Watch out for FRAGRANCE

 

When trying to conceive and preparing a for healthy pregnancy, there are many things we pay attention to from food and supplements to exercise in order to increase our chances of getting pregnant. One of the most important things to avoid but often overlooked is the fertility harming toxins and chemicals that cause endocrine disruption and are linked to infertility, pregnancy complications and miscarriage.

We all love nice smelling things, most of the time we will choose a product based on how it smells. Even if you are not a fan of perfume I’m sure you will like to smell nice and fresh after a shower. I used to love the nice lingering shampoo scent on my hair after my bath, however these nice smells are not so nice to our bodies and can do so much harm to our health and fertility.

“Fragrance” or “Parfum” listed on product labels are actually made up of many different chemicals and are considered a trade secret where manufacturers are not required to list the ingredients of the fragrance in their product. This allows them to hide various chemicals in the product even if it is toxic and harmful to consumers. One of these toxic chemicals is Phthalates.

 

Why we should avoid Phthalates?

Phthalates are endocrine disruptors, they interfere with hormones in our bodies and affect our reproductive system. Not something we want when trying to conceive!

Phthalates are linked to infertility in men and women, may cause complications during pregnancy and harm to the developing fetus and to young children.

So what exactly is Phthalates?

Phthalates are used to make plastics more flexible, and also used to make fragrances last longer. And hence, they are added to synthetic fragrances in personal care and household products.

They can enter our body by inhaling, ingesting and through the skin, which is the largest organ of our body.

What can I do about it?

Avoid products which list “Fragrance/ Parfum” on the ingredients. Look for products that actually list out all the fragrance ingredients.

Start right now! Check all your personal care products and throw out anything that has Fragrance/ Parfum in it. Your skin care products, lotions, creams, shampoo, soaps, deodorant, hair gel and of course perfumes should be avoided as well. Also don’t forget to check your household cleaning products, clothes detergent, dish soap. Most of them do not list all the ingredients, but if you can smell fragrance, that’s a sign to know It contains fragrance and other toxic chemicals.

 

So how about fragrance free/ unscented products?

If a product is labeled “Fragrance free” or “Unscented”, it does not necessarily mean that they are free from harmful chemicals. Some ingredients in a product may originally have unpleasant smells and hence fragrances or masking agents are added to neutralize these smell, making an end product that is unscented or free of fragrance. The best way to be for sure is to read the ingredients list and check any ingredients that you find suspicious or unsure about.

 

I hope this makes you think twice when buying your products next time, I certainly did. Don’t go for products just by how good or pleasant it smells, read the labels and make the right choice for yourself and your family.

Oh and If you still love some scents in your products, make sure it contains natural pure and organic essential oils. Pure essential oils are great and natural way of adding a pleasant scent to your products, they also have beneficial properties too. Making DIY products and incorporating pure essential oils is great, because you’ll know the ingredients you put in your DIY are free from toxic chemicals.

 

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