Because October is National Breast Awareness Month we are seeing articles and ads everywhere about finding the cure. As a health coach I choose to focus on prevention. So in honor of prevention I would like to share the following essay written by my friend Stephanie Brua. Stephanie is a wife, mother and a holistic health advocate.
Every year our hearts and our pocketbooks pour out to support Pink Ribbon campaigns. Unfortunately too many of us are survivors or victims of breast cancer, and finding a cure is vitally important.
But, I’d like to ask, what about prevention?
We know that when we nourish our bodies with vibrant, nutritious whole foods, we feel vibrant! However, when fast food seems to creep in, we start to feel depleted and lifeless. Personally, I think that the KFC Pink Bucket Campaign was absolutely absurd.
So, I’m asking you to consider, “Think Before You Pink”. http://://www.thinkbeforeyoupink.org
Are the very products that proudly promote and bear the pink ribbon actually causing cancer? A majority of the products bearing the Pink Ribbon are items specifically for women – cosmetics, perfumes, and lotions. If these items are full of carcinogens, are they worthy of bearing the Pink Ribbon?

Are you a victim of pink washing or any cause marketing? Are these companies actually supporting health, or are they simply capitalizing on a cause?
Quite honestly & unfortunately, I have found it to be the latter.
Perhaps you have been choosing to go a little more on the organic, raw, vegetarian side with your diet, but haven’t considered your personal care products. Or, perhaps, you simply haven’t thought about the topic at all. The bottom line is that no one is immune to such cause marketing.
After a quick check on “non-toxic, pure, plant-based, organic, raw, vegan” products, I actually found carcinogenic ingredients in those products as well.
Considering that only 11% of cosmetic chemicals have been tested for human safety and 60% of what goes on the skin is absorbed in the bloodstream, I recommend taking a look at each of your products and reconsidering the need for any synthetic chemicals at all. I don’t know about you, but I am fairly certain that what goes on my skin is as important as what goes in my mouth.
You may be wondering how you can avoid carcinogens & other toxins in your personal care products. Below you find helpful tips that will surely assist you on your next beauty adventure –
Always look for Organic Certification and then READ the ingredients.
Pure, natural, organic claims have little meaning.
1. ASK! Does the certification or claim apply to ALL ingredients, or simply a few ingredients towards the bottom of the ingredient list?
2. NOTICE! Which organic certifying agency has their logo on the product? The best organic certifications are USDA and ACO (95-100%) – edible!
3. LOOK for common green washed ingredients: cocomidopropyl betaine (coconut oil), olefin sulfonate (coconut oil), disodium cocoamphodiacetate (coconut oil)
*Coconut Oil = derived from coconut + chemical processing = synthetic, toxic, and not edible!
4. AVOID known Carcinogens: Coal tar, Formaldehyde & Formaldehyde donors (Sodium hydroxymethylglycinate (Suttocide), Imidazolidinyl urea (Germall 115), Diazolidinyl urea (Germall II), Quaternium-15, l 2-bromo-2-nitropropane-1,3-diol (Bronopol), DMDM Hydantoin (Glydant) ), Lead Acetate, Selenium sulfide, Dibutyl phthalate
5. AVOID Nitrosamines: Carcinogenic in all animal species studied including primates.

QUICK TIPS for spotting toxins:

1. Chemicals with acronym names: DEA,TEA, PEG-8, PEG compounds, etc.
2. Chemicals that end in –eth or have –eth in the name: Sodium Laureth Sulfate, Ceteareth
*Avoiding –eth ingredients will also eliminate the potential for product contamination by 1,4 dioxane.
3. Chemicals with –amine in the name: nitrosamines, MEA, DEA, TEA
4. Chemicals from petroleum: petroleum jelly, paraffin, mineral jelly, petroleum wax, 2-nitro-P-phenylenediamine
5. Chemical preservatives: parabens, benzoic acid, salicylic acid, benzyl alcohol, phenoxyethanol, formic acid
6. Sunscreen Chemicals: oxybenzone, DMDM Hydantoin, Triethanolamin
7. All Fragrances, including “Natural” Fragrances (contain 100s of unidentified chemicals). USDA Certified Organic Botanical Perfumes do exist and are lovely!

ACTION ITEMS ::
1. Take the Organic Beauty, Wise Choices with you to the beauty department when shopping. For a copy, send an email to sbrua@organicology.com
2. Review your current products and start to make changes.
3. Plug into prevention-focused organizations such as the Breast Cancer Fund.
Support Companies that Truly Support Your Health

To take a stand against such cause marketing, Organicology will provide a full size Rejuvenating Skin Essentials Set of raw, vegan, USDA Certified Organic products from Miessence Organics. Simply send an email to sbrua@organicology.com with “Pink Washing” in the subject line and tell about one change you are going to make to take a stand against false cause marketing. On October 31st, all names will be put into a box, and a winner announced. If you host an educational evening with your friends and family, you will also receive a free Skin Essentials Set ($105 Value).
Prevention Starts with us.

If you have any comments or questions please contact me Sally Kennedy - Certified Health Coach - Your Healthy Life - 614-325-0757 sally-kennedy@hotmail.com