Wishing it was spring? I am!

Well I have learned some new stuff and wanted to pass it on.

The first thing is about the plug-in gels. Do you use those? If you do, stop reading and go pull them out of the wall and throw them in the trash then come back. It really is that important to your health.

Basically what they are is perfumed formaldehyde once you learn how many things have formaldehyde in them it is no wonder we have so many more cases of cancer each year. From vehicles to personal care products, to carpeting to “make your house smell good” and more.

Of course, since manufacturers can call it any number of things it is hard to identify.

Also baby wipes, sadly a large number of them are filled with chemicals you would never use on you, much less a baby.

Here are some facts on one example of what to look for and why – compliments of the Environmental Working Group.

If your wipes contain – HYDROQUINONE who knows what that means right? And after all it is in Huggies Natural Care Wipes so that sounds safer right? Nope sorry.

Hydroquinone is in fact ranked a 10 or high hazard ingredient. The scale starts at 1 meaning things like water as an ingredient and 10 the highest or worst offender.

Why? Well for a number of reasons, it is considered to be a fragrance ingredient, and a skin bleaching agent (you also find it classified as an antioxidant and hair colorant).

So you will find it in anti aging products, and hair colors, skin fading and lightener products and more - and baby wipes.

It is a known human immune system toxicant (National Library of Medicine) and there is strong evidence that it is also a human skin toxicant (Cosmetic Review Assessments CRA); but allergies and immune toxicity are not the only concerns.

In fact the CRA says well it is safe IF you use it for brief discontinuous use and follow with a through rinsing.

Now when I have used baby wipes, I use them to clean up a mess, and be the whole cleaning and rinsing process. I do not use them to clean a baby’s bottom or hands and face, and then take them to a sink and do a full rinsing to clean the wipe off their skin.

Do you?

Also if you use a wipe with this in it on the face you need to be aware that this is a product that is both an eye and respiratory irritant. So if you have a child that is prone to sniffles, ear or sinus infections and you are “washing” their face with wipes you are adding to the problem.

It is also linked to cancer and to developmental and reproductive toxicity, neuro-toxicity, and endocrine disruption.

Some of the over the counter products that receive the BEST rankings on that 1-10 scale are:

Seventh Generation Unscented Baby Wipes with Aloe Vera & Vitamin E (1)

Tushies Baby Wipes with Aloe Vera, Unscented (1)

Mother Nature Wipes Unscented Natural Formula Flushable Wipes (2)

Avalon Baby and Avalon Organics Flushable Biodegradable Baby Wipes (2)

It has been awhile, since I sent out a Toxin Newsletter…ah the irony of my moving from a TOXIC house ~ laughs

Anyway this is some good information and I wanted to share it.

Take Care of YOU!

love
t

Are Toxic Household Chemicals Poisoning Your Family?

The Environmental Protection Agency defines chemical hazards as “acute” or “chronic:”

1. Acute hazard, includes highly toxic, or corrosive chemicals which cause an adverse effect to an organ after short-term exposure.

2. Chronic hazard, includes carcinogens and other hazardous chemicals which cause an adverse effect over a long-term exposure.

The Federal Code of Regulations defines “Hazardous Chemicals” in Section 1910.1200c Title 29. However, the term “Hazardous” does NOT include hazardous ingredients used in products designed for personal, family, or household use.

The Federal Code of Regulations section 1500.82, EXEMPTS manufacturers from full labeling, allowing them to exclude “Hazardous” chemicals from their labels.

The EPA reports toxic chemicals in our home cleaning and personal care products are 3 times more likely to cause cancer than outside pollutants.

The President’s Toxic Substances Strategy Committee warns 90% of all cancers are triggered by toxic chemicals in our home environment.

The Consumer Product Safety Commission connects 150 toxic chemicals in our homes to allergies, birth defects, cancer, and psychological abnormalities.

The EPA warns toxic chemicals in household cleaners cause women working at home to have a 55% HIGHER cancer risk than women working outside the home.

The EPA warns the nation’s worst pollution is inside our homes. A number of homes tested have toxic chemical levels 70 times higher inside the home than outside.

The Mayo clinic warns Formaldehyde in our household and personal care products can irritate the respiratory system, cause skin reactions, and trigger heart palpitations.

The Harvard School of Public Health warns Formaldehyde can cause headaches, depression, joint pain, chronic fatigue, chest pains, ear infections, dizziness, and loss of sleep.

The California Public Research Group warns Phenol, which is used in most household disinfectants, can cause cancer, deactivate the sensory nerve endings, damage the liver, kidneys, and central nervous system.

HERE IS A LIST OF KNOWN TOXINS IN SOME OF OUR EVERYDAY PRODUCTS

Dove Beauty Bar : Quaternium 15 : (Formaldehyde) - Carcinogen. Causes cancer, dermatitis, neurotoxic, sensitizer-poisonious, irritant to the skin, eyes, and mucous membranes. Butylated Hydroxytoluene , (BHT) Carcinogen.

Johnson’s Baby Shampoo: Quaternium 15 : FD&C RED 40: Carcinogen, and causes dermatitis.

Crest Tarter Control Toothpaste: Saccharin: Carcinogen, contains Phenol Fluoride: Carcinogen If you accidentally swallow more than a pea-sized amount of this, you must contact the Poison Control Center immediately. This warning does not appear on the tube.

Tide & Cheer Detergent: Detergent : Can cause temporary respiratory tract irritation. Symptoms include stinging, swelling, or redness. Sodium Silicate : Can be corrosive. Can cause burns to the eyes and tissue damage to the skin, as well as cause burns to the mouth, throat, and stomach if swallowed. Sodium Sulfate : Corrosive, Severe eye, skin, and respiratory irritant. Can cause asthma attacks. Trisodium Nitrilotriacetate : Carcinogen

Clorox: Sodium Hypochlorite : Corrosive. Sensitizer: Can be fatal if swallowed. Eye, skin, and respiratory irritant. Especially hazardous to people with heart conditions or asthma.

Cascade: Sodium Hypochlorite: (see above) Sodium Silicate : Can be corrosive. Can cause burns to the eyes and tissue damage to the skin, as well as cause burns to the mouth, throat, and stomach if swallowed.

Fantastic, Formula 409: Butyl Cellosolve: Neurotoxic. Eye and skin irritant. Damages central nervous system, kidney, and liver. Readily absorbed through the skin. Damages blood and body’s ability to make blood.

Windex Aerosol Glass Cleaner: Butyl Cellosolve (see above) Isobutane: Neurotoxic

Lysol Disinfectant: Dioxin ; Carcinogen. 500,000 times more deadly than DDT Ethyl Alcohol : Eye, skin, respiratory tract irritant.

Details on the above data are available in “The Safe Shopper’s Bible” by Dr. Samuel Epstein, MD. & David Steinman. Macmillian, 1995. Lysol data from “The Environmental Health Newsletter.”

Formaldehyde is a highly toxic substance. It is a known cancer-causing agent. It damages the neurological connectors in the body. It is an irritant to the eyes, nose, throat and lungs and may cause:

*    skin reactions                             *     joint pain                                   *     phlebitis

* ear infections                            *     dizziness                                          *     fatigue

* headache                                    *     mental confusion                             *     vomiting

* depression                                *     sleep disturbances                *  nausea

* asthma                                       *     disorientation                                  *     laryngitis

Ø One in five people are sensitive to formaldehyde. Formaldehyde is commonly found in:

*     drugs                                        *     hair setting lotions *     waxes

*     mouthwash                                *     shampoo                          *     air fresheners

* hairspray                                   *     fingernail polish      *     fungicides

*     cosmetics                                    *     floor polishes               *    dry cleaning solvents

*     cleaning products                        *     toothpaste                    *      laundry spray starch

*     perfumes                                        *     antiperspirants           *     …just to name a few

DO YOU STILL WANT TO USE PRODUCTS IN YOUR HOME THAT CONTAIN FORMALDEHYDE?

Ø Due to the increase in toxic buildup in our bodies, including the toxic buildup of formaldehyde, dead bodies are not decomposing as fast as they used to.

• Bodies now start to decompose within 7 to 10 days after death.

• During the Vietnam War, Vietnamese bodies started to decompose within 24 to 48 hours. However, Americans didn’t start to decompose for 4 to 5 days.

• Twice as much formaldehyde was needed to embalm a person 20 years ago compared to today.

How many of these names would you have recognized as formaldehyde?

• Formalin                                    Fannoform*                                    Bfv*

• Methanal                                    Formol*                                        Fyde*

• Methyl Aldehyde                        Karsan*                                        Methaldehyde

• Methylene Oxide                        Formalith*                                    Methylene Glycol

• Oxymethylene                            Ivalon*                                            Oxomethane

• Formalin 40                              Formalin                                        Formic Aldehyde

• Hoch                                          Paraform                                        Lysoform*

• Morbocid                                    Trioxane                                        Polyoxmethylene

* denotes trade name

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