So Many [Unhealthy] Choices for Health and Beauty

We have a vast array of health enhancement, weight loss, and beautification products to choose from.  Unfortunately, most are detrimental to health.

How do you figure out what to use?  By becoming informed and reading the ingredient label before you buy. Let’s take a look at a few of the ingredients you should avoid.

Food ingredients:

Guaraná contains more caffeine than any other plant in the world so it is no surprise that products containing guaraná are sold as energy or weight loss drinks. The only problem is that caffeine reduces absorption of iron and calcium, which can contribute to anemia and osteoporosis. Caffeine also causes elevation of blood glucose, cholesterol and triglyceride levels, which contributes to metabolic syndrome and obesity.

MSG (monosodium glutamate) is a flavor enhancer and a neurotoxin meaning it overexcites your cells to the point of damage or death, causing brain dysfunction and damage. Studies also demonstrate MSG causes mice to eat more and gain more body fat. MSG goes by many names, with “natural flavorings” being one of the most common. Go to http://www.truthinlabeling.org for more information.

High-Fructose Corn Syrup, as the name states, provides a high amount of fructose that is metabolized directly into triglycerides to be stored in your fat cells, leading to obesity and obesity-related diseases.

Personal Care Products (PCP) and Cosmetics:

Of the thousands of toxic ingredients used to make beauty potions, we’ll take a look at a few endocrine disruptors. They increase or decrease production of certain hormones, disrupt hormonal signaling and mimic hormones, especially estrogen. They include:

BPA: linked to breast and other cancers, reproductive problems, obesity, early puberty and heart disease. Ninety-three percent of Americans have BPA in their bodies!  BPA lines food cans and is found in plastics and even on receipts.

Phthalates:  cause obesity, diabetes, thyroid irregularities, hormone changes, lower sperm count, less mobile sperm, and birth defects in the male reproductive system. Phthalates are in personal care products (and can be labeled as “fragrance”), plastic food containers, children’s toys, and plastic wrap made from PVC, which has a recycling label #3.

Parabens: used to prevent the growth of microbes in cosmetics products. As endocrine disruptors, they are known to cause development and reproductive problems. They are in facial and shower cleansers,shampoos, conditioners, and lotions.

You may be surprised to learn that the personal care product and cosmetic industry is not regulated, meaning that until an ingredient has been proven harmful via a lawsuit and subsequent investigation, anything is fair game.

Don’t be fooled by the misconception that if a product isn’t eaten, there can be little harm in using it. The fact is, our liver detoxifies most of the consumed toxins before our organs become exposed. Breathing in toxic chemicals from hair care products and perfumes allows direct contact of the toxins with the lungs and heart and then the rest of the body. Chemicals directly absorbed from the skin or scalp can also travel throughout the body via the blood stream.

It’s beyond the scope of this article to list all of the ingredient toxins that are detrimental to your health. A terrific resource is www.ewg.org. By educating yourself, you will be well on your way to reducing your risk of cancer, autoimmune and chronic diseases. 

The information provided is for educational purposes only and is not intended to be used as medical advice or as a substitution for medical care provided by a licensed medical doctor.