Cinco Vidas

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…)

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…)

Whether you’re after a healthy glow in the winter months or want to erase unsightly tan lines in the summer, self-tanners can be life savers for your best look. However, did you know that many contain chemicals that could be harmful to your health?

Lots of people choose self-tanners hoping to lower their exposure to UV rays and thereby reduce their risk of skin cancer. However, it doesn’t pay to exchange one cancer risk for another, so let’s look at some of the things you want to avoid when purchasing these golden goodies. (more…)

“There’s nothing like an illness to make you prioritize your health.”

So says Dawn Mellowship, author of Toxic Beauty: The Hidden Chemicals in Cosmetics and How They Can Harm Us. Having battled with chronic fatigue syndrome and fibromyalgia, Dawn firmly believes that exposure to toxic ingredients—whether through the food we eat or the daily personal-care products we use—has a negative affect on our health.

“Cosmetic products contain toxic chemicals that have been linked to cancer, endocrine (hormone) disruption, allergies, asthma, birth defects and other health problems,” she says. “Women, in particular, have a skin-care regime that exposes them to around 500 chemicals every day, and that doesn’t include other chemical exposures from furniture, environmental pollution, household products, etc.” (more…)

There’s a new book out we just had to tell you about. If you’re still on the fence about whether or not to read labels on the personal-care products in your bathroom and medicine cabinet, this book is for you!

It’s called, Toxic Beauty, and it’s written by Dr. Samuel S. Epstein and investigative reporter Randall Fitzgerald. Epstein is an expert on avoidable causes of cancer, as well as professor emeritus of environmental health at the University of Illinois, consultant to the U.S. Senate, and former consultant to the Environmental Protection Agency and the Department of Labor. Fitzgerald has been an investigative reporter for 37 years. Together, the two have created a great reference for anyone who wants to avoid unnecessary toxic exposure and purchase healthier products. (more…)