By Rebecca Sutton, Ph.D., Staff Scientist, September 2008

Laboratory tests reveal adolescent girls across America are contaminated with chemicals commonly used in cosmetics and body care products.  Environmental Working Group (EWG) detected 16 chemicals from 4 chemical families – phthalates, triclosan, parabens, and musks – in blood and urine samples from 20 teen girls aged 14-19. Studies link these chemicals to potential health effects including cancer and hormone disruption.   These tests feature first-ever exposure data for parabens in teens, and indicate that young women are widely exposed to this common class of cosmetic preservatives, with 2 parabens, methylparaben and propylparaben, detected in every single girl tested.

In Alex (Washington DC): 12 hormone-altering cosmetics chemicals. “It’s frightening to learn about the many different kinds of toxic chemicals that can be found in my body. At the same time I would much rather be knowledgeable about my body’s chemical makeup than uninformed; in this case, ignorance is NOT bliss.”

This work represents the first focused look at teen exposures to chemicals of concern in cosmetics, exposures that occur during a period of accelerated development. Adolescence encompasses maturation of the reproductive, immune, blood, and adrenal hormone systems, rapid bone growth associated with the adolescent “growth spurt,” shifts in metabolism, and key changes to brain structure and function. Alterations in an array of sex hormones, present in the body at levels as low as one part per billion (ppb), or even one part per trillion (ppt), guide this transformation to adulthood. Emerging research suggests that teens may be particularly sensitive to exposures to trace levels of hormone-disrupting chemicals like the ones targeted in this study, given the cascade of closely interrelated hormonal signals orchestrating the transformation from childhood to adulthood.

During this window of vulnerability to toxic assault, adolescent girls typically experiment with an increasing number and variety of body care products. Teen study participants used an average of nearly 17 personal care products each day, while the average adult woman uses just 12 products daily. Thus, teens may unknowingly expose themselves to higher levels of cosmetic ingredients linked to potential health effects at a time when their bodies are more susceptible to chemical damage.

Cosmetics and other personal care products are an alarming example of government and industry failures to protect public health. Federal health statutes do not require companies to test products or ingredients for safety before they are sold. As a result, nearly all personal care products contain ingredients that have not been assessed for safety by any accountable agency, and that are not required to meet standards of safety. To protect the health of teens and all Americans, we recommend action:

• The federal government must set comprehensive safety standards for cosmetics and other personal care products.
• Teens should make healthy choices for themselves by reducing the number of products they use, and by using our Shopper’s Guide to Safe Cosmetics to select safer products.
• Companies must reformulate products to protect consumers from exposure to potentially toxic chemicals, untested ingredients, and noxious impurities.

In an online survey of more than 3,300 parents, EWG found that the average child is exposed through body care products to 27 chemicals a day that have not been found safe for children, including some associated with cancer, brain and nervous system damage, allergies and hormone disruption. These chemicals are common ingredients in baby shampoo, lotion, diaper cream, sunscreen, and a number of other children’s body care products.

“Just because a shampoo or sunscreen is labeled ‘children’s’ doesn’t mean it’s been tested and found safe for kids,” said Jane Houlihan, EWG’s vice president for research. “Children are more at risk than adults from many chemical hazards, but we have no special standards to protect them.”

Children are typically more vulnerable to chemicals than adults. A child’s skin is 30 percent thinner than an adult’s, and can absorb greater amounts of chemicals from the skin surface. They breathe in more air (and air pollution) relative to their weight than adults, and the blood-brain barrier that helps block chemicals from penetrating brain tissue is not fully formed until a baby is six months old. Even then, many chemicals cross this barrier and target developing brain tissue, with potential life-long harmful effects.
EWG found:

• 82% of children are exposed every week to one or more ingredients with the potential to harm the brain and nervous system.
• 69% of children are exposed every week to one or more ingredients that may disrupt the hormone system, and 3.6% of children are exposed to ingredients with strong data linking them to cancer, including chemicals classified as known or probable human carcinogens.
• 80% of children’s products marked as gentle and non-irritating contain ingredients linked to allergies and skin or eye irritation according to government and industry sources.

The safety of baby products falls under the purview of the Food and Drug Administration (FDA), but unlike for drugs and food additives, the FDA has no power to require that cosmetics are tested for safety before they are sold. And due to other loopholes in the law, manufacturers are free to use any claim they wish, such as “safe” and “ultra mild,” without proof, and many do just that.

“In the absence of adequate regulation, the manufacturers of children’s products should take responsibility to inform and protect their customers,” said Michael Passoff, associate director of the As You Sow Foundation, which supported the study. As You Sow represents shareholders in engaging publicly held companies to adopt more progressive social and environmental policies “Something shouldn’t be marketed to kids if it’s not proven safe for them,” said Passoff.

Included in EWG’s analysis is a comprehensive Safety Guide to Children’s Personal Care Products to help concerned parents decide which products are best for their children, and which ones to avoid available at http://www.cosmeticsdatabase.com. It provides recommendations on choosing safer products instead of the many that contain ingredients of concern for children.

“The Campaign for Safe Cosmetics has long been concerned about childhood exposures to unsafe ingredients in cosmetics and body care products because the scientific evidence indicates that timing of exposure matters,” said Janet Nudelman, coordinator of the Campaign for Safe Cosmetics. “EWG’s childhood exposures survey helps us better understand the extent to which kids are being exposed to chemicals linked to hormone disruption, nervous system problems, cancer, reproductive risks, and allergies.”

Senator John Kerry (D-Mass.) is introducing a bill that increases FDA regulation of personal care products and cosmetics, including baby products. This legislation would enable FDA to ensure that all ingredients contained in personal care products, including cosmetics, are safe for use by children and adults. Chemicals that cause cancer in people or animals would be banned from use in personal care products. Today, the FDA doesn’t require studies or testing to determine a product’s safety before a cosmetic product is put on the shelves of a pharmacy or grocery store.

“The government’s falling down on the job when children are being exposed to untested products and chemicals that are supposed to clean and protect them. Parents deserve a government they can trust to screen these products thoroughly and ensure their safety. You don’t leave our kids’ safety to the marketing gurus and cosmetics executives and hope for the best, ” said Kerry.

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EWG is a nonprofit research organization based in Washington, DC that uses the power of information to protect human health and the environment. EWG’s research on personal care products is available at http://cosmeticsdatabase.com/ As You Sow is a corporate social responsibility organization based in San Francisco that uses shareholder advocacy to promote safer and more transparent corporate practices.

May 1, 2009 — Up to 48 toxic chemicals commonly used in everyday consumer products have shown up in blood and urine samples of five prominent women environmental activists, according to a study by the Environmental Working Group, a nonprofit organization devoted to protecting human health and the environment.

“Testing was primarily targeted toward products used in everyday consumer products that have escaped regulation under the Toxic Substances Control Act,” Anila Jacob, MD, MPH, a senior scientist with the organization, said at a news briefing.

The findings, according to Jacob and others from Environmental Working Group, offer more proof that the Toxic Substances Control Act is antiquated and needs a major overhaul to protect Americans from the adverse effects of chemicals found in everyday products.

Companies should be required to prove their products are safe before they go on the market, Environmental Working Group scientists say.

While some officials from the chemical industry support modernization of the Toxic Substances Control Act, they contend that the sampling system used in the report provides only a snapshot in time, without enough details on exposure to prove an adverse effect on health.

The Toxic Substances Control Act of 1976 gives the Environmental Protection Agency authority to oversee chemical substances and mixtures, but generally excludes food, drugs, cosmetics, and pesticides.

In February, Congress held the first of what is expected to be several hearings on the law’s reform.
Toxic Chemicals Study

The Environmental Working Group study, funded by Rachel’s Network, an organization of women environmentalists, took two years to complete. Researchers sampled the activists’ blood and urine and analyzed them for toxic chemicals, using four independent laboratories.

“In each of these women we found at least one controversial chemical,” says Sonya Lunder, MPH, a senior analyst with the Environmental Working Group and a co-author of the report. To be termed controversial, she says, a chemical must be one whose safety is being debated.

“In everyone we found fire retardants, Teflon chemicals, fragrances, bisphenol A or BPA, and perchlorate,” she tells WebMD.

Flame retardants are found in foam furniture, televisions, and computers. Teflon is used in nonstick coatings and grease-resistant food packaging. BPA is a plastics chemical; perchlorate, a rocket fuel ingredient, can contaminate tap water and food. Fragrances have been associated with hormone disruption in animal studies.

Every woman tested positive for up to 60% of the 75 chemicals evaluated, the report found.

The women live far apart: in Green Bay, Wis.; New Orleans; Corpus Christi, Texas; and Oakland, Calif. But their toxic chemical load is similar, according to the Environmental Working Group scientists.

Each woman had at least one chemical at a high percentile –such as the 81st percentile for bisphenol A, meaning her level of chemicals was higher than all but 19% of Americans who have been tested.

Industry Response

Tiffany Harrington, a spokeswoman for the American Chemistry Council, would not comment on the study itself but did issue a statement that reads in part: “The American Chemistry Council supports science-based biomonitoring programs and the responsible and appropriate communication and use of biomonitoring information in assessing the potential risk posed by exposure to chemicals. However, biomonitoring provides only a snapshot of substances present in the body at a single point in time.”

Biomonitoring is defined by the CDC as the direct measurement of exposure to a toxic substance by examining the substances themselves or their metabolites in human blood or urine samples.

The statement from American Chemistry Council continued: “It does not tell us where a substance came from, when the exposure to the substance occurred, or the duration and frequency of exposure. The presence of a substance detected by biomonitoring is not, on its own, an indicator if there will be any health effects.”

The group does support modernization of the Toxic Substances Control Act, she says.

Jacob notes that health trends in the U.S. suggest that the chemical load plays a role, citing growing rates of autism spectrum disorder, diabetes, and certain cancers.

“These chemicals are showing up in people. They can be potent at very low levels of exposure; we know that from animal studies.”

While the rising number of chronic diseases has many roots, she says, the increased exposure to chemicals is one factor.

posted on:  www.ewg.org

The Herb Fest will be happening on May 2, 2009 from 9 AM – 4 PM,  rain or shine, and will be held at The Community for Spiritual Living, located at 3685 Jeannine Drive which is just South of Austin Bluffs & Academy.

BRING CANNED GOODS FOR SILVER KEY SENIOR PANTRY AND RECEIVE FREE ADMISSION!

Click here to visit the Pikes Peak Herb Association website and learn more!

We hope to see all of our friends there!

After a quick count of ingredients contained in a typical cleanser, toner, moisturizer, eye cream, facial scrub, body wash, body lotion, and sunscreen, I came up with more than two hundred different chemicals that we diligently apply to our body daily.  This is not counting hundreds  of synthetic fragrance ingredients in your favorite eau de toilette!  As you leave the house, you may inhale car emissions, pesticides, radon, volatile organic compounds  - we are truly bombarded with chemicals in our food, water and air!

With such a dramatic rise in illnesses such as cancer, asthma, allergies, chronic fatigue syndrome, fibromyalgia, autism and ADHD we have to wonder if chemical exposure is contributing to this widespread decline in our overall health.  We have no control over environmental exposure, but we can choose to eat organic or chemical free food and greatly reduce the chemicals we use at home with natural cleaning products and natural personal care products.

So, how do we know which products are safe to use?  You must become an ingredient detective.  Even the most “natural” sounding products on health store shelves often contain some harmful ingredients.  These ingredients are often preservatives which are not in the product for your benefit, but so the product can sit for months or even years on store shelves.  We have compiled a list of the most common dangerous chemicals to avoid. The Environmental Working Group (www.ewg.org) also has extensive data on this topic and you can look at the MSDS (or material safety data sheets) if you want to learn more about individual ingredients.

Check your products for the following dangerous ingredients which have the potential to cause adverse effects to your health:

Acetone - effects respiratory and nervous system

Sodium Lauryl/Laureth Sulfate – one of the most common and hazardous chemicals used in personal care products.  Can cause tissue damage that could result in liver, brain, heart, lung damage if used over the long term, eye damage, severe skin irritation, hair loss, eczema, is rapidly taken up and stored within the body.

Nitrosamines – carcinogenic and skin irritant.

BHA or BHT- skin and eye irritant, xeno-estrogen, known to be carcinogen and reproductive disruptor in animals.

DEA – skin and eye irritant that accumulates in organs such as the brain.  Suspected carcinogen.

Dioxane – suspected carcinogen, chemical byproduct.

Isopropyl alcohol – extremely damaging to the eyes, skin irritant.

Propylene Glycol – eye and skin irritant, causes cancer in animal, effects the liver and kidneys.

Parabens – Methyl, propyl, etc. have been found in a large percentage of breast cancer tumors.

It is hard to avoid these toxic chemicals in most commercial personal care products.  We think the easiest solution is to use only chemical – free, natural products to not only preserve but to enhance your health!  We have started a new all natural, hand crafted line of products called Herbal Revolution.  To learn more about these products, call Down To Earth Wellness at (719) 313-7801.

Because we avoid using harmful chemicals in our products, we need to re-think our skin care rituals and routines.  Some of our products should be refrigerated to preserve their healing properties.  This may sound like an interruption in your routine, but we have some recommendations to make this transition easy.  It is well worth a little effort for the peace of mind that comes with using all natural, chemical free products!

Why should you use Herbal Revolution natural skin care?

• Natural skin care is healthier for your body!  It has been shown that 60-80% of the products we apply to the skin is absorbed directly into the bloodstream.  In many cases, it is more dangerous to apply a skin care product to your skin than it would be to eat the product!  You can avoid the chemicals and preservatives present in most personal care products by using a chemical free skin care product!
• The average consumer (including teens) uses 15 to 25 cosmetic and personal-care products a day. These products will contain about 200 chemicals that have been added to preserve, dye and emulsify the products. Some are the same chemicals used in industrial manufacturing to soften plastics, clean equipment and stabilize pesticides.
• It works!  When a company uses the highest quality natural ingredients instead of cheap fillers, your skin can look and feel better!
• It’s affordable!   Because we make our products in small batches and don’t spend a lot on advertising or packaging, we can afford to use the highest quality ingredients and still keep our prices very reasonable.

If you are interested in purchasing or sampling Herbal Revolution handcrafted natural products, please contact us at (719) 313-7801.  We will have a booth at the Herb Fest on Saturday, May 2 at 3685 Jeannine Drive, Colorado Springs, 80917.  Our products will also be available at Desert Sage Life Essentials in early May at the corner of 25th and Colorado in Old Colorado City.

Postural Assessments are helpful for you to see what is going on in your body and if corrective exercises can help you.  During this in-depth assessment we will discuss your physical history and your current symptoms.  We will then measure and chart your posture.  The results we obtain will show if you have deviations in your body’s structure which can lead to compensations or pain.  

At the end of the assessment, we will show you the chart of your posture and discuss if  a postural corrective program might help you.  If you are interested, we will schedule an appointment to learn your customized exercise program.  You’ll also receive a discount on your exercise session if scheduled at this time!  These sessions are very helpful for people who have pain, old injuries, work stress or poor posture.  The exercises are gentle and relaxing and are a great tool to help improve your health at home.

We will also have free chair massages available Thursdays during April from 1pm to 5pm.  Improve your health and relax at the same time!

To learn more visit our website:  www.downtoearthwellness.com

We will be conducting the assessments at Desert Sage Life Essentials, which is located at:

2501 West Colorado Avenue
Colorado Springs, CO 80904
(719) 632-2516

Please call ahead and with questions or to schedule a specific time.  Otherwise the free sessions will be first come, first serve.

Cheyenne Mountain State Park is planning Geocaching activities that day, to get people outside, enjoying nature.

On Saturday, April 22, citizens are invited to an Earth Day / Arbor Day grand celebration at the Rock Ledge Ranch Historic Site (3202 Chambers Way) and the Garden of the Gods Visitor & Nature Center (1805 N. 30^th St.).  Neither of these events are new to Colorado Springs, but for the first time they will be celebrated on the same day.  So here’s how the day will pan out:

Rock Ledge Ranch Historic Site

9 a.m.              Official Arbor Day Ceremony:

                        Comments from elected officials, local environmental leaders, and City staff

                        Tree City / Tree Line USA Award presentations

                        Following the Ceremony: Ceremonial Tree Planting for Pleasant Valley

                        Neighborhood and Apple Tree Planting, Rock Ledge Ranch Historic Apple Orchard

                        Free Seedling Giveaway

10 – 3 p.m.      Living History Demonstrations (FREE admission into the Ranch)

Garden of the Gods

10 – 3 p.m.      Volunteer tree planting and erosion control projects (approximately 350 volunteers, including volunteers from National Youth Service Day and the Rocky Mountain Field Institute)

Garden of the Gods Visitor & Nature Center

9 – 3 p.m.        Earth Day Celebration

9 a.m.              Garden of the Gods Park and Trail Clean-up (registration begins at 8:30 a.m.)

10 – 3 p.m.      Arts and Crafts for kids, Sweet Water American Indian Dancers, Guided Nature Walks, and live birds of prey

Earth Day Night Hike

5K run/walk and kids fun run run through Monument Valley Park. Great outdoor event for competitive and casual runners. Families encouraged to participate! Get outside and celebrate Earth Day by Running Off The Grid with Catamount Institute! visit www.Active.Com for more details.

Prizes will be awarded to the fastest runners and the best recycled/earth day running outfits!

Sponsors & Constributors Include: Heuberger Motors, The Colorado Running Company, Colorado College, Kaiser Permanente, elope, Inc., Atayne, Colorado Springs Utilities, Bestway Disposal, Pikes Peak Sustainable Business Network, Trails and Open Space Coalition, Play It Again Sports.

Pikes Peak Earth Day 2009!

Kettlebells and variations on Kettlebells have been around for hundreds and hundreds of years but recently a whole new generation of athletes have been seeking ways to gain an edge over the competition, and many are finding that Kettlebells are the answer.  Athletes are discovering that Kettlebell training develops strength with staying power or sustained strength which makes itself available over an extended period of time making it ideal for athletic competitions where losing strength towards the end of the battle can mean the difference between 1st and last place.

If you go down to the gym you are going to see weight lifters lifting maximum weight for relatively few repetitions which stimulates muscle hypertrophy.  This is great for developing larger muscle mass but larger muscles does not always mean more power.  These kinds of lifters are developing short strength or burst strength which means they can lift a lot of weight, but they cannot lift this weight or hold this weight for very long.   For example, many NFL players could probably lift a small car at the beginning of a game, but how many do you think could still conquer this feat at the end of a game? Sustained strength is particularly important for athletes like martial artists, boxers, hockey, basketball and any other athlete that competes in long duration events where the last minute burst of energy can mean going home with a win!

Check out our website where we have information about our Kettlebell training. If you are interested now, you may call Rob at (719) 313-7802 or email rob@downtoearthwellness.com