Walking upstream to eliminate environmental causes of cancer

This month’s Green Moms Carnival is focused on the environment and cancer. At first, I was so excited to post about this issue. But then I started to get overwhelmed.

Should I talk about radon? Radon is a leading cause of lung cancer. Elevated levels of radon in the home have also been linked to increasing the risk of children developing acute lymphoblastic leukemia. But, radon is easy to detect and relatively simple to remove from the home, but many people seem unaware of the risk. Seems like a great topic.

But then I thought I should talk about the link between common household pesticides and cancer. For example, did you know that use of conventional pesticides in the home and garden during pregnancy and the first year of a child’s life increases that child’s risk of developing leukemia by as much as a factor of 9? That’s pretty scary. And with so many non toxic alternatives for pest control, that seemed like an awesome topic.

Should I talk about carcinogens in our personal care products, like the carcinogen 1,4-dioxane in every parent’s staple, Johnson & Johnson’s Baby Wash?

Should I talk about one of my soapbox subjects – the irony of beauty companies sponsoring breast cancer research when most of them use ingredients that are linked to an increased risk of cancer, and often increased risk of breast cancer? Pinkwashing at its finest.

It gets a little scary when you think about all the products we use every day that are linked to cancer, doesn’t it? All the ingredients and constituents that are carcinogens (cancer causing agents) become overwhelming.

And I think you become immune to it. It seems like there is a new scary product or ingredient every day. So if everything causes cancer, then why worry about it?

Why?

It is easier to do nothing. To think that our easy care, non stick, disposable lifestyles don’t really matter. That one person’s choices do not count or matter.

It really is easier to not think about.

But we can’t. We can’t let the overwhelming information paralyze us.

And while it is certainly true that what you eat, whether you exercise, whether you get enough sleep, your genetic makeup, if you drink, if you smoke, if you take recreational drugs all play a role in your risk of cancer and certain infectious agents (like HPV), environmental factors also play a role. A role that we do not yet fully understand.

Our efforts in the war in cancer seem focused on detecting, treating and curing cancer instead of considering that the world we live in affects whether we get cancer. The Secret History of the War on Cancer
says that the end result if 10 million preventable cancer deaths in the last 30 years. Which is why pinkwashing makes me so angry. It would be a much better investment for those companies to spend money reformulating their products to eliminate known or suspected carcinogens or hormone disruptors instead of trying to sell us even more CARP we don’t need just because it is pink.

Instead, I thought I would talk about two of the books that most moved me to do more, to do better, to live a less toxic life. The first is Rachel Carson’s Silent Spring and the second is Sandra Steingraber’s incredibly powerful Living Downstream: An Ecologist’s Personal Investigation of Cancer and the Environment (which is now being released in an updated version, my quotes are from the 1997 edition).

Why these two books? Because they point out something very, very telling about the link between the lives we live and the cancers we get. Rachel Carson focused on the rising death rates of cancer, and was disturbed by the evidence that childhood cancer had become the most common disease killer of US children. But Rachel Carson’s concerns have been dismissed, in part because childhood cancer mortality rates have been going down. She didn’t have access to incidence data, which shows while medical improvements have dramatically decreased how many kids die from cancer, how many kids get cancer continues to increase.

Sandra Steingraber writes:

Heroic measures may be saving more children from death, but every year more children are diagnosed with cancer than the year before. Increases are most apparent for leukemia and brain tumors. At present, eight thousand children are dianosed with cancer each year; one in four hundred Americans can expect to develop cancer before the age of 15.

Cancer among children provides a particularly intimate glimpse into the possible routes of exposure to contaminants in the general environment and the possible significance for rising cancer rates among adults. The lifestyle of toddlers has not changed much over the past half century. Young children do not smoke, drink alcohol, or hold stressful jobs. Children do, however, receive a greater dose of whatever chemicals are present in the air, food, and water because, pound for pound, they breathe, eat, and drink more than adults do.

That is it. Our children are getting more cancers despite the fact that the other factors people point out – smoking, drinking, etc. – haven’t changed for them.

Granted, obesity rates are sky rocketing in our kids and I would guess that is a contributor.

Nonetheless, the Environmental Working Group’s 10 Americans study clearly, unequivocally demonstrates that our children are born polluted. Polluted from chemicals we use now, and from chemicals we banned more than 30 years ago because they persist in our environment.

 

I hope that these books, and the Living Downstream trailer inspire you.

You can take simple steps to reduce chemical exposures. Start with one of the simplest, and it requires no money. Just take off your shoes to reduce tracking in DDT, PCBs, and lead into your home. Then, trying switching to non toxic cleaners and personal care products. Stop using conventional pesticides.

But more than that, I hope it inspires you to do more. To work on greening your school, your daycare, your work or your church. To advocate for change. To write your elected representatives to support legislative efforts. To vote with your pocketbook.

To run for office.

To walk upstream.

Go check out the other Green Moms who posted this month on the environment and cancer by starting with Nature Moms (post will be up 3/8).

And, for full disclosure, the text links to books in the post are part of my Amazon Affiliate account. If you click and buy, I’ll probably make about $0.00025 or something miniscule like that. Just so you know.

Greenwashing: Beaute de Maman not so beautiful. Or particularly natural.

I just don’t get the popularity of Beaute de Maman. Or why the line won an Editor’s Choice Award from Pregnancy Magazine in December of last year.

I really don’t get it.

The line is expensive.

But people like it because it is natural. I’ve found it in very upscale boutiques, with sales people touting its benefits.

But, the line is guilty of greenwashing.

 The product advertising states that

Beaute de Maman was conceived by Dr. Brown, an obstetrician whose ongoing mission is to provide safe and effective remedies for the common problems women face during pregnancy. Her fine line of skincare products has been extensively studied and evaluated, as well as allergy and obstetrician tested. The entire line contains only natural and herbal ingredients proven safe for the mother-to-be, the fetus and the breastfeeding baby. 

Those natural claims are repeated in the Connecticut Post and other press about Beaute De Maman.

And therein is my problem. The entire line is supposed to contain “only natural and herbal ingredients” but that isn’t true. Well, at least by my definition of natural.

Let’s take the first product – the facial scrub. The ingredients are:

Water (Purified), Glycerol Stearate, Ethylhexyl Palmitate, Butylene Glycol, Disodium Laureth Sulfocucinate, Sodium Cocoyl, Methyl Taurate, Polyethylene, PEG-100 stearate, Myristyl Myristate, Tridecyl Stearate, Neopentyl Glycol Dicaprylate/Dicaprate, Tridecyl Trimellitate, Phenoxyethanol, Acrylates/C10 30 Alkyl Acrylate Crosspolymer, DMDM Hydantoin, Caprylyl Glycol, Triethanolamine, Iodopropynyl Butycarbamate

Okay, now realize that polyethylene is a plastic derived from petroleum. That means that this allegedly all natural and herbal facial scrub has tiny microbeads of plastic that pollute our oceans.

Guess what? Lots of the other ingredients are very, very far from “natural.” Take butylene glycol. It is produced by the petrochemical industry by steam cracking. In other words, saturated petroleum hydrocarbons are broken down into small hydrocarbons. Or take triethanolamine. Triethanolamine is produced by reacting ethylene oxide with ammonia. In turn, ethylene oxide comes from ethylene and oxygen, and ethylene is produced by the petrochemical industry by steam cracking.

Okay, how are those natural? Or herbal?

Last year, I tried to speak with Beaute de Maman about its products. I was specifically interested in the natural claim and also contaminants being present in ceretain ingredients. And I got a fairly snotty response from Laureen Schroeder, VP of Marketing, that kept emphasizing how the company has access to research not available to the rest of us.

First, and most importantly, she said that “we do not claim to be 100% natural – as we could not be effective.” Huh? Isn’t that at odds with the advertising?

She also said:

Our products have been researched using databases and reproduction toxicity reports available only to physicians. . . . According to Reprotox, which are physician only databases  . . .”

Okay Ms. Schroeder, hate to tell you, but Reprotox is a subscription service available to physicians and consumers. So, yes, I use the same databases that you do.

So, many of the ingredients in the facial scrub peaked my interest. Ethylhexyl palmitate, for example, is an irritant, and the CIR panel warns against using in products for use around the eyes or on the skin above a certain concentration. Butylene glycol has the same problem. Several ingredients are ethoxylated and can have the carcinogen 1,4 dioxane as a contaminant, including disodium laureth sulfocucinate and PEG-100 stearate. Phenoxyethanol is phenol reacted with ethylene oxide, which again is petroleum derived.

Now, Ms. Schroeder states that the “facial scrub has no dioxane or carcinogenic compounds. All ingredients used are pure with no contaminants. Again, Intertek, or the FDA of England, did extensive testing of all products and determined that repeated exposure to the ingredients will not cause skin irritation, even with prolonged or repeated use. The ingredients used are well known and present at typical concenetrations where they will not cause irritation or allergy and are deemed safe. There is no formaldehyde or carcinogenic ingredients.”

Okay, so it seems that perhaps the ethoxylated ingredients are vacuum stripped to eliminate the 1,4 dioxane. But when I asked about the detection level used (and we know that is important after the SIGG debacle), I didn’t get a response.

Obviously, formaldehyde isn’t an ingredient. But her statement that there is no formaldehyde doesn’t address whether there are formaldehyde donors. The thing is about formaldehyde donors is that they work by releasing small quantities of formaldehyde to make the environment – the product – less favorable to microorganisms. So how can she claim that there is no formaldehyde produced? I get it that the levels may be very small, but still. Formaldehyde, by the way, is a carcinogen. It also causes contact dermantitis. DMDM Hydantoin, for example, is a formaldehyde donor. Setting asside the whole formaldehyde issue, DMDM Hydantoin is also an irritant, a known human immune system toxicant, and is a human skin toxicant. It is restricted for use in cosmetics in Japan. It gets a 7 to 9 (depending on use) in Skin Deep’s Cosmetic Safety Database.

I’m also completely unconvinced by the reliance upon Reprotox. Beaute de Maman banks on its claims that the products are safe for pregnant women. (I have some questions about the specific claims because, well, they seem to cross into the product being a drug, not a cosmetic, but that is for the FDA. And the FTC.) But the thing is, we know that there have not be adequate toxicology reviews of most of the chemicals we use. Looking at the Reprotox entry for DMDM Hydantoin, for example, there is no information in Reprotox other than the CIR’s assessment from 1988. Hello? There has been more information since the industry-funded panel looked at it – and the CIR only considers irritant/allergen type responses for the most part, not developmental toxicity.

And, by the way, Beaute de Maman claims that “these products, cosmeceuticals, have medicinal propertiers in their ingredients ensuring the safety of both mother-to-be and baby.” That certainly sounds like they are super special, right? Just so you know, the FDA does not recognize any such category as “cosmeceutical”, as Beaute de Maman asserts that the products are. A product is a drug, a cosmetic, or a combination of both, but the term “cosmeceutical” has no meaning under the Federal Food, Drug and Cosmetic Act.

Everything you every wanted to know about mold and then some

I appeared on The Doctors Don’t Let it Happen to You episode talking about lead in purses and other vinyl items. My segment was part of an episode on ultimate survival , and featured home improvement guru and safety expert Eric Stomer. Part of the discussion (at least during the filming) focused on mold from Eric’s experiernces following Katrina, and some misinformation was given out to the audience about how to clean up mold. So, I thought I would post about mold and mold remediation. It also seems particularly relevant since we are experiencing quite a bit of rain in Southern California.

Mold isn’t a toxic chemical, so to speak, but mold growth does concern most of us and can negatively impact indoor air quality.  Molds can cause health problems.  News reports have linked mold exposure to a range of adverse health effects, from minor allergic reactions to brain damage.  Infants are more susceptible to adverse health effects from mold exposure than healthy adults.

Molds are microscopic fungi. They are found everywhere. You cannot not and should not try to keep your home mold free. Molds can grow on virtually any organic substance, as long as food, moisture and oxygen are present.  They play an essential role in nature, breaking down dead organic matter, such as fallen leaves.  Molds are also useful to us.  Penicillin, for example, is obtained from a specific type of mold.

Molds reproduce by releasing tiny spores.  These spores are invisible to the naked eye.  The spores float through the air, both indoors and outdoors.  They can also be transported by water and insects.  If the spores land on a surface with the right conditions, they can start growing and forming mold colonies.  Mold will grow if it has moisture and nutrients.  Many building materials, including wood and sheetrock, provide enough food to support mold growth.  In fact, even the dust settling on building materials or furniture can be a sufficient food source for molds, if moisture is also present.

The presence of mold in your home’s air is normal, but mold growth should not be permitted.  Mold can cause adverse health effects, most typically allergic type responses.  It is generally accepted that a greater risk of health effects is associated with a higher concentration of mold spore counts over background levels. 

Mold growth is usually indicated by signs of water damage or water intrusion, discoloration, a musty or earthy smell, or visible mold growth.   If you have problems with dampness or moisture, or have had a water leak or water damage, you may have the necessary conditions to facilitate mold growth. It is estimated that almost 50% of U.S. homes have dampness or mold problems. Since mold can trigger respiratory problems and asthma type responses, molds and dampness conditions may well contribute to the rising incidence of asthma in the US. It is estimated that 21%, or 1 out of 5, of current asthma cases in the U.S. are attributable to dampness and mold exposure.

Mold and the damp environments are linked to several adverse health effects.  The Institute of Medicine’s comprehensive review of available studies found sufficient evidence of an association between the presence of mold or other agents in damp indoor environments and asthma symptoms in sensitized persons, cough, hypersensitivity pneumonitis in susceptible persons, upper respiratory (nasal and throat) tract symptoms and wheeze.  A review of available studies found a thirty percent (30%) to fifty percent (50%) increase in a variety of respiratory and asthma-related outcomes associated with building dampness and the presence of mold growth.

Infants and children may be affected more severely and sooner than others by exposure to elevated concentrations of mold. A study found significant increased risk between lower respiratory illnesses in the first year including croup, pneumonia, bronchitis and bronchiolitis and high indoor air levels of certain molds.  The study concluded that the risk of lower respiratory illnesses in infancy was increased by exposure to high fungal levels. The Institute of Medicine’s review found the evidence suggestive of a link between mold or other agents in damp environments and lower respiratory illness in otherwise healthy children.  Exposure to molds in infants may increase the risk of developing asthma.  In fact, one study found that exposure to mold and dampness in homes doubles the risk of asthma development in children.

Allergic reactions to mold are relatively common.  About ten percent (10%) of the population is allergic to mold.  Allergic reactions to mold include sneezing, runny nose, red eyes, runny eyes, throat irritation, coughing, and skin rash.  More severe allergic reactions include allergic bronchopulmonary aspergillosis, allergic fungal sinusitis, and hypersensitivity pneumonitis.  Molds can also trigger asthma attacks in asthmatics with mold allergies. 

Molds can also evoke an irritant response.  Mold exposure can irritate the eyes, skin, nose, throat, and lungs in both people who are allergic to molds and in people who are not allergic to mold.  Most molds emit microbial volatile organic compounds (“mVOCs”).  These mVOCs are the cause of the musty or earthy odors encountered with some molds.  The mVOCs may cause irritant responses in some individuals.  Exposed persons have reported headaches, fatigue and nausea resulting from exposure to mVOCs.  Also, beta-1,3-glucan is a major structural component of almost all fungal cell wells.  Exposure to beta-1,3-glucan is associated with headaches, although researchers are investigating the contribution of beta-1,3-glucan to irritant responses to mold.

Molds can cause infection, especially in susceptible people, although this is an uncommon adverse health effect of mold exposure.  That being said, the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has found that nine percent (9%) of hospital-acquired infections are caused by molds. It is important to keep immuno-compromised or otherwise sensitive individuals out of environments with elevated mold concentrations.    

 Some molds release small molecular toxins, called mycotoxins, under certain conditions. Mycotoxins may cause toxic effects in people.  In news stories, the molds that are capable of producing mycotoxins are often referred to as “toxic molds.”  Despite media hype, considerable debate exists in the scientific and medical communities about claimed toxic effects resulting from mold exposure by inhalation.  Both toxic effects resulting from ingesting mycotoxin-contaminated foods are well known.  But toxic effects resulting from inhalation of molds and mycotoxins is unresolved despite several high profile lawsuits and news reports.  Claimed toxic effects include wheezing, difficulty breathing, nasal and sinus congestion, light sensitivity, blurry vision, watery or runny eyes, sore thrown, cough, skin irritation, chronic fatigue, immune suppression, aches and pains, loss of memory, constant headaches, mood changes, diarrhea, and brain damage.  The health effects associated with long term exposure to mycotoxins are unknown.    

Molds only produce mycotoxins under specific environmental conditions.  So, just because you have a mold known to produce mycotoxins does not mean that the mold is in fact releasing mycotoxins.  Molds known to release mycotoxins under certain circumstances include Stachybotrys chartarum, Aspergillus versicolor and several toxigenic species of Penicillium.  When mycotoxins are present, they occur in both living and dead mold spores, and may be present in materials that have become contaminated with molds. The infamous “toxic black mold” discussed in news stores is Stachybotrys chartarum.  “Stachy” is a greenish-black mold that can grow on materials that contain cellulose, such as drywall or sheetrock, ceiling tiles and wood.  Not all greenish-black molds are Stachybotrys chartarum. It does not grow on glass or ceramic tiles or cement, so the mold in your shower is most likely not Stachy. 

So what can you do? It is important to limit mold growth by preventing the germination and growth of mold.  Key to mold growth is water.  Moisture makes mold happy.  Without water, mold growth cannot start.  Water damage, excessive humidity, water leaks, condensation, flooding, and water intrusion are all conditions that can lead to conditions that foster mold growth.  If you see signs of water damage or water intrusion, such as bubbling paint around a window sill, or staining at a ceiling corner, signal conditions that are likely to lead to mold growth and you should take action. Molds can colonize quickly.  Some molds germinate in four to twelve hours.  Left undisturbed, a mold colony can start forming within 24 to 48 hours after a water leak or water intrusion problem.  A quick response to water intrusion, including fixing the source of the water, can stop mold from growing. 

Common sources of water are:

• Water leaks into the structure, such as the roof, walls, or floors;
• Flooding from the outside sources, such as storm water, overflowing streams, storm surge, etc.;
• Flooding from the indoor sources, such as overflowing sinks, tubs or toilets; air conditioner drain pans; or sewer systems;
• Indoor plumbing leaks;
• Broken water pipes;
• Condensation caused by indoor humidity that is too high or surfaces that are too cold;
• Indoor plumbing leaks or broken water pipes;
• Outdoor sprinkler spray hitting the walls or improper landscaping drainage that allows collection of moisture against the building;
• Inadequate ventilation;
• Humidifier use;
• House plants, especially if overwatered; and
• Moisture from our bodies, including sweat, wet hair on pillows, and respiration.

You can keep an eye and nose out for mold. Mold growth is signaled by discoloration, musty odors and visible mold growth. For example, discoloration around baseboards or on walls may indicate mold growth. A musty or earthy smell may indicate hidden mold growth. If you have a noticeable musty, moldy or earthy odor, you should check around for signs of water intrusion or water damage, or discoloration.  You can also try using a moisture meter to check the moisture content of building materials.  For example, if you smell a noticeable musty odor in one corner of a room, but don’t see any signs of discoloration or water damage, you can use a moisture meter to test the moisture content of the sheetrock or other building material.  An elevated reading may signal a water problem behind the walls, and possibly a mold problem. 

Visible mold growth pretty clearly indicates mold.  Visible mold growth may look fuzzy, cottony, velvety, powdery, or sooty, and may be green, white, black, red, orange, yellow, blue, or brown.  If you have visible mold growth, it is important to properly address it.  However, most regulatory agencies do not recommend testing to determine what type of mold it is.  All molds should be treated in the same manner in terms of health risks and removal.  The old adage applies – be safe, not sorry.  Of course, there may be specific reasons to determine what type of mold you have.  If you can’t tell whether it is mold or not, place a small drop of household bleach onto the suspected spot.  (Borrow some from a neighbor if you are a green mama that doesn’t use bleach.)  If the stain loses its color or disappears, it may be mold.  If it doesn’t, it probably isn’t mold.  Of course, try this only if it is safe to do so and wear appropriate personal protective equipment.

You will never eliminate all mold and mold spores from your home.  But, you can control indoor mold growth. 

Fix water problems.  Molds cannot grow without moisture.  So, don’t make the mold happy.  If you fix plumbing leaks and other sources of water intrusion as soon as possible, then you will eliminate the environment that molds need in order to thrive.

Control humidity.  In your home, keep humidity levels below sixty percent (60%) or even below fifty percent (50%) if you can.

Use your eyes and nose.  Your eyes and nose can tell you a lot.  That musty odor?  A good indication that mold is present.  Signs of water damage?  A good sign of a water problem that might lead to mold.  If you see or smell mold, fix the moisture source and then remediate the mold.

Ventilate.  Make sure you have and maintain adequate ventilation in “wet” rooms, such as the bathroom, the kitchen, the laundry room, the basement, and the mud room.  Again, controlling moisture and humidity is the key to preventing mold growth.  And an ounce of prevention is better than a pound of cure.

Remediate mold.  The appropriate remediation of mold will depend on the area covered by mold growth and the material(s) involved.  Check the resources for information about mold cleanup.

Be safe, not sorry.  All molds should be treated in the same manner in terms of health risks and removal. 

Dry completely.  If you do have a water intrusion problem, then make sure you fix the problem, remediate the mold, and dry out completely.  After fixing the water problem and remediating the mold, make sure you dry out water damaged areas completely.  Porous and semi-porous materials may need to be disposed of if they get moldy or wet.

Change filters.  If you use an air condition or dehumidifier, make sure you change the filter regularly in accordance with the manufacturer’s instructions.

Discard moldy items.  Don’t be a packrat!  If you have moldy books, magazines, newspapers, clothing or other items, then appropriately discard them. 

Limit houseplants.  Houseplants, especially if overwatered, can contribute to dampness.  Mold can grow in the soil and on the bark and leaves. 

When cleaning up mold, you need to wear appropriate protective gear, which means a mask to prevent breathing in mold or mold spores (use an N-95 respirator), wear gloves and wear goggles. Whether you should cleanup mold yourself or hire a professional depends on the size of the area affected and whether the water is sewage or not. If the area is less than 10 square feet (less than about 3 feet by 3 feet), you can probably handle it yourself. But, if the area was contaminated with black or sewage water, contact a professional. If you are ill, hire a professional.

Before you clean up a moldy area, it is critical that you have eliminated the moisture source. If you haven’t, then mold will just come back. Once you have taken care of the moisture source and are ready to tackle the mold growth area, seal off the rest of the house. Cover heat registers or ventilation ducts/grills. Then bag and discard all moldy items. You must discard all porous materials – sheetrock, carpeting, etc. Then, use soap or detergent to clean with hot water and scrub the area affected by mold (for solid surfaces). After cleaning, rinse clean and dry, perhaps using a wet/dry vacuum. Before tackling a mold clean up project, I encourage you to read the EPA’s A Brief Guide to Mold, Moisture & Your Home.

Let me address one myth about mold. Please keep in mind that it is a MYTH you should routinely use bleach during mold cleanup. As stated by the EPA, “‘the use of a chemical or biocide that kills organisms such as mold (chlorine bleach, for example) is not recommended as a routine practice during mold cleanup.” And, just killing the mold is not enough, which is what bleach does. You must remove the mold. Dead mold can still cause allergic reactions in some people so mold must be removed.

For very minor mold spots in your shower, you can try 2 tablespoons tea tree oil with about 10 ounces of water in a spray bottle.

Macy’s Sells Rubies With Lead Filled Glass to Unsuspecting Customers

I wanted to share with you a post I did for Los Angeles Moms Blog – Betrayed: A Sparkling Love Affair with Macy’s Is Over. (And I apologize for the typos if they haven’t been corrected yet.) I don’t know if you have seen the news reports, but the venerable Macy’s is charged with selling rubies that have lead filled glass added to them. And cubic zirconia as diamond. And other such misdeeds. The post has links to the various complaints if you are interested.

It really is disturbing to me that Macy’s would sell composite, glass filled stones as the real thing. I think you will find it just as disturbing.

I mean I understand that you can sell whatever you want for the highest price that you can get. But Macy’s did not disclose what is was selling. I know from every one of my shopping experiences at Macy’s that I have never, ever, ever been told that the stones could be composite, or could have glass filled fractures, or anything like that.

I find it even more disturbing that weeks after the story first broke on Good Morning America, Macy’s is caught doing it yet again at 3 stores by CBS 5. One of the stones that CBS 5’s undercover reporter purchases after being assured that it is real is 50% leaded glass. You would think after having gotten caught, Macy’s would have cleaned up it acts.

And then for Macy’s to admit in its statement responding to CBS 5 that it does indeed sell glass fracture filled gemstones makes me incredibly angry. I have several pieces of fine jewelry (as opposed to costume jewelry) from Macy’s. I now question whether every piece is “real” or full of glass. And god forbid it is leaded glass.

Macy’s – if any of my pieces are fracture fill glass, you better take back every single piece of jewelry. I swear that this breakup will be expensive for you.

(BTW, the law firm that filed the class action has an informational page. I have no affiliation with the law firm whatsoever, although I have talked to the attorney handling the matter about the lawsuit.)

What’s wrong with natural deodorants? You may be surprised to find aluminium.

Well, the real answer may be that many people find that natural deodorants just don’t work as well. But that isn’t what I was going to talk about in this post. Instead, I wanted to talk about what is in what many consider to be the most natural of all the natural deodorants – the crystal rock deodorant.

Now, some people switch to natural deodorants because they want to avoid aluminium. Aluminium is present in many conventional anti-perspirants, although it isn’t typically found in conventional deodorants. An increased amount of aluminium is found in the brains of many Alzheimer’s patients. Aluminium is a neurotoxin at high doses. However, aluminium in anti-perspirants has not been shown to cause Alzheimer’s, and the absorption of aluminium from anti-perspirants may be low although it does occur. While some animal studies have shown that high doses of the same aluminium salts used in anti-perspirants have detrimental impacts, The Alzheimer’s Society concludes that the evidence does not demonstrate a causal relationship between aluminium and Alzheimer’s.

So, even though the science does not confirm a link to Alzheimer’s, some people prefer products without aluminium. So they switch to natural deodorants. Other people want to avoid other ingredients commonly found in conventional anti-perspirants and deodorants, such as parabens, phthalates, and more. So they switch to natural deodorants. And some people just want to avoid the disposable plastic that comes with most conventional anti-perspirants and deodorants. So they switch to natural deodorants with less packaging.

All of those are valid reasons. But, if you are switching to a “natural” deodorant to avoid aluminium, then the natural deodorant better not have aluminium, right?

The thing is – those crystal deodorants contain aluminium.  Just check out the ingredients here, including the original Rock with ammonium alum. Ammonium alum is ammonium aluminium sulfate. Potassium alum, or hydrated aluminium potassium sulfate, may also be used. Now, it is true that the aluminium compounds are different in the rock crystal deodorants than in most conventional deodorants, and may be absorbed differently, but they still contain aluminium. And it is aluminium which is considered a neurotoxin that penetrates the blood-brain barrier. It is a bit misleading for The Original Crystal Rock to suggest that it is only aluminium chlorohydrate that is a neurotoxin.

In any event, it just seems to me that if you want to avoid aluminium, then you shouldn’t use the crystal deodorants. And keep in mind that those cystal rocks aren’t just mined naturally. They are as close to the aluminium compounds mined as sodium laureth sulfate is to coconuts. In other words, not much.

In any event, I find baking powder is the easiest and cheapest. Just put some in a small dish – I use a dish that used to have some fancy dusting powder and a pouf to put on the baking soda. It works wonders. Some people like a lit bit more to their deodorant, so you can make  your own. The best recipe is 1/4 cup baking soda, 1/4 cup corn startch and 1/4 cup coconut oil. Heat over low heat, until the coconut oil melts and the ingredients are combined. Pour liquid into container of your choice (re-use an old stick deodorant container). Let it cool. You can add some essential oil to the mixture if you want some more scent. Enviromom posts about her efforts with a slightly different recipe that doesn’t involve cooking.

If you don’t believe me and want a product, try Weleda. I like Weleda Citrus Deodorant. Now, the ingredients include the dreaded “fragrance” but the fragrance is from natural essential oils. And all those potentially yucky sounding chemicals – limonene, linalool, geraniol, citral, and farnesol – are the componds that make essential oils smell. Linalool is the top note in lavender essential oil. The information is included because the European Union’s rule requiring identification of certain potential allergens. And essential oils contain compounds which can cause allergic reactions in some people.

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