daily basis and purchase on a monthly basis like body and haircare products for instance body wash, body cream, shampoo & conditioner, toothpaste, household cleaning products etc.
This will be a first huge step forward!
Once you have made this change in your essentials, you can slowly start replacing SKIN CARE PRODUCTS as you run out by REPLACING THEM WITH HEALTHIER AND SAFER PRODUCTS.
Companies like Oh My Health Natural Products are a great way to find items that will keep you looking great, without risking your health in the long term.
Oh My Health, invite you now to choose a healthier approach to your daily beauty routine and to replace hazardous substances with safer alternatives for a healthier you overall.
Visit our website for more information www.ohmyhealth.co.za or e-mail info@ohmyhealth.co.za – or click the Oh My Health link below!
Oh My Health Natural Products are for people who care about the well-being of themselves, their family, their community and the planet as a whole.