Toxic Tuesday

Baby Powder Toxins

Yes, Baby Powder contains Toxins!

It was shocking news several months ago when a judge had found a well-known company guilty of Baby Powdercausing a 49-year-old woman’s fatal ovarian cancer. The cancer was linked to her daily use of baby powder. There was a brief panic and shock, and then most people seemed to forget and the same baby powder still sits on shelves today, and used by many.

What’s the situation?  Why is that same powder sitting on popular store shelves with an unchanged formulation?

There is still a debate, that has been taking place since 1971, over whether or not there is a link between talc and cancer. Despite various studies, a concrete link has been hard to find.  A variety of studies that do in fact show an increased risk, but never a double blind study to eliminate other possible factors.  Cancer links aside-it has been proven that if the powders are used on sanitary pads or in the genital area, that the particles have been found inside the body within 30 minutes.

What is in baby powder?

Most baby powders contain two ingredients: Talc powder and fragrance. Both of those ingredients are considered toxic.  (link: http://www.cancer.org/cancer/cancercauses/othercarcinogens/athome/talcum-powder-and-cancer ) Many Talcum powder suppliers added warnings to their products a decade ago. Surgical gloves have stopped being “dusted” with it. Baby Powders have not yet followed suit. Unfortunately sometimes it takes too much time for studies and safety regulations to catch up. Remember when everyone wanted antibacterial soap? Now we know better, but are still awaiting it’s complete removal from the store shelves and company formulations.

Do we need baby powder?

You won’t find any in my house these days, but if you want an alternative there are plenty! An easy, cheaper and safer alternative:

Arrowroot Powder.

Add a few drops of Lavender Essential Oil 

Store in a jar with a shaker top out of reach of children.

(Inhaling powder is dangerous no matter the type!)

 

Hand Sanitizer Toxins

Toxins in Hand Sanitizers Create a Bigger Problem

The crisp fall weather means those first colds and the paranoia of germs. Hand sanitizer is everywhere! We want to stay healthy and prevent the spreading of germs but is coating our hands in hand sanitizer actually Toxins in Hand Santizerthe answer?  Personally I stay away from them. I am blessed with a decent immune system, built on four kids worth of germs and having taught preschool for 19 years.

Having searched high and low, I can’t find a single one that contains NO sketchy ingredients. Even those on the safer end of the EWG rating scale, all include some less than perfect ingredients.  I find very few situations where there is no place to wash my hands or a nice scrub with the kids wet wipes won’t accomplish enough for me to get by. Since that is not the case for everyone, let’s look at the best possible scenarios.

What to avoid

First and foremost avoid Triclosan. The FDA has recently banned 19 ingredients, including Tricolsan however the new regulations do not include hand sanitizers or wipes. Starting  January 2017 it is banned in Minnesota products. It HAS been proven to cause thyroid and hormone disruption in animals. A major pitfall is that it takes 1 minute for Triclosan to kill germs. Most people do not wash their hands or use hand sanitizer for an entire minute so the effectiveness has not quite weighed in.

Ethyl Alcohol: This is what kills the germs. It also enhances the absorption into the skin of other chemicals. (So take note if you are using one that contains Triclosan). Unfortunately for your skin it also dries out the natural oils. Making your skin dry enough to have cracks would increase the ability of germs to get in. An alarming observation? Adults have shown to have alcohol in their blood stream after using large amounts of hand sanitizer. Children have never been tested.

Isopropyl alcohol: This is a known neurotoxin with a 4 rating on the EWG site.

Fragrance: Fragrance is that one tiny word that may contain any of up to over 3,000 ingredients including phthalates. Many are toxic and have never been tested for safety. (Essential oils will be listed as essential oils, not as fragrance) Fragrances rate an 8 out of 10 on the toxic scale!

Amino methyl propanol: Shown to be an endocrine disruptor and having respiratory effects.

Tocopheryl acetate. This is a tricky one for consumers. Tocopheryl is Vitamin E. However-this ingredient is vitamin E with an added acetate group now making it a 4 on the toxicity scale and certainly not as natural as vitamin E.

Propylene glycol: An ingredient found in antifreeze, processed foods, and cosmetics. It can be irritating to the lungs, skin and eyes.

Solutions

For my family, I opt for washing hands when possible as a first choice. A second choice is pulling out the water wipes (at least we are getting the dirt off right?) Last choice when needed is my DIY hand sanitizer.

Disclaimers:  Judgment call: If we are at the local farm and there is no running water I will opt for my hand sanitizer over theirs before we eat. If my child were sick in the hospital I would likely take my chances with the toxins and use theirs. Obviously my DIY hand sanitizer has not been tested for how much bacteria it can kill, nor have any others from what I can find.  Essential oils have shown to have natural antibacterial, antiviral and anti fungal properties. Tea Tree has been tested in clinical studies (link to study https://nccih.nih.gov/health/tea/treeoil.htm).

There are MANY variations to this recipe and you can add and tweak as you like.

1/4C of Aloe Vera Gel

1 tsp of Witch Hazel (omit if you wish to keep it alcohol free or if using on children under 2)

15 drops of Germ Destroyer

10 drops of Tea Tree Oil

½ tsp Vegetable Glycerin

½ tsp of Vitamin E.

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Antibacterial Soap Toxins

Antibacterial Soap Toxins are Worse Than You May Think

Summer is winding down, which leads us to fall and back to school.  Back to school advertising and products seem to be aimed at fighting germs. It is inevitable when putting groups of kids in a classroom, children are bound to get sick. Enter the antibacterial wipes, hand sanitizers and soaps.Antibacterial Soap Toxins

No one wants to be sick, so you hit Target and stock up…but are you keeping yourself and your children healthy? Your skin is your body’s largest organ and it absorbs everything we put ON it as well as IN it.  What does that mean for us when using antibacterial soap?  75% of liquid soaps and 30% of bar soaps contain Triclosan.

What is Tricolsan?

Tricolsan is a chemical that studies have shown actually promotes the growth of bacteria resistance.  Bacteria resistance means it is more difficult for our current antibiotics to do their job when needed. One study showed 80% of people tested had urine that contained Triclosan.

Does it Get Worse?

In addition, Triclosan creates a toxin by the name of Dioxin.  Dioxins are known to disrupt thyroid, the endocrine system, and are labeled as a human carcinogen.   These problems can lead to infertility, artificially advanced early puberty, obesity and cancer.  Children with prolonged exposure have shown to have a higher chance of developing allergies and hay fever as well. Washing your hands or your body with these daily adds up to a lot of toxin exposure we can avoid easily. Triclosan is also toxic to aquatic life, so help our environment by not washing it down the drain.

Can it be avoided?

What’s the solution? The solution is easy. You CAN buy safer hand soaps that do not contain Triclosan.  Studies have shown that scrubbing with soap and running water for at least 20 seconds is as effective at removing dirt and bacteria without toxic consequences. (Children can be taught to sing the song happy birthday 2x for timing purposes).

EWG safer soap options: Safer Soap Options

Other places you may find Triclosan: Toys, clothing, kitchenware, furniture, body washes, toothpastes, and some cosmetics.

For more information regarding common toxins in your products, view our free toxin checklist: Checklist

 

E-Cloth – Does It Work?

We put the E-Cloth to the test, and think you will love the results!

A few weeks ago I was sent an E-Cloth as a gift from one of our Instagram followers. This was sent as a thank you for the information we have been providing on our page.  That alone made my day to hear another wonderful E-Clothmessage of how we are helping with sharing of information and the products we have chosen to offer.  To be clear, nothing was asked in return, it was just a thank you.

Several days later the cloths arrived at my house.  My first thoughts, I didn’t expect to be overly impressed with what a dry cloth (wet with water to clean) would do for me.

The First Test

Our skincare products are oil based, so my shower needs a good scrub periodically.  Generally I opt for baking soda with lemon essential oil, vinegar, a scrubby sponge and some elbow grease. Figuring this was the perfect test, I went to work. Adding nothing but water to the E-Cloth, I was shocked when I got my shower perfectly clean.

More Results

Next, I tackled the minivan, after it took a several day road trip with four kids, food, muddy feet and bathing suits.  Took the dirt right off the seats (leather FYI). Later in the week I used it on counters etc. Each time I was equally impressed with its ability to clean!

So Where’s the Catch?

There has got to be a catch-I figured if I researched enough I would find that there is some sort of toxin or chemical involved in this “magic.” I did my research. NOTHING. Rave reviews and reports.  Clinical testing done by the internationally accredited Silliker Group has proven it to remove 99% of bacteria including E. coli and Listeria using just water. Crazy! More good news? It has a 300 wash guarantee! That replaces endless paper towel waste, toxic sponges, cleaning chemicals and more.

What can you use it on?

Glass

iPads, phones and other electronics

Stainless steel

Appliances

Granite (not Matt)

Tile

Sinks

Toilets

Wood and furniture

Leather

Upholstery

(There is a separate cloth for windows that gets amazing reviews!)

Normally we do not do reviews.  I was not asked to review this product, but since it fit perfectly into our standards of toxin free and environmentally friendly cleaners I wanted to share it with you for a Toxic Tuesday. I highly recommend adding it to your cleaning team!

Link to E-Cloths:

http://www.milkallergymom.com/2013/01/e-cloth-allergy-friendly-store.html#!/c/0/offset=0&sort=normal

 

Facial Toner Toxins

Facial Toner Toxins Can Do More Harm Than Good

Before I started making my own, I never used toner. In hindsight, I am glad that I was skipping what would have been anotherFacial Toner Toxins bunch of toxins applied daily, but it does have it’s benefits (so long as it’s toxin free).

So what does toner actually do for your skin?

Toner’s job is to balance the pH levels (an abnormal pH can promote bacteria growth and make our skin more susceptible to infections and wrinkles), remove dead skin cells, dirt, oil and traces of cleaner left behind.  Toner will help temporarily minimize the appearance of pores when used between cleansing and moisturizing.

What is in a Facial Toner?

Unfortunately the majority of toners will contain synthetic ingredients. Toners specific to oily skin will likely contain salicylic acid, and benzyl alcohol. Both of these ingredients are neurotoxins and skin irritants. In addition most will contain phthalates if they have a fragrance and parabens as a preservative. Some even contain synthetic colors!

So what is the solution?

Can you live without toner? Yes. However-this DIY recipe along with our skin care moisturizer has my skin clearer than it has been since I was about 12.  Before you jump to conclusions and click off the page-let me assure you that you will not smell like vinegar!

Apple Cider vinegar  (raw unfiltered) is antibacterial and anti-inflammatory. It can help treat acne and reduce redness for those with oily skin. For those with normal and dry skin it can help reduce wrinkles and exfoliate.

Recipe:

2TBSP Raw unfiltered organic Apple Cider Vinegar

4TBSP witch hazel or filtered/distilled water (I use witch hazel)

Several drops of essential oils (good choices are Sandalwood, Frankincense, Lavender or Tea Tree)

Store in bottle. Shake. Spray onto cotton ball and apply. Moisturize as usual.

Shop Face Moisturizer

 

The Problem with Reusable Shopping Bags

Are Reusable Shopping Bags Still Creating a Problem?

Plastic bags are not good for the environment and never decompose.  Being more Earth conscious, those were replaced with reusable shopping bags. Are these really helping the environment? We are preventing more plastic from ending up in landfills.

So what is the problem with reusable bags? The majority of the brightly colored bags you have are made from polypropylene plastic.  This is not considered one of the “worst” plastics, polypropylene is “known to leach chemicals that are suspected of causing cancer or disrupting hormones.” Do you want your fruit in that? Probably not. Reusable Shopping Bags

Non-canvas bags are not completely washable, leading most to test positive for bacteria (12% tested for E-coli, others for Salmonella). If you leave these bags in a hot car, bacteria multiplies, making them up to 10 times more unhealthy for your food. Lead, a known neurotoxin, and other toxic materials were found in the majority of bags tested. The more colorful bag you have, the more lead your bag contains. A black plastic insert at the bottom of your bag contains a higher level of lead as well.

Several years ago, a number of bags tested over the allowable limit for lead, were pulled from store shelves. However, the problem has not been solved. These bags still contain toxic materials and can never be recycled, which means they are still filling and polluting the landfills.

The best current solution is using a canvas bag. Canvas bags coming from China may contain higher levels of lead, so read your label before you swap out one toxin for another.

So what about your children’s lunch boxes. Are THEY safe? Since it is unlikely your child is transporting raw meat, the contamination factor goes down. There are a number of lead free options available. Here is a website with some helpful links for selecting a new lunchbox for your child this school year!

http://safemama.com/cheatsheets/safer-lunch-gear/

Make life easier, know what’s in your products!

 

Toxins in Carpet Fresheners

What Toxins are in your Carpet Fresheners?

If you have carpets chances are that is one of the main places you are sitting, laying and playing with your children. Children themselves spend most of the time sitting and playing on the floor.

You want your carpets to stay clean and healthy, which is often a feat in itself if you have pets or children. There are many carpet deodorizing powders on the market to “help” with this solution. But are they Toxins in Carpet Cleanershelping or hurting?

Carpet deodorizing powders are meant to be completely vacuumed up after application. Unfortunately, the powder or its residue can easily be left behind.  It may have sunk too deep into the carpet fibers, meaning that even high-powered vacuums won’t be able to pull it out.  Carpet deodorizers contain many unsafe ingredients linked to lung damage, kidney damage, nervous system damage, hormone disruption and blood disorders along with probably carcinogens. Chances are they also contain a lot of “fragrance.”  Fragrance is the protected trade secret of as many as 3,600 ingredients, many of which are toxic or have never been tested for safety. Once the residue has been left behind it will continue to be inhaled.

Sometimes you still need a solution for your carpet and the smell it has acquired. Like many safe cleaning ingredients, baking soda is your answer.

  • Grab a glass jar;
  • Fill it with baking soda and some drops of a deodorizing essential oil.
  • Sprinkle on your carpet (this works best in a shaker/salt jar) let set.
  • Vacuum.
  • Your carpet will be safe and smell amazing, and no one will be inhaling toxins.

 

Toxins in Eyeliner

Toxins in Eyeliner?

You want everything you put on your body to be as safe as possible knowing that those ingredients do get absorbed into your skin. So what’s lurking in your eyeliner?

Carbon Black. What is it? Often labeled as D & C Black No.2, acetylene black, channel black, furnace black, Toxins in Eyeliner lamp black or thermal black. It has been identified as a carcinogen.  Concerns include cancer, and organ toxicity. Reading your label can help you avoid that one. Sadly, there is a larger problem.  Testing has found levels of heavy metals such as arsenic, lead, mercury, beryllium and nickel in all the products analyzed. You will not find these on your label since they are considered “impurities” and are not intentionally added.

If you really love your eyeliner you can still find brands without the Carbon Black in them.  The more toxins you eliminate the less that can accumulate in your body. If you aren’t doing anything special-skip it that day! The fewer toxins you put into your body the safer you are!

 

Dealing with Weeds Without the Toxins

Non-Toxic Weed Killer?

Weeds, the never ending battle between time and a good looking yard. Garden or not, they pop up Garden weed poking through the groundeverywhere, especially when we are really busy or company is coming over. Not everyone has the time to spend pulling weeds, and we all want quick solutions so we can get back to enjoying our families and free time.

The concerning number of harmful chemicals that offer quick solutions ‘weed killers’ are not worth the harm they place on ourselves, our families, and the environment. Those on the market these days contain glyphosate, which is toxic and linked to cancer, birth defects, reduced fertility, miscarriages and Non-Hodgkin lymphoma. Polythoxylated tallowmine, the substitute, tests to be even more toxic.

So what’s the solution to having a nice yard and staying free from harm?

  • Weeds can be pulled easily after a rainstorm when the ground is still wet.
  • Cover them! Some cardboard or newspaper blocking adequate sunlight will eliminate them in a few Weed Killer Alternativesdays!
  • Pour boiling water or vinegar on them. Vinegar will change the PH in the soil, so be cautious in garden beds.
  • Weed killer recipe: 1 gallon of vinegar, 1 cup of salt, 1TBSP dish soap (be careful! This will also kill your grass so spray accordingly!) You will still need to pull the weeds, as the roots are still alive.
  • Learn to be okay with them-after all, the dandelion is not a bad plant!

 

Learning why the weeds showed up in the first place is another way for prevention. Dandelions thrive at a pH level of about 7.5, so this is a sign to lower the pH. Clover and medic signal that your lawn may be nitrogen poor, and needs compost or a nitrogen. You can get an inexpensive soil testing kit that can tell you what your soil needs. In addition, Corn Gluten is a great natural way to control weeds in your lawn. Just look for a certified organic and non-GMO.

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Toxins in Sunscreen

Toxins in Sunscreen

☠Toxic Tuesday☠
Sunscreen comes with a lot of misconceptions and sometimes a lot of toxins ☠
People often think an SPF 30 means you can stay out twice as long as with an SPF 15. ☀️☀️The fact is an SPF 15 protects against 93% of UVB rays while SPF 30 provides 97% protection. Anything above a 30 is considered a maSunscreen Toxinsrketing ploy. 😔

SPF ratings only includes UVB rays. You should look for a sunscreen that also states “broad spectrum”, and contains titanium dioxide or zinc oxide for UVA protection.
The general issue is most people do not apply enough sunscreen for proper coverage, nor do they reapply often enough. (Every 2 hours and after getting wet!) Read your labels, apply generously and reapply often!✔️

Sunscreen with Moisturizer

☀️Does it matter which you apply first sunscreen or moisturizer?❓❓❓

The answer is yes!✔️