Chemicals we put into our Bodies, how bad are they?

Several Students in my Athletic Training Philosophy class have really started to take an interest in how chemicals we put in and on our body and the negative effects it can have on us. As a class project we looked up some web sites that listed the many chemicals that we use in our everyday products. 

We chose to use the list provided by lifekind.com  This was a great list that has not only the chemical but also a great explanation of the harmful effects they have.

They went to the local grocery store called Fred Meyer first to see if they could find some personal hygiene and cleaning products that did not contain any chemicals. After that they went to Whole Foods, a local organic market to see what the difference would be. 

Here is a few examples of the chemicals they found in the category of personal hygiene products. 

Sodium Laureth Sulfate - Skin irritant. Reported as toxic in many studies. Has tendency to react with other ingredients to form carcinogenic nitrosamines. The FDA has stated that levels of dioxin formation in products containing sodium laureth sulfate are unacceptable. Studies have shown eye and systemic tissue (heart, liver, brain) penetration. 

They found this product in many if not most shampoos and also contained in almost all Deodarants. We chose to not list products by name but trust us, it was pretty much all of them. 

The other common chemical in all these products was;

Parabens -Preservatives that have a greater-than-normal potential for causing irritation and allergic reactions. Reported to be toxic. 

When the kids went to Whole Foods they found that many of the products were listed as Paraben Free. The best products of all were the Kiss My Face Brand. They were totally chemical free and the products had a pleasant smell to them.

Take a look at the list on the website we linked above. Then take that list to your bathroom and look through your products. It will surprise you the amount of harmful chemicals you are constantly putting on your skin and into your body.