Ori Hofmekler Blog

A recent report on MSNBC.com - "Baby shampoo study raises chemical concerns" - indeed raises serious concerns regarding the safety of our children in our chemical dependent society. A recent study indicated that certain industrial chemicals, called phthalates, common ingredients in ordinary household products, cosmetics, plastic bottles, toys and in this case baby products, were found in elevated levels in the urine of babies after being shampooed, powdered or lotioned with baby products.

Phthalates have shown to cause reproductive disorders - sterility, birth defects, deformed sex organs and cancer in animals. These same chemicals are now abundantly found in the products that we use, in the water that we drink and in the food that we eat. There is growing evidence that phthalates are major contributors to female disorders, male reproductive disorders and cancer in men and women. Called hormonal disruptive chemicals, phthalates belong to a large family of manmade chemicals that have shown to disrupt the endocrine/ hormonal system, shatteringthe health and development of newborn animals and humans who were exposed to these chemicals through breast milk.

Phthalates are potent estrogen mimicking substances adding to the overall estrogenic impact of chemicals on our bodies and in particular our children's bodies - which are smaller and therefore pound-for-pound more vulnerable to this chemical onslaught.

Yet in spite of the growing evidence to the devastating effects of industrial chemicals on our society and particularly on our children, government officials dismiss the findings with the same old same old statement: "Should new data emerge, we will inform the public..."

Meanwhile, no one is doing anything besides some environmental advocacy groups and activists, all good people who adamantly protest but apparently with no solution. What can we do to protect our lives and our children's future?

First, we can't overlook this problem any more. Our society is getting fatter and sicker than ever, largely due to these chemicals which have been penetrating our bodies and persistently accumulating in our tissues. Second, since it's virtually impossible to avoid chemicals in our mechanized and industrialized lifestyle, it's critically important to take action now to lower the collateral damage of chemicals on our bodies. Here are a few things you can do to protect yourself and your family:

• Avoid plastic packed foods if you can. Drink water from glass bottles, buy sauces, oils and juices packed in glass rather than plastic. Note that frozen food or juices packed in plastic are safer than non-frozen ones (freezing lowers the rate of chemical leakage).
• Eat organic, avoid conventional meat, dairy or produce if possible. Note that fruits or vegetables with peels are safer (after peeling) than non-peeling ones.
• Avoid conventional chemical-loaded cosmetics, shampoos, lotions and soaps - use instead natural products - available in health stores or online.
• Detoxify your body on a daily basis with natural cleansing herbs and detox programs. Natural detox is the most effective way to neutralize/remove toxins and thus counteract the chemical impact.
• Ban all insect sprays, gardening pesticides and housekeeping chemical deodorants.
• Remember, our bodies have never adapted to chemicals and all chemicals cause side effects; these include synthetic vitamins, chemical food additives, artificial sweeteners and synthetic sugar alcohol - therefore avoid all synthetic vitamins and all diet products drenched with synthetic additives, even if they're labeled as health items.
• Learn how to use hormonal balancing herbs and foods to naturally counteract the hormonal shattering effects of chemicals.