Are you ready for the next step towards a healthy lifestyle this year? If you are following this 12-step guide with us then you know we are bringing it back to the basics so there is no room to fail. It is all about taking steps toward wellness and health that are good for you, your family and the planet.
June:
Triclosan: What is it and how to avoid it
We can’t stress enough about the negative effects of using products containing any of the dirty dozen (top 12 ingredients to avoid). This month we are focusing on one of the dirty dozen ingredients found in a wide array of products most of us have in our household without even knowing it- triclosan.
What is triclosan? Triclosan is a synthetic antibacterial agent that may disrupt thyroid function and can degrade into a form of dioxin, a class of chemicals linked to a broad range of toxicities including cancer.
It is usually found in soaps, mouthwash, shaving cream, deodorants, toothpastes, the list goes on.
According to an advisory committee to the federal FDA, antibacterial products used in households actually provide no benefits over plain soap and water. The American Medical Association (and us!) recommends against using triclosan at home because it may encourage bacterial resistance to antibiotics.
Problems associated with triclosan: Triclosan is linked to liver and inhalation toxicity. Low levels of the chemical has also been shown as a hormone disruptor.
Let’s make June the month we avoid triclosan. Keep reading below to learn the top tricks in avoiding the toxic chemical.
How to avoid triclosan:
+Avoid antibacterials: Beware of all products that are labeled “antibacterial,” “fights germs,” “protection against mold,” or that make claims such as “odor-fighting,” or “keeps foods fresher, longer”.
+Read ingredient labels: Triclosan is marketed under a dozen different names, some of them being triclocarban, Mircoban, Biofresh and Cloxifenolum.
+Search your favorite products on EWG’s Skin Deep Cosmetics Database: They rate triclosan as a high hazard.
+Purge your bathroom, kitchen and cleaning closet: Triclosan can be found in everyday products such as toothbrushes, deodorant, cosmetics, toys, cutting boards and plastic food containers.
To help make dodging the toxic chemical a little easier, we created a triclosan “double checklist” for you below. It contains the top thing in your household that may contain triclosan.
Soap and dishwashing liquid
Towels
Mattresses
Sponges
Cosmetics (all skincare and makeup)
Shower curtains
Toothbrushes
Phones
Kitchenware and plastic food containers
Shoes
Flooring and carpets
Cutting boards
Clothing and fabrics
Toys
