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The other day I was browsing one of my favourite research sites www.ewg.org and I came across their list of Safe Shopping Tips for skincare. It is a useful list but I thought that it could be added to and so here an extended version of the Safe Shopping List from the Environmental Working Group:

1. Avoid the most toxic ingredients in skin care. These are the especially problematic ingredients such as formaldehyde, phalates, artificial fragrances, parabens, Diethanolamine, 1,4-Dioxane, mercury & lead, triclosan, nanoparticles, petroleum byproducts, hydroquinone (skin lightener), coal tar and so on.
   

   Chemicals in Skin Care

2. Use fewer products. On average women use over 14 personal care items a day. I know I am one of them. The reason I don’t mind using so many is that they are all natural and mostly organic so I am not exposing myself to harmful chemicals. However if you are using conventional skin care, it might be wise to either cut down on the number of products you use. By cutting down on the number of chemicals contacting your skin every day, you will reduce any potential health risks associated with your products. Alternatively you can change over to natural & organic skin care as you run out.
3. Read labels. Be aware of greenwashing. Marketing claims on personal care products are not well regulated in Australia, and can mean anything or nothing at all, including claims like organic, natural, hypoallergenic, animal cruelty free, and fragrance free. Read the ingredient label carefully to find evidence that the claims are
   

   Olive Oil Soap

   true. If in doubt ask the manufacturer or retailer for proof of label claim.

4. Use milder soaps. Soap strips away the dirt and oil build up on the skin. Strong soaps or those containing ingredients such as SLS can further disrupt the acid mantle and slow the skin’s pH recovery time, which can lead to increased skin sensitivity. Choose soft soaps such as those based on oils – olive, hemp, castor, rice bran etc
5. Reduce the use of dark hair dyes. Many contain coal tar ingredients that have been linked to cancer in some studies. Alternatively do the research and find a hair dye you like that contains no formaldehyde, phalates, ammonia or coal tar. They are available. See my blog on non-toxic hair dye.
6. Avoid using baby powders or talc; A number of ingredients common in powder have been linked to cancer and other lung problems when they are inhaled. In addition standard talc products are a potential source of lead, which is linked to brain development issues in young children. Choose clay-based powders instead.
7. Choose products that are artificial “fragrance”-free. Fragrances are the number one cause of allergic skin conditions and irritation. They are also a primary source of phalates, a toxic chemical that has even been found in the placental blood of newborn babies. Be cautious – products that claim to be “fragrance free” on the label may actually contain masking fragrances that give off a neutral odour. Read the ingredient label to make sure. Alternatively, choose products that only contain natural essential oils.
8. Reduce your use of nail polish. It’s one of the few types of products that routinely contains ingredients such as formaldehyde and phalates, both of which have cancer-causing potential. Choose non-toxic nail polish such as Zoya. Paint your nails in a well-ventilated room and avoid the use of acetone based polish remover.

I would love to hear if you can add any other safe shopping tips when it comes to skin care. Or if you have had any adverse reactions to skin care of any type, conventional or natural.

Reference: www.ewg.org

Each fortnight a box of organic fruit and vegies is delivered to my door. I love this arrangement because a. it means I don’t have to go to the shops as regularly (I hate going to the supermarket and generally avoid it when possible) and b. it is organic! This fortnight the box contained peaches and nectarines, which I have been enjoying immensely. As I was eating my organic peach this morning I felt especially good because I remembered that peaches are on the Dirty Dozen List, a list of fruit & veg most affected by pesticide contamination. The other fruit & vegetables on this list include (most affected to least):

1. Peach
   

   Strawberries have the potential for a higher pesticide load

2. Apple
3. Capscicum
4. Celery
5. Nectarine
6. Strawberries
7. Cherries
8. Kale
9. Lettuce
10. Grapes
11. Carrot
12. Pear

While I momentarily felt ok because I was eating an organic peach I realised that my other favourite fruits are also on that list, namely cherries (cannot share them with anyone) and nectarines.  There are some alarming statistics and facts bandied around about pesticide contamination:

• If you eat the 12 most contaminated fruit & vegies, you consume an average of 10 pesticides a day
• Washing or peeling fresh produce reduces pesticide residue but it does not eliminate it.
• Conventionally grown produce contains less nutritional value than organically grown produce

Reading all of this I felt a bit glum so I did a search to find out if there was any produce that wasn’t unduly affected by pesticide residue. At one of the best resources I have come across, www.ewg.org, I found the answer which cheered me immensely. Eating from the list below minimises pesticide ingestion significantly (around 2 pesticides daily and less if washed).  So my new resolution is to ensure that when I buy conventionally grown produce, I will choose from the list below:

1. Onion (from least contaminated)
   
2. Avocado
3. Sweet corn
4. Pineapple
5. Mango
6. Asparagus
7. Sweet peas
8. Kiwi
9. Cabbage
10. Eggplant
11. Papaya
12. Watermelon
13. Broccoli
14. Tomato
15. Sweet Potato

How does this relate to skin care? Well the pesticides, herbicides, synthetic chemicals, petrochemicals we eat, inhale

How & Why we choose our products

or absorb all contribute to our overall toxic burden. The more burdened our body’s are, the harder it is for them to get rid of all the toxins and waste byproducts which are either stored or eliminated via alternative pathways such as the skin. In those with skin conditions, reducing the overall toxic burden by eating whole foods, choosing organic where possible and using natural skin care & cleaning products can help improve the condition of the skin. For those that just want to improve their wellbeing, it is also a good idea.

Do you eat any organic produce and if so how important is it to you and your family. Is it as important as using organic skin care? I would love to hear your comments.

Propylene Glycol is a humectant and humidifying agent. This ingredient is generally used in brake fluid, anti freeze, laundry detergents, paints and floor wax. It is also used in the cosmetic industry and in some foods to keep products from melting or freezing in extreme temperatures by maintaining a balanced moisture content. Propylene glycol is on the US Food and Drug Administration’s list of ingredients which are Generally Recognized As Safe (GRAS) and is recognized by the World Health Organization as safe for use.

Despite its GRAS status there are a growing number of grass roots claims that propylene glycol is an inappropriate ingredient for cosmetics and food. This is largely due to the material safety data sheet (MSDS). An MSDS is a safety disclosure which instructs manufacturers and shippers on proper procedures for handling ingredients, for treating accidental exposure, and for cleaning up spills. An MSDS does not indicate how the ingredient will react when combined with other ingredients, and the effects of exposure to any hazardous substance depend on the dose, the duration, how you are exposed, personal traits and habits, and whether other chemicals are present. However the MSDS can be used as a guide of the ingredients potential for hazard.

The material safety data sheet for propylene glycol states that it is “implicated in contact dermatitis, kidney damage and liver abnormalities; can inhibit cell growth in human tests and can damage cell membranes causing rashes, dry skin and surface damage”. The concentrated form of the ingredient can cause temporary reddening, stinging or swelling when it comes in contact with the eyes or skin. Propylene glycol is a petroleum plastic that can easily penetrate into the deeper layers of the skin potentially weakening cellular structure.

These indications do not mean that a product formulated with the ingredient will have irritating properties but that it could. Due to the potential for Propylene glycol to weaken cellular structure it is likely that people with a propensity to sensitive, easily irritated or damaged skin are more likely to be affected. However, it is probably best to avoid any cosmetic ingredient that has these risk factors as there are always safe alternatives.

If there is any good news it is that the MSDS for the propylene glycol contains no indications of carcinogenicity or chronic exposure effects and

Babies & young children are most susceptible to chemical exposure

tests both in humans that have worked with this substance and animals have confirmed this. However, these tests don’t take into account exposure to babies, children or the effect on babes in utero all of which are more susceptible to toxic exposure than adults.

Fortunately there are good natural alternatives to propolene glycol and in this author’s opinion synthetic ingredients should always be avoided where possible. Look for natural skin care products that contain alternatives.

’Our children will ask…. What were our parents thinking? Why did they produce toxic chemicals and then put them in and on our bodies? Were they so arrogant to think that our bodies would not be affected?’
– Dr Sarah Lantz (PhD)

Chemical Free Kids: Raising Healthy Children in a Toxic World is a powerful read. Powerful in the way that it clearly lays out the links between the chemicals we are using on our kids and ourselves and the health implications they have. Powerfully motivating as it makes us aware of the issues and drives our choices away from toxic chemicals. And lastly powerful because it is educates so we can make informed choices for ourselves and our children.

Researched and written in Brisbane by Dr Sarah Lantz (PhD), Chemical Free Kids addresses the following issues:

• What are Chemicals?
  

  Chemical Free Kids

• What makes chemicals toxic?
• How do they get into the human body?
• What are the health and behavioural impacts on kids and young people?
• Why are kids particularly susceptible to chemicals?
• How do we currently measure chemicals and determine their safety?
• What are the consumer assumptions that we make?
• What are the alternatives?
• What we as a society, community, and industry can do about it?

Chemical Free Kids: Raising Healthy Children in a Toxic World brings together compelling research that includes interviews with Australian families with kids who have been affected by environmental chemicals revealing how toxic chemicals in the environment play a critical role in our children’s everyday health and wellbeing – food additives; personal care products; over the counter and prescription drugs; household cleaning product; etc. In a practical sense, Chemical Free Kids: Raising Healthy Children in a Toxic World teaches how to read labels and identify toxic and harmful ingredients leaving parents more empowered in asking the right questions about what is going into their kids’ bodies. Through her research, knowledge and experiences, the author of this book, Dr Sarah Lantz, brings new insights into a world of toxicity and related diseases caused by environmental chemicals that have gone relatively unnoticed for a long period of time.

Editor’s Note: Chemical Free Kids is aligned with my own thoughts about toxic chemicals in skin care…I take a precautionary approach which is that I avoid all known toxic chemicals and taking this a step further, avoid synthetic and artificial chemicals of unknown toxicity and choose instead natural and organic alternatives. In all honesty, the only products that I can’t find 100% natural or organic alternatives for are nail polish and hair dye. So I have found the best alternative, non-toxic versions of these products, which I have to say I am happy about because I am not ready to go gracefully grey (and I love nail polish)!

I would love to hear your comments about using non-toxic skin care. Do you agree, disagree or just don’t care? Or is it just that you can’t find a good natural alternative for your one favorite product?

An article from the UK Telegraph reported on a recent survey which found that women typically use up to 13 products on a daily basis, most of which contain more than 20 ingredients, including additives. This statistic is alarming particularly if you consider that many of those chemical have long-term toxicity issues. The article went on to say that the biggest chemical offenders are perfumes which contain an average cocktail of 250 ingredients, with some containing as many as 400.

Upto 400 different chemicals, most if not all of them synthetic

Another issue is the trend in ‘aluminium free’ deodorants, many of which contain additive ingredients that have been linked to cancer, hormone problems, skin conditions and allergies. I actually discussed this in a recent video blog about deodorant use.

How many cosmetics do you apply daily?

The report also found that lipstick contains on average 33 ingredients, body lotion 32, mascara 29, and the purest product, hand moisturiser, 11. Now it is not to say that all of these chemicals have issues and if they are 100% natural or certified organic, then long term toxicity shouldn’t be an issue at all. But we have certainly come a long way from the basic “wash and go” routine of old. When I counted up what I applied daily it was quite a long list:

In the morning I use: face wash, treatment face serum, moisturiser with SPF 30, eyecream (sometimes), deodorant, body moisturiser with SPF 30, hair wax and if going to work I also add perfume, mineral make up, mascara and lipstick.

In the evening I use: face wash, treatment face serum and eyecream.

Then sometimes I add in: a mask or exfoliant, eye shadow and non-toxic nail polish.

I count 14 products a day as average which surprised me. Fortunately I only use natural and organic products so I feel good about what I put on my skin.

The key thing to consider to remember is that a certain percentage of whatever we put on our skin will be absorbed. It then has to be broken down and detoxified by the body. The body has a harder time processing and eliminating synthetic chemicals than it does natural ones. This is because in the scheme of things, our body’s have only been exposed to synthetic chemicals for the last 60 years or so and this isn’t long enough for us to adapt to this onslaught. Decrease the toxic burden on your body by reducing synthetic chemical use around the home in these ways:

• Use natural cleaning agents. At our centre our wonderful cleaner Dean Martin (Cleantastic) only uses citrus based
  

  Natural Cleaning Products

  cleaning agents. He made this choice to reduce his exposure to cleaning chemicals and we benefit as a result.

• Choose to incorporate organic foods where you can. The best choices to make are the foods you consume most often e.g. dairy, tea, red meat, fruit & veg. Even if you just change one food group, you will be making a difference to your long term health.
• Make your own garden fertilisers and pesticides. There are some really great and easy ways to reduce pests and improve the health of your garden at the same time. Greenfoot blog is a wealth of information for those wanting to go the organic way.
• Choose natural and organic skin care

I would love to hear how many products you use every day and if you are happy with your choices. Tell us also the ways you reduce your toxic load. As always, I love to hear from you.

More on deodorants and sweating…

This post is actually a response to a comment on the blog Aluminium & parabens in deodorant – no thanks! and it raised an issue I have often come across -  some people sweat a lot regardless of temperature and deodorant use. It can be frustrating as not much seems to help and the sweat marks on shirts can be embaressing. This question is from one of our readers:

In my experience; I sweat at lot, all the time and all year round. Generally exhausting myself, hot & humid temps, but also, oddly enough, being in quite cold air conditioning makes me sweat under the arms (which I find strange). So there is nowhere to run!

I have tried almost everything and I can’t find anything that works too well, luckily I end up smelling like the deodorant I use & I don’t pong. I am using Redwins at the moment, it is okay I guess, waiting for it to dry on my skin is sometimes inconvenient. Rexona is crap, it’s like spraying talc and breathing it in too much is not pleasant either, I’m sorry I bought it in the first place.

I am also wondering, can clothing affect the smell of your sweat? I find if I am wearing my favourite shirts, that I’ve worn quite a lot, the fabric tends to get a quite pungent stench under the arms and it’s not nice. Quality of the fabric? Pesticides from the cotton?? I am not sure. Have you heard of this before?

Thankyou for sharing your wisdom!

In response, I replied:

Sweating year round, even in airconditioning is not as uncommon as you might think. From a naturopath perspective it is generally related to sympathetic nervous system dominance and can be managed or at least minimised by supporting the parasympathetic nervous system. To do this effectively it is worth seeing a naturopath just in case there are underlying factors that are contributing to sympathetic NS dominance. In my case (yes this was a problem for me in the past) Buteko breathing helped because it pushes the body into parasympathetic drive and these days I only sweat when the weather is hot. Buteko breathing is also good for stress and low grade anxiety.

Underarm Sweat

Excess sweating can also be related to electrolyte inbalances that affect the water distribution in the cells leading to too much extra-cellular fluid (water outside the cells) and not enough intracellular fluid (water inside the cells). Using quality electrolyte drinks such as Endura in moderation can assist with correct fluid balance and minimise sweating. This is particuarly important if you sweat a lot in hot weather or after exercise.

From a nutritional perspective stimulants such as coffee and sugar will make the sweating worse so having a low GI diet certainly helps. Nutrients that support the parasympathetic nervous include choline, vitamin B5 and B1. The Lemon Detox Drink is an excellent source of choline and is a good way to increase your levels.

Sweating is not necessarily linked to body odour. As with the reader above  sweat doesn’t necessarily smell strong, however, over time clothes will retain a smell that is difficult to get rid of.  Body odour as opposed to sweating can be related to a diet high in animal products, particularly red meat. Cleansing your system by reducing red meat, doing a detox or using chlorophyll will help signficantly reduce body odour.

With regard to your clothing, yes the materials your clothes will affect the smell. Bamboo and synthetics can be particularly bad. Hot water washing (although not as environmentally sound) for the items of clothing in particular will help. Of course wearing loose cotton clothing can also help.

Deodorants, even anti-perspirants don’t generally help a great deal. I used to just go for one that smelt nice as like you there was no smell just the sweat. That is why I love the Lavera Wild Rose Spay – it smells like Rose perfume!

Helpful Hints:

I found a couple of ehow entries about how to remove sweat stains and how to remove odour from clothes

If you have any personal experience, things that have worked or other questions about this or any other topic please let me know.

This is a special bulletin because I’ve just partnered up with an associate of mine and her team at Outrageously Healthy. Their mission is to help as many people on the planet as possible, live their best life. One way they do this is by finding the most outrageously healthy experts to interview and bring those live interviews to people like you at no cost!

And guess what? I am this week’s Expert! I will be interviewed by Lenore and you can listen in live either by phone or webcast this Friday 23rd of October at 9am (Brisbane time). To gain access to this call and to all future expert calls just go to http://www.outrageouslyhealthy.com/rep/anandamahony.html and sign up for their Free Ruby Membership when you do you will also receive a gift from Lenore and the Team the MP3 ‘Feeling Great for No Good Reason’. The call details will be emailed to and a reminder sent a few hours before the call.

So come join us and learn about my favourite Outrageously Healthy topic this week, I can’t wait to hear you on the call.

Have an outrageously happy healthy week till then,

Ananda Mahony
(here is me looking excited about the interview!)

http://www.outrageouslyhealthy.com/rep/anandamahony.html

The ‘rediscovery’ of traditional cold pressed soap making methods has lead to the production of many various shaped, coloured and scented soaps that have a soft, creamy lather and are delicious to use. In this video blog I discuss how these soaps are made, the benefits of them over standard commercial soaps and syndet bars and review Dr Bronner’s Organic Shikakai Body Soaps.

To read more about Castile Soap click here.
To view Dr Bronner’s Organic Shikakai Body Soaps click here.
To view our range of Natural Hand Made Castile Soaps click here.

In the last 2 week I have had numerous queries about the use of nanoparticles in sunscreens. Nanoparticle is a general term that is used to describe substances and process that are smaller than 100 nanometers (nm). The nanoparticles used in sunscreens are from 20 to 30 nm making the zinc oxide or titanium dioxide invisible to the naked eye. Unlike traditional zinc oxide products which can leave an opaque white coat on the surface of the skin, nanoparticles rub in clear.

The issue with the use of nanoparticles in sunscreens is that when exposed to

Use of nanoparticles is associated with potential skin damage

UV light (sunlight) the ingredients produce dangerous free radicals, cause DNA damage and cell toxicity. In addition, research suggests that the penetration of nanoparticles is greater when skin is damaged or thinner eg. eczema, acne, sunburnt skin, babies and the elderly. While is no clear outcome as to what this means for human skin however, the likely outcome is ongoing damage.

Research is ongoing, however the above information does suggest we should treat nano-sunscreens with extreme caution until we know they’re safe. At this stage no labeling is required for nanoparticles in cosmetics. To set your mind at rest, our Third Stone Botanicals and Devita products with sun protection use micro particles of zinc oxide or titanium dioxide. Micro particles are considered safe as they do not penetrate the skin surface.

See the video blog below for more information about the difference between nano and micro particles and how to avoid nanoparticles in your cosmetics.

For more information and a full report go to Friends of the Earth.

I love paw paw ointment but haven’t used it for years. The brand I used to use I found out contained petrochemicals as a base so I stopped using it all together. Recently however a couple of natural brands have popped up and I have been trialling them to see how they compare to the original. Of those natural brands I have done a comparison below and interestingly while I love the Pure Nutraceuticals product which we stock, the Suvana Paw Paw Ointment is really good too. For this reason, you will see it in-store soon! (Ed note: I is now in-store and on-line)

My video blog about Pure Nutraceuticals Paw Paw Ointment