Parabens

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Consumers' use of pharmaceuticals, personal care products polluting rivers and oceans with toxic chemicals Mike Adams, the Health Ranger See article keywords and concepts

Consider parabens used in soaps, shampoos, moisturizers, and other personal care products. The EPA has reported that parabens -- methyl, propyl, butyl, and ethyl (alkyl-p-hydroxybenzoates) -- are endocrine disruptors. The EPA also stated "continual introduction of these benzoates (parabens) into sewage treatment systems and directly to recreational waters from the skin leads to the question of risk to aquatic organisms." Don't count on the Food & Drug Administration to protect you from parabens. For cosmetic products, safety testing is not required.

The Autoimmune Epidemic Donna Jackson Nakazawa See book keywords and concepts

Avoid cosmetics that include parabens (methyl-, ethyl-, propyl-, and butylparabens); phthalates; sodium laureth/sodium laurel sulfate; butyl/ethyl acetate; petrolatum; cocamide DEA/lauramide DEA; diazolidinyl urea; propylene glycol; toluene; synthetic colors and fragrances; and triethanolamine. Likewise, avoid using synthetic perfumes and cologne. Studies show that many perfumes and colognes often contain phthalates and parabens (both of which are known endocrine disruptors).

You Don't Have to be Afraid of Cancer Anymore Bill Sardi See book keywords and concepts

Researchers conclude that "it is biologically implausible that parabens could increase the risk of any male or female reproductive tract cancer. parabens pose less of a risk than mild estrogenlike molecules in the diet." [Critical Reviews Toxicology 35: 435-58, 2005] The public is often confused here because doctors often speak out of two sides of their mouth in regard to estrogen and cancer. For years doctors prescribed estrogen replacement for menopausal women, before research found that it slightly increased the risk for cancer.

Researchers conclude "// is biologically implausible that parabens could increase the risk of any estrogen-caused disease." [Critical Reviews Toxicology 35: 435-58, 2005] Despite this, once women hear of the potential risk of parabens, they may become phobic about their exposure to them while remaining unaware that the production of estrogen itself in the breast during post-menopause poses a far greater risk.

The Detox Strategy: Vibrant Health in 5 Easy Steps Brenda Watson and Leonard Smith See book keywords and concepts

But not only can they trigger allergic reactions and skin rashes, studies have shown that they are weakly estrogenic and can be absorbed by the body through the skin. parabens could be responsible for accelerating the growth of tumors in the breast. Because parabens are used in commercial deodorants, particularly antiperspirants, scientists are now considering a link between the use of common deodorants and an increased risk of breast cancer in women.

You Don't Have to be Afraid of Cancer Anymore Bill Sardi See book keywords and concepts

Journal Applied Toxicology 23: 285-88, 2003] Animal experiments that have found parabens to be dangerous have employed such unusually high doses of paraben never duplicated in human experience, that one wonders if these experiments have any application to human health. The estrogen-like activity of paraben is many "orders of magnitude less than estrogen" and is provided in doses far less than are other estrogen-like molecules in the diet (example: soy). Researchers conclude "// is biologically implausible that parabens could increase the risk of any estrogen-caused disease.

Golden Path Alchemy Launches Line of Truly Natural Botanical Skin Care Products Containing Zero Chemical Additives Mike Adams, the Health Ranger See article keywords and concepts

We do not use any parabens. We do not use any EDTA, anything at all. Everything that we use to preserve would be salt, sugar, honey and grapefruit seed extract. Mike: What motivated you to create a product line that is purely natural so that you can even eat it? Ashley: Well, a long time ago I started researching and finding out about all the toxic properties, constituents, and most of the products that I use, I did not even realize because I thought they were all natural. Then I threw everything away and I started to make a few of my own simple recipes.

You get it home, you are reading the ingredients, and there are all these parabens and chemical preservatives. It seems like almost half of the ingredients are not natural. It seems so wrong to call your products natural just because you use a few botanical ingredients. Mike: Yes, we see that a lot in the marketplace. Something will be labeled herbal skin care or the word "herbal" will be in it and it is only one herb. It is not even the main ingredient. It is still mineral oil based stuff many of the times. I find that outrageous as well.

You: Staying Young: The Owner's Manual for Extending Your Warranty Mehmet C. Oz., M.D. and Michael F. Roizen, M.D. See book keywords and concepts

And with deodorants, avoid phtha-lates, which are plastics used to help the fragrance stay on our skin and block endocrine function, especially in the male fetus. parabens, which are used as preservatives in these products, should also be avoided since they could be linked to breast cancer. Avoid air fresheners, which have gaseous chemicals like those found in moth balls, and the hockey-puck-shaped deodorants in urinals (for those readers lucky enough to frequent the male restroom). They can become toxic when combined with the ozone.

Consumers' use of pharmaceuticals, personal care products polluting rivers and oceans with toxic chemicals Mike Adams, the Health Ranger See article keywords and concepts

Don't count on the Food & Drug Administration to protect you from parabens. For cosmetic products, safety testing is not required. It is up to consumers to research ingredients and their effects. The Washington, D.C.-based Environmental Working Group (EWG) reports "An average adult is exposed to over 100 unique chemicals in personal care products every day -- these exposures add up." The EWG has created a database of ingredients and safety ratings for more than 14,800 personal care products.

Not Just a Pretty Face: The Ugly Side of the Beauty Industry Stacy Malkan See book keywords and concepts

Everyone agrees that parabens are cheap and effective preservatives, but the chemicals are also estrogenic and persistent. In recent years, many natural products companies have switched to alternative preservatives, using mixtures of benzoic acid, sorbic acid and bezyl alcohol, among other chemicals. To get the safest products, consumers ultimately may have to change some expectations. "When you walk into a room, does everybody really need to smell you? People have to get away from the idea that that's what perfume is," Bruce said.

The standard requires natural ingredients with a limited list of allowable synthetics; it rejects synthetic fragrances, dyes and petroleum products, as well as the commonly used preservative parabens. "If you don't get BDIH, don't even think about going to market in Europe" with a natural product, said Jennifer Barckley, public relations manager of Weleda North America. The Swiss-based company is the largest user of organic rose oil in the world, and the company meets its large demand for organic ingredients through fair-trade projects with farmers in several countries.

The Detox Strategy: Vibrant Health in 5 Easy Steps Brenda Watson and Leonard Smith See book keywords and concepts

Because parabens are used in commercial deodorants, particularly antiperspirants, scientists are now considering a link between the use of common deodorants and an increased risk of breast cancer in women. A woman is eight times more likely to develop breast cancer in the area of the breast closest to the underarm than in any other part of the breast. Diethanolamine (DEA), triethanolamine (TEA): As emulsifiers and/or foaming agents, these villains also can cause allergic reactions, eye irritations, and dryness of hair and skin.

Golden Path Alchemy Launches Line of Truly Natural Botanical Skin Care Products Containing Zero Chemical Additives Mike Adams, the Health Ranger See article keywords and concepts

You will see in the future definitely, for example, vanities that are refrigerated because with natural products you are not using chemical preservatives and parabens and such things. They will have a shelf life just as an apple has a shelf life. It has a certain amount of energy and then it begins to decay. When you keep your products refrigerated it helps them last a lot longer. I think that in the future you will definitely be seeing more products that do not have the chemical ingredients and stabilizers.

Not Just a Pretty Face: The Ugly Side of the Beauty Industry Stacy Malkan See book keywords and concepts

Davis said she is particularly concerned about products containing placenta, parabens preservatives, phthalates, formaldehyde preservatives and heavy metals as well as products marketed to young children that are contaminated with carcinogenic impurities. Her advice to women is "simpler is better" — use fewer products, choose products with fewer synthetic or unknown ingredients, and avoid hormonally active ingredients when possible. The news about environmental links to breast cancer is, ultimately, hopeful news: it means we can take collective action to reduce risk.

Big Tobacco joins breast cancer industry to launch new pink ribbon cigarettes (parody) Mike Adams, the Health Ranger See article keywords and concepts

Pink ribbons are also found on cancer-promoting nail polish and cosmetics containing parabens and other chemicals. Pink ribbon SlimSmokes will be sold at selected retailers, including Bad Breath and Beyond, a popular retailer of toxic home care products for consumers. Shareholders of a top chemotherapy drug producer, ConPfuzer, hailed the new product as a "milestone success for its shareholders and stakeholders," claiming the new cigarettes would simultaneously appeal to women while greatly increasing the demand for chemotherapy treatments of breast cancer tumors. The Susie B.

Not Just a Pretty Face: The Ugly Side of the Beauty Industry Stacy Malkan See book keywords and concepts

We decided that there was enough data on the danger of parabens for us to adopt the precautionary principle and eliminate them," though it wasn't an easy decision to switch out an effective ingredient. "People thought we were crazy to do that." There were initial difficulties — problems with products separating on the shelves and product returns, as well as challenges working with manufacturers who had to learn to do things differently — "but it's all been worth it," Morris said, "because now our manufacturers have an unbelievably diverse experience and a capability they didn't have before ...

Steinberg lectured the room about labeling products "parabens free" — "Our industry advertises that our products are not safe! We have to stop self-destructing!" The next topic — the "whitening trend in Asia" — highlighted the differences in the room. The FDA was threatening to ban hydroquinone, the highly toxic ingredient in skin lightening creams. What should the industry do? "If you want to continue skin lightening, someone has to produce data to show it's safe, otherwise it's going to go away as a category," said Rebecca Gadbury.

The Autoimmune Epidemic Donna Jackson Nakazawa See book keywords and concepts

Today, industrial food manufacturers have at their disposal an endless variety of chemical ways to preserve food, including benzoates, BHA, BHT, FD&C dyes, MSG, nitrates, nitrites, parabens, and sulfites. The final step in food processing is the addition of vitamins and minerals, to make up for what was lost during the initial heat-stripping phase.

The top five nutrients for healthy skin Mike Adams, the Health Ranger See article keywords and concepts

Use skin care products that are truly natural and contain absolutely no parabens, petroleum products or any ingredient you cannot pronounce. There are many quality skin care product companies to choose from. I currently recommend Pangea Organics (www.PangeaOrganics.com) and the Lluvia line from the Amazon Herb Company (http://amazondreams.amazonherb.net), which are made from rainforest botanicals and contain no artificial or chemical ingredients whatsoever. FULL DISCLOSURE: I have no financial connection with any of the companies or products recommended here.

The Autoimmune Epidemic Donna Jackson Nakazawa See book keywords and concepts

Studies show that many perfumes and colognes often contain phthalates and parabens (both of which are known endocrine disruptors). Instead, look for organic products that have joined the Campaign for Safe Cosmetics, such as the Body Shop, Burt's Bees, Kiss My Face, Aubrey Organics, Avalon Natural Products, and Terr Essentials. Or visit thinkbeforeyoupink.org for a list of companies that produce products that are paraben and phthalate free. AVOID DARK HAIR DYES. As we learned when we went through Becky's day, women who use dark hair dye have three times the risk of developing lupus.

Timeless Secrets of Health & Rejuvenation: Unleash The Natural Healing Power That Lies Dormant Within You Andreas Moritz See book keywords and concepts

One class of cosmetic chemicals are parabens, which have been linked to cancer. vitamin D through sunlight may decrease a person's risk of developing breast cancer by 50 percent and of developing colorectal cancer by more than 65 percent. To increase the precision and accuracy of the study, researchers used meta-analysis to pool data from multiple previous studies. They divided subjects into groups based on their blood levels of vitamin D and compared the incidence of cancer between groups.

You Don't Have to be Afraid of Cancer Anymore Bill Sardi See book keywords and concepts

Parabens and breast cancer... 225 Genes and breast cancer... 225 Preventive Mastectomy... 227 MAMMOGRAPHY Who's telling the truth about mammography? ... 227 Breast trauma from mammography... 231 Radiation exposure during mammography... 231 Certification of mammogram readers and imaging centers... 231 Breast self examination ... 232 Reliability of estrogen receptor tests... 232 PREVENTION Does prevention exist? ... 233 Phytoestrogen ... 233 Hormone replacement therapy ... 235 Phytoestrogens dismissed... 235 The bomb drops on hormone replacement therapy ...

Critical Reviews Toxicology 35: 435-58, 2005] Despite this, once women hear of the potential risk of parabens, they may become phobic about their exposure to them while remaining unaware that the production of estrogen itself in the breast during post-menopause poses a far greater risk. The point here is: women are being distracted by messages that point to estrogen-like molecules in the environment as a primary risk factor for breast cancer, when in fact these molecules are weak estrogens and pale next to the effects of hormone replacement therapy.

Safe Trip to Eden: Ten Steps to Save Planet Earth from the Global Warming Meltdown David Steinman See book keywords and concepts

For example, a label that lists preservatives such as any of the parabens (methyl, ethyl, butyl, or propyl), quaternium-15 (one of the leading causes of allergic reactions in cosmetics) or other quaternium-based compounds, diazolidinyl urea, imida-zolidinyl urea, methylchloroisothiazolone, or isochlorothiazi-line should signal to you that this is a product heavy on the petrochemicals and toxins you want to avoid. Any product that Contains mineral oil, petrolatum, propylene glycol, PEG compounds, or synthetic fragrances relies on petrochemicals. Get out of the dinosaur age now.

The Detox Strategy: Vibrant Health in 5 Easy Steps Brenda Watson and Leonard Smith See book keywords and concepts

As you apply makeup—foundation, blush, mascara, lipstick, and so on—you are exposed to parabens, which are believed to cause breast cancer and birth abnormalities; artificial colorants, which are suspected carcinogens toxic to the nervous system; triethanolamine, which is linked to cancer, allergies, and immune toxicity; and BHA, a chemical that may cause cancer, hormonal imbalances, and be toxic to organs and the immune system.

Not Just a Pretty Face: The Ugly Side of the Beauty Industry Stacy Malkan See book keywords and concepts

Some other simple shopping rules on my list: no synthetic "fragrance," no estrogenic ingredients such as parabens or placenta, and no false advertising claims of "pure and gentle" products that may be contaminated with carcinogens. These few guidelines, unfortunately, eliminate many personal care products on the shelves of mainstream stores. I don't think of it as a boycott, exactly — more like a "girlcott," which was another idea offered by Devra Davis. "Boycotts mean saying no. Girlcotts mean yes," Dr. Davis explained.

Best Choices From the People's Pharmacy Joe Graedon, M.S. and Teresa Graedon, Ph.D. See book keywords and concepts

It is not dissimilar to K-Y Jelly (glycerin, hydroxymethylcellulose, methylparaben), Astroglide (glycerin, propylene glycol, parabens), or Replens (glycerin, mineral oil, methylparaben). All of these drugstore products are designed specifically as vaginal lubricants. Although they are a bit pricier, such products are certainly worth a try. Corn Huskers is promoted as an oil-free hand treatment lotion. The manufacturer makes no claims regarding this "off-label" use. Do keep in mind that mineral oil, as found in Replens, could compromise latex condoms.

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ABOUT THE CREATOR OF NATURALPEDIA: Mike Adams, the creator of this NaturalNews Naturalpedia, is the editor of NaturalNews.com, the internet's top natural health news site, creator of the Honest Food Guide (www.HonestFoodGuide.org), a free downloadable consumer food guide based on natural health principles, author of Grocery Warning, The 7 Laws of Nutrition, Natural Health Solutions, and many other books available at www.TruthPublishing.com, creator of the earth-friendly EcoLEDs company (www.EcoLEDs.com) that manufactures energy-efficient LED lighting products, founder of Arial Software (www.ArialSoftware.com), a permission e-mail technology company, creator of the CounterThink Cartoon series (www.NaturalNews.com/index-cartoons.html) and author of over 1,500 articles, interviews, special reports and reference guides available at www.NaturalNews.com. Adams' personal philosophy and health statistics are available at www.HealthRanger.org.