Yes, I’m talking about three things that probably all of us have in our homes for a specific use but then the catch is, they can also affect our health as contributing factors to allergies, cough, fever, headache, fatigue and asthma. All these illnesses can drain us of our energies and make us look older than we really are.
By now, I bet you’re so curious about what these three things are. Well, you’d be surprised at how commonly used they are at all times:
1. Food Additives
Artificial Sweeteners – Look out for Aspartame in particular, a synthetic chemical that’s usually found in sodas and artificial sweeteners. It’s also a common ingredient in candies, breakfast cereals, Jello-O pudding and popsicles. Studies have shown that they can cause leukemia, lymphoma, kidney and certain cancers in mice and rats.
Food Coloring – What you’re probably not aware of is food coloring are actually synthetic dyes that Europe has banned. Health experts have found that they can cause hyperactivity. Be vigilant in checking out labels so you can spot concealed colors in soft drinks, cookies, cakes, cereals and other foods that undergo processing.
Pesticides – Their effect can be seen in what damage they can do to your nervous system. That’s why it’s always best to go for eating organic. You can’t go wrong with that kind of healthy food.
2. Products Labeled as “Anti-Bacterial”
Most anti-bacterial products contain the ingredient “Triclosan” which is in reality, a pesticide. The thing is most products labeled as anti-bacterial are things we use lots of times everyday from soaps, ointments, creams, deodorants and even in a few toothpastes.
Senior scientist for health and environment at the Natural Resources Defense Council in San Francisco Sarah Janessen, MD, Ph.D said that out of four Americans, three have Triclosan in their blood. The said ingredient has disrupted endocrines among lab animals.
Janessen says what’s best to use are just plain soap and water. Antibacterial washes and soaps are actually no better when it comes to killing germs and contributes to growth of bacteria that resists antibiotics.
3. Synthetic Fragrance
These are commonly found in deodorizers, air fresheners as well as in perfumes, deodorants, soaps and shampoos. They contain chemicals called phthlates, which have shown to cause abnormalities in hormones, problems in reproduction and defects during birth. They can likewise trigger allergies, asthma and migraine. Ranked as one of the world’s top five allergens, they also have neurotoxin content.
Experts advise that it’s best to go for naturally-derived, plant-based scents or those that come with a 100% essential oil label. Essential oils are different from fragrance oils. The latter is created artificially and have synthetic chemical content. If you want to clean your air, opt for a citrus spray that contains citrus peel extracts. This is good on dissolving odors in the air.
