Are We Ingesting Toxic Chemicals Unknowingly?!

The answer to that is a mostly likely, “yes!”. While some chemicals have made our lives easier, such as nail polish remover and laundry detergent, many have had unfortunate health consequences. Toxic chemicals are everywhere in our environment. They are in our foods, cosmetics, cleaning supplies, lawn care products, detergents, medications, homes, and workplaces…. The list goes on and on. They are EVERYWHERE and the effects on our bodies are dangerous, unknown, not well studied, and real. Some chemicals like glyphosate have been linked to Hodgkin’s Lymphoma, and atrazine is strongly suspected of causing breast and ovarian cancer. Both are found in pesticides.

It all started in the late 1940s with the advent of the chemical age. After World War II, petroleum-based pesticides, chemicals and household products began to flood the market. Since then, we have added over 87,000 new chemicals to our environment!! Man

y with devastating effects on our bodies and minds. Author of Staying Well in a Toxic World, Lynn Lawson, remarks that before the war,

“Farmers fertilized fields with manure, not chemicals….flyswatters or sticky pest strips caught flies. Housewives washed clothes with soap, not detergents. Synthetic fabrics, except rayon, did not exist; there was no need for fabric softeners. Women wore cotton or, rarely, silk stockings. Perfumes were made from flowers, medications mostly from plants.”

Most of us would not knowingly put in our mouths, chemicals such as propylene glycol, xylene, and phthalate plasticizers; however, every time with use lip gloss, lipstick, moisturizers, perfumes, soaps, hair dyes, deodorants, and anything that goes directly on our skin that’s exactly what we’re doing.

All chemicals penetrate our skin, some better than others. Regardless, the end results is the same as eating them – they get into our blood stream and, over time and prolonged use, wreak havoc on our bodies. Environmental physician Sherry Rogers warns people that they should be as knowledgeable about their make- up as they are about their food.

“Skin absorption is so good that more and more prescription medicines are being manufactured in a patch form….People who slather creams, colognes and oils on their skin do not realize that it is just like eating them, for they reach the bloodstream as though they had eaten them.”

There are ways to reduce the toxic loads on our bodies, but we first must become aware of the many ways that toxic chemicals are entering our bodies. I encourage you to read the ingredient labels of your cosmetics and cleaning supplies and do a quick internet search on how these chemicals impact our bodies and environment. At first, it may seem a bit overwhelming and bewildering that these chemicals are even legal and allowed in our country, but they are. Knowledge is power and wisdom is applying that knowledge. We must begin to help each other and educate ourselves on these hazards so that we can make the changes that lead to incredible health, wellness and vitality.

At Bioenergetic Wellness Center of Boerne we can help you evaluate your foods, cosmetics, and household products to determine your toxic load and how it may be affecting your health. We can even make some healthier suggestions. Call 830-322-3022 to make an appointment. We look forward to seeing you soon!

Resources: Radical Medicine, Chapter 4, Toxic Chemicals

Staying Well in a Toxic World by Lynn Lawson

Silent Spring by Rachel Carson

Website: https://www.100daysofrealfood.com/video-read-ingredient-labels/