Health, Politics, and You —a blog by the authors of A Return to Healing

In Chapter 1 of A Return to Healing, we tell the true story of how Vicki Saputo, RN (the wife of the author, Len Saputo, MD) faced and then overcame a major life-threatening condition. She had long suffered from delayed recurring allergic reactions and sensitivities to what turned out to be 42 different substances, including various foods, seasonings, pesticides, artificial colorings, and chemicals in personal skin-care products. Because of this challenge, Vicki was forced to research the ingredients not just in her daily intake of food, but also in her personal-care products such as toothpastes, lotions, moisturizers, sunscreens, deodorants, soaps, fragrances, shampoos, cosmetics, etc. In the process, she learned that there were many toxic chemicals in these skin care products, and yet—unlike food—none were covered under FDA regulation. Regardless of government regulation, Vicki at that point decided that—if she ever got over her severe allergies—she would not use toxic personal-care products any more.

Here’s how Vicki explains it: “Our skin is our body’s largest organ and more than 60 percent of what we put on our skin is absorbed into our blood stream. We don’t want to absorb topical toxic chemical ingredients that are hormone disruptors, carcinogens, or neurotoxins!” Instead, Vicki recommends organic, natural products which contain no synthetic preservatives, artificial colors (especially FDC’s), chemical fragrances, or chemical additives. “It is important to learn about these ingredients so we can avoid them,” she says.

Vicki has herself engaged in this sort of study for over the past 20 years and has found healthy alternatives. She has become an expert in healthy skin-care products and advises people on how and why to avoid most commercial brands and what to watch out for that can be dangerous. Vicki can save you (both men and women) lots of time and research with her personal list of her favorite alternatives now available from a variety of healthy, organic skin-care lines. This list is attached to this blog posting.

And please note: Vicki does not sell products herself; she wants to be believable and credible by avoiding conflict of interest. Healthy products can be purchased in health food stores, online, mail order, from reps; or you can make some yourself in your own kitchen! Vicki’s goal is the power of education to prevent illness and to guide people in making healthy choices. Vicki Saputo’s story as told in A Return to Healing motivated Dr. Saputo to change his medical practice to include complementary and alternative medicine. Soon thereafter, they both founded the Health Medicine Forum (non-profit organization) and the Health Medicine Center in Walnut Creek, CA. Her illness and “return to healing” not only changed both of their lives and inspired Dr. Saputo to write his book and change his medical practice; it has also motivated many to live healthy lifestyles. Today Len Saputo, MD and Vicki Saputo, RN are co-hosts for “Prescriptions for Health” radio and “What’s New in the News in Medicine” on Cable television. They are often guests on other shows. Vicki also gives lectures widely on health and toxic skin care.

Again, see the attached list of products Vicki recommends, but also please study the two different ingredient lists below so you can be sure to avoid them:

TOP SYNTHETIC COSMETIC INGREDIENTS TO AVOID THAT ARE FOUND IN SKIN CARE, BODY CARE AND SELF-CARE PRODUCTS

1. Parabens: Methyl, Propyl, Butyl and Ethyl parabens
2. Diethanolamine (DEA), Triethanolamine (TEA)
3. Formaldehydes/Diazolidinyl Urea, Imidazolidinyl Urea
4. Sodium lauryl sulfate/Laureth Sulfate.
5. Petrolatum/petroleum/mineral oil, paraffin, etc.
6. Phthalates, ex. dibutyl phthalate or DBP, Di ethyl hexyl phthalate or DEHP,Diethyl phthalate or DEP. Often hidden, eg. parfum, other, inert
7. Propylene Glycol and PEG, PPG (related synthetics)
8. PVP/VA Copolymer
9. Stearalkonium Chloride
10. Synthetic Colors - Any FD&C or D&C
11. Synthetic Fragrances - says "fragrance" on label
12. Talc/Talcum powder
13. Aluminum/Mercury
14. Polyethylene and ceteareth -20 (contam.w formaldehyde/1-4 dioxane)
15. Oxybenzone (in commercial sunscreens)

*And many many more . . . .

Compliments of Vicki Saputo, RN

Does Your Skin Care Product Contain These Chemicals?

If you study the ingredients listed on a bottle of any of the skin moisturizers that you are currently using, you might find that your personal care products contain one or probably more of many possibly dangerous ingredients.

Some of the common suspicious ingredients and their definitions follow:

• Mineral Oil, Paraffin, and Petrolatum – Petroleum products (car oil) coat the skin like plastic, clog pores and create a build-up of toxins, which in turn accumulate and can lead to dermatologic issues. Slow cellular development, which can cause you to show earlier signs of aging. Suspected cause of cancer. Hormone disruptors. Think about it: when there’s an oil spill in the ocean, they rush to clean it up – fast. We don’t want it on the marine life, why put it on your skin?

• Parabens – Widely used as preservatives in the cosmetic industry (including moisturizers), there are now an estimated 13,200 cosmetic and skin care products contain parabens. Studies implicate their connection with cancer. They are hormone-disruptors that mimic estrogen and interfere with the body’s endocrine system.

• Phenol carbolic acid– Found in many lotions and skin creams, this form of acid can lead to circulatory collapse, paralysis, convulsions, coma and even death from respiratory failure.

• Propylene glycol – Used as a moisturizer in cosmetics and as a carrier in fragrance oils, this substance is shown to cause dermatitis, kidney or liver abnormalities, and may inhibit skin cell growth or cause skin irritation. It is also used in antifreeze.

• Sodium laurel or lauryl sulfate (SLS), also known as sodium laureth sulfate (SLES)– This is found in car washes, engine degreasers, garage floor cleaners and in over 90% of personal care products including toothpaste! SLS breaks down the skin’s moisture barrier, easily penetrates the skin, and allows other chemicals to easily penetrate. Combined with other chemicals, SLS becomes a “nitrosamine”, a potent class of carcinogen. It can also cause hair loss. SLES is sometimes disguised with the labeling “comes from coconut” or “coconut-derived”.

• Toluene – Poison! Danger! Harmful or fatal if swallowed! Harmful if inhaled or absorbed through the skin. Made from petroleum or coal tar, and found in most synthetic fragrances. Chronic exposure linked to anemia, lowered blood cell count, liver or kidney damage, and may affect a developing fetus. Butylated hydroxytoluene (BHT) contains toluene. Other names may include benzoic and benzyl.

• Dioxane– Found in compounds known as PEG, Polysorbates, Laureth, ethoxylated alcohols, dioxane is usually not listed because it is a by product. Common in a wide range of personal care products. The compounds are usually contaminated with high concentrations of highly volatile 1,4-dioxane, easily absorbed through the skin. Dioxane’s carcinogenicity was first reported in 1965 and later confirmed in studies including one from the National Cancer Institute in 1978. Nasal passages and liver are the most vulnerable. Dioxane is easily removed during the manufacturing process by “vacuum stripping”, yet the manufacturers don’t have to so they rarely bother. Warning: It is a synthetic derivative of coconut. Watch for hidden language on labels, such as “comes from coconut."

So, do you want to put these chemicals on your skin? Hopefully not...You are better off if you switch to skin care products made of plant names you recognize, can pronounce, and could even eat (if you had to).