image courtesy of: Rachel Carter, http://www.flickr.com/photos/raggle/
For this week's assignment, we are blogging about potential risks associated with chemicals found in common personal and household products. Before I let you know what household product to be wary of, I want to inform you of two chemicals to be more aware of. Maybe you've heard the word Methylparaben tossed around in conversations but never really knew what it was. Methylparaben is a chemical that destroys fungus and is an antibacterial agent so naturally is used in products to extend shelf-life. There are plenty of risks associated with this chemical that is commonly found in cosmetics products. The scary thing about this chemical is that it seeps through the skin when applied on the surface, and escapes out of our intestinal tract spreading into our bodies. This chemical has actually been found whole within breast cancer tissues. Researchers even "suggest that Methylparaben may increase risk of breast cancer, or accelerate the growth of these tumors." It has been suggested that because Methylparaben behaves like estrogen in the body, the "parabens can cause decreased sperm production and motility"(motility meaning the ability for sperm to swim properly toward an egg.) So maybe if you and your partner are trying to conceive, you might want to try staying away from products that list this chemical as an ingredient!
Source:http://www.livestrong.com/article/21581-dangers-methylparaben/
Paraffins (a by-product of petroleum) are also chemicals that should be checked for on labels. Parrafins have multiple uses such as coolants, lubricants, plasticizers, and as flame retardants. What's concerning about this chemical is the growing alarm "over the prevalence and health risks of short-chain chlorinated paraffins" so much that Paraffins now hold "a prominent spot on the Environmental Protection Agency’s short list of chemicals that pose an unreasonable risk to our health and the environment." The use of Parrafins is widespread and at high volumes, so much so, that it's found in "human livers and breast milk, plastic and rubber products, the fat tissue of freshwater fish and marine mammals, and the water and wastewater of four continents: North America, Asia, Europe and Antarctica". Scientists have found that the chemical is toxic to some aquatic animals and that it "can cause cancer and liver, thyroid and kidney damage in some mammals. Paraffins accumulate in tissues, prolonging our exposure and worsening the effects."
source:http://www.motherearthnews.com/nature-and-environment/epa-investigates-paraffin-risks.aspx
I took a look at the ingredients in my Aveeno Shave Gel (which I l-o-v-e) and unfortunately for me, it contains Methylparaben!All is not lost! You can still have the silky smooth legs you desire because there is an alternative to using harmful chemical laden shaving creams! The easiest option would be to switch to a natural ingredient shaving cream like "Crave Your Shave". You could also make your own homemade shaving cream:
http://everydayroots.com/homemade-shaving-cream
You would think waxing would be one solution but common wax used in hair removal actually contains the chemical Paraffin as I talked about earlier but there are a few natural ingredient waxes to be found. Some salons actually offer a more eco-friendly wax consisting of only sugar, lemon, and honey. You could even make the wax at home!:
http://tipnut.com/body-sugaring/
The process of using this wax with cloth strips is called "sugaring", I have yet to try it but my sister has made her own and says its not as painful as regular waxing. Of all the alternatives the one I'm most excited to try is the homemade shaving cream.
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