Your personal care products and household cleaners are affecting your Health & Fertility

 

An average person is exposed to over 100 different chemicals a day. Think about tooth paste, shampoo, soap, baby wipes, deodorant, cosmetics that we put on our bodies. Plus the household cleaners like dish soap, laundry detergent, floor cleaners that pollute our home and can be harmful when inhaled or touched!

First of all, I’m not a scientist nor a chemist to talk about chemicals, but from my experience throughout my fertility journey and things I’ve learned along the way I want to share and hopefully create awareness for others to make better choices for themselves and their family.

Many chemicals are endocrine disruptors. Our endocrine system is a network of glands and organs that produce, store secret hormones. Endocrine disrupting chemicals can mimic the shape of hormones and trick the body into thinking they are a hormone or block our body’s natural hormones.

This could lead to health issues such as infertility, reduced sperm quality, menstrual problems, endometriosis, obesity, immune function disorder, cancer, respiratory problems, learning disabilities and so on.

Our skin is the largest organ on our bodies and absorbs whatever we put on it or expose ourselves to. So if you are using products that contain chemicals, those chemicals will enter your body one way or another.

These chemicals enter our blood stream and accumulate over time and the most worrying is that these chemicals make their way to the womb of pregnant moms too, which could cause some serious risk and developmental issues for the baby.

So, what can you do about it?

Start reading labels on your personal care and household products and avoid harmful chemicals, search the chemicals on the label if you feel suspicious about it.

Some common chemicals to watch out for:

Polyethylene Glycol – Thickener, softener, surfactant, penetration enhancers (PEG-6, PEG-8, PEG-100, and so on.. The number represents the approximate molecular weight of that compound. The lower the molecular weight, the easier it is for the compound to penetrate the skin. Also look out for Propylene glycol, Isopropyl alcohol, and Butylene glycol.)

Dangers – Skin irritant, possible link to cancer

Found in moisturizers, cosmetics, lotion, household cleaners

Formaldehyde – Preservative, also used to make building materials (Formalin, Methyl aldehyde, Methylene glycol, Methylene oxide)

Dangers – Skin, eyes, nose and throat irritant, joint discomforts, chest pain, chronic fatigue and is also classified as carcinogenic.

Found in moisturizers, body soap, hair straightening treatments, nail polish, cosmetics, laundry detergent, dish soap

Sodium Lauryl Sulfate – Foaming agent (SLS)

Dangers – Eye and skin irritant, endocrine disruptor, organ toxicity

Found in body washes, soaps, shampoos, toothpastes and laundry detergent

 

Phthalates – Dissolving agent, also used to make plastics more flexible (diethyl phthalate, monoethyl phthalate, mono-isobutyl phthalate and other ingredients ending with phthalate, but take note that there are many compounds that contain phthalates that are not easily identified on the label)

Dangers -  Lower sperm count, lower testosterone levels, hormonal disruptor in male and female.

Found in nail polish, perfumes, deodorants, hair gels, shampoos, soaps, hair sprays, and body lotions. Phthalates can be part of “fragrance” in a product and companies are not required to list it separately in the ingredients list.

 

Parabens – Preservative (methyl-, ethyl-, propyl-, butyl-, isobutyl- and other ingredients ending in -paraben Some product state "Paraben Free" but still contain other harmful chemicals, always check the ingredients list!)

Dangers -  Endocrine disruptor, mimics estrogen affecting male and female reproductive system, causing infertility.

Found in shampoos, conditioners, lotions, creams.

 

These are just a few from the thousands of chemicals in our everyday products. It’s really difficult to eliminate ALL chemicals from our lives, but awareness and mindfulness when choosing our products can make a difference.

DIY is a good way to switch out chemical products and usually only requires a few ingredients and simple to put together. The best part is you’ll know what goes into your DIY products.

Have you started switching out chemical products? I’d love to hear about it, let me know in the comments below.

Are you trying to conceive and looking to improve your wellness? Join my free group where I share my experiences, tips, diet and healthy living to improve fertility.