Cinco Vidas

Think you can freshen the bathroom air a bit with one of the many air fresheners on the market? Well, it may help the room smell better, but the fumes it creates aren’t worth the fragrance.

A 2007 survey by the Natural Resources Defense Council (NRDC) evaluated 14 air fresheners and found phthalates in 12 of them, including those labeled as “all-natural.” (Phthalates are used to make the scent last longer, and are hormone disruptors and probable carcinogens.) The NRDC’s report says, “Of all the products in the home, clean-smelling air fresheners seem to pose little risk. But the fresh scent of air fresheners may mask a health threat—chemicals called phthalates that can cause hormonal abnormalities, birth defects, and reproductive problems.” (more…)

We posted an earlier article on the potential dangers of aluminum in deodorant, but today, we wanted to expand on that a bit. We’ve been talking a lot about materials that can act like estrogen in the body, which may encourage cancer cells to form. Did you know that aluminum is one of them?

Like parabens, phthalates, and pesticides, aluminum can act like estrogen in the body, affecting estrogen receptors and increasing breast cancer risk. Laboratory research shows that aluminum salts, common in most deodorants, can directly bind to estrogen receptors, and can affect estrogen-regulated gene expression in breast cancer cells. (more…)

The First Lady, Michelle Obama, is talking about food. She’s encouraging children to eat healthier, and parents to offer more nutritious meals and snacks. We have an obesity epidemic to deal with, and it’s great that we have some leadership in helping our children to overcome this dangerous trend.

Isn’t it interesting, though, that as we grow more and more conscious of the food we’re putting in our mouths, we’re still applying all kinds of chemicals to our bodies on a daily basis? The skin has the potential to absorb the toxic ingredients in those products, but many still haven’t gotten the message that what’s listed on the bottle could end up inside the body. Hopefully, Cinco Vidas readers are being more careful!

Women are especially at risk, as we use so many more products than men, particularly make-up products. Let’s talk about three of the most concerning items—these may be in your makeup bag right now. (more…)

Growing up, most of us learn to equate dirt with disease. A clean house is a healthy house, right?

Maybe not! It all depends on what you’re using to clean. According to the Environmental Health Association of Nova Scotia, “Many chemicals contained in household cleaning products are the same as those used in industrial settings. Many scientists are becoming concerned that long-term, low-level exposure to chemicals may be just as dangers as short-term, high-dose exposures. They also worry that we do not understand the impact of exposure to the cocktail of chemicals found in household air and dust.”

We researched a few common household cleaning products and found some surprising information. If you’ve got some of these items in your cupboards, you may want to consider replacing them. (more…)

We’ve been talking about various ingredients in your everyday personal-care products that can be harmful. We’ve mentioned phthalates, parabens, formaldehyde, talc, 1,4 dioxane, and more. But when it comes to your health, it’s not about any one particular ingredient.

You’ve probably heard about radiation exposure—radiation that you may encounter through x-rays, or even as a part of your occupation. It’s not about radiation, necessarily, but about how much radiation your body is exposed to over your lifetime. (more…)

In a previous post, we talked about the Campaign for Safe Cosmetics study that revealed 1,4-dioxane in nearly two-thirds of children’s bath products tested. 1,4-dioxane—typically produced as a byproduct during manufacturing—has been linked to skin allergies and is considered by the Environmental Protection Agency as a probable carcinogen.

The danger is still out there, but we’re happy to report that a few people are doing something about it. In 2008, the Organic Consumers Association (OCA) conducted their own study and found 1,4-dioxane in leading organic personal-care products. In June of 2008, in part because of the OCA’s findings and in part because of their own studies, the state of California filed a major lawsuit against body care household-cleaning product companies whose products tested highest for 1,4-dioxane. California’s Attorney General alleged the companies should have put warning labels on their products telling consumers of the 1,4-dioxane content, since they knew it was present.
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We talked in a former post about the dangers of BPA—a chemical used to make plastics. Recently, it’s been linked to breast cancer (because of its ability to mimic female hormones) and to prostate cancer. Then the National Institutes of Health found something even more alarming—that BPA could have adverse affects on childhood development.

“…there is some concern for neural and behavioral effects in fetuses, infants, and children at current human exposures,” they said. (more…)

You’ve probably heard about some of the dangerous chemicals that may be lurking in your shampoos, body washes, and skin moisturizers. Still, all the information flying around out there can get confusing, so we’ve narrowed it down to 7—seven ingredients that have been linked to cancer. Look for these on your label ingredient decks, and if the product has it, don’t buy it!

Phthalates: Chemicals produced from oil to make plastic, phthalates are also used as solvents in cosmetic products like nail polishes, perfumes, and hair sprays. They’ve been found in animal tests to damage the liver, kidneys, lungs, and reproductive system. The Environmental Protection Agency has labeled phthalates as probable human carcinogens. Human studies have found developmental abnormalities in male infants correlating with high phthalate levels in their mother’s bodies. Look for abbreviations like “DBP,” “DEP,” “DEHP,” “BzBP,” and “DMP.” (more…)

If ever exposure to chemicals needs to be taken seriously, it’s in a war zone. However, it seems that defense contractor KBR, working in Iraq, may have ignored the dangerous effects of a spilled chemical on the health of area soldiers.

Lt. Col. Jim Gentry had lung cancer, and passed away early in December of 2009—the first American soldier to die from exposure to a cancer-causing toxin while serving in Iraq. He commanded a 600-strong force that provided security for KBR’s refittal of the Qarmat Ali water-pumping plant, which provided water needed for oil extraction. In a lawsuit filed in 2008, Gentry and 15 others said that KBR was aware that soldiers and civilian contractors were exposed to the toxin months before they told the people working at the site.
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It’s hard to believe, but the Environmental Working Group (EWG) released a new study that found 232 chemical contaminants in the umbilical cord blood samples taken from 10 newborn American babies. Nine out of ten had bisphenol A (BPA), a plastic component and synthetic estrogen. Two synthetic musks, components of fragrance, were found in 7 out of 10.

BPA, as we mentioned in another post, has been linked to breast cancer (because of its ability to mimic female hormones), as well as to prostate cancer. The National Institutes of Health found evidence that it may have adverse affects on childhood development.
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