Several years ago, before we embarked on our TTC journey, I used to think that products marketed as “organic” or “natural” and sold at premium prices were an unnecessary luxury fad. Nah, why would I need those products – it’s not like I ingest shampoo, plus, they’re more expensive. My cheaper, mass commercial brands work just fine and I can easily buy them anywhere, I thought.
Fast forward three years and these days, whenever I’m out shopping for skincare products, you’ll find me reading every single label on the back of a product. Why the change? Well, it turns out that many of these products contain nasty chemicals that are toxic to our bodies. We’re talking carcinogens (remember the 2016 law suit where Johnson & Johnson were ordered to pay US$72m to a woman who died of ovarian cancer from using it’s baby talc? Yep, apparently J&J were aware of studies showing a link between talc use and ovarian cancer but ignored them. Read more here). We’re also talking endocrine disruptors such as parabens, 1,4 dioxin, BPA, phthalates, triclosan… the list goes on. These chemicals, which mimic our hormones, can be found in food, household and personal care products and according to WHO, have been “suspected to be associated with altered reproductive function in males and females; increased incidence of breast cancer, abnormal growth patterns and neurodevelopmental delays in children, as well as changes in immune function.” BPA is also linked to miscarriages in experiments on mice.
It’s no wonder my doctors advised me to avoid toxic chemicals. I opened our bathroom cabinet and started doing research on everything from shampoo and shower gels to lotions and potions and realised that all of them, even those labelled as “organic” or “natural” contained these toxic nasties. And believe me, it took a while to Google all of those hard to pronounce names but it was worth it. I realised that we must never believe it when products claim to be “natural” or “organic” until we’ve read the ingredients label because you’ll find that they very cleverly twist the words and use natural looking packaging to trick you. For example, a product could market itself as “organic” just because it contains X % of organic essential oils. However, this same product could also contain parabens and SLS. As a general rule of thumb, don’t believe in vague sounding ingredients like ‘fragrance’ which can come in synthetic or natural form. The former can include a concoction of harmful chemicals including phthalates but the issue with ‘fragrance’ is that it’s not required by law to disclose the individual ingredients within it. If it’s specified as ‘natural fragrance’, it should specifically state what i.e. “fragrance derived from lavender essential oil” or along those lines.
Well, if they’re so bad, how do these companies get away with it? Surely there is regulation and the amounts included are within the “safe” levels? In short, the answer to the first question is good lawyers, good PR, good connections and money (money = power). Lawyers help “fix” problems and make them go away. Clever PR persuades the public (or shall I say tricks them?) into believing that everything is “safe”. Strong connections, money and power enable these large companies to have substantial influence on the government and cosmetic regulatory boards to allow them to keep going. It takes decades of lobbying, deaths and stacks of evidence to “prove” something and even if a link is identified, unless it can be explicitly proven with little or no contradiction, it will be de-buffed by the big shot lawyers.
Here’s some fun facts:
Q: How long did it take the medical industry to ban X-rays on pregnant women?
A: 25 years
Why so long: Doctors were aware of studies linking radiation to fetal damage and childhood cancer in 1956. However, the findings were initially regarded as “unsound” as it was an “inconvenient truth”. Think of the amount of babies and children who lived and died of cancer during that time 😦 Read more here.
Q: How long did it take for the US to ban lead in paint?
A: 91 years
Why so long: US authorities already knew about childhood lead poisoning in 1887 but they refused to ban lead in paint until 1978. At one time baby cribs were painted with lead-based paint, which resulted in infant illness and death. Read more here.
Q: How long did it take for the US to ban Triclosan in antibacterial hand soaps?
A: 38 years
Why so long: Due to it’s carcinogenic and hormone disrupting effects, the FDA proposed a regulation that would remove triclosan and triclocarban from topical antimicrobial products in 1978, but The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) only took action in 2013 after the Natural Resources Defense Council (NRDC) filed a lawsuit. The recent ban only came into effect in 2016.
Note: Whilst Triclosan has been banned in antibacterial hand soaps, it’s still used in toothpaste (check your Colgate Total), mouthwash, hand sanitisers, deodorant, creams, cosmetics and other personal care products. Funny how they’d ban it in soap and not toothpaste which you use 2-3 times a day inside your mouth right?! Read more here.
As to the levels used in consumer products, companies claim that they are within the “safe levels” recommended by so and so agency. Exposure to small amounts are still safe, right? Probably not, unless it’s a once in a while use. Think about your daily routine. I would guess it includes face cream, body lotion, make up, hair products, deodorant, shampoo, conditioner, shower gel and toothpaste. You probably use them once or twice a day, every day and have been doing so for the past 20, 30, 40 plus years? It all adds up and these small doses not only build up in our systems but also the systems of unborn babies over time. Yes. Scientists have tested the blood of newborns and found a host of metals and toxic chemicals in their blood. And this is before they’ve even eaten or drunk anything. Read more here.
Still with me? Cool! I hope you’re not freaking out because thankfully, there are so many gentler products out there to choose from and nowadays, you just have to be smart about it. And with increased awareness and competition, they’re becoming cheaper too! Sukin, Jason, California Baby and Avalon Organics are a few available at supermarkets and drug stores in HK. Natural Instincts, an Ozzie brand, is my favourite but unfortunately, it’s currently not available in HK. By all means, they’re not perfect. But at least they’re better than those big brand names.
On a final note, whilst I understand that we can’t avoid toxic chemical exposure altogether, as it’s literally everywhere – in the air, on the sofa, on door handles and remote controls etc., my personal stance on it is to liken it with smoking. Smoking 1 – 2 cigarettes a day is still better than smoking a pack a day and the same theory goes with products. If you can’t avoid it, you can reduce it by mindfully consuming less toxic products and in my opinion, this small habitual change will still make a difference to you and your family’s health. But again, this is a personal choice and whatever you decide, I wish you all the best!
Ooh, one more thing. I highly recommend watching Sean Penn’s documentary called “The Human Experiment” which exposes the problems arising from the thousands of untested and potentially toxic chemicals we put into our shopping carts everyday. It talks about how these chemicals affect fertility and TTC couples, as well as young children. It also highlights studies that link BPA to the spike in cases of polycystic ovarian syndrome (PCOS), a leading cause of infertility prevalent among recent generations. You can read more here.
For those still interested, I have included a link to an article that provides tips on how to avoid endocrine disruptors here.
Disclaimer:
*This blog may contain some graphic language. Read at your own risk 
*Contents of this blog are based on my personal opinion and own experiences and in no way represents professional medical advice. Please exercise your own judgement when making decisions.
*Products featured here are my personal recommendations and I have not been paid or incentivised to recommend them.
Love, Hope, Jabs and Probes Copyright 2017
Love, Hope, Jabs and Probes 