With all the information out there about the dangerous impact of neglecting our health, most of us try to keep our bodies in decent shape. Even if we don't exercise every single day and sneak some chocolate here and there, we still understand that our health is crucial, and our quality of life is directly tied to how well we care for ourselves. Even so, many of us are not aware of just how many aspects of our daily routines can adversely affect how our bodies function. To better understand how seemingly harmless decisions impact your life, keep reading about the surprising ways you're sabotaging your health.
1. Your feminine hygiene products could cause your endocrine system to malfunction.
I know this sounds crazy, but hear me out. Many pads and tampons are treated with chemicals called phthalates. These are used to make plastics resilient and less breakable, but they can also interrupt the normal function of the endocrine system. While the impacts are still being studied, it is known that phthalates have a negative affect on the human reproductive and hormone systems. This could be why girls and boys have begun to reach puberty earlier in recent decades; the chemical is also used in toys, flooring, wallpaper and mini blinds, and countless other everyday products. Many personal care products are not being advertised as "phthalate free," because natural companies are understanding how dangerous it is. Websites like drugstore.com and vitacost.com are great places to find pads and tampons that are not treated with phthalates, and an increasing number of lotions and similar products are being made without them as well. You might have to dig around a bit to find replacements for the products in your life that contain phthalates, but it's definitely worth it to protect your health.Your lotions might be killing you.
2. Wearing clothes fresh from the store could poison you.
To quote Gwen Stefani, this is b-a-n-a-n-a-s BANANAS. I learned about this recently and feel like I need to go remove seven layers of my skin (which I'm pretty sure is more layers than I have, but I need to do it anyway, okay). Before sending clothes to the store or to your home after you buy them online, clothing stores treat them in chemicals like formaldehyde resin, among other things like dyes and various preservatives. If you're unfamiliar with formaldehyde, it's what they put that dead frog in before you dissected it in high school biology. To keep it from decaying. To keep it nice and fresh. Same concept with your clothes. Left untreated, clothes sitting in a warehouse could mildew or mold. After being treated with formaldehyde, they'll be brand-spanking-new when you buy them. But since formaldehyde really isn't safe for humans to have close to their skin, we're all gradually exposing ourselves to this toxicity. Fun! Wash your clothes before you wear them the first time and you'll be fine.2. Just because it's organic doesn't mean it's healthy.
3. Your water bottle might give you Alzheimer's.
Almost everyone these days has a reusable water bottle. If you're in the market for one, do yourself a favor and MAKE SURE IT CONTAINS NO ALUMINUM. Aluminum use has been repeatedly linked to Alzheimer's, so it's definitely best to avoid it. The bad news is that aluminum is everywhere. It's in your deodorant, your rice cooker, many pots and pans, and obviously, water bottles. But the good news is that you CAN cut it out of your life. You can buy natural deodorants, or just one that doesn't contain an antiperspirant, which is usually the element that includes aluminum. You can buy cookware that is stainless steel or glass, and the same goes for your reusable water bottle. Those products generally hold up better as well, so you get better bang for your buck, and you don't contribute to the harm of your brain cells.
4. Your lotions might be killing you.
We all love the way our Victoria's Secret and Bath and Body lotions smell, but the artificial chemicals in them are extremely harmful to the body. Your skin is your largest organ, so when you rub lotion all over your legs and arms, you're allowing things like parabens to seep into your pores. Parabens have suspected to cause cancer, so even though stuff smells ah-mazing, it's probably not something you want all up in your system. The same goes for sunscreen (which has other dangerous ingredients in it as well, but you've probably seen that article on Facebook), self-tanners, and pretty much anything you can slather on your body.
5. Diet foods are making you fat.
This may be one you already know, but here it is again. Foods marketed to dieters can be some of the unhealthiest things on the store shelves. They're often loaded with artificial sweeteners, gross and unnatural fillers, and so many chemicals that there's no way you can pronounce. Just a rule of thumb: if you cannot pronounce it, do not eat it. If a product is low fat, it is often high sugar. And if it's low sugar, it's often higher in fat. Companies have to compensate for flavor somehow. Many protein bars are also packed with sugar, because the ingredients used to add protein taste like dirty cardboard on their own. While there are occasions where you have to grab a quick snack, it's always better to reach for real foods. Eat a balanced diet with fruit, vegetables, and proteins, whether you get those from meat or other sources. Fiber is also important and can be found in beans and lentils, as well as pastas made from those ingredients. That way you get to eat pasta without all the carbs and a ton of fiber. Best of both worlds.
It can seem exhausting to try to keep yourself healthy with all the ways your body can be damaged by things like clothes and tampons (because seriously, your period is BAD ENOUGH), but it's absolutely worth it to go the extra mile. I'm not a medical professional, but if you remove these harmful things from your life, you will notice a difference. Any time you make a change for the better, you body with thank you for it. You only get one chance to treat yourself well. Make sure you do the best you can.
