TOXIC BEAUTY

Phthalates, Beauty Products and the FDA

Five percent of the 20 to 40 year old women tested by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) are getting up to 45 times more phthalates (pronounced tha-lates) than previous daily intake estimates. They are at levels of concern. While the CDC found evidence of phthalates in virtually every one of the cross-section of Americans tested, evidence of the highest levels of exposure to the phthalate DBP (dibutyl phthalate) were found in women of childbearing age.

What are phthalates?

Phthalates are a family of industrial chemicals that are used as a plastic softeners or solvents in many different consumer products. They can be absorbed through the skin, inhaled as fumes, ingested when they contaminate food or when children bite or suck on toys, and are inadvertently but directly administered to patients from some PVC (polyvinyl chloride or vinyl) medical devices.

Phthalates are dangerous.

Hundreds of animal studies have demonstrated that phthalates can damage the liver, the kidneys, the lungs and the reproductive system, especially the developing testes. Some patients who receive treatment using PVC medical devices softened with phthalates have developed the same health problems that animal studies show come from exposure to these chemicals. Other health problems seen in animal studies have never been looked for in people. But scientists in the Food and Drug Administration (FDA), Health Canada and the National Institutes of Health's Toxicology Program agree that animal studies predict that phthalates can
be dangerous to humans.

Where are these phthalates coming from?

Why do women between the age of 20 to 40 years have higher levels of dibutyl-phthalate (DBP) in their bodies than anyone else? We don't know for sure, but government databases state that DBP is used in cosmetics, toys, flooring, adhesives, wallpaper, furniture, raincoats and shower curtains. So cosmetics and other personal care products seem the most likely reason that women would be more exposed than anyone else. While more than 5,000 beauty and personal care products for women can be found on a drug store website, phthalates are only listed as an ingredient on some nail polishes. Could nail polish be the only source?

To answer that question, Health Care Without Harm, the Environmental Working Group and Coming Clean recently released "Not Too Pretty," a report that outlines the harmful effects of aggregate exposure to phthalates and discusses human exposures. [link to the report] The report tested popular fragrances, hair sprays and deodorants purchased from four drug stores. To see which brands were tested and which ones tested positively for phthalates you can read more on their website http://www.nottoopretty.com

The testing done for Not Too Pretty covers less than one percent of the beauty products sold in drug and discount stores across the United States. But it appears to be the most comprehensive phthalate testing ever made available to American consumers. Because the FDA has not mandated and enforced a strict labeling requirement, we cannot know if there are 5 or 50 or 500 more beauty products that contain unlabeled quantities of phthalates.

American products containing phthalates are virtually everywhere. Deodorants, car seats, hair spray, IV bags, perfume, vinyl flooring, wallpaper, and siding all contain phthalates. Some of the leading beauty manufactures use phthalates in their products -- such as Pantene Pro V "Healthy Hold" and Aqua Net hair sprays, Arrid and Degree deodorants, many fragrances including Poison by Christian Dior and Coty's Healing Garden contain phthalates, as well as Cover Girl, Sally Hansen and Maybelline (L'Oreal) nail polishes. However, for every ubiquitous use, there are readily available alternatives that are already in use.

Because of lax FDA labeling rules, we cannot know if there are 5, 50 or 500 more beauty products that contain unlabeled quantities of phthalates. So just because you don't see your favorite product on the list doesn't necessarily mean it's phthalate free. We encourage you to check with the manufacturer.

Exposures to phthalates are unnecessary because alternatives are available. For virtually every single product that contains phthalates there are phthalate-free products on the market that perform just as well. The limited testing done for Not Too Pretty revealed that the same big companies that produce phthalate-laden beauty products also make products free of phthalates.

What can you do?

We can't protect ourselves unless we get manufacturers and the government to change. The FDA and the cosmetic industry need to stop living in a make-believe world where people are exposed to single chemicals, one at a time. We need public policies that recognize how, in the real world, exposures from many products are adding up. Cosmetic, food-containing and medical products that contain phthalates must be labeled and manufacturers should publicly pledge to voluntarily remove phthalates as quickly as they can.

Let your voice be heard by the FDA and manufacturers. Go to http://www.chemicalbodyburden.org, and learn more about chemicals in your body and how they got there. Take action by emailing the FDA directly. You can find a sample letter there to send to your local newspaper.

The link of parabens to breast cancer

Breast Cancer Action is the co-filer of a resolution that is being submitted to Avon shareholders for consideration. The resolution calls on the company to study the feasibility of removing parabens - a preservative commonly used in cosmetics - from Avon products. Parabens, based on recent scientific studies, mimic the behavior of estrogen, a hormone closely linked to the development of breast cancer. You can help make history by urging Avon to take a precautionary approach to their product line.

Here's what you can do:   Send a letter (http://www.bcaction.org) to Avon explaining why you are supporting the paraben resolution.

MORE RESEARCH YOU MAY WANT TO KNOW ABOUT

Researchers in the U.S.A. Germany, Switzerland and Japan have found that some of the common ingredients in hair shampoos, skin creams and toothpastes can be linked to baldness, cataract formation, contact dermatitis, environmental cancers and possible eye damage in young children.

One of these is found in approximately 90% of all commercial shampoos. It is a detergent called sodium lauryl sulfate (SLS). It is also known as sodium dodecyl sulfate and sodium laureth sulfate. This chemical has been found to damage protein formation in the eye tissue of young animals. These animal studies show the uptake of this harmful chemical is greater in young animals ocular (eye) tissue as compared to that of adult animals. Not only does it penetrate the ocular tissue, it also penetrates the systemic tissues of the brain, liver, heart etc., through the skin. There was also long term retention in the tissues of up to 5 days after exposure to a single drop. Sodium laureth sulfate is a main ingredient in most baby shampoos. Some researchers are concerned about cataract formation and the extended healing time of corneal tissue (5 times longer) when SLS is present.

Another tendency of SLS is to react with other ingredients to form NDELA, a nitrosamine that is a potent carcinogen. According to the FDA, if a shampoo is contaminated with NDELA it can lead to absorption in the body at higher levels than eating a nitrate-contaminated food. The rate from one shampooing is equal to that of eating a pound of bacon. The FDA has found unacceptable levels of another carcinogen called dioxin in shampoos as well. Unfortunately you can only tell if these carcinogenic compounds are in your shampoo by having the product tested in a laboratory.

SLS can permeate the skin and is known to cause skin irritation and contact dermatitis. Once it damages the skin barrier function you are more susceptible to allergic responses to other toxins and allergens. Skin cells may be altered, becoming extremely rough, with altered structure noted in some cases from SLS exposure. Reactions to SLS seem to be increased in those with seborrhea and eczema. In some cases there is an inflammation of the lymph nodes. Those with fair skin seem to be more susceptible to SLS irritation.

It seems obvious that these chemicals do not belong on the skin. With all these harmful effects and the scientific information regarding its toxic nature, one wonders how come SLS is allowed in our shampoos. It is one of the main ingredients in commercial toothpastes too. Only one major brand (Sensodyne) did not have it in the list of ingredients. It is shocking. We know the gums are one of the quickest ways to get a substance into the bloodtream, so why is this deadly substance in all major brands of toothpaste?

SLS may be responsible for thinning hair and premature hair loss in both men and women. It is a caustic cleanser. It corrodes the hair follicles which impairs hair growth. It acts as a scalp irritant and is implicated in dandruff, eczema and itchy scalp. Many times it is included in products designed to alleviate these scalp conditions. SLES (sodium lauryl ester sulfate) is especially harmful to the hair growth cycle. It prolongs the hair loss phase of the follicle by 8 times.

Even so called natural brands may include SLS. Many high priced and exclusive brands may also contain this toxic ingredient. Do think because you are paying a high price you are exempt. Always check the label.

A non-toxic Shampoo choice is available from Aubrey Organics or use Safer Soap in a suds pump bottle diluted 1:7-1: 15.

Another common ingredient in cosmetic products is propylene glycol. The material data safety sheet for this product reads "avoid skin contact", yet it is in many skin creams on the market. It is found to cause contact dermatitis, ototoxicity, kidney damage and liver abnormalities, according to various animal and human studies.

Animal studies have shown it to cause inhibited cell respiration, irreversible deafness, tissue and bone degradaton, skeletal muscular damage and changes in the middle ear. It directly alters skin membranes to cause skin thickening, dehydration and surface damage. Poisoning with this substance has caused seizures, and cardiopulmonary arrest. Propylene glycol was introduced into cosmetics 30 years ago and is still the major ingredient in most skin creams. New research indicates that this type of product may actually lead to premature aging of the skin.

Another product you want to be aware of are deodorants, especialy antiperspirants that contain aluminum chlorohyrate or aluminum zirconium. Both of these ingredients are highly soluable and absorbed easily into the skin. Once in the body the aluminum passes across the cell membrane and is absorbed by the liver, kidneys, brain, cartilage and bone marrow. This is of great concern as this may create aluminum-based blood poisoning and may be implicated in condtions that affect the nervous system and brain. Conditions such as Alzheimer's disease.

These aluminum-containing antiperspirants block our pores to keep us from sweating. This is not a good idea. Our body needs to sweat so it can get rid of toxins. Sweating also regulates our body's temperature. Body odor is created from our sweat coming in contact with bacteria on the skin. It is a far better idea to eliminate the bacteria, not prevent the sweating.

There are harmless ways to eliminate the bacteria. Using a 1:15 Safer Soap Non Toxic Soap solution in a spray bottle works well as a deodorant. There are also 100% natural mineral salt deodorant stones. Dusting your underarms (or feet) with a baking soda and cornstarch mixture works too. You can add some essential oils to this mix to create a scent you enjoy. Sage, lemon, lavender or a number of other essential oils are some of my favorites. Or, they can be put into a mister bottle to create a nice deodorant spray.

Begin to check your products for harmful ingredients. Avoid those that use toxic and harsh chemicals. Especially be sure to keep children away from using such products as they are much more susceptible to the toxic effects of these chemicals. Check not only shampoo, conditioners, creams, lotions, deodorants and toothpastes, but also sunscreens and baby wipes. One sunscreen product for children actually had aluminum in it, along with SLS. This product would be very dangerous and could cause brain cell deterioration.

Start using safe alternatives. See my products page to learn more about safe, nontoxic products for your personal care needs. Products such as Safer Soap NON TOXIC SOAP, personal care products from AUBREY ORGANICS and essential oil products from AMRITA AROMATHERAPY will be described on these pages. click here to read more, Also check my pages here for other healthy alternatives.

HERE ARE SOME HEALTHY RECIPE SUBSTITUTIONS FOR PERSONAL CARE ITEMS YOU MAY BE USING:

• Instant Air Freshening can also be accomplished by placing a couple of drops of an Essential Oil of your choice to your cold light bulb then turning it on or using an electric or ceramic diffuser. A drop or two of your favorite Essential Oil on a cotton ball works well to.

* A Simple Moisturizer can be created by mixing 10 drops of Essential Oil with one ounce of carrier oil such as almond, avocado, apricot and/or sesame base oils or by mixing the Essential Oils with a more solid carrier such as shea or cocoa butters that has been melted in a double boiler. More complex formulas would include adding aloe, other botanically infused base oils, vitamins and anti-oxidants. An example is my Simple Elegance Skin Serum. See my Holistic Body Care web pages for more information here.

* A bath can turn into a Nurturing Bath Soak by putting 6 drops of essential oil into 1 # of Epsom or other salts while the tub water is running. No tub, or time to soak, you can add a drop or two of an Essential Oil of your choice on your wash rag and wash as usual in your shower, creating your own Body Wash. Stay aware of any sensitivity you may have to Essential Oils and do a patch test if you have doubts. Remember hot oils like cinnamon, thyme, peppermint or oregano can be irritating to sensitive skin.

* For a simple Relaxing Eye Treatment to help puffy eyes, or to use after removing eye make up, place Chamomile tea bags that have been soaked in hot water and squeezed out on you eye lids. Be sure they have cooled enough. Sit with your feet up for 10 -15 minutes.

* Replace toxic Deodorants and Anti-Perspirants with safe alternatives. See suggestions listed above.

* To create a healthy Toothpaste replacement, mix 10 drops (more or less) of Essential Oils of peppermint, oregano, myrrh and /or cinnamon with 1/2 cup of baking soda. Store it in a glass jar. Sprinkle a little on your hand and dip your moistened toothbrush into the mixture. Or mix half and half baking soda and salt. You can also add a few drops of 3% hydrogen peroxide to the mix, creating a foaming cleanser that will bubble away material that has lodged under the gums. You can easily do this by using an eye dropper to put a few drops on your brush at the time of brushing.

* A simple Mouth Wash can be created by putting one or two drops of an Essential Oil of your choice into a glass of water, swishing and gargling. Thyme, cinnamon, peppermint and myrrh make good choices.


You can find other healthful tips about safe and non toxic skin care on my HEALTH ESSENTIALS webpages by clicking here. AND on my BODY CARE webpages by clicking here.

Take charge of your health and begin making healthy choices.

Synthetic Perfumes, Colognes and Scents Are Turning Up Noses

The following excerpt was taken from a article written by Damon Franz & Holly Prall from E-Magazine Jan. 2000 about the serious effects of SYNTHETIC FRAGRANCING.

In California last year, the club's San Francisco and Loma Prieta chapters resolved to "take action to discourage the use of fragrance products in all public places," and advocate that this position become a regional and national policy.
Why does the Sierra Club care about how you scent your body or which fabric softener you use? Well, quite literally, these products are making people sick.

For many, the use of fragrances like perfume, cologne, after-shave or scented lotion is a personal choice affecting only the user. But the phrase "personal fragrance" can be seen as a contradiction in terms. Fragrances are, by definition, volatile: that is, they quickly become airborne. Once they're aloft, they're easily inhaled by others, and this can create a health problem akin to second-hand cigarette smoke.

Breathing Hard

Exposure to fragrance chemicals may result in dangerous and painful asthma attacks in which muscle spasms, fluid and excess mucous obstruct the airways. Such attacks afflict about 14.6 million Americans and kill an estimated 5,000 each year, according to the American Lung Association. The Louisiana State Medical Center found that one out of every five of these asthmatics experiences an attack as a result of exposure to perfume.

Even those with no asthmatic history may begin to have attacks after becoming "sensitized" to the chemicals in fragranced products. Betty Bridges, a registered nurse and founder of the Fragranced Products Information Network, was a healthy working mother who had never had an asthma attack before 1988, when her employer switched to a cleaning product with added fragrance. Shortly after the initial attack, Betty began to have reactions to perfumes and other scented products.

People afflicted with Multiple Chemical Sensitivity (MCS) suffer a host of crippling symptoms upon exposure to low-level chemicals that most people can tolerate. Like Betty Bridges' asthma, MCS can begin at any point in an otherwise healthy person's life. The air freshener that smells great today can make you nauseous tomorrow. And the perfume that makes you feel sexy may be giving the person next to you a migraine headache. Sound unlikely? The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) doesn't think so. In 1991, it sponsored a study to identify the compounds found in many fragrance products, in part because "chemical sensitivity may be widespread enough to have significant effects on the country's productivity and health care costs." Asthmatics and MCS sufferers aren't the only ones feeling bad about the chemicals in fragrance products. In 1986, The French journal Ann Dermatol Venereol reported that "perfumes are the most common cause of skin allergy to cosmetic products." The same year, the National Academy of Sciences (NAS) listed fragrances as a category of chemicals that should be given high priority for neurotoxic testing.

Although the FDA has not yet taken NAS' suggestion, Anderson Laboratories has. Anderson is an independent testing lab that specializes in biological effects of polluted indoor air. The lab's president, Dr. Rosalind Anderson, reported in the Archives of Environmental Health that mice experience neurotoxic effects--as well as sensory and pulmonary irritation and airflow limitation--in response to fragrance exposure. Anderson says that her findings, in addition to human reports of adverse effects, are significant enough for her to advocate that people stop using fragrances. "We think that, even if you don't find yourself to be sensitive to fragrances now, you may be later on," says Anderson. "We also don't know if there is such a thing as silent lung damage."

A Chemical Soup

Since people have been using perfumes for hundreds of years, it's reasonable to wonder why the problem has surfaced only recently. But until the 20th century, perfumes were made from natural ingredients derived directly from plants and animals. As fragrances became cheaper and more widespread, they also became more synthetic. The National Academy of Sciences reports that 95 percent of chemicals used in fragrances today are synthetic compounds derived from petroleum, including known toxins capable of causing cancer, birth defects, central nervous system disorders and allergic reactions.

But surely, you might say, if there really was a significant health risk created by perfumes and other scented products, the federal government would protect people by attempting to regulate them, right? Guess again. Since the cosmetics industry is self-regulated, it isn't required to register its formulations, test results or consumer complaints with the Food and Drug Administration (FDA). "The cosmetics manufacturers aren't required to submit safety data to the FDA, so we don't really know what sorts of tests they run," says Wayne Stevenson of the FDA Cosmetics Registration Section. "When they run tests, they keep the results in their own files. They don't share the information with the FDA."

Human health risks aren't the only problem. Fragrances that are washed down the drain from laundry, shower and household cleaning activities may not be removed in waste treatment plants, and so they can stick around to contaminate animals and ecosystems. Synthetic musk chemicals in particular may be ecologically harmful "due to their high bio-accumulation potential in animals and in the aquatic environment, their general persistence, dermal permeability and insufficiently assessed toxicity," says Dr. Gerhard Rimkus of the Food and Veterinary Institute in Neumunster, Germany.

Next time you reach for that bottle of perfume or cologne, remember that you're using powerful chemicals regulated solely by the industry that sells them. Remember that just because they don't affect you now doesn't mean they won't affect someone in line next to you, or that you'll always be immune to their effects. Think about where they might end up once they've disappeared down the drain.

If you do have a reaction to scented products, take action. Complain not only to the producer of the product, but also to the FDA (for cosmetics) and the Consumer Product Safety Commission (for other fragranced products).

Contacts:

Consumer Product Safety Commission

Tel. (800) 638-2772
Human Ecology Action League
PO Box 29629
Atlanta, GA 30359-0629
Tel. (404) 248-1898

Office of Cosmetics and Colors
Cosmetic Adverse Reactions Monitoring Program 200 C Street SW Washington, DC 20204
Tel. (202) 205-4706

BE SURE TO LOOK FOR INFORMATION, SUGGESTIONS AND RECOMMENDATIONS FOR HEALTHY PRODUCTS AND PERSONAL BODY CARE PRACTICES THROUGHOUT THESE WEB PAGES

Electro Magnetic Fields: Invisible Danger

Recently I read some statistics regarding cell phones. It seems they are used by an estimated 275 million people in the United States and 4 billion people worldwide.

According to experts, they use a subset of radio frequency radiation that fall in the microwave range to transmit voice data range. Consistent exposure to these microwaves have been known since at least 1998 to be dangerous. Yet few have been willing to accept the evidence, and the FCC and the cellular industry has followed in the footsteps of the tobacco industry, ignoring the risks.

The telecommunication industry is even BIGGER than drug cartels, and they have far more influence, so what does this tell you?

According to the research of Dr. Joseph Mercola , the first major indication that cell phones might be a health hazard came out of a massive, $28-million research project funded by the Cellular Telephone Industry Association (CTIA). To the industry's surprise and dismay, the results of the study came to the opposite conclusion from the one they were hoping for.

The study's results included findings of:

• A nearly 300 percent increase in the incidence of genetic damage when human blood cells were exposed to radiation in the cellular frequency band
• A significant increase in cell phone users' risk of brain tumors at the brain's outer edge, on whichever side the cell phone was held most often
• A 60 percent greater chance of acoustic neuromas, a tumor affecting the nerve that controls hearing, among people who had used cell phones for six years or more
• A higher rate of brain cancer deaths among handheld mobile phone users than among car phone users (car phones are mounted on the dashboard rather than held next to your head)

In further support of this theory that cell phones could be dangerous to our health, two scientists, Dr. Ronald Herberman, director of the University of Pittsburgh Cancer Institute, and Dr. David Carpenter, director of the Institute for Health and the Environment at the University of Albany, told the U.S. House Subcommittee on Domestic Policy that use of cell phones may raise the risk of brain cancer.

The two scientists cited a major study presented by Dr. Lennart Hardell of Örebro University in Sweden, which stated that people using cell phones doubled their risk of developing brain cancer and acoustic neuromas, a tumor that damages the hearing nerve.

The study also showed that people who started using cell phone before the age of 20 years were more than five times as likely to develop brain cancer.

This prompted the European Parliament in a 522 to 16 vote to urge ministers across Europe to impose stricter limits for exposure to radiation from mobile and cordless phones, wi-fi and other radiation-generating devices -- in part because children are particularly vulnerable to the risk.

Another scientist who has spoken up is Dr. David Carpenter, a physician who has researched and published more than 300 articles in peer-reviewed journals on the environmental causes of human disease and is the co-editor of the BioInitiative Report. This report was authored by an international working group of scientists, researchers and public health policy professionals . He has testified about the scientific foundation for cautionary measures before the U.S. House Subcommittee and for more detailed information you can read their latest update on these pages.

Simply stated the report documents serious scientific concerns about the current limits regulating how much radiation is allowable from power lines, cell phones, and many other sources of exposure to radiofrequencies and electromagnetic fields in daily life.

It concludes that the existing standards for public safety are completely inadequate to protect your health.

The report also includes studies showing evidence for:

• Effects on Gene and Protein Expression (Transcriptomic and Proteomic Research)
• Genotoxic Effects - RFR and ELF DNA Damage
• Stress Response (Stress Proteins)
• Effects on Immune Function
• Effects on Neurology and Behavior
• Brain Tumors and Acoustic Neuromas
• Childhood Cancers (Leukemia)
• Magnetic Field Exposure: Melatonin Production; Alzheimer’s Disease; Breast Cancer
• Breast Cancer Promotion (Melatonin links in laboratory and cell studies)
• Disruption by the Modulating Signals

Another noted brain cancer authority who voiced his concerns is Australian Dr, Vini Gautam Khurana. He is a Mayo Clinic-trained neurosurgeon with an advanced neurosurgery fellowship in cerebral vascular and tumor microsurgery. Back in February 2008, Dr. Khurana issued a paper titled: Mobile Phones and Brain Tumors, after reviewing more than 100 sources of recent medical and scientific literature.

Says Dr. Khurana, "In the context of the fact that widespread mobile phone usage commenced in the mid-1980s (earliest in Northern Europe), with the first 10 years of widespread usage ending in the mid-1990s, and the fact that solid tumors may take several years to trigger and form, it seems plausible to expect that if no appropriate changes are made by Industry and consumers alike, in the next 5 - 10 years the aforementioned concerning associations will likely be definitely proven in the medical literature."

He goes on to say: "Given the calculated "incubation time" and the commencement of mobile telephony's mass deployment in Sweden, it is no surprise that Swedish researchers were among the first to report a positive association between cell phone use and brain tumor risk."

What apparently causes the damage from our phones is the part of the electromagnetic spectrum used by cell phones and other wireless devices to communicate. In particular, the extremely low-frequency waves used to actually carry your voice or other data, known as Information Carrying Radio Waves, are not frequencies that you would ever encounter in a natural form on earth. Because of this, your body has not made any biological adaptation to protect you from electromagnetic radiation in these frequencies.

More importantly, the very rarity of these frequencies on the earth's surface make them ideal ones for your body to use as an internal communication system, for the same reason that cell phones use them -- a lack of interference. But now that man-made wireless communication is widespread, there is a great deal of interference.

Your cells have two types of receptors: chemical receptors and vibrational receptors. Chemical receptors respond to biochemical signals, but vibrational receptors are microscopic cilia, little hair-like sensors that respond to electromagnetic vibrations. When an Information Carrying Radio Wave hits a ciliary vibrational receptor, the receptor resonates. Since this form of radiation does not occur naturally, your cells do not recognize it, and treat it as a potential threat. They respond by sealing themselves off, effectively shutting down their ability to communicate with other cells.

This reaction evolved as a short-term response to immediate danger; it was never designed to protect against the persistent signals of wireless communication. Soon, these sealed off cells start starving for lack of nutrients. Toxins, heavy metals, and free radicals build up inside of them, because the cell can no longer excrete them.

The intercellular communication breakdown can impair or destroy the function of whole tissue systems and organs. Soon, cells become damaged, and over the long term, this damage can have serious effects, especially in your complex and delicate brain -- which, unfortunately, is right next to where most people hold their cell phones.

There are other dangers, as well. Information Carrying Radio Waves piggyback on carrier waves, which operate at a much higher frequency. The effects of carrier waves are extremely subtle and hard to detect, but that does not make them any less dangerous.

The DNA in each of your cells contracts and extends like a coil several billion times per second, and these contractions create a timing system that regulates the activity of your metabolic enzymes. Carrier waves, however, operate on the exact same frequency as your DNA, and can cause interference that interrupts this fragile and crucial form of communication. The complex timing of your body's biological processes are being disrupted by your cell phone.

The effects of both the carrier waves and the Information Carrying Radio Waves can lead to serious, health problems, up to and including degenerative brain disease and damaged, and potentially cancer-causing, DNA in your cells.



A study from the Medical University of Graz in Austria showed that cell phone use negatively affects sperm quality in men. A similar study from 2009 examined men in the height of their reproductive years and found infertility and the ability to father a healthy baby were compromised by cell phone use. http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/21951197

These scientists and some doctor's, such as Joseph Mercola, have been speaking their concerns since 2008 and today their warnings are proving to be correct.

Cell phone towers, as well as other wireless devices, are responsible for contributing non-ionizing radio frequencies into the environment. Both theWorld Health Organization and the International Association for Research on Cancer classified the electromagnetic fields emitted by cell phones as a 2B, possible carcinogen. The towers and the phones themselves are constantly emitting microwave radiation. Even when cell phones are not in use they are putting out EMFs.

In 2011, the World Health Organization announced the harmful effects EMFs can have on your body include:

• Headache
• Fatigue
• Stress
• Sleep disturbances
• Skin symptoms like prickling, burning sensations and rashes
• Muscle pains and aches

Remember, the damage from cell phone exposure will take many years to surface, and there are rarely any initial symptoms, just like smoking and lung cancer.

I am in no way opposed to cell phones. In fact, I have one myself. However, it is important to understand that cell phones have the potential to cause your great harm and as such you should use them as little as possible.


No one can completely avoid wireless risks because they're everywhere. However, you can still minimize your exposure and reduce your risks by following these common sense guidelines offered from Dr. Joseph Mercola and many other health professionals:

• Keep Cell Phones Away From Children: Children are far more vulnerable to cell phone radiation than adults for a number of reasons specified below.
  
  The following image, from the book Public Health SOS: The Shadow Side of the Wireless Revolution, clearly shows the differences in depth of penetration between adults and young children.
  
  
  
  
  
• Reduce Your Cell Phone Use: Turn your cell phone off more often, reserving it for emergencies or important matters. When using make your conversations short.
  
  
• Use a Shielded Case: There are products on line that claim to shield or create a coherent energy field for your devise, which will protect you. They range from shields, to beads or Tachyon devises. You need to research well, look for scientific testing that has been done in independent lab studies and use discernment before buying.
  
  The following article, http://emf.mercola.com/sites/emf/emf-dangers.aspx explains more about the dangers of EMF's in our homes and http://www.safespaceprotection.com will provide a wealth of information on how you may protect yourself.
  
  
• Use A Land Line At Home And At Work:
  
  
• Reduce or Eliminate Your Use of Other Wireless Devices: Ask yourself whether or not you really need to use them every single time.
  
  Recent research (http://electromagnetichealth.org/) has linked portable house phones to an increased heart rate in people who are electromagnetically sensitive. In some individuals, portable phone exposure as much as doubled their heart rate in double-blind tests.
  
  
• Use Your Cell Phone Only Where Reception is Good: The weaker the reception, the more power your phone must use to transmit. And the more power it uses, the more radiation it emits, and the deeper the dangerous radio waves penetrate into your body. Ideally, you should only use your phone with full bars and good reception.
  
  
• Turn Your Cell Phone Off When Not in Use: As long as your cell phone is on, it emits radiation intermittently, even when you are not actually making a call.
  
  
• Keep Your Cell Phone Away From Your Body When it is On: The most dangerous place to be, in terms of radiation exposure, is within about six inches of the emitting antenna. You do not want any part of your body within that area.
  
  It's worth noting that your cell phone manual will actually tell you the minimum safety range of operation for your phone, even when not in use. For example, the iPhone states the phone must be at least 5/8 inch away from your body or ear for "safe operation." Almost all of them state that the cell phone "should NOT be worn or carried on the body."
  
  
• Use Safer Headset Technology: Wired headsets will certainly allow you to keep the cell phone farther away from your body. However, if a wired headset is not well-shielded -- and most of them are not -- the wire itself acts as an antenna attracting ambient radiation and transmitting radiation, not only directly to your brain, but also all along your torso.
  
  The best kind of headset to use is a combination shielded wire and air-tube headset. These operate like a stethoscope, transmitting the information to your head as an actual sound wave; although there are wires that still must be shielded, there is no wire that goes all the way up to your head.
  
  

RESOURCE LIST

Here is a list of companies and other resources. They have proven helpful to many. Over the years these companies and/or individuals have been consistent in providing safe, clean and natural alternatives to toxic chemical products, or have been supportive to those who want to learn more about creating a non-toxic environment. You may find them as useful as I have.

* Safer Soap ~ Non-Toxic Soap ~ a botanical cleanser. http://www.safersoaps.com
Allen Victor can be reached at 954-597-2600

* Essential Oils ~ Amrita Aromatherapy   http://www.amrita.net

* The complete Book of Aromatherapy by Valerie Worwood

* Aromatherapy: Medicinal, Energetic and Cosmetic Uses of Essential Oils by Angela Rosa RN, LMT and Integrative Health Consultant. Click here if you would like more information.

* Environmental Working Group ~ A data base where you can learn about what is in, or unknown, about the products you are using. http://www.ewg.org

* Well Building ~ A data base you can use to locate green dry cleaning and other healthy home and building products. http://www.wellbuilding.com

* Seventh Generation ~ A healthy living products company that has air and water filters, paper goods, clothing, personal care items and much more http://www.seventhgeneration.com

* Clean and Green by Annie Berthold-Bond

* Living Green by Greg Horn

* Resources for Environmentally Sound Household Products, Building Materials and Furnishings   http://www.safersoaps.com

* Gardens Alive ~ Resource for Healthy Gardening Practices http://www.gardensalive.com

* Allergy Control Products ~ air filters, vacuums, mattress and pillow covers. http://www.allergycontrol.com or call 1-800 255 3749

* Companies offering healthy non-toxic personal care products include Aubrey Organics, Weleda, Eco-Dent, Lagona, Ecco-Bella and Dr. Hauschka, to name a few.

For more information about electromagnetic factors in health please read the Book, Public Health SOS: The Shadow Side of the Wireless Revolution.

If you have the time and interest you may choose to make some of your own products with natural and non-toxic ingredients. Look for recipes in these pages.

Infact many ideas can be found on my web pages here as well as my Aromatherapy Booklet listed above. Valerie Worwood, Jeanne Rose and Alexandra Avery also offer books with many ideas and recipes.

The libraries abound with books on the subject. There are many books, magazines and websites dedicated to this topic. I especially enjoy getting Alternative Medicine's Newsletter on line or you can get it as a hard copy magazine. It has informative articles on health and natural beauty. (http://www.alternativemedicine.com). Many health food stores offer a free copy of Delicious Living or similar free magazines which offer a wealth of information on healthy living choices.