What's in your shampoo?

Most people use shampoo at least a few times a week if not every day. But what are you actually putting on your scalp? Did you know you have 20 blood vessels, 650 sweat glands, and 1,000 nerve endings in your scalp.




Surfactants: necessary for the lathering, cleaning, degreasing effects of shampoo. Conventional surfactants (sodium lauryl or laureth sulfate, ammonium laureth sulfate, cocamide DEA, and ammonium xylene sulfonte) are potentially harsh on
Photo credit                                                                   your hair and strip away fatty acids.



SLS is actually a surfactant, emulsifier, and detergent used in thousands of cosmetic products. You can find it in almost all shampoos, toothpastes, hair color, body washes, make-up foundations, liquid hand soaps, and laundry detergents.



The manufacturing process results in contamination with 1,4 dioxane (carcinogen). It is rated by the Environmental Working Group as “moderate hazard.” Research has shown SLS is linked to irritation of the skin and eyes, organ toxicity, developmental/reproductive toxicity, neurotoxicity, endocrine disruption, and possible mutations and cancer.



Dioxane is rated as a “high hazard” by the EWG and it can even be found in baby shampoo. On the CDC website, it is described as “probably carcinogenic to humans.”



DEA is in approximately 42% of cosmetics (shampoos the highest). It readily reacts with nitrite preservatives and contimants to create NDEA (known and potent carcinogen)



Preservatives: main function to ensure long life. None are completely benign. Conventional preservatives (iodopropynyl butylcarbamate, methylisothiazolinone, methylchloroisothiazonlinone, parabens) are stronger, more allergenic, and potentially irritating over natural preservatives (potassium sorbate, sodium benzoate, and alcohol)



Propylene glycol is a common preservative in shampoo but in can also be found in engine coolant, antifreeze, airplane de-icers, tire sealants, rubber cleaners, paints, adhesives, and enamels. Material safety data sheets (MSDS) warn users to avoid skin contact with it as it is a strong irritant, potentially causing liver abnormalities and kidney damage.



Parabens have shown several links to cancer. They can also affect your body like estrogens. Researchers have found traces of parabens in every sample of tissue that was taken from 20 different breast tumors. The EPA links parabens to metabolic, developmental, hormonal, neurological disorders.



Next we will look at our options!

Know your ingredients answer #6

Seven Seas FREE Ranch Nonfat Dress (Fat Free & Cholesterol Free)

I'm sorry.  I still don't know what other to say...other than...YUCK!

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Kai has entered the world of “soft.” That’s what he cause sauce…applesauce, BBQ sauce, etc. It is definitely becoming harder to serve “healthy” choices when all he wants is condiments. Condiments just aren’t very healthy when bottled off the shelf. Propylene glycol, corn syrup, MSG?!!! Veggies and dips sound very healthy but not when you start reading the labels! I haven’t quite figured out how to avoid these “softs” when I can use them to my advantage to literally get my toddler to eat anything with them. I don’t exactly have time to boil and simmer sauces, and some of the homemade recipes are soooo bland. What’s your favorite condiment? Would you eat it if you looked at the label first?

Know your ingredients #6

Water, corn syrup, cultured lowfat buttermilk, vinegar, garlic juice, cellulose gel, sugar, salt, skim milk, sour cream (dried), onion (dried), xanthan gum, malto-dextrin, monosodium glutamate with potassium sorbate and calcium disodium EDTA as preservatives, lactic acid, natural flavor, propylene glycol alginate, cultured skim milk (dried), artificial color, phosphoric acid, lemon juice concentrate, green onion (dried), spice, DI-alpha-tocopherol acetate (Vitamin E)

Produce PLU stickers

Do you ever get tired of peeling off those pesky stickers on produce while you wash it? Paying attention to the code can actually benefit your health.


Conventional produce: 4-digit number

Organic produce: 5-digit number starting with 9
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Genetically modified: 5-digit number starting with 8

Examples:

4139: Conventional Granny Smith apple

94139: Organic Granny Smith apple

84139: GMO Granny Smith apple


You probably won’t ever see anything labeled as GMO because it’s optional. However, corn, soybeans, papaya, and squash are more likely to be GMO. It’s estimated that 60-70% of food items sold contain GMO ingredients. Don’t you find it interesting that the companies producing GMO foods do not have labeling restrictions but organic producers must follow strict rules to be able to label their produce as organic.

Safe Plastics

With all of the news about bisphosphenol-A (BPA) and the dangers of plastics, do you wonder which ones are ok anymore? We do try to avoid plastic if possible, but it’s just not realistic all of the time. Here are some guidelines to help us all become a little less confused:




1 Polyethylene terephthalate (PET or PETE)

Used to make soft drink, water, sports drink, ketchup and salad dressing bottles, and peanut butter, jelly and jam jars

GOOD: Not known to leach chemicals suspected of causing cancer or hormone disruptors



2 High density polyethylene (HDPE)

Milk, water and juice bottles, yogurt and butter bus, cereal box liners and grocery, trash, and retail bags.

GOOD: Not known to leach chemical suspected of causing cancer or hormone disruptors



3 Polyvinyl chloride (V or PVC)

Most cling-wrapped meats, cheeses, and other deli foods

BAD: Manufacturers add “plasticizers” during production to soften into its flexible form. Traces of these chemical can leach out when they come into contact with foods. According to the NIH, di-2-ethylhexyl phthalate (DEHP) is commonly found in PVC and is a suspected carcinogen



4 Low-density polyethylene (LDPE)

Some bread and frozen food bags and squeezable bottles

OK: Not known to leach chemicals but not as widely recyclable as #1 or #2



5 Polopropylene (PP)

Some ketchup bottles and yogurt and margarine tubs

OK: Hazardous during production but not know to leach chemicals. Not as widely recyclable.



6 Polystyrene (PS)

Foam insulation and also for hard applications (cups, toys)

BAD: Benzene used in production is a known human carcinogen. Butadiene and styrene are basic building blocks of the plastic and suspected carcinogens. Energy intensive. Poor recycling.

7 Other (usually polycarbonate)

BAD: Made with biphenyl-A, a chemical made in the 1930s in search for synthetic estrogens. It is a hormone disruptor, and it stimulates the action of estrogen when tested in human breast cancer studies. Can leach into food as a product ages.

Kale chips

Kai actually thinks he is getting a big treat when I make kale chips. He loves them!! (And, I love that he loves them). I am all about simple recipes. Usually I have to keep eyes on Kai at all times and hold a clingy baby until Lee gets home to help so this recipe is perfect for only having a few minutes. Three ingredients!

Several stalks of kale

Olive oil

Salt

Wash, tear the kale. Put it in a large mixing bowl and drizzle olive oil over it. Sprinkle salt over it and mix until the kale is well coated. Pour loosely on a cookie sheet and spread it out (or else it will just steam). Bake at 375 for 16-18 minutes

1 cup of kale has Vitamin A 206% RDA, Vitamin C 134% RDA, Calcium 9% RDA, and Iron 6% RDA..

Do you touch your face?

In Jordan Rubin’s GPRx book he talks about how often we touch our face and rub our eyes with dirty hands. I never really thought about it, until I started paying attention to it while reading his book. Oh my goodness! I was constantly touch my face, rubbing my eye, scratching my cheek, pinching my chin, resting my face on my hand.




Studies have even suggested that people with acne prone skin often touch their skin too much, which causes breakouts. According to another study, some people touch their face up to 16 times per hour (ranged from 3-104 over 3 hours). Rhinovirus (the common cold) can easily be passed from hands to face. Flu viruses can live on hard surfaces for 24-48 hours and soft surfaces for 8-12 hours. If you have to touch your face, use the back of your hand which has significantly less bacteria