What are Toxins?

You have:

• PFCs (polyfluorinated substances)
• BPA (Bisphenol A)
• Arsenic
• Asbestos
• Dioxins
• Nanomaterials
• Heavy metals (lead, mercury, aluminium)
• Pesticides
• Phthalates.
• Triclosan.

Those are:

• Obesidents.
• Neurotoxins.
• Endocrine disruptors.
• Developmental toxins.
• Cancer causing.
• Teratogenic
• Nephrotoxic.

There are around 80.000 chemicals some with long half-lives (years)and some with short half-lives (hours). Concerning human health there are only a few of them which have been tested. Many hundreds of them are in our everyday products.  There are found in our detergents, cosmetics, toothpaste, our personal care products, in clothes, shoes, paints, kitchen utensils (teflon), in babyfood and toys,  in food packaging and processing materials and medications. For my Norwegian readers: check this post from Dagbladet.

An endocrine disruptor is defined as “an exogenous chemical, or mixture of chemicals, that interferes with any aspect of hormone action.” Examples of endocrine disruptors and their sources include, but are certainly not limited to:

*Synthetic pesticides and their breakdown products – organophosphates, organochlorines, carbamates, etc. used on farms, public buildings, neighbor’s gardens and lawns, (GMO products allow greater use of these chemicals)
*Chlorotriazines– herbicides used on farms, parks, golf courses
*Benzenes – solvents, sealants, laundry starch, scatter rugs, bathmats, lubricating oil, automotive
*Phthalates (plasticizers) – soft plastics
*BPA, BPS, BPF – plastics, canned foods and drinks, packaging
*PCBs – fire resistant coatings, plastics, electrical transformers/equipment
*Dioxins – released from chlorine processing and products, plastics, burning of chlorine products, chemical plants, transformers, bleaching
*Benzo(a)pyrene – cigarette smoke, coal tar, auto exhaust
*Pyrethrins and Permethrin – pesticides, flea and tick treatment for pets
*PBBs – background exposure
*Many solvents – cleaning products, lubrication
*Phenols – detergents, pesticides, spermicides, cosmetics, plastics, soaps, surfactants, latex paint, lubricating oils
*Styrenes – plastic production, floor waxes, polish, paints, putty, cleaners, varnish, tobacco smoke, automotive exhaust, food containers
*Furans – used to dissolve glues and plastics, paints, varnishes, textiles
*Metals like lead, cadmium, and mercury – paint, batteries, pigments, electroplating, mining, welding, electronics, dental, laboratory, furnaces, metal recovery, agriculture, production of chlorine and fluorescent lighting, temperature devices, fish including shark, king mackerel, swordfish and tilefish.
*Unfiltered tap water – can contain estrogen from excreted medically prescribed hormones, pesticides, and multiple other EDs
Chemicals like pesticides, we get them unfortunately served in almost every meal, and despite expensive marketing the truth comes out oneway or the other. A brilliant example is the widely used pesticide “Roundup” which even WHO had to confessed its role in cancer… (Endocrine disruptors by Dr. Melody Milam Potter)

80% of ingredient in personal care products have not been tested properly. Chemicals banned in the US are not banned in other countries and vice versa. Some of those have a trance-generational epigenetic effect that is they may influence not only the individual but over generations.

The environmental Defense Found say in one of their videos that “even the smartest shopper cant avoid toxins”…

This is about our health But lets do not forget about the other creatures. Lets say the pollinators (mainly bees) and the soil micro- and macroorganisms (worms, insects, protozoans). Without them there will be no food for us, there will be no life… All those toxins are often 100.000 times more toxic for them than for us. If those organisms die the whole circulation system of the Earth will stop and many species will follow them in death. So:

That’s why: make your OWN products =) There are fantastic alternatives you can make simply by just using the internet, buy cool books about the subject, or … using my recipes !

VISIT:

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