Should We Take a Closer Look at our Environment and Daily Choices?

There is not a day goes by that we are not reminded of the increasing rates of cancer. Funds, foundations and associations are raising money for research into the causes of all the various types of cancers. They are looking for the magic bullet (or drug) trying to find the "Cure for Cancer"

Has anyone taken the time to consider prevention? What about all the chemicals we are exposed to each and every day? Some chemicals have been shown to cause cancer in animals, such as several pesticides and some cosmetic ingredients are known endocrine disruptors. There are chemicals that have been tested alone, reported to be safe, but not tested in combination with other chemicals. We are exposed inadvertently by way of car and industry fumes, and the off-gassing from plastics, furniture, and car interiors.

Many exposures come from our own hands - from the cleaning products we choose to use. There seems to be enormous range of household cleaners, a separate one for every job. And each as toxic as the other; There is one for the kitchen, that 'cuts grease and kills bacteria' and one for the bathroom 'leaves tiles sparkling and kills bacteria' and a special one for the toilet to ' kill bacteria' Have you noticed a theme here?

Also advertised are several sprays for smelly rubbish tins! Has anyone considered emptying the bin instead of spraying a toxic chemical to mask the smell? There must be big business when you take into account the cost of producing ads for TV and magazines to make us feel insecure about our natural world.

We are bombarded with advice to make our homes (and cars!) 'germ-free' and 'fresh smelling' but we are endangering our immune systems with the onslaught of synthetic fragrances as well as chemical cleaners and germicides that kill the 'good' as well as the 'bad' bacteria. The body needs bacteria in the right balance, by killing bacteria we inadvertently kill the good ones, leaving an imbalance. In fact there are more bacteria in the human body than there are cells.

Then there are Personal Care and Cosmetic products. This subject is a particular favorite of mine! I have become obsessive about reading labels and researching the lists of chemical ingredients in the many products we apply to our bodies daily. Many women use as many as 9 products a day, exposing themselves to up to 126 different chemicals that can be absorbed directly into the blood stream. This is how nicotine and HRT patches deliver the medication.

A facial cleanser, body wash, toothpaste and shampoo are all likely to contain sodium lauryl sulphate or the more toxic sodium laureth sulphate or both! That is 4 applications of a chemical toxic to marine life, so that might give you an idea why you should avoid it.

Next, the body lotion, moisturizer, anti-age cream and foundation will possibly include Dimethicone and/or mineral oil/wax Dimethicone has been found to cause tumors in laboratory animals. Mineral oil and paraffin wax are from the petro-chemical industry. They coat the skin like plastic wrap, not allowing it to breathe or eliminate toxins. They slow skin functions and cell development, resulting in pre-mature aging. Alcohol is often added as an emulsifier. It dries the skin.

All these products will also contain preservatives. Some as many as 3 or 4. Paraben preservatives are widely used even though they are known to be toxic. In my reports is the quick, easy way to recognize these chemical preservatives. Access the reports from the link below.

Propylene Glycol is still a popular ingredient with manufactures of cosmetics. A petrol derivative, it penetrates the skin weakening cellular structure. The EPA warns against skin contact because of detrimental effects to organs such as liver and kidneys.

So ... back to the question, to help prevent cancer ... should we take a closer look at the many daily exposures to chemicals?

There is that old chestnut "Prevention is Better than Cure" and a few personal changes such as making informed decisions when deciding on the type of cleaning products used and switching to personal care and cosmetics with less, or better, NO chemicals could put us on the right track to avoid the accumulation of toxins in our bodies and the bodies of those we buy for.




Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Karen_Armitage