Our sanitation-obsessed society is largely to blame for the looming danger of antibiotic resistance on the health horizon.
Everywhere you look, disinfectant is present–at schools, libraries, busses, bathrooms, in products ranging from hand soaps to towels to the tissues you blow your nose into.
We’ve got to remember some things about bacteria. These little guys aren’t the entity to be feared we’ve built them up to be. Don’t forget the trillion or so bacteria that live in your digestive system that help with everything from immunity to digestion to mental health. Add to that fact that only 2 percent of bacteria are dangerous to humans.
Not only is this obsessive discrimination of bacteria creating “superbugs” that are antibiotic resistant, it’s a movement that helps introduce dangerous chemicals into our homes and bodies.
Various cancer causing agents are found in almost all “OTC” soaps along with the bio-accumulation of saponification agents that, over time, disrupt cellular membranes (recall, soaps cut through fats, and your membranes are made of fat)!
Common soaps are loaded with harmful chemicals that you should avoid at all cost if you want to stay healthy and decrease your risks of cancer. Some of these chemicals include silicate salts, formaldehyde, sulfuric acid, triclosan, fragrances and ammonium sulfate.
Top 6 Common Soaps To Avoid Due To Health Damaging Effects
1. Palmolive
2. Dawn
3. Ajax
4. Meyers
5. Legacy of Clean
6. Cucina
Yes, like you, I essentially grew up with the top three. Sadly, I can’t imagine how many gallons of those soaps I must have ingested from my early childhood and teenage years. I wasn’t squirting them into my mouth or using them as condiments, but simply via chronic exposure to their residues on the flatware and dishes.
The good news: Knowing is the first step towards bettering yourself and your family! Obviously, this begins with you THROWING THEM ALL AWAY ASAP and switching safer, non-toxic cleaning products and soaps. Since the topic of conversation today is kitchen soap, here is an excellent list of “safe & healthy” replacements:
1. Seventh Generation
2. Better Life
3. Puracy
4. Ecover
5. Method
6. Your Own Soap
What makes the first list of commercial soaps so dangerous?
Silicate Salts
Found mostly in Palmolive, these salts have been linked to allergic reactions, organ system toxicity and respiratory issues.
Formaldehyde
Classically in Palmolive, Ajax and Dawn soaps, and many other common household cleaners. The Environmental Working Group has graded this chemical negatively due to its ability to create cancer, liver and kidney failure and induce skin allergies and irritation with chronic exposure at low doses. It may cause severe skin burns and eye damage and general systemic organ effects if one is sensitive to the chemical.
Sulfuric Acid
Traditionally found in Palmolive and Ajax. The Environmental Working Group notes that this chemical can cause severe skin burns, eye damage, dermatitis and skin allergies/irritation. It is a known carcinogen. Also, the chemical itself may be an asthmagen and cause respiratory irritation.
Fragrance
A popular fragrance, pentasodium pentetate, can be harmful to you and your family’s health and has been found in many commercial soaps, including Palmolive, Dawn, Ajax and Meyers. The Environmental Working Group states it has the ability to irritate skin with chronic exposure and that it is a chemical of low to moderate concern for overall health.
Ammonium Sulfate
Found in both Palmolive & Ajax, AS is listed by the Environmental Working Group as a chemical of concern for overall health and cancer risks. It’s a known carcinogen and skin irritant. It also has the ability to exasperate symptoms of asthma and respiratory illness.
Saponification agents
Soaps are made by taking a fat ester (oil) and heating it with an alkaline chemical (typically sodium hydroxide, ie. lye – drain cleaner) to produce an alcoholic compound combined with an acidic salt that solidifies the oil to some degree (solid bar vs. liquid soap). The largest concern is the residue all soaps leave behind – especially dish and dishwasher soaps. These residues contain the chemical properties of the original soap, which is designed to disrupt fat/grease via hydrophilic and hydrophobic chemical reaction. Translation: The residues, once absorbed in the body or consumed via the mouth, disrupt the fats in your cell membranes as if they were grease and or fats left on the plate after cooking or eating foods.
This is by far the most dangerous nature of dish soaps – the hidden consumption by so many millions and the mass destruction of your cellular membranes. Not just their toxic agents, but also their fat destroying chemical properties.
I hope this article inspires you to switch your soaps immediately!
