Detox your bathroom…
where your shelves may well contain more toxins than your garage
Toiletries have had chemical origins since the first commercially-available shampoos. These chemicals have never undergone any safety checks and, amazingly, the manufacturing companies do not have to produce any data if a substance was on the market before 1981. And even products available in health stores and those touting themselves as ‘Fresh and natural’ may be equally guilty. Horrible thought!
Many of us consider chemical additives in foods, but never stop to imagine that what we put on our bodies might be equally – or more – toxic. Pause a minute to check the ingredients of your toothpaste, shampoo and shower gel against this list of toxins: Propylene Glycol, Sodium Laurel Sulphate (SLS), Toluene, Formaldehyde and Triclosan. At least four of them should belong only in your garage! SLS is a detergent often used as a highly effective engine degreaser; SLES is the alcohol-based form. And it’s found in just about all personal cleansing products. Aromatherapist Samantha Steward warns: “When combined with other ingredients, SLS can form carcinogenic nitrosamines. SLS penetrates the skin and eyes, and can be stored in the brain, heart and liver.” Why is it used? Because it’s cheap and gives lots of foam.
Samantha has more automotive comments about Propylene Glycol, used in hair products, make up and deodorants: “It’s also the main ingredient in brake fluid and anti-freeze.”
You’ll not find Triclosan in your garage, but you’ll discover it in a plethora of household products under ‘Ultra-Fresh’, ‘Bactonix’ and ‘Sanitized’, as well as ‘Total Care Toothpaste’, where it’s possibly most dangerous. An organochloride biocide, Triclosan is commonly referred to as an anti-bacterial disinfectant, added to handwashes, sprays and toothpaste under the guise that it ‘helps to fight germs’. Triclosan and SLS are also believed to be the direct cause of mouth ulcers and possible oral cancer. A far better form of bactericide is totally herbal Germa Clenz, which can be used as a mouthwash and oral spray, as well as for cleaning bathrooms and kitchen surfaces (available from www.oliveleaf.co.uk).
So what are the alternatives? First off, Samantha’s own hand-made products branded ‘It’s oil about you’, which contain natural ingredients and none of the artificial preservatives, perfumes or ‘moisturisers’ found in over-the-counter products. I’m currently road-testing her ‘face serum’, showergel and shampoo and am impressed. A wide range of excellent products, available direct from Samantha on Tel: 99 803808.
A new import to Cyprus from Australia, the Miessence brand of over 50 certified organic skin care products looks set to be a runaway success. Choose from simple toiletries like oral and shaving care; cosmetic products like foundation and lip balms and even household air fresheners. Miessence toothpastes, for instance, do not contain fluoride, aluminium, artificial sweeteners or detergents. For more information, call Sue Ashton on 99 194174 or visit www.pureproducts.mionegroup.com or the MLM parent site, www.mienterprize.com/?freeworld
Toluene and formaldehyde, also on my ‘garage list’, are two of 4,000 chemicals used widely in scents, body sprays and household deodorisers. Anything under the term perfume or ‘parfum’ may also mean ‘toxic’ and particularly phthalates, which have oestrogenic properties. Don’t just take my word for it: visit www.anousta.co.uk for full information. Linda Anousta has one of the best mail order companies in UK and a small but superb quality range of hand-made products. Terrific also if you want to organise a present for someone in UK!
There are actually over 20 potentially harmful ingredients commonly used by the personal care industry alone: e-mail me if you want the full list – [email protected] – or with any problems you’d like help with.
Your questions answered
Recently I had the reinforcing plate removed from my broken collarbone: what I should be taking now for bone re-growth and scarring? I’m in my late 20s.
Miss LP Nicosia
I’m sorry to hear of your accident: it must have been a severe break to warrant a plate. In real terms you need a good calcium supplement to help ‘fill in’ the screw holes where it was attached and Vitamin E both orally and in a cream or oil for the scarring.
BioCalth is a patented product in the form of Calcium L-Threonate which is highly bioavailable (more easily absorbed) and which delivers calcium more effectively to the bone where it stimulates the cells specialised to form osteoblasts – essentially, bone. This is the only product I know and would recommend – especially the powder sachets. Other calcium supplements derived from calcium carbonate are poorly absorbed, often resulting in an accumulation of calcium in the bowel and thereby constipation. Purchase mail order from www.biocalth.com or tel. 0044 1756 790009. Delivery takes about seven days.
Vitamin E: here in Cyprus we have the best! I have yet to find better formulations of this vitamin than the Yasoo brand – available in pharmacies. Nine products, specially formulated with the complete family of natural tocopherols and toconutrienols. My choice would be their Antioxidant factor – with CoQ10, B-vitamins and various minerals. If you are already taking the latter, opt for the 400/400. Yasoo Callisto Cr?me and Oil both provide an intensive skin treatment for reducing scars, stretch marks, age spots and other skin conditions.
Nikki Dake’s column runs every four weeks. If you have a question email it to her on [email protected] or Tel: 22 818585
