ADVERTISING: Advertorial — Fragrance Hazards: More than skin deep — Part II

In Part I of Fragrance Hazards: More Than Skin Deep, we talked about how we all want to smell clean and look nice, especially when dressed for a special occasion. However, the fragrances we choose could be hazardous to our health! On a regular basis, we don fragrances in many ways: perfumes and colognes, lotions and moisturizers, shampoos and crème rinses, body washes and soaps, after-shower spritzers, deodorants and antiperspirants, toothpaste, hairsprays and other hair styling products, sunscreens, lipsticks and lip glosses, makeup removers, facial cleansers and toners, bath bombs and bath salts, aftershaves and beard oils, face masks and anti-aging elixirs, baby products, toenail and foot fungus oils and powders, vaginal washes or powders and even room deodorizers that are sprayed in a room and especially if sprayed overhead. These are just ones we don on our bodies, not others in our environment!  

We have a no-perfume policy in our office because of the growing number of people who come in our doors with chemical sensitivities. But, in addition to the above body-stuff, on our clothes we have laundry soaps, clothes softeners (dryer sheets are some of the worst!), fire retardants, room sprays and even air fresheners/diffusers, and scented candles, all of which have chemicals that cling to our clothing and hair. These add up. Accumulative toxins from fragrances could be a key, or at least a puzzle piece, to some of your health issues.  

In Part I we discussed hormone disruptors caused by these chemicals. Many fragrances also cause neuro-toxicity. These can cause a disruption of neurotransmitter function (chemicals responsible for mood regulation, cognition, and behavior), can cause oxidative stress and inflammation which can damage neurons leading to neurodegenerative diseases such as Alzheimer’s and Parkinson’s, cause developmental neurotoxicity affecting brain development in fetuses and young children, leading to developmental delays, learning disabilities and behavioral problems, and contribute to nerve damage and neuropathy that can result in pain, tingling or loss of function in affected areas.  

While I had planned to list the worst chemicals, the list was way too long and I’d rather discuss what we can do about it.  

First, avoid as many of these things as you can. My favorite website is www.ewg.org. On this website, you can put your favorite products in the search box, and it will give a grade as to its toxicity and even tell you which chemicals are the problem and why. You can also use it to find safe alternatives. In the search box, simply write what you are looking for, for example, “skin moisturizer,” and it will list the products that are “EWG Verified,” meaning low risk of toxicity. That part is really cool! 

Doing detox programs and acupuncture to restore endocrine balance and encourage further detox is another thing you can do to help reverse the impact of an accumulation of chemicals in your body over time. Take action now to protect yourself and loved ones from this accumulative problem! 

Want to hear more from Holly Carling? Check out our podcast. Search for VitalHealth4You on your favorite podcast listening app or go to vitalhealthcda.com/podcasts/.

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Holly Carling is a Doctor of Oriental Medicine, Licensed Acupuncturist, Doctor of Naturopathy, Clinical Nutritionist and Master Herbologist with over four decades of experience. Carling is a “Health Detective.” She looks beyond your symptom picture and investigates WHY you are experiencing your symptoms in the first place.

Carling is currently accepting new patients and offers natural health care services and whole food nutritional supplements in her Coeur d’Alene clinic. Visit Carling’s website at www.vitalhealthcda.com to learn more about Carling, view a list of upcoming health classes and read other informative articles.

Carling can be reached at 208-765-1994 and would be happy to answer any questions regarding this topic.