Integrative Health Blog

Finally! Better Choices in Personal Care Products

Posted by on Tue, Aug 28, 2012

Have you heard the welcome news?

Last week Johnson & Johnson reiterated it’s pledge to slowly phase out the toxic ingredients used in their baby product line by the end of 2013 and announced that it will also reformulate their adult personal care products which include Lubriderm, Aveeno and Neutrogena products, by 2015.

A large coalition of health and environmental groups, called The Campaign For Safe Cosmetics started calling for the removal of several dangerous and possibly carcinogenic chemicals from personal care products in 2009. Formaldehyde, 1,4 dioxan, triclosan, phthalates and parabens are just a few of the “chemicals of concern” according to the Environmental Working Group who is part of that coalition. Their website, www.ewg.org/skindeep contains a database of 75,000 personal care products that they have rated from 0-10 for toxicity levels.

The FDA does not test personal care products for safety - they rely on the individual companies to do that.

Personal care products fall under the “cosmetics” label, which includes deodorant, lotions, make-up, oral hygiene products and more.

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Tags: natural options, plastics, integrative health, toxins

Holistic health: Are we being harmed by everyday products?

Posted by on Wed, Jul 07, 2010

by Dr. Beals

Chemicals commonly found in cosmetics, shampoos and lotions, have been found to adversely affect the delicate hormonal balance of adolescent girls. Three classes of chemicals, phenols, phthalates and phytoestrogens can cause early puberty in young girls, potentially setting them up for more serious hormonally related diseases in the future. These chemicals, especially those detected at highest concentrations were shown to have a relationship between hormones, development, neurotransmitters mood and sleep disorders.

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Tags: plastics, hormones, holistic health, integrative health, integrative medicine

Holistic health: The Problem with Plastic

Posted by on Wed, Mar 17, 2010

by Cathy Scoblionko, NP
By now many of you have heard about the controversy around Bisphenol A, or  BPA, an estrogen-like plastic used in products we are exposed to every day in products from pesticides, flooring, and flame retardants to baby bottles, water bottles and eating utensils. It has been used increasingly since the late 1800's and its estrogen -like qualities have been suspected and researched since the 1930's.
Recently, the FDA has questioned the safety of the compound in humans. Bisphenol A strongly attaches to estrogen receptor sites in the body. One of the concerns is hormonal disruption and increased estrogenic effects on males of many species, not just humans. Also of concern are the possible links to insulin interference, changes in brain chemistry and the immune system and the list goes on.
The compound is pervasive in the environment and is likely to remain so for many years. We can expect agencies and people on both sides of the issue to continue to publish conflicting data. The biggest challenge that I see is avoiding exposure. Regardless of how safe or unsafe plastics turn out to be, they have no place in the human body. They are not nutrients or beneficial to our metabolism so there is no reason for them to be there. Since it seems incredibly difficult, if not impossible, to completely avoid exposure, what should one do to prevent absorbing too much into the body?
Here are some tips:
• Use as much glass for food storage as possible.
• Avoid disposable flatware.
• When using disposable dishes, use paper rather than Styrofoam.
• Ask for paper or cardboard take-away containers from restaurants.
• When buying products in plastic containers or wrap is unavoidable, transfer to glass before storage.
• Buy and eat organic food.
• Drink filtered water.
• Eat fresh or frozen foods avoiding canned foods.
• Wash hands after handling plastics- be alert as this includes CD's.
• Use only glass in the microwave (if you must use the microwave at all).
• If you can taste or smell chemical compounds from the food container, take it back.

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Tags: BPA, plastics, holistic health, integrative health, integrative medicine