Dear Annie: What are your thoughts about parabens? Thanks! Sarah H.
Dear Sarah: I say to stay away from parabens, used as preservatives in bath, body, and skin care products. They are especially common in shampoo.
Why: Parabens are considered endocrine/hormone disrupters, which means the body thinks they are natural hormones and the body’s natural hormonal pathways get disrupted by the fact that the “hormone” is actually a chemical! Parabens are suspected of causing breast and prostate cancer, as well as causing reproductive harm.
What to do: Read the label of your personal care products! Headsup, just because a product came from a health food store doesn’t mean it doesn’t contain parabens. Find a product free of parabens as a healthier substitute and use that from now on. While you are at it, find one you like that doesn’t have synthetic fragrance, as that will be healthier for you, too. Eco-Win!
By Annie B. Bond, best-selling and award-winning author of five green living books and all the tips in the Greenify Everything app.
