Teen Girls Exposure to Cosmetic Chemicals

A recent study by the Environmental Working Group has revealed that teen girls bodies are more contaminated with chemicals from cosmetics than adult women. On average an adult woman uses 12 beauty products per day, however teen girls use an average of 17 beauty products per day. The study included 20 teen girls ages 14-19 and revealed that every teen had parabens in her blood and urine samples. 16 other hazardous chemicals were also detected in the girls. Adolescence is a time of critical development and many of these chemicals such as parabens are disrupting our teens natural hormone levels. Parabens and Phthalates are both hormone mimicking chemicals that disrupt our natural hormone levels and pollute our bodies with synthetic "mimicking" hormones. Phthalates have been linked to endocrine and reproductive system problems. Babies who are cared for with phthalate-laced products have shown developmental problems, especially in the reproductive development of male children. If you don't read the ingredients labels on your cosmetics you are unknowingly exposing yourself to these chemicals on a daily basis. Parabens and Phthalates are in everything from shampoo, foundation, deodorant and perfume.

I hear stories daily about women in their early 20s being diagnosed with breast cancer, I even saw a news story about a 13 year old who was diagnosed with breast cancer. Is this a coincidence? I don't think so. The cosmetic industry has no regulation and companies are free to put whatever chemicals they want into products. There's some government group that regulates the cosmetic industry right? Wrong! Our bodies, our children, our waterways and our aquatic life are all being affected by the hormone disrupting chemicals in our cosmetics products.

I encourage everyone to start reading labels. Resist the temptation to buy your teen the latest beauty products from the fashion mags. Get on board with green products and show her that you can still stay on trend while using products that are safe for your health. Green is hot and many commercial companies are jumping on the band wagon. A great drug store brand eco line is Physcians Formula Organic Wear. Buyer beware, even if a product is being marketed as green make sure you still read the labels. Many companies are taking advantage of the fact that consumers want green products and are marketing their products as "safe and natural" when they are anything but. Surprise, Surprise there isn't anyone regulating what is "natural" either so "Green Washing" is becoming a challenge for consumers. A good rule of thumb is if the ingredients aren't listed, don't buy the product. Not to fear there are some amazing companies out there that are producing fabulous green products free from all of the harmful chemicals we've discussed. Check out my website for recommendations, to read product reviews, get educated and read the ingredient listings on every product.

Are your pets living the green life?

A recent study has shown that dogs and cats bodies are contaminated with higher levels of hazardous chemicals than their human owners. Pets are exposed to toxic chemicals in their environment on a daily basis through pesticide-laden lawns, toxic flea medications and hazardous indoor air contaminants. Since their bodies age at an accelerated rate the chemicals burden their bodies sooner than they do humans. Scientists are seeing rates of cancer in dog’s skyrocket as well as hyperthyroidism in cats, leading them to the conclusion that hazardous chemical exposure is to blame.

Did you know that most popular flea medications work by entering toxic chemicals directly into your pets bloodstream? Vitamin B has been shown effective in keeping fleas at bay and is a safe and natural alternative. Keep your pets breathing easy by eliminating toxic household cleaners and air fresheners in the home. This will ensure that your indoor air quality is safe for your pets. Also be sure and use eco friendly products to keep outdoor pests away. Pesticides are extremely toxic to pets.

Good health starts from the inside out so check out your pets food and make sure that you're feeding them a high quality food that is free from artificial ingredients, preservatives and fillers. Many skin conditions can be cleared up by eliminating corn and wheat products from your pets food as well as choosing a green SLS free dog shampoo. For more recommendations on green pets products check out www.green4yoursoul.com