For the third quarter I read the third section or part of the book. This time the primary topic of discussion was regarding ‘Personal Care and Apparel.’ This section included chapter’s 11 and 12 which expanded from page 149 to 189.
The overall main topic, as I mentioned, was about personal care products and apparel so each chapter tied into that category. Chapter 11 focused on Skin and Hair, and chapter 12 focused on clothing.
After reading the third section of the book I would have to say there were 3 main pieces of information I found to be most significant and surprising.
1. By stearing clear of products from bottles of personal care products with the term 'fragrance' imprinted on it you may protect you and your family's hormonal system. This is due to fragrance being composed of a hormone-disrupting chemical, phthalates. Fragrance is also the number one ingredient in personal care products associated with allergic reactions. When companies use the term 'fragrance' it allows the companies to unlabel or 'hide' components of synthetic scents. Surprisingly, even bottles that include the word 'natural' by itself are meaningless without a reliable third-party certifier's seal. This is because toxins such as lead and mercury are originally 'natural,' even though they have been altered for the product. The best way to avoid exposure to any of these products would be to, when shopping, look for the personal care products to contain a gold green standard label 'USDA Certified Organic.'
2. When it comes to personal care products it seems I am always looking for a new product to try, especially when it comes to purchasing moisturizer. Unfortunately, a number of moisturizer products include synthetic chemicals, which may cause cancer and hormone disruption. This is a little terrifying when it comes to moisturizing the skin because chemicals may be readily absorbed through the skin and eventually make their way into a person's bloodstream. Some great plant-derived products that may be readily available and won't empty the wallet include oil preservatives such as aloe vera, rosemary, and olive oil. Please avoid products that include petroleum-derived preservatives, including parabens.
3. I always knew that purchasing less new clothes was good for the environment (demand goes down), however, it never really dawned on me that you could purchase eco-friendly clothing. It seems a good portion of clothes are made from cotton, the most popular natural fiber, though, also in the top three slots for having pesticides sprayed on the crop (after corn and soy). Another product we often hear used in clothing is polyester. Unfortunately, polyester leaves the biggest greenhouse gas footprint and consumes the most energy. A great new product clothes are being manufactured from is bamboo. Bamboo grows at a considerably fast rate and is constantly being renewed and when used for clothing has a smooth feel to it. The next time you go clothes shopping take an extra moment to read the label. Shirts that include hemp, organic cotton, recycled cotton or wool, or bamboo are considerably eco-friendly.
New Terminology - definitions and information provided in the link
It's kind of scary to think that "fragrances" can disrupt your hormones. Thanks for bringing up this information. I feel like this is something I would have never known otherwise.
ReplyDeleteIt seems like our books kind of go in the same order! My chapters for this Read & Seed included personal care products as well. I had no idea that there were so many unwanted chemicals in cosmetics and soaps. I am definitely looking at the labels of my stuff from now on!
ReplyDeleteThat seems really scary about the moisturizer! Moisturizer goes deep into the pores of your skin to block out all the other harmful things when it actually is letting in something that can cause so much harm. SCARY!
ReplyDeleteI didn't know that a number of moisturizer products include synthetic chemicals that may cause cancer and hormone disruption. Now on, I will read the label on the product before I buy it.
ReplyDeleteMy mom would always try and tell me that sometimes certain products I use may lead to cancer. I never really believed her or thought much about this so it was interesting and a bit scary to read some of this information.
ReplyDeleteIt is scary that these companies can "hide" whats actually in these products. This will make me think twice when buying personal products.
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