Could your deodorant be making you sick?

I have heard for years that there were chemicals in deodorants that were harmful to the body and could lead to serious diseases. But it wasn't until about 4 years ago that I actually made the change from your traditional deodorants,(Sure, Secret, Arid) to ones that did not contain aluminum chlorohydrate and aluminum-zirconium, and were not considered an antiperspirant.

The idea behind antiperspirants is to prevent you from sweating.

It works by clogging and closing, blocking the pores with aluminum salts in order to prevent you from sweating. But our bodies are designed to sweat in order to release toxins trapped in our bodies. So if you use an antiperspirant, your body not only holds on to those toxins but absorbs the toxic aluminum. Regular deodorants work by neutralizing odor, and by killing the bacteria that metabolizes the proteins and fatty acids.

Antiperspirants are considered to be drugs, so they are regulated by the FDA. The FDA considers antiperspirants to be safe, but that does not mean they are without danger. Many times the FDA does not take action because they do not "consider the consumer in danger."

In 1886 aluminum was recognized as a neurotoxin, long before it was put into antiperspirants.

Neurotoxins are substances that cause damage to nerves or nerve tissue.

Not something that might or could possibly, but do cause damage.

So here's where the sickness and disease part come in:

Humans absorb aluminum through the pores of their skin. In 2001 a study showed that there was aluminum still present in the blood of someone 15 days after an application of aluminum was put under the arm pit.

So if you are spraying a deodorant that contains aluminum onto the pores of your skin, your body is absorbing that aluminum into your body and blood stream.

Aluminum as a neurotoxin has been linked to Alzheimer's and other neurological diseases.

Autopsies of Alzheimer's infected brains has shown increased levels of aluminum compared to those that did not die from this disease. It is a proven scientific fact that high levels of aluminum in the brain can cause neurological diseases. The short term effects of aluminum toxicity are memory loss, mental confusion, loss of coordination, and learning disabilities, to name a few.

So what do you use?

Here are a few suggestion for deodorants that do not contain harmful chemicals.There are many alternatives, but here are a few:

There is a line called Tom's of Maine-Crystal Confidence

along with other types they have, roll on's or sticks.

I personally use a crystal mineral stick.

I know some women that just put lavender essential oil under their arms.

All of these can be purchased on line or at Whole Foods.

The verdict is still out on whether aluminum contributes to breast cancer, being that the aluminum is absorbed into the body in an area so close to the breast.

Women especially give this post a lot of consideration, and do your own research. But do what is right by your body to help keep your body healthy and disease free.........

until next time,

Jan