Food for thought about the
dangerous chemicals we apply on a daily basis
What are you Putting on your
Body?
by Leslee J. Klinsky
Many consumers today spend a
good deal of time researching and understanding the products they
purchase, and the progress toward this direction shows great
promise. Regrettably, though, more people than not still trust
blindly that the products they buy to put on or in their bodies are
safe and effective. Most trust that the shampoos, conditioners, body
washes, soaps, moisturizers, makeup, and toothpastes they buy will
produce the results they expect, and that the companies making these
products will have their best interests at heart in all matters.
They likewise trust products like detergents and other household
cleaners without question. It is common knowledge that multitudes of
products on the market are not good or safe for our bodies or our
environment, but busy people often succumb to marketing ploys and
convenience without thinking about it. Most of the dangerous
products are purchased from large supermarket chains and convenience
stores, but it is easy to find them at even the most proclaimed
health conscious stores. It is clearly time for us to take a look at
what we are putting on and in our bodies, and to examine the effects
these products may have on the quality of our lives and the world at
large.
Have you ever read the
ingredient list on your chosen laundry detergent, household cleaner,
dish detergent, shampoo, conditioner, makeup, sunscreen, deodorant,
or toothpaste? If you have not done this lately, please read one or
more of the products on your shelf now. If you shop in mainstream
stores like supermarket chains, convenience shops, or superstores,
you may be in for a shock. How could you not be amazed at what you
see, the teeming explosion of multifarious chemicals before your
eyes? Likely, you cannot pronounce the names of most of the
ingredients you see unless you have a heavy background in chemical
engineering, but you do know that these chemicals are manmade and
that they take the place of natural ingredients in most everything
you buy. Some of the ingredient lists take up most of the packaging,
you find, even for a seemingly simple product. And all of these
chemicals are going into your body through your skin.
The fact is that these
chemicals have been proven to be mostly ineffective, but they are
cheap to produce in a laboratory, tend to look good in bottles, and
have a nearly unlimited shelf life. These last three points make
them very attractive to company shareholders and others who profit
from the sales of these products. Additionally, chemicals are
patentable—unlike natural products—so chemical additives become a
proprietary way in which a company further profits and monopolizes a
market. What is ironic is that company profiteers warn us to contact
a poison control center immediately if we ingest these products or
get them in our eyes, but they encourage us to buy them so they can
absorb into our bodies through our skin! The skin is a great
absorber of anything it contacts, as evidenced by the popularity of
dermal absorption prescriptions for birth control and smoking
cessation. Is there a correlation between all these chemicals and
the high incidence of cancer, hair falling out, gums receding, and
lumps forming? I would bet my life on it.
When I did a state science
fair project on the incidence of all types of cancer in the late
1970s, statistics showed that less than three in 500,000 people got
cancer in any form; now, one out of two or three people are
guaranteed to get it, and this figure is rising steadily. Skin
cancer is rampant, as are receding gum lines, sensitive teeth, hair
loss, and lumps of all kinds. We should be asking why these problems
are suddenly so prevalent because they did not exist before; and
then we can take action collectively. For instance, why has the
incidence of skin cancer increased exponentially since the massive
push to sell sunscreen products? Might the chemicals in the
sunscreen be hurting more than helping? We know that the medical
community and drug companies benefit from the sale of sunscreen, as
well as the companies who sell them, but do we really benefit? Could
the epidemic rise in breast cancer have anything to do with the
increased use of aluminum and other chemicals in today’s deodorant
and skin products? What are the health risks associated with
fluoride in our toothpaste and water supply? What are the unbiased,
non-propagandistic numbers of FDA-approved drugs and chemicals that
have turned out to be hazardous after all? Just one more question
puts it all in perspective: If all these chemically laden products
are so good for us, why is nearly everybody who uses them
experiencing the same symptoms, none of which existed before
products were chemically altered?
People are seeking medical
attention in droves, more now than at any other time in history, so
why are people getting sicker instead of healthier? It is clear that
technology with a focus on profit and profitability has taken
precedence over safety and wellbeing for at least a majority of the
large product manufacturers, the medical community in general, and
our government at large. Convenience has taken precedence over that
which is healthy, and the big picture view has become constricted
and lost. We, the consumers, suffer at the hands of profiteers
unless we reclaim the knowledge of that which is good for us and
spread the word so others follow suit.
I changed my lifestyle in
its entirely one day, in a flash, when my instincts told me that the
chemicals I was putting on my body were hurting me and those I
loved. I knew at that moment I had to change, and I had the ability
to do it. My skin was broken out, I had a constant assortment of
lumps in my breasts and under my arms (which the medical community
was happy to biopsy and remove as often as I wanted), I was sifting
a drain-full of hair out of the shower every time I cleaned up, my
teeth were ultra-sensitive, and my gums were receding. I began
noticing similar motifs with others in my family, clients, and
friends, as well. I saw the systemic pattern unfold.
So I switched to all-natural
body and household products, organic wherever possible, and every
problem magically disappeared. I bought products with all-natural
ingredients that could be eaten and put on the body, which was
possible at a variety of health-oriented establishments. I found
great products for all skin, hair, and household needs, and every
ingredient was wholly natural. My gums grew back within three weeks,
my hair stopped falling out and became thicker with better luster,
skin eruptions ceased to exist, and all lumps and their associated
pain disappeared. Skin texture improved, as well.
A financial caveat exists
that makes the transition to all natural products uncomfortable for
many people. Using such products is far more expensive than using
the chemical-laden counterparts, often two or more times more
costly. Smaller companies that care about customers cannot compete
with huge conglomerates and chemical manufacturers at the
multi-national level for reasons too numerous to go into here. But
the benefits of taking care of my family and self this way have been
priceless and far outweigh the costs of future medical bills, body,
skin, and hair challenges, and lost time.
I have one more point to
make that will serve as final food for thought. Utterly impressed
with the results of my switch to all-natural body and homecare
products, I took the challenge of change a step farther. I began
eating all organic and free-range foods with only minimal to no
processing; and I stopped eating manmade oils and spreads. Life
became much more of a miracle to me, almost instantly. I began
sleeping great, where insomnia and night fears were commonplace
before. I suddenly did not have all the latest “designer
diseases”—acid reflux disease, IBS, chronic fatigue, and depression;
I was diagnosed with those prior. Mood swings ceased to be, and
digestion suddenly became effortless and natural. I had more energy
than ever and felt great. My family felt likewise improved. This
example makes real the following contention: The sudden influx of
new “designer diseases” seems to coincide with the pandemic
propagation of chemicals and over processing of the products that
people use most.
It is my sincerest prayer
that the big business mindset changes from the current one of greed,
manipulation, non-caring, and profit motives, to one of love,
caretaking, and compassion again, as in days long ago. Meanwhile,
for your best interest and the highest good of all, please begin to
question and research that which you buy for yourself and family.
Take responsibility for those things you put on and in your bodies
and the rewards will be innumerable. Resources abound regarding the
harmful effects of fluoride in water and toothpastes, chemically
treated tap water, and chemical laden products on the market. The
time is now to become fully empowered.
Leslee J. Klinsky is an
advocate of natural living. She is a full-time Akashic Records
consultant and energy healer in Scottsdale, Arizona, who works with
clients worldwide. She has formally trained in Akashic Records,
energy and aura manipulation, shamanistic journeying and extraction,
crystal work, Kundalini rising, Tantric healing, Medicine Buddha
empowerment, and a variety of other disciplines. She is also a Reiki
Master of Usui Shiki Ryoho lineage. She specializes in sessions that
combine the wisdom of the Akashic Records with potent energy block
releases. Web:
www.energy-connection.net and
www.akashicdreams.com or call 480-437-4415.
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