The Price?

My friend’s comment on the post below brought up the unfortunate point that it seems the safer a product is the more expensive it is. Of course you have to weigh the idea that the possible effects on your health could end up costing you more in the end, but that does not change the fact that you can’t afford the safer option today, so what’s a person to do? In addition to coupons, of course?

I would suggest (because I’m such a expert, haha) that you be as informed as possible and then “pick your poison” so to speak. At least find out how toxic your current products are and decide what score you can be comfortable with. Like the Crest toothpaste below, some people may be fine with an EWG score of 5, but my personal choice was to look for something lower. Or maybe there is a product you only use once a week and you feel okay with a higher score because of the limited use.

I would encourage you to stay out of the 7-10 high hazard zone for sure, and get down into the 0-2 low hazard zone on the items that you can. Some change is better than none, and until we as consumers take control by spending our money on safer products, other companies will continue putting crap in the stuff we slather on ourselves and our children. I realize that sounds all “power of the people” which is not my personality at all but it’s kind of true.

“Fun” Fact -- As of December 2009, the US has banned 9 ingredients in the use of cosmetics (and put restrictions on only 2 other ingredients). As of April 2008, Europe has banned 1,328 and put provisions on a couple hundred more. Apparently US companies are also known to reformulate their products in order to sell in Europe, but they care so much about their customers in the US that they leave in all the stuff Europe won’t allow. Aren’t we lucky! (I read that somewhere but am still looking for a source on the info.)

And don't fall into the trap of thinking products labeled "natural" and "organic" are automatically safe, that label is sadly no guarantee. It comes down to doing the research for yourself and making an informed decision as to what you are comfortable with for you and your family. Knowledge is power, as cheesy as that sounds, and to quote the amazing GI Joe, "...knowing is half the battle!" :o)

Fennel toothpaste... it'll do for now.

I don't consider myself an alarmist or a conspiracy theorist or any sort of activist, so hopefully all of this EWG doesn't come across as wacky, but I'm definitely for education and informed choices and taking control/responsibility of your life, and if you can choose products that are less toxic, why wouldn't you? Going through all the different items in my bathroom and checking their EWG score is going to take some time, but I have made my first change and that's toothpaste.

I have been using Crest Fluoride Toothpaste Whitening Expressions Extreme Herbal Mint which has an EWG score of 5. That's not the worst score but there are plenty of other/better options out there and I just picked up some Tom's of Maine Natural Antiplaque Tartar Control Plus Whitening in the Fennel flavor which has an EWG score of 2.

(photo from Tom's of Maine website)

I have recently discovered a love for fennel, the vegetable, which is odd since I still have a definite aversion to black licorice. I used it as soon as I got home and.... it tastes a little too much like the licorice, but it'll do for now and at least I know it doesn't contain ingredients linked to cancer and changes in the reproductive system which is definitely a concern at this stage in life! I also like that their packaging and website list each ingredient along with its purpose and its source which is pretty cool and something I've never seen before.

A 2 is at the high end of the low hazard range, but for now it's better than a 5, and it's what they had at Fred Meyer. Here is a list of toothpastes on EWG with plenty of options in the 0-2 low hazard range. Crest, Rembrandt, and Marvis have some in the high hazard range so be sure to check out the rating of yours!

Some people may feel that toothpaste is only in your mouth for a few minutes and the tiny bit you swallow couldn't have any affect, but it's not the amount swallowed that you should be concerned about. Consider the way cocaine users will apply the drug to their gums, and how nicotine gum helps people quit smoking by delivering lessening doses of nicotine through the lining of the mouth. These are both methods of delivery to the bloodstream through oral mucous membranes. So while a little bit may not affect you, a little bit 2-3 times a day for your entire life could add up to quite a bit. So why not choose one you can feel safe using?

If anyone has additional info, even if it's an opposing view, feel free to comment!

What's on your skin?

I recently saw this post on CoolMomPicks.com about Body Sense, "an online shop where every bath and beauty product sold is rated between 0 and 2 for chemical risk on the EWG's Cosmetic Safety Skindeep list". A 0 rating means the product contains ingredients with no known risks, and a 10 rating is just scary!

With the recalls happening practically every week, I've been trying to pay more attention to the things I put into and onto my body but it's not easy. Bath and body products are what I'm working on now so I'm excited to use the resources above to evaluate what I'm currently using and help me find products that may be better choices. And just because something is "natural" or "organic" doesn't mean it's safe. Hemlock is "natural" but you're not drinking hemlock tea with cream and sugar!

The EWG site is great! You can search by brand name or product type and see a list of ingredients and how they rate. Body Sense makes it easy because they list the EWG score of all the products they sell, and they only sell products with scores of 0-2.

I'm also interested in checking out Ava Anderson Non-Toxic. Not only is the story interesting, started by a 16 year old girl, it seems to be reasonably prices compared to what else is out there, and EVERY ingredient they use has an EWG score of 0. ZERO! That is something I'd definitely feel safe using, especially in the future when we may be pregnant and what I put in and on my body becomes even more important! This girl knows her stuff too, check out her videos on Facebook from a radio interview, and a segment on her local NBC news station.

If anyone has tried Ava Anderson I'd love to hear about it!