Childproofing for Environmental Health: Reducing Exposure to Harmful Chemicals in Personal Care Items

November 25, 2008

I recently attended another workshop delivered by Caroline Brown at an Ontario Early Years Centre in Ottawa. Caroline is a Child Health Educator and Consultant. The topic of this workshop was Reducing Children’s Exposure to Harmful Chemicals in Personal Care Products.

I already was aware that there were certain ingredients to watch out for in personal care items, but I had no idea how many. I also had not really stopped to think about how children are more vulnerable to these ingredients. I had already cut out many products on my sons such as diaper cream and lotions, but hadn’t really thought about some of the other chemicals they came into contact with daily, e.g. chemicals in baby wipes, sunscreens, petroleum jelly, etc.

The list of ingredients to avoid is stunning. According to the cosmeticsdatabase.com, ingredients to avoid always include: 2-Bromo-2Nitropropane-1, 3-Diol (or Bronopol), BHA, DMDM Hydantoin, Oxybenzone, Triclosan, Boric Acid and Sodium Borate, Dibutyl Phthalate, and Toluene.

According to the cosmeticsdatabase.com when possible you should also avoid, Fragrance, Fluoride, Ceteareth and PEG Compunds, Parabens, Triethanolamine, Dyes, Methylchloroisothiazolinone and Methylisothiazolinone, Iodopropynyl Butylcarbamate and Benzyl Alcohol and Isopropyl Alcohol.

I personally find it overwhelming reading product ingredients and trying to avoid every ingredient which has been linked to causing cancer, or potential to damage the brain or nervous system. Caroline Brown recommended a very good website by the Nova Scotia Environmental Health Association. It is www.lesstoxicguide.ca. The site provides safer alternatives for personal care products and includes a baby section

My main take aways were to basically use fewer products and use them less frequently and to buy fragrance free. I think if you try to read the ingredients on everything and totally avoid all harmful ingredients you would make yourself crazy.

Some ideas discussed at the workshop to use fewer products on your children included the following:

• Bathing less frequently, e.g. every few nights instead of every single night. My theory on this is have more than one child. My first son was bathed daily whereas a question often asked in my house these days is, “Do you remember the last time the baby had a bath?”
• Don’t wash hair every single time you bathe a child.
• Make bubble baths a treat rather than an every day occurrence. Use sparingly when you do have a bubble bath.
• Washing with microfiber facecloths instead of a body wash or soap.
• Only using products such as lotions and diaper creams as needed, instead of every day.
• Using face cloths instead of baby wipes.
• Wearing U.V. Protective Clothing to reduce the amount of sunscreen required.

If anyone had any ideas or suggestions on how you reduce the number of chemicals in personal care products that your children come into contact with on a daily basis, please leave a comment and share them.

Child Health and the Environment

November 2, 2008

I attended an excellent workshop at the Ontario Early Years Centre this week. The presenter was Caroline Brown, an educator and consultant on child heath and the environment. The subject of the workshop was Child Health and the Environment. Her presentation was basically two-fold. First, why children are uniquely vulnerable to environmental hazards and secondly, what one can do to reduce them.

I was vaguely aware of many of the points which she presented, but some facts were surprising to me. Recently, I had been patting myself on the back for having significantly reduced the number of chemicals in our home. However, it became quite obvious to me after the first few minutes of the workshop that I had only began to skim the surface of reducing chemicals in my home.

As a mother you would drive yourself completely crazy were you to try and reduce every single harmful product from your family, but this workshop certainly made me think a little more about ways I can try and reduce harmful substances in my home.

Some of the reasons children are uniquely vulnerable include such reasons as their physiology, their behaviour (e.g. lying on the floor to play, putting everything and anything into their mouths) and lifespan (e.g. still have most of their life ahead of them).

I often wondered to myself why many chemical cleaners and personal care items are approved by regulatory bodies if they are so harmful. Ms. Brown explained that many of these products have safe levels were they to be the only products we are exposed to. The issue is the cumulative effect of the numerous products we bring into our homes, as well as reactions caused by certain chemicals being mixed together. Makes sense …

She shared with us information from a publication of the Canadian Partnership for Children’s Health & Environment, entitled “Child Health and the Environment: A Primer”. Here are some of the points which were surprising to me:

• Children spend over 80% of their time indoors and indoor dust should be treated as an environmental contaminant which should be removed (as contaminants can be tracked in from outside on our shoes). Apparently, one of the best things you can do to reduce contaminants in your home is frequent dusting and vacuuming.
• Foods high in animal-fat contain higher levels of persistent organic pollutants, i.e. higher % of fat in milk, butter, cheese and meat could result in higher levels of toxic substances in our bodies.
• Phthalates are chemicals that are used to soften polyvinyl chloride (PVC) plastic). They are found in soft vinyl products such as children’s toys and packaging. There is evidence of health risks associated with these chemicals and the European Union banned phthalates in children’s toys in 2005. Soft vinyl toys should not be given to younger children. Don’t microwave in plastic containers - even those designed for the microwave and alternatives should be sought to vinyl shower curtains and backbags - e.g. fabric. I knew about not microwaving in plastic - but I had no idea about the other points.
• Children who swim frequently can be exposed to high levels of disinfection by-products (from heavy chlorination of swimming pool water).
• You should avoid burning candles in your home as by-products of combustion include carbon monoxide, VOC’s polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons and soot.

So, while I know I cannot reduce every single contaminant in my family’s home here are a few things on my to-do list:

• Stop wearing my outdoor shoes in the house. Even when I’ve forgotten something upstairs
• Start buying more organic products where I can - for starters I plan to start buying organic homo milk and apples as these items are heavily consumed in my house.
• Throw out my son’s vinyl bath toys. I haven’t had the heart to toss my son’s beloved “bath guys” yet.
• Buy glass storage containers for food.
• Toss my Pampered Chef microwave containers. Although, how I love them so.
• Buy fabric shower curtains.
• Stop feeling guilty that I never get to take the baby swimming at the pool like we did with his older brother. Turns out I’ve been doing him a favour.
• Think twice before burning candles.

The book I mentioned above (Canadian Partnership for Children’s Health & Environment, entitled “Child Health and the Environment: A Primer”) can be downloaded for free on the CPCHE’s website and is a fantastic resource. It is definitely worth a read. You’ll read things you already knew, but you may find a few ways to reduce chemical contaminants in your home.

Why I Became a Crystal Deodorant Convert

October 16, 2008

For years I have had a love-hate relationship with antiperspirant. Long before I’d even heard of crystal deodorants I was a “Secret” baby powder scent junkie - frantically stocking up on copious amounts whenever Walmart would have a sale. Then, I would stash them everywhere: my drawer at work, my gym bag, my dresser, every bathroom in the house. You would think I had a problem with sweating, but no, I just liked to make sure I smelled fresh. And of course, applying after my morning shower, then reapplying should I go to the gym or freshen up.

As much as I loved my “Secret”, I hated aspects of it:

• the white crumbles that end up in your arm pit after all-day of reapplying
• the white marks on your clothes if you’re not oh so careful in putting on your shirt
• the daily debate: do you put on your antiperspirant first or attempt to get it on after getting dressed
• getting to work or an important meeting and realizing you have antiperspirant all over your shirt (that stuff will not wash off)
• the antiperspirant getting close to the end and you are basically at the point that you are just scraping your armpit with plastic and then the few pieces which are left fall onto the floor and mush into your carpet
• white marks on the top of a formal dress, which will not wash off, and
• antiperspirant staining your nice white shirts and leaving them with yellow pit stains.

Until recently I always thought that sweat stained my shirts yellow in the pits, but no it is actually the antiperspirant. Don’t believe me, check out this site: http://www.essortment.com/lifestyle/deodorantantipe_sgpw.htm

I digress easily, so let me get to the point, for years I had heard individuals talk about that fact there was aluminum in our antiperspirants and deodorants which were linked to breast cancer and Alzheimer’s Disease. Naively, I thought if there were links or if products were unsafe you would not be able to buy them. As well, I figured the only alternative was to go au-natural and was not willing to go that route.

About 5 months ago, I was at a Norwex meeting and a colleague was discussing Norwex’s Crystal Deodorant. She mentioned how many years ago when her mother was diagnosed with breast cancer, her mother’s doctor told her to stop using antiperspirant/deodorant. I thought to myself, doctors are recommending to breast cancer patients not to use this product, yet you can still buy it. I am hardly an expert on the subject, but my understanding is this: many anti-antiperspirants/deodorants contain aluminum chloride which has been linked both to breast cancer and Alzheimer’s. Women not only apply these products to our armpits, but first we shave and remove a layer of skin cells, not to mention if we have nicks or broken skin.

Here’s an interesting site, which has more technical details: http://www.controlyourimpact.com/antiperspirants-and-breast-cancer/

For some reason, after years of hearing this - something clicked and I thought this is crazy. I decided to give the Norwex Crystal Deodorant a try. I have now been using this product for 5 months and absolutely love it. I’ve become very passionate about getting friends and family using it as well. I’m not a scientist, but even if there is any indication antiperspirants might be linked to breast cancer and I have an alternative, I’m going to take it. Interesting enough, another friend of mine recently told me that when her mother had a breast removed as a result of breast cancer, the doctor also told her to stop using antiperspirant/deodorant.

My husband and brother have even started to use the product and like it. I’ll admit it took a few days to get used to not having my familiar baby powder scent, but now I rarely think about it. In fact, what triggered the idea for this blog post was a woman in my aerobics class this week with chunky antiperspirant in her armpit and white streaks on her gym top. I could relate, but thought to myself - I certainly don’t miss that!!

Stop Snoring - How Your Night Sweats Might Lead The Way To A Natural Snoring Remedy

September 17, 2008

I read an article in the Ottawa Citizen recently entitled “Sweat, Snores and Sleep” and thought it was very interesting.

Essentially the article discusses the fact that menopause and snoring may have a symbiotic relationship. Basically, menopause can cause night sweats which in turn cause excess moisture and humidity in mattresses, pillows and comforters. This environment is a haven for dust mites.

What exactly are dust mites?

Well, this website has quite a detailed explanation, but in a nutshell they are microscopic bugs which primarily live on dead skin shed by humans and the pets. Apparently people shed about one gram of dead skin a day, a considerable amount of which ends up in your bed.

A typical mattress can have anywhere from 100,000 to 10 million dust mites inside. Each dust mite excretes feces about twenty times a day. It is this feces which many people are allergic to. Yuck!!

What exactly does any of this have to do with menopause and sweating. Well, according to the article, as we breath this allergen in our sleep our bodies produce antibodies which in turn trigger the release of histamines, which causes swollen mucous membranes, stuffy noses and snoring. As women going through menopause are prone to night sweats, their beds create a fantastic environment for dust mites to thrive.

I found this article particularly interesting as through Norwex I had been introduced to a mattress cleaner. Prior to attending my first Norwex presentation I really had never given a moment’s thought to the dust mites which might be crawling through my bed.

In recent months, my husband’s snoring had become particularly bothersome. Especially given the fact that we have a new baby and that I’m lucky to get three hours straight of sleep with my kids. My husband kept claiming he was snoring because he had a cold, but after months of this I was not buying his theory. I figured the mattress cleaner was worth a shot (pardon the pun) and sprayed our mattress. I had heard that some individuals see results overnight. In any case, I sprayed the mattress and we both forgot about it. It was only upon reading this article last week, that it dawned upon me that I hadn’t contemplated smothering my husband with my pillow for quite a while. Whether or not the snoring has stopped because of the mattress cleaner or other reasons, I can’t say for sure. But, I’m not going to take any chances and will keep spraying my mattress regularly

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