Many cosmetics contain chemicals known as parabens and phthalates, which recent studies indicate may be linked to cancer development. Parabens are chemical preservatives that have been identified as estrogenic and disruptive of normal hormone function by copying the function of estrogen may increase the risk of breast cancer. Phthalates are known to cause a broad range of birth defects.
Most mainstream cosmetic and personal care products contain at least one hazardous chemical compound, and many contain far more than that. By various estimates, there are between about 5,000 and 10,000 ingredients currently being used in everything from eyeliner and lipstick to shampoos and deodorants. While many are thought to be perfectly safe, many are not. The National Institute of Occupational Safety, for example, has identified almost 900 personal care chemicals that are toxic in one way or another. Some cause cancer. Others cause hormone disruption. Some are neurotoxins. And still others can cause organ damage. In Europe, some 400 of these dangerous materials have been banned from consumer products.
Our Skin is the largest organ in the human body, and one of its most remarkable. A breathing layer of protection between ourselves and the world, it grows up and out in layers that replace themselves every 52 to 75 days. The average adult, in fact, sheds about 40 pounds of skin over the course of a lifetime, and typically carries around 21 square feet of it, weighing 7 pounds and containing 300 million individual cells. Each square inch of skin has roughly 10 hairs, 15 oil glands, 72 feet of nerve fiber, 100 sweat glands, and over 3 feet of blood vessels, which make our skin very absorbent and cause the things we put on it become quickly absorbed into our bodies. When it comes to traditional personal care and make-up products, this can be quite hazardous to our health. Parabens, for example, are chemical preservatives that have been found to mimic estrogen and alter the body’s delicate hormonal balance. Another class of compounds commonly found in such products is phthalates, which have been linked to breast cancer.
The good news is that ingredients must be listed on product labels. The bad news is that it often seems you need a doctorate in chemistry to even figure out how to pronounce these ingredients, not to mention understand the level of danger their presence in product formulas represents.
My recommendation is to use organic lipstick where possible. Buy lip stick, nail polish or skin care products that are toxin or preservative free.
The Glycemic Index (GI) is a measure of the amount and the rate of increase in blood sugar after eating a carbohydrate. This is also known as the glycemic load. The higher the GI, the larger the rise in blood sugar and the release of insulin. This is important because the more insulin in your system, the more fat you retain.
A calorie ratio of 40 percent carbohydrates, 30 percent proteins, and 30 percent fat minimizes your glycemic load (insulin) and thus the fat you retain. This balance also provides the three key macro nutrients needed to keep a body in hormonal balance.