PERSONAL PRODUCTS

EAT RIGHT RECIPES

You will find some great recipes here at
21st Century Newz.
These recipes are not all
low fat and low calorie.
All are lower fat and
lower calories than
the average recipe.
So even though this is
not the celery or carrot
stick that most "diets"
would have you
eat ... these recipes
are healthy alternatives
to the average diet!

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TOXIC BEAUTY

Is there a connection between the serious health problems we face today and the toxic chemicals in our shampoos, skin care, makeup, toothpaste, deodorants, hair dye, household cleaners, dishwashing, and laundry, products?

Our skin is by far the largest organ and the cosmetic and personal care industry is doing it great harm, using a number of common ingredients that are (or can be) cancer-causing agents (or just plain dangerous). Because the skin is permeable, such ingredients harm not only the skin itself, but can penetrate into the body, causing internal damage as well.

"Every day we use products that we think are safe - we assume the product has been tested and any dangerous ingredients labeled. The truth is, products are not always safe". A GAO (Government Accounting Office) document says that "....a cosmetic manufacturer may use an ingredient or raw material and market the final product without government approval."

A manufacture can use any ingredient approved by the FDA. But ...even though a ingredient is approved its use in cosmetics may not be the best use. SLS (Sodium Laurel Sulfate) is one of the best examples. Here is what several experts including the FDA have to say about it.

SLS can damage the immune system; causing separation of skin layers and inflammation of skin.
	*-Journal of the American College of Toxicology; Vol. 2, No. 7, 1983*
SLS penetrates into the skin and into the eyes, and is also held in the brain, heart and liver. A single drop stays in the brain and body for a few days - Doctor's worry: Is your baby safe?
	*-By David L. Kern, New health and longevity*
SLS is a mutagen. It is capable of changing the information in genetic material found in cells. SLS has been used in studies to induce mutagen in bacteria.
	*-Higuchi, Araya and Higuchi, school of medicine, Tohoku University: Sendai 980 Japan*
SLS is a potent carcinogen when contaminated with a nitrosamines.
	*-FDA Report 1978* DID YOU KNOW THAT ALMOST ALL SHAMPOOS HAVE SLS AS THE MAIN INGREDIENT AND.....THAT INCLUDES BABY SHAMPOO, BODY WASH, BUBBLE BATH, AND TOOTHPASTE.

During our daily personal care regimen, most of us have exposed ourselves to more than 200 different chemicals, and often the same dangerous chemical in multiple products. A recent surge of media attention reveals new concerns about detrimental ingredients that are affecting our physical health. An article in USA Weekend says: "The EPA is increasing research on dozens of synthetic chemicals (pesticides, plastics, and industrial pollutants) that may be juggling your hormone signals. After reviewing nearly 300 studies, the EPA concluded that ingredients in shampoos, dyes, and other everyday products may be playing havoc with hormones that control reproduction...". READ MORE

Consumers must be educated and aware that there are hundreds of toxic chemicals used in personal and skin care products; we have chosen some of the worst offenders to describe below. If you learn about even these few and start reading ingredient labels, you can avoid some of the most serious carcinogens and hormone-disrupting chemicals. Please take action now for the health and well being of your family. More government regulation is not the answer. If they regulate the cosmetic industry it will put small business that are producing really good healthy alternative products out of business. Education is the answer! The FDA has imposed labeling regulations and if we do our homework we can regulate the industry by our buying habits. Everything the government tries to regulate seems to get worse. Take a little responsibility and run your own life instead of hoping that the government does it for you.

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