Toxins in your Washing detergent



The Birth of Laundry Detergents
During WWII, the fats and oils that were used to make soap became scarce because they were being used instead to manufacture nitro-glycerine for explosives, and so another chemical source for cleaning agents had to be found. We were finding petroleum all over the place by this time, and scientists discovered that they could make thousands of new chemicals from this petroleum, including what they called detergents. Detergents soon became a regular household item because there was no alternative during WWII.

Petrochemicals, which are the synthetic chemicals made out of petroleum, are found in the ingredients on laundry detergents such as fragrance, phthalates, artificial colors and NPEs.Corporate Brain ‘Wash’
Detergents are still much cheaper to manufacture than true soaps, and marketing has ensured that a majority of the population is absolutely convinced that detergents are safe to use. Would you be surprised to learn that the vast majority (greater than 80%) have never been tested? And the majority of the others have been tested only by the manufacturer and not an independent testing laboratory?

Hidden Ingredients
What’s even more disturbing is that they are not legally required to list their ingredients on the labels. While these chemicals may not be on the label, recent studies show many of them to be proven lethal toxins. They build up in your skin, and may cause many serious health problems such as asthma, autism, infertility, allergies, and even cancer.

The Filth within a Clean Scent
When shopping for cleaning products, what is the first thing you look for? After considering the price, you want to know what it smells like. You may think you are choosing between spring blossoms and mountain rain, but you might actually be sniffing formaldehyde and inhaling at least one carcinogen (cancer-causing agent).

The EPA reports that formaldehyde causes cancer in animals and may do so in humans. In addition to severe allergic reactions, this gas can also irritate your respiratory system and cause nausea. It is nauseating indeed to think of how often we are exposed to these fumes while doing laundry and wearing clothes that carry the scent.

Not only are the fragrances harmful, but the carriers of fragrance (phthalates) show adverse effects on reproductive health. The Environmental Working Group notes that phthalates cause deformities in the testicles of exposed male animals, while Women’s Voices for the Earth reports that phthalates may harm male children and reduce sperm count. This chemical pollutes the air and water while increasing your risk of developing liver cancer.

If you are wondering why companies use such harmful ingredients for fragrance, the answer is simply money. Natural fragrances, such as essential oils, are costly in comparison to synthetic fragrances.

The flowery perfumes escaping your wash cycle may smell pleasant, but they may trigger asthma in your children and cause the development of new allergies.

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Mind-altering microbes: Probiotic bacteria may lessen anxiety and depression

Image
Professor John Cryan, Alimentary Pharmabiotic Centre, University College Cork (Credit: Image courtesy of University College Cork) ScienceDaily (Aug. 30, 2011) — Probiotic bacteria have the potential to alter brain neurochemistry and treat anxiety and depression-related disorders according to research published in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences. The research, carried out by Dr Javier Bravo, and Professor John Cryan at the Alimentary Pharmabiotic Centre in University College Cork, along with collaborators from the Brain-Body Institute at McMaster University in Canada, demonstrated that mice fed with Lactobacillus rhamnosus JB-1 showed significantly fewer stress, anxiety and depression-related behaviours than those fed with just broth. Moreover, ingestion of the bacteria resulted in significantly lower levels of the stress-induced hormone, corticosterone. "This study identifies potential brain targets and a pathway through which certain gut organisms can alte
Read more

Probiotics Fight Cancer, Colds and Constipation

Image
It may not surprise you to hear that probiotics can reduce constipation (Italy, Amenta et al. 2006). But what may surprise you, is that probiotics play a role in cancer. They have been shown stimulate production of anti-cancer chemicals (Hatakka et al. 2008). The probiotics, Lactobacillus casei, have also been shown in Tokyo to reduce the risk of bladder cancer, depending on frequency and dosage (Ohashi et al. 2002). Numerous probiotics have been shown to fight viruses such as colds, the flu, rotavirus, herpes and ulcers. In New Delhi, 100 children ages 2-5 were given L. acidophilus for 6 months. These children have fewer incidences of colds, flu, diarrhea and fever than the placebo group (Saran et al. 2002). In Japan, Bio E has conducted several studies in hospital in the Philippines & South East Asia that has shown remarkable improvements & shortened days of recovery on children using Bio-15 & Biogenics MD probiotics.
Read more

GMO Sweet Corn - Buyers Beware!

Image
Monsanto and the EPA swore that the genetically engineered corn would only harm insects. The Bt-toxin produced inside the plant would be completely destroyed in the human digestive system and would not have any impact at all on consumers, they claimed. Alas, they’ve been proven wrong on that account as well, because not only is Bt corn producing resistant “super-pests,” researchers have also found that the Bt-toxin can indeed wreak havoc on human health. Bt-Toxin Now Found in Many People’s Blood! Last year, doctors at Sherbrooke University Hospital in Quebec found Bt-toxin in the blood of: • 93% of pregnant women tested • 80% of umbilical blood in their babies, and • 67% of non-pregnant women The study authors speculate that the Bt toxin was likely consumed in the normal diet of the Canadian middle class—which makes sense when you consider that genetically engineered corn is present in the vast majority of all processed foods and drinks in the form of high fructose
Read more