The use of chemicals is part of our lifestyle. Often we come in contact with potentially harmful and toxic chemicals. Most people get affected by these chemicals because of their carelessness and inability to accept the danger.
To accept the threat means taking measures or preparing for it. And since most people are happy being languid, they are also oblivious to the toxicity caused to their health by these chemicals.
The health effects of these chemicals are pretty unsettling; they are especially a threat to women’s health because women in the house use those most frequently.
1. Health hazards of toxic chemicals
Toxic chemicals can cause infertility, breast cancer, asthma, congenital disabilities, and other serious illnesses. Approximately 298 environmental chemicals are under the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention watch. Most of these chemicals are part of the products used in the house every day.
Compared to the US, the EU has banned more than 992 cosmetic products due to harmful chemicals. Given the lax behavior of the regulators and the leniency of the national laws, most manufacturers don’t even show the complete ingredient lists on the label. Even scary is that what you buy as natural and organic may not be as harmless as they state. So do they have proper measures taken to ensure that the products are free of harmful chemicals? Well, that is when a toxicologist comes in. This part of the manufacturing and development is incomplete without having a toxicology measure on board.
You might be tempted to search “what is toxicology” and how it affects chemical products’ development. To answer the question, every organization must have a team of toxicologists to ensure that hazardous chemicals do not become part of the products. These experts know how much chemical can be added to a product before making it unsafe for people.
So, what can you do in the backdrop of this scary situation? How can you avoid and save yourself from toxic chemicals in your daily life? You can do a lot in your house to avoid harmful chemicals. But it does not mean to sweat about every product you use and start avoiding everything. It is overwhelming and impossible. But you can avoid the chemicals that significantly affect your life. Here are some ways to do so.
2. Avoid perfumed products
Most of you avoid perfumed products because of asthma or other respiratory issues. But fragrance added to your daily use products is harmful to everyone regardless of their health status. These perfumed can penetrate through your skin and enter the bloodstream. Scent certainly makes the product more desirable, but having those means buying health hazards for yourself.
Fragrance chemicals are carcinogenic, skin and respiratory irritants, and hormone disruptors. Unfortunately, the word “fragrance” often hides this cocktail’s authentic ingredients. A company may be hiding hundreds of toxic chemicals under the veil of adding fragrance to the products. The issue is that companies are not legally bound to disclose the ingredients that make their unique fragrance, as it is often considered a trade secret. Since the problem is too complicated for the consumer to simplify on their own, it is better to avoid fragrance-containing products.
3. Avoid products containing phthalates.
This chemical is used to make fragrances; it makes the scent long-lasting. There is no restriction currently to stop the use of this chemical, though it is associated with a myriad of health concerns, including developmental issues and reproductive problems. The presence of phthalates is another reason to avoid fragrances and fragrant products. The Center for Disease Control America states that this chemical is present in the bloodstream of many Americans, highest quantities present in women. Phthalates can also be found in some plastics. One way to avoid them is to avoid plastic with recycling codes 3, 6 & 7.
4. Make your own cleaning products at home.
Cleaning products used in the house have many chemicals that you may not be aware of or might not find even in the ingredients list. So, why buy something that you are not sure of. Besides, you can make your cleaning products at home. The Internet has a sea of resources offering you various recipes for making cleaning products for every part of the house. For instance, you can have a quick search, Google “bathroom cleaning products recipe” or “how to make kitchen sink cleaner?” and find many different options to consult. They are mostly easy to make, effective, and more economical, as you can find most of the ingredients already present in the house.
5. Check the labels before you buy your personal care products.
Personal care products’ labels have a long list of ingredients. You may not know about the efficacy and health effects of all of them, but you can surely make an effort to avoid the most toxic ones. Look for chemicals like parabens, oxybenzone, and sodium Laureth sulfate. Sodium lauryl sulfate and sodium Laureth sulfate are used in products meant to create a soapy effect. These products can make dense soapy suds that are often taken as brilliant cleaning agents. In reality, sodium lauryl sulfate is associated with eye and skin irritation, reproductive toxicity, organ toxicity, endocrine disruption & ecotoxicology.
Go for products made with natural extracts of various plants and herbs. Moreover, use as few products as possible. The more products you hoard, the more is the chance that you will buy something damaging to your skin.
Products with dyes
Dyes that give green, blue, yellow, or other colors to the products only give the illusion that the product is more effective. For instance, a strawberry flavor shampoo with a reddish-pink dye may provide the perception that it contains natural strawberry extracts. Dyes do not increase the product’s efficacy; they make it look more appealing to the customers. It takes approximately 25 chemicals to produce one synthetic die. Dyes are also made with coal tar or contain lead, so it is better to skip the product if it is not colorless.
Conclusion
Evading the use of chemicals in your house is not as difficult as you might have thought initially. However, you will have to make an effort to read the labels and avoid products that contain toxic chemicals. It would help to read online blogs and articles that enlist what products and chemicals must be avoided and how to locate them in the ingredients lists.
