I would refer everyone directly to the article, but we’re all lazy AF and it has got a bunch of medical jargon. So here, let me summarize. It is a pleasure.

It feels good to smell nice and it does add to the attraction when it’s all musky masculinity or sweet femininity (or whatever your personal preference is) when you bury your face into your significant other’s neck. But it isn’t natural. He is not sweating out musk and she did not wake up smelling like a rose. ‘Artificialness’ comes with synthetic chemicals that apparently have very negative effects on our bodies.

Evidence has shown that the fragrance compounds are endocrine disruptors – messing up our hormone axis and starting the process of a number of problems. Stay with me here: Perfumes = aroma compounds -> bind to aromatase enzymes -> increased aromatase activity -> oestrogen synthesis and inflammation.

Excess oestrogen is not good in males or females.

• Breast cancer and polycystic ovarian syndrome – Parabens, phthalate and nitro musks have oestrogenic properties and are the most concerning compounds. They penetrate the skin, enter the blood stream and disrupt the normal workings of our hormones. Essentially, the perfect breeding ground for cancer.
• Depression and Anxiety. There is a well-known link between smell and sex hormones. Smell receptors produce other hormones when stimulated which alter the production of neurotransmitters in our brain such a serotonin and dopamine which are key words in mental health.
• Skin conditions. Allergic reaction to the contact of certain perfumes on our skins. Yay rashes and pustules.
• Asthma or airway hype. Reactivity is known to be caused by many fragrances. Ever walked past someone and gotten a huge whiff of some perfume that lasts till they’ve left the country and you’re still coughing long after they’ve gone?
• Gynaecomastia or the enlargement of breast tissue in males. Fragrance laden toiletries seem to be contributors of the excess oestrogen that may cause this.
• Reproductive issues. Breakdown chemicals of synthetic fragrances find their way into breast tissue, and therefore into the milk that breastfeeding infants are then drinking. Would you want your baby to be drinking chemicals out of a bottle? No.

We eat clean and try to shove all the vitamin complexes down our throats when we are pregnant and breastfeeding just to optimize our children’s health. But have we ever thought about what we are putting on our bodies and how that may affect them?

• Diabetes. Caused by aromatase overdrive which causes inflammation. If you were not falling asleep while reading this, I have already explained why.

Of course perfume manufactures are excused from revealing the exact quantities of the fragrance compounds in the name of ‘trade secret’. That is very dodge to say the least. The solution here is a tough one, and the clear direction would seem to be heading towards purchasing more natural products. But a survey reported that hazardous chemicals are also emitted by products advertised as organic, green and eco-friendly. So call it trust issues or something less deep, but no-go on that front either.

The evidence is not great and it is more theoretical than definitive cause-and-effect evidence. But, fragrances and chemicals in our cosmetics and household items disrupt our hormone pathways to varying degrees. For me, I would rather stay away just by knowing this.

So we have one of two options:

• It sounds like wearing nothing would be best. But I am not that confident strutting around and hoping to draw them in with my charming smell of sweat.
• Alternatively, making our own products with raw ingredients is the next safest bet. This ensures that no chemicals are added without our knowledge and false marketing will not trap us in its ugly claws. This does not have to be too difficult and it can be done in a cost-effective manner. The home-made products might take a bit of time to adjust to but been there, done that and they work. If you cannot make your own, you can find a variety of these natural products (and environmentally friendly and waste free) at shops like Shop Zero.
  #chemicalfree #smellinglikeagardenfairy #feelinglikeawalkingchickpea

• Reference: Patel, S. (2017). Fragrance compounds: The wolves in sheep’s clothings. Medical Hypotheses, 102, 106-111. doi: 10.1016/j.mehy.2017.03.025

*Article written by a female Doctor friend.

Photo credits:

• Mpho Mojapelo
• Maxim Lozyanko 
• olga serjantu on Unsplash

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The post Fancy Fragrances And Perfumes, Are They Really Safe For Our Skin And Bodies? appeared first on FitNish.com.

‘If you wouldn’t eat it, don’t put it on your skin.’ Maybe this does not make sense entirely, because I have some natural soap bars that I am not looking at going, ‘Mmmmm, supper time’ – but you get the point. Our skin is our largest organ and we don’t fully appreciate the transdermal absorbency potential that it has.

Parabens. The word that cannot be heard without the thought of ‘cancer’ crossing our mind. That is if you’ve been following medical articles. So maybe that is just me. So firstly, a brief summary of the research till present:

What it is:

A preservative found in many cosmetics. Take a couple of seconds to inspect the long put-you-to-sleep list of ingredients at the back of your cream, shampoo or make-up and watch that something-paraben pop out. I checked, my body lotion contains not only one, but three different types of parabens. The levels in our body are directly proportional to the amount of personal care products we use, with adult females having the highest levels.

Why it is a concern:

The research is not conclusive. Very few studies have been performed on humans. Parabens have not been shown to cause cancer. BUT (biiiig but) Oestrogen = Cancer (Particularly breast and endometrial cancer). We know this. And, parabens mimic the actions of oestrogen, but they do this to a weak degree which was why they were originally thought to be relatively safe.

However, a new study shows that they encourage the growth of certain breast cancer cells. Warning bells should be ringing everywhere.

Breast cancer is the most common cancer in females and the rates are increasing. The age at which females are being diagnosed are decreasing. The stats are honestly terrifying. What is worse is that we do not know how to prevent our risk. Oestrogen, our God-given gift that makes us beautiful or at least nicer to look at than our male counterparts, has become our enemy. But here is solid evidence that our cosmetic products are likely putting us at further risk.

Luckily, there are more natural alternatives that are not more expensive than what you would usually use. If you cannot make your own, you can find a variety of these natural products (and environmentally friendly and waste free) at shops like Shop Zero.

*Article written by a female Doctor.

Photo credits:

• Raphael Lovaski
• Roberto Delgado Webb
• Gustavo Spindula on Unsplash

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The post Parabens: The Dangers Of Cosmetics appeared first on FitNish.com.