“I am a slow walker, but I never walk back.”
(Abraham Lincoln)
A few months ago I wrote Unacceptable Levels: The Toxic Assault of Modern Life. Watching the powerful documentary, Unacceptable Levels, and my subsequent research shocked me into reducing the toxic chemical-load in my household.
The simple fact is, we are awash with an unacceptable level of dangerous chemicals in household and personal care products, vaccines, medicines — even our air, water, and food.
Overwhelmed
When researching this topic, I am often overcome with the sheer scope of the problem. It feels like my family and I are exposed to chemicals in nearly everything we do.
I also feel severely under-educated. The deodorant I have used for most my adult life contains propylene glycol, which is on Dr. Frank Lipman’s list of chemicals you should look out for in your personal care products. Checking the ingredients in my skincare routine I found pentylene glycol, which is not on Dr. Frank’s list but sounds dangerous too. After some research, another resource confirms propylene glycol is a low to moderate “hazard” and pentylene glycol has no such warning.
Finally, the marketing assault from consumer product companies can be incredibly deceptive. My wife tried to buy me a “safe” deodorant and found a product called MenScience Advanced Deodorant. The label reads, “Fragrance Free. Alcohol Free.” It features Aloe, Allantoin, Glycerine, Witch Hazel Tea Extract and Microzeolites. This product appears to be clean at first glance, but a closer look reveals the biggest ingredient is propylene glycol. Uugghh!
Out with the Bad, In with the Good
Here’s what I have learned and a few small steps I have taken:
Some of my old personal care products are out because they contain chemicals on Dr. Frank’s list. These include Colgate Total Plus Whitening Gel Toothpaste, Suave Naturals Shampoo, Irish Spring Original Deodorant Soap, Speed Stick by Mennen Deodorant Solid, and the recent attempt, MenScience Advanced Deodorant.
Here are some new products I have tried and liked:
- Nubian Goat’s Milk & Chai Soap
- Primal Pit Paste Natural Deodorant
- THAI Crystal Deodorant Stone
- Thesis Natural Spray Deodorant
- doTERRA OnGuard Natural Whitening Toothpaste
- Tom’s of Maine Toothpaste
- Jason Toothpaste
Skincare Keepers & AO+ Mist Experiment
These are the products I have been using for my skin care routine. They passed my inspection and remain as keepers:
- Isagenix Rejuvity® Moisturizing Day Cream
- Isagenix Rejuvity® Renewing Night Cream
By the way, tomorrow is my 54th birthday! So here’s an update on my 200-Day Face Lotion Experiment before and after pictures:
I also added a new cosmetic spray called AO+ Mist to my skincare routine. My hope is to reduce my need for skincare products like deodorant and lotion by restoring my skin’s natural ecosystem with healthy bacteria (think probiotics for your skin). I have only been experimenting with it for a few weeks, but the results are encouraging so far… I’ll let my wife be the ultimate judge of this experiment!
Small Steps, Consistent Progress
I am determined to reduce the chemical exposure in my home in spite of the overwhelming challenge.
It’s taken me years to get where I am today. I plan to give myself time to learn and implement small steps on a regular basis. That consistent effort will end up making a big difference for my family in the long run.
I will be patient with time, but resolute with determination!
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