Cinco Vidas

David Carpenter, director of the Institute for Health and the Environment at the University of Albany, has made a powerful statement: “Almost all cancers come from some kind of environmental exposure.”

We know that our systems are bombarded by toxins every day, from pesticides in our food to pollution in the air to dangerous chemicals in our personal-care products. Carpenter believes it’s time to pay closer attention to the affect this cumulative chemical assault has on our health. Donald Hassig of Cancer Action agrees: “We need to present this message stronger and louder.” (more…)

We mentioned in an earlier post the study that found parabens in the breast tissue of women with breast cancer. However, the FDA maintains parabens are safe. Do we need to worry?

Parabens are popular preservatives used in a wide range of cosmetic products, like shampoos, lotions, shave gels, soaps, makeups, and more. The Journal of the American College of Toxicology reported parabens are currently used in over 13,000 hygiene products. They help deter bacteria from forming, which means the product lasts longer on your shelves. You’ll find them listed on the ingredient deck as methylparaben, ethylparaben, butylparaben, and propylparaben. (more…)

Once hair extensions took off in the fashion world it wasn’t long before eyelash extensions came along. Silk and polyester threads designed to mimic natural lashes are dipped into glues and then applied (using sharp tweezers) to the root of the individual lashes on the upper eyelid. If you’re going through chemotherapy and losing your eyelashes, you may be thinking about extensions. Can you guess what we’re going to tell you? Uh-huh. Avoid them!
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Is tattoo ink a hazardous material? According to a 2004 lawsuit, it is. That year, the American Environmental Safety Institute (AESI) filed a lawsuit against Huck Spaulding Enterprises and nine other tattoo ink pigment manufacturers, distributors, and sellers, claiming that they failed to warn California residents about exposure to hazardous materials. AESI’s research found that the amount of ink needed for a medium-sized tattoo could contain between 1–23 micrograms of lead, more than the 0.5 microgram-per-day recommended limit. (more…)

Seems mascara just isn’t enough to accentuate the windows to the soul, so cosmetic manufacturers have come out with products that actually stimulate the growth of our natural lashes. The question is, are these products safe, especially for people going through chemotherapy?

These serums actually came about when patients using glaucoma eye-drop drugs noticed a happy side effect—longer lashes. When the drugs were applied to the lash line, lashes grew. Now, the drugs were supposed to be applied into the eye to help reduce the pressure of glaucoma, but of course the side effect of longer lashes caught everyone’s attention.

Since then, several eyelash-growing formulas have hit the market, many having nothing to do with the original glaucoma drug. The Ardell Brow and Lash Growth Accelerator, for example, is mostly extracts, proteins, and vitamins. Other brands use peptides, amino acids, and other nutrient combinations to help fortify lashes. However, the most popular brand—Latisse—is sold by prescription only, and uses “bitamaprost,” a glaucoma drug. (more…)

Some toxic substances capable of causing cancer may be lurking around your house—in places dangerous to you and your family. To be sure your home is safe, check for these seven things.

Antifreeze. It’s great for your car, but be careful where you store it. It’s highly flammable, and if you breathe it in, you may suffer from headaches, nausea, dizziness, shortness of breath, skin irritation, and more. If your dog laps up any spills, he could suffer kidney failure and death. Watch for any leaks underneath your car when you pull out of the garage, and store unused portions in an air-tight container out of reach of young children and pets. (more…)

What do you think would happen if you got a wild hair and decided to spend a week slathering yourself with shampoos, soaps, deodorants, and perfumes? Most of us do a little of this every day, but let’s say you were curious and upped the ante a little, took a few more showers, and used a few more products. Would you end up carrying around more chemicals?

Those of us concerned about toxic ingredients in our everyday products work hard to get the message out. Some of us go a little crazy in the effort. Take two environmental advocates from Canada—Rick Smith and Bruce Lourie. Fed up with the lack of regulatory response to toxic concerns, they decided to be guinea pigs in their own chemical experiment. They spent a week in a condo, surrounded with typical sources of contaminants, like personal-care products, canned foods, and stain-resistant clothing and furniture. (more…)

Old fashioned bar soap. You’d think of all the personal-care products, this one would certainly be non-toxic, right? Think again!

Below are some of the ingredients that may be lurking in your regular, everyday bar soap. Of course, there are some made with more wholesome alternatives—we’ll tell you about those at the end!

Synthetic fragrance. The National Academy of Sciences says that 95 percent of the chemicals used in fragrances today are petroleum-based synthetic compounds, including those with potentially harmful effects. As we’ve mentioned before, when manufacturers put “fragrance” on the ingredient list, that means they’re keeping something secret—namely, the chemicals used to make that fragrance smell the way it does. After all, if they’re not using real lavender essential oil, but the scent is supposed to be lavender, they’ve mixed something together in the laboratory to make it so! Avoid soaps with “fragrance” on the ingredient deck, and choose those that say “fragrance-free” instead, or those that use natural sources like essential oils or extracts to create scent. (more…)

Tragic school-wide shootings notwithstanding, we like to think that our public schools are mostly safe. According to a recent report by the Environmental Working Group (EWG), however, our children may be breathing toxic fumes in the classroom.

The EWG tested 13 different school districts in California, and found that the cleaning supplies used could cloud the air with more than 450 toxic contaminants, including those linked with asthma and cancer. (The 13 districts were chosen for geographic and size diversity.)

“Classroom cleaners can deliver harmful fumes to millions of school children each day,” said Rebecca Sutton, Ph.D. and author of the study, “and parents have no way to know about it. Cleaning products aren’t required to list ingredients on the label, leaving school systems and everyday consumers without critical information to make the smart choices.” (more…)

We love to change and update our appearance, don’t we? And what easier way than to dye our hair? A different color can make you feel renewed, young, and energetic. However, depending on the type of dye you use, it can also put your health at risk.

Let’s review some of the evidence. According to the National Cancer Institute, over 5,000 different chemicals are used in hair-dye products, some of which are reported to be carcinogenic in animals. Some population studies have found an increased risk of bladder cancer in hairdressers and barbers, and a 2008 report concluded that some of the chemicals these workers are exposed to were probably carcinogenic to humans. (more…)