Is Your Home Toxin-Free?

[COUNTRYBUMPKIN]

Is Your Home Toxin-free?
by Mary Reid

According to the Environmental Protection Agency, "In just 26 seconds
after ANY exposure to chemicals, they can be found in every organ of
the body." If you want to see for yourself, just step on a crushed
garlic clove and see how long it takes before you taste it.

Therefore, it's time to take control of your own life by creating a
toxin-free home and a healthier, toxin-free planet.

Harmful chemicals within our homes include air fresheners, ammonia,
bleach, shampoos, dishwashing detergents, furniture polish, oven
cleaners and laundry room products.

On February 23, 1998, CBS's morning talk show, "This Morning,"
reported the findings of a study from the National Toxicology program
of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. It stated that
diethanolamine, when applied to the skin, resulted in clear evidence
of carcinogenic activity.

Diethanolamine is an ingredient in soaps, detergents and surfactants
and is found in more than 600 home and personal care products,
including shampoos and conditioners, bubble baths, lotions and
cosmetics. Could these chemicals and toxins be contributing to soaring
cancer rates and various health problems?

Propylene glycol, an ingredient used in anti-freeze, paints and waxes,
can also be found in cosmetics, toothpastes, shampoos, deodorants,
lotions and many more personal care items. The primary reason this
chemical is used is to retain moisture in products and make the skin
feel moist and soft. These questionable substances are used primarily
because they are plentiful and inexpensive. Using safer ingredients
would mean higher consumer costs.

While reviewing labels, be sure to look for sodium lauryl sulfate,
which is used as a surfactant to break down the surface tension of
water. One may wonder why many toothpaste labels caution one to call
an 800 "Poison Control" number if swallowed.

Obviously, we've only touched on a few harmful ingredients. What about
talc, alcohol and aluminum, a metal found in many deodorants and
anti-perspirants that is linked to Alzheimer's disease, the
fourth-leading cause of death among the elderly.

There is hope as American consumers are demanding safer products.
Because our bodies are 76 percent water and our cells are made up of
96 percent water, imagine the "fishbowl concept." As our bodies and
cells become loaded down with toxins, our "fishbowl water" becomes
cloudy and SICK. When our cells are sick, they don't work right. This
condition is called ACIDOSIS. According to experts, acidosis causes 97
percent of the American population's health problems. As you remove
this toxic fluid from your bodies and the "fishbowl water" is cleaned,
the body is able to carry more oxygen. More oxygen means more energy,
clear thinking and better overall health.

We call it pH and it is measured on a scale of 0 to 14, with 7 being
the neutral point. pH (potential for hydrogen) actually determines how
acidic or alkaline a substance is. When too much acid accumulates in
the body, it acts as a poison. The body has to deal with the acid
overload. If one's body is too acidic, the body will borrow minerals
such as calcium, magnesium, potassium and sodium from vital organs and
bones to neutralize and remove the acid. pH is measured by sampling
your first morning urine, prior to eating, drinking or exercising
using litmus paper or pH strips. This will determine the actual pH of
the physical body.

Saliva pH testing actually takes into consideration our emotional
state. Because the skin is the largest organ of the body and the
largest excretory gland, it's very important that the pores are not
clogged from using soaps made from animal fats, oils and waxy
residues. Disease, according to many, is simply trapped toxins that
result in unwanted symptoms. Some symptoms of acidosis include skin
conditions and rashes, weight gain, allergies, fatigue, mood
disorders, sugar metabolism, and urinary and respiratory problems.

There are products on the market that work together as a system to
cleanse the body both internally and externally. They raise the body's
pH while removing toxins from the body and can be used as personal
care products as well as everyday household cleaners. Can you imagine
no more chemicals and toxins in your home or laundry? Let's treat the
cause rather than the symptoms.

As products containing harmful toxic chemicals are removed from our
homes, our planet is safer for future generations. According to a
five-year study released in 1988 by the EPA, 50 percent of all illness
is due to poor indoor air quality affected by indoor chemical
concentrations that affect primarily infants and toddlers, the elderly
and the chronically ill. Could this be the reason that women who work
in the home have a 54 percent higher death rate from cancer than women
who work outside of the home?

Of the chemicals found in personal care products, according to a 1989
U.S. House of Representatives report, 884 are toxic, 146 cause tumors,
218 cause reproductive complications, 314 cause skin and eye
irritations and 314 cause biological mutations.

Just because a product is sold on store shelves doesn't mean it's safe.


Copyright © 2005 Mary Reid. All rights reserved.
March 2005

[QuilterMom]

Thank you! I read labels and avoid all those!!!!!

[jlxian]

What common name brand products (like shampoo, toothpaste, and detergent) are good guys or bad guys?

[QuilterMom]

As far as common name brands.......... none of them. Do you have a health food store in your area? Go there and do some label reading (yes, even read the labels in the health food store - just because they sell it doesn't mean it has the "good" ingredients).

[Mamawolf]

I recently switched dog food from this. My Pedigree (not only was it made from CORN) contained Propylene Glycol... What sense does that make??

[Guest1]

Thanks for posting this....very timely for our family indeed....