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