Where's the proof?

I found some really interesting statements on the internet about formaldehyde and the build-up of the toxin in our bodies.  The statements claim that during the Vietnam War, the bodies of the Vietnamese dead decomposed at a faster rate than the bodies of the American dead.  Further, the statements claim that twenty years ago twice as much formaldehyde was needed to embalm a person as what is needed today... because, they infer, we are slowly embalming ourselves by using formaldehyde in everything. 

I finally tracked those claims down supposedly to a "Kay Heizer of Healthy Choices."  I then found where she claims the stats came from the National Institute of Health.  I can't find the research on the NIH website, nor can I find a website for this Healthy Choices non-profit.  Does it exist?  Who is Kay Heizer?  Are all these claims part of an urban legend?

Your Skin

Your skin is your largest organ, and sixty percent of what is put on your skin is absorbed into your body. All those lotions and potions on your bathroom counter? Look at the ingredients. Your body is absorbing sixty percent - that means your other organs, like your liver, are having to detox your body from those items. Do you need all those chemicals in your lotions? No.

I now use 100% olive oil soap. Kiss My Face makes it.

I put a filter on my shower to reduce the amount of chlorine. You can find these at your local home improvement store, and they are incredibly easy to install. Even I had it done in less than two minutes.

I will not use shampoos or conditioners with sulfates or parabens. These are known skin irritants as well as possible carcinogens. At first I really missed the softness that the old shampoos provided, but a week with the filter on the shower head changed all that. I couldn't believe the difference in softness because of decreasing the chlorine with the filter. Parabens deserve their own post one of these days, because there are countries that have banned them from cosmetics and toiletries completely.

Natracare feminine products are great for women with skin sensitivities. No plastics! No chlorine used in the manufacturing process! (If you have endometriosis, limiting your exposure to chlorine products might be something to consider. Doesn't hurt to try! There is research that shows it can affect endo. Of course, there are those who argue with the research.) According to the ALAA, these are latex-free.

My mom now uses Vanicream's products. The lotion is free of formaldehyde, lanolin, dyes, fragrances, and parabens. She likes the cream and the soap. When she starts really itching, Grandma's Lye Soap helps her. She got the Vanicream sunscreen in her stocking at Christmas, but hasn't quite had the chance to use that considering it's been snowing for days. You can buy Vanicream online (drugstore.com or amazon.com). We haven't found it in our local stores yet, but pharmacists have offered to order it for her.

The Beginning

You hear the word organic frequently these days. Pretty common, right? I'd heard about organic cotton, for example - about all the environmental effects of pesticides and how organic is better. Heck, I'd even taught elementary students about bio accumulation (how the higher up the food chain an animal is, the more chemicals in it's body because it had eaten something that had eaten something that had eaten something... lots of chemicals.) I've heard about the advantages of using simple cleaners like vinegar. Yes, I've even been known to do that, too. And I've been sensitive to certain products and known others that reacted to strong smells or chemicals. I've been an advocate, I hope, for those in the workplace who can not tolerate perfumes, candles, and the like. But I never really – I mean really – appreciated or truly connected all of those things. Until this year.

After years of misery, the doctor finally figured out my mom is allergic to formaldehyde. The only way to truly handle the allergy is to decrease exposure to it. Formaldehyde is in everything! Carpet, furniture, paint, permanent-press clothing, wrinkle-resistant clothing and sheets, polyester... it's used in the tanning process for leather. Lotions, shampoos and conditioners, laundry detergents, fabric softeners, household cleaners. Are you getting the picture yet?

If you want to see a grown woman cry, make her eyes water so badly tears are running down her face, watch her go into a store. Watch her spend five minutes in a car with someone who uses fabric softener. Watch her open the door and walk into a house where someone has just done laundry.

If you want to see someone's skin over their entire body turn read and leathery, make the person wear leather shoes.

If you want to see someone itch all night so badly she can't sleep, put sheets on the bed made of polyester – even a small percentage of polyester.

If you want to see someone itch all day during the winter, have her wear fleece.

It's miserable.

So. I've been on a mission the last few months: read and research as much as I can about chemicals in the environment around us and how to decrease exposure to them. I've learned surprising and downright pitiful information about our country's use of chemicals compared to usage in Europe. I've learned how these chemicals are harming us, safe/safer products to use, how to read labels, how to use plants to help clean the air, and so much more.

This blog is a way for me to keep track of what I'm learning and also to help others. There is not a single person I've talked to in the last several months who does not have or know someone who has chemical sensitivities or allergies to things like latex. Through hours of searching and continued searches, I've found some great sites and manufacturers. Even if you do not suffer – or know you suffer – from these chemicals, leading a cleaner, more chemical-free lifestyle will be healthier for you, the people around you, and the environment.

And maybe, if folks are lucky, my writing this will help keep me from talking about it constantly. They can read this anytime they want instead of me adding some new fact to every conversation. You're right. It might not be possible.