found this on one of my favorite websites ..
thought y'all might like to read it .



PERFUME IS OUT OF FASHION
FRAGRANCE FREE IS FASHIONABLE AND TOXIC FUMES FROM PERFUMES ARE NOT.


SPRAYING YOUR SELF WITH HAZARDOUS WASTE IS NOT SEXY.

INFORM PEOPLE ABOUT THE NEGATIVE IMPACT OF PETRO CHEMICAL FRAGRANCES AND PERFUMES OR SCENTS AND SO AVOID THE AGGRAVATION AND SPREAD OF THE CHEMICAL INJURIES EPIDEMIC.


AVOID THE EPIDEMIC OF CHEMICAL INJURES FROM PERFUME.

HELP OTHERS IN YOUR COMMUNITY AND YOU ALSO WILL END UP GETTING HEALTHIER AS THEY TOO AVOID THESE HAZARDOUS MATERIALS.


http://www.nontoxic.com/n...vents.html

HEXACHLOROPHENE ACETYL-ETHYL TETRAMETHYL-TETRALIN, ZINC PYRIDENETHIONE BUTANOL TOLUENE BENZAL CHLORIDE METHYLENE CHLORIDE AND LIMONENE 300 OTHER KNOWN TESTED TOXINS AND THOUSANDS OF UNTESTED TOXINS ARE ACCEPTED BY OUR EPA AND FDA IN OUR TOILETRIES SO IMAGINE WHAT'S IN PAINTS.

PERFUMES ARE CAUSING AUTO IMMUNE DISEASES MULTIPLE CHEMICAL SENSITIVITIES ASTHMA AND ALLERGIES SINUS PROBLEMS DEPRESSION ADDICTIONS LACK OF ORIENTATION CANCER AND A HOST OF SYMPTOMS FEW ARE TRAINED TO RECOGNIZE AND TREAT. WHILE YOU GET SICKER. RECYCLED HAZARDOUS WASTES AND PESTICIDES ARE INCLUDED IN INGREDIENTS FOR SHAMPOOS AND NAIL POLISH, HAIR SPRAY AND FRAGRANCES. CHEMICALS RESTRICTED IN INDUSTRY ARE O.K.'d IN YOUR BABY'S SHAMPOO.

WHILE 30% AMERICANS ARE KNOWN TO BE SUFFERING FROM TOXICITY IN THE ENVIRONMENT YOU ARE STILL BREATHING, ABSORBING OR EATING DANGEROUS CHEMICALS.

ALL FRAGRANCES ARE SUSPECT.

ODORS EFFECT THE BRAIN AS YOU BREATHE JUST LIKE COCAINE. WHETHER YOU HAVE DIAGNOSED SYMPTOMS OR NOT;

CHECK INGREDIENTS AND SUSPECT THE WORD INERT. AEROSOLS CONTAINING AMMONIA, CHLORINE AND CHLORIDE, AIR FRESHENERS AND DISINFECTANTS CONTAINING PESTICIDES OR OTHER DANGEROUS TO HUMAN LIFE MATERIALS ARE USED LIBERALLY WITHOUT WARNING. DON'T BECOME A CHEMICAL INJURY OR ALLERGY STATISTIC. CANCERS, DEPRESSIONS, AUTO IMMUNE DISEASES, SENILITY, ARTHRITIC TYPE SYMPTOMS, ADDICTIONS AND FATIGUES AND EVEN HIGH BLOOD PRESSURE ARE BEING AGGRAVATED AND EVEN CAUSED BY EVER INCREASING CHEMICAL ONSLAUGHT.

WATCH YOUR CHEMICAL LOAD.


http://www.nontoxic.com/n...index.html
http://www.nontoxic.com/n...update.htm

PASS THIS INFORMATION ON TO EVERYONE YOU KNOW.
IDEAS / WHAT TO DO: inform everyone you know - use your discernment and communications skills in order to get the message across in a caring, objective, universal way - this is a major disclosure and health issue - all are being effected to varying degrees
for those who do not partake of these chemicals directly or willfully - the sensitivity to their presence and effect is profound - likewise - those who are directly effected by these chemicals by using them regularly are unaware of the negative impact these chemical fragrance emissions are having on the environment and the nervous system of all living creatures - as an example - in a generally suburban area one can now go to the local supermarket and buy some very fresh and beautiful organic produce - however, 9 out of 10 times the vegetables fruits and other foodstuffs have leached these chemicals from the air in every environment and from every person who has come in contact with them - the taste of these chemicals is in the food supply - we are breathing and eating it - the awareness to this is critical

send emails - forward the information and links - talk to your family and friends - suggest helpful alternatives and be supportive - disclosure can be uncomfortable but its for the benefit of all and is not personal unless you are personally supporting the problem - print out the info on recycled paper and make copies to put in local health-food stores supermarkets community centers libraries anywhere public - be informed yourself and able to communicate clearly - experiment with alternatives and pass them on - get creative - the elimination of these subversive offensive and dangerous toxic fumes is priority one - all will think much more clearly without this extreme health distraction

one way or another it is all pushing for sovereign activities of every kind - transform your home into a safe non-toxic environment - grow your own food - set up community gardens - spread the word... theres no reason to take away from what has been achieved either - fresh organic foods in local supermarkets is awesome and a huge improvement - but there is NO REASON TO BE UNCONSCIOUS OF THIS FRAGRANCE POLLUTION EPIDEMIC - or to let it compromise the health of everyone and everything any longer - optimum health and well-being for all is what the planet and the great majority of life aboard her heartily and humbly desire - transitions can be smooth - all can be accommodated - be committed - work smarter not harder is the motto - time to get busy on the homefront - what can u do to help stabilize and balance your environment from right where you stand

ALTERNATIVES:


Abundant Earth Cleaning Supplies
Dr. Bronner's Sal-Suds - Will clean your house from top to bottom! Kitchens, Dishes, laundry, bikes, cars, floors, rugs, bathrooms, etc.. Be kind and replace conventional household cleansers and chemicals with all natural SalSuds!
GoodHumans - Household Cleaners & Bulk Options... We use the Bio-Kleen Laundry Detergent and Dish soap and they are both excellent...
Pangea Vegan Goods - Lots of Earth Balance Cleansers, all of which are superb...
Natural Value Housewares - Cellulose sponges, recycled bags, etc.
Heather's Naturals Natural & Organic Cleaning Products
Non-Toxic Living Links @ Google
Better Basics for Non-Toxic Living

Fabric Softners and Your Health
Compiled by Julia Kendall who died from chemical poisoning
(1935 - 1997)

ALPHA-TERIPINEOL -- Causes CNS disorders... "highly irritating to mucus membranes "Aspiration into the lungs can produce pneumonitis or even fatal edema." Can also cause "excitement, ataxia (loss of muscular coordination), hypothermia, CNS and respiratory depression, and headache." "Prevent repeated or prolonged skin contact.

BENZYL ACETATE -- Carcinogenic (linked to pancreatic cancer). "From vapors: irritating to eyes and respiratory passages, exciting cough." "In mice: hyperaemia of the lungs." "Can be absorbed through the skin causing systemic effects." "Do not flush to sewer."

BENZYL ALCOHOL -- Causes CNS disorders. "...irritating to the upper respiratory tract"... "headache, nausea, vomiting, dizziness, drop in blood pressure, CNS depression, and death in severe cases due to respiratory failure.

CAMPHOR -- Causes CNS disorders. On EPA's Hazardous Waste list. Symptoms: "local irritant and CNS stimulant"..."readily absorbed through body tissues"..."irritation of eyes, nose and throat"..."dizziness, confusion, nausea, twitching muscles and convulsions." "Avoid inhalation of vapors.

CHLOROFORM -- Neurotoxic. Anesthetic. Carcinogenic. On EPA's Hazardous Waste list. "Avoid contact with eyes, skin, clothing. Do not breathe vapors... Inhalation of vapors may cause headache, nausea, vomiting, dizziness, drowsiness, irritation of respiratory tract and loss of consciousness." "Inhalation can be fatal." "Chronic effects of overexposure may include kidney and/or liver damage." "Medical conditions generally aggravated by exposure: kidney disorders, liver disorders, heart disorders, skin disorders." "Conditions to avoid: HEAT..." Listed on California's Proposition 65.

ETHYL ACETATE -- Narcotic. On EPA's Hazardous Waste list. "...irritating to the eyes and respiratory tract"..."may cause headache and narcosis (stupor)"..."may cause anemia with leukocytosis and damage to liver and kidneys" "Wash thoroughly after handling.

LIMONENE -- Carcinogenic. "Prevent its contact with skin or eyes because it is an irritant and sensitizer." "Always wash thoroughly after using this material and before eating, drinking,...applying cosmetics. Do not inhale limonene vapor.

LINALOOL -- Narcotic. Causes DNS disorders...."respiratory disturbances"... "Attracts bees." "In animal tests: ataxic gait, reduced spontaneous motor activity and depression... depressed heart activity... development of respiratory disturbances leading to death.

PENTANE -- "Danger -- Harmful if inhaled; extremely flammable. Keep away from heat Š Avoid breathing vapor." "Inhalation of vapors may cause headache, nausea, vomiting, dizziness, drowsiness, irritation of respiratory tract and loss of consciousness. Repeated inhalation of vapors may cause central nervous system depression. Contact can cause eye irritation. Prolonged exposure may cause dermatitis (skin rash).


Can Fabric Softeners Make You Sick?
Exposure can result from the outgassing of vented dryers or from treated fabrics (e.g., clothes, sheets, towels), which are in close proximity to you or from your own clothing if the softeners are used in your home. Have you been enjoying a walk in the neighborhood and found you have suddenly felt agitated or disturbed without realizing why? Do you get a numb feeling in the side of your face -- and the doctors can't find the reason? Do you get a sudden onset of dizziness or a headache? Asthma?Allergies? So who needs ill health?

Fabric softeners, like other fragrant products, contain petrochemicals, used in untested combination. These chemicals can adversely affect the central nervous system (CNS) -- your brain and spine. CNS exposure symptoms include: aphasia, blurred vision, disorientation, dizziness, headaches, hunger, memory loss, numbness in face, pain in neck and spine. CNS disorders include: Alzheimer's Disease, Attention Deficit Disorder, Dementia, Multiple Chemical Sensitivity, Multiple Sclerosis, Parkinson's Disease, Seizures, Strokes, Sudden Infant Death Syndrome (SIDS), learning and focus disabilities, agitation and anger. Are fabric softeners (liquid or sheets) use in your home? Do you want to make a difference? Doctors can request MSDS of the chemicals in them. If made ill by fabric softener used provide a description of your symptoms. If you suffer symptoms from exposures to fabric softeners -- are your heavy headed lightheaded or fatigued or just angry then do something and do not accept ill health.

Telephone 1-800-638-2772; press 1; press 999 -- to file an official complaint with the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission. Should you want to file a report on a hazardous product emphasize central nervous system disorder symptoms.

Allergic symptoms are not given priority in Commission investigations. Please have everyone you know who reacts to fabric softeners call. The tally will be useful in TO MAKE A CHANGE. Call the Air Quality Management and the Air Resources agencies in your area. File a complaint. Request the boards consider the issue of scented fabric softeners in dryer exhausts as a factor in outdoor air pollution -- fragrance products are made with petrochemicals used in untested combinations.

Feel free to copy and post, just please credit Julia Kendall.

Please share !


http://users.lmi.net/~wil...endall.htm
http://users.lmi.net/~wil...nmsofs.htm
http://users.lmi.net/~wil.../ehn20.htm

THE TOXIC DANGER OF FABRIC SOFTENER AND DRYER SHEETS
Many people will remember a famous TV ad where a woman races to her washing machine, fabric softener in hand, only to arrive just as the wash ends. This woman who "forgot to ad the fabric softener" was actually doing herself and her family a favor.

Although they may make your clothes feel soft and smell fresh, fabric softener and dryer sheets are some of the most toxic products around. And chances are that the staggering 99.8 percent of Americans who use common commercial detergents, fabric softeners, bleaches, and stain removers would think twice if they knew they contained chemicals that could cause cancer and brain damage.

Here is a list of just some of the chemicals found in fabric softeners and dryer sheets:

Benzyl acetate: Linked to pancreatic cancer
Benzyl Alcohol: Upper respiratory tract irritant
Ethanol: On the Environmental Protection Agency's (EPA) Hazardous Waste list and can cause central nervous system disorders
A-Terpineol: Can cause respiratory problems, including fatal edema, and central nervous system damage
Ethyl Acetate: A narcotic on the EPA's Hazardous Waste list
Camphor: Causes central nervous system disorders
Chloroform: Neurotoxic, anesthetic and carcinogenic
Linalool: A narcotic that causes central nervous system disorders
Pentane: A chemical known to be harmful if inhaled
So how could products with pretty names like Soft Ocean Mist, Summer Orchard and April Fresh be so dangerous?

The chemicals in fabric softeners are pungent and strong smelling -- so strong that they require the use of these heavy fragrances (think 50 times as much fragrance) just to cover up the smells. Furthermore, synthetic fabrics, which are the reason fabric softeners were created in the first place, do not smell good either when heated in a dryer or heated by our bodies ... hence the need for even more hefty fragrances.

In other words, remove all the added fragrance that endears people to fabric softeners and -- like the cliché wolf in sheep's clothing -- the real smells of the chemical-laced fabric softener and the synthetic fabrics they were designed around may prompt people to shoot their laundry machines and be done with it.

Are "Soft" Clothes Worth It?
Fabric softeners are made to stay in your clothing for long periods of time. As such, chemicals are slowly released either into the air for you to inhale or onto your skin for you to absorb. Dryer sheets are particularly noxious because they are heated in the dryer and the chemicals are released through dryer vents and out into the environment.

Health effects from being exposed to the chemicals in fabric softeners include:

Central nervous system disorders
Headaches
Nausea
Vomiting
Dizziness
Blood pressure reduction
Irritation to skin, mucus membranes and respiratory tract
Pancreatic cancer

Soften Your Clothes Safely With These Tips:
Even if you don't feel the effects of these chemicals today, they can affect you gradually over time, and children, whose systems are still developing, are particularly at risk. There's really no reason to expose yourself to these risky chemicals when natural alternatives exist. Not only are they safer for you, your family and the environment, but they're much more economical too:


Add a quarter cup of baking soda to wash cycle to soften fabric
Add a quarter cup of white vinegar to rinse to soften fabric and eliminate cling
Check out your local health food store for a natural fabric softener that uses a natural base like soy instead of chemicals
It's likely that fabric softeners and dryer sheets aren't the only toxic products in your home. Many household products that consumers regard as safe are also full of toxic chemicals. Our past articles on PEG Compounds in Cosmetics and Phenols in Common Household Cleansers are two of the all-time most popular articles on SixWise.com and will make you more aware of the pervasiveness of harmful chemicals that can be eliminated from your home.

Multiple Chemical Sensitivity
(Environmental Illness)
Multiple Chemical Sensitivity (MCS) is basically a subset of Environmental Illness (EI), which is caused by living in a toxic world. The chemicals that were synthesized after World War II (including, pesticides, synthetic fragrances, cleaning products, detergents, etc.) are mostly "petro-chemicals" (petroleum based) and are quite toxic to humans. There have been virtually no studies done on the majority of these chemicals to see how they affect humans - the industry just placed the chemicals in the environment with the assumption that they are "safe, till proven toxic", instead of the other way around. One of the biggest offenders is PERFUME and other scented products. Did you know that many of the ingredients in your perfume are the exact same ingredients found in GASOLINE??!! I didn't either! The scary thing is that the perfume industry is NOT REGULATED at all - they can put any number of chemicals in fragrance without revealing what those chemicals are - or how they affect humans. We humans are all participating in a giant "lab experiment" against our knowledge and against our will, and it's making some of us VERY sick.

Those of us who are becoming chronically ill from these chemicals are similar to the "canaries in the coal mine". Coal miners would take a canary into the mines with them to warn them when the air became toxic. They knew that when the canary stopped singing or died, it was time to get out before it affected them as well. We "human canaries" are here to warn the rest of you that, unless you start making changes and avoid as many toxic chemicals as possible, you too may become very sick. Non-toxic living is actually much "simpler" and cheaper! canary with mask

Don't be fooled, these chemicals are affecting ALL of us in some way or another. Think about the last time you got a headache for no apparent reason. Could it be possible that someone had recently sprayed perfume or pesticides near you without you knowing it? Had you recently used scented laundry detergent or Clorox to clean with? Do you get headaches or feel nauseous from being around people wearing perfume or cologne? Do you feel you need to hold your breath when you go down the detergent aisle at the grocery store? All these things are your body's way of telling you something is wrong with the air you're breathing.

It's like playing "Russian Roulette" - you never know how long your immune system can hold out before breaking down. Some people may never reach the point of "chronic illness" that I did - but most people are being affected, possibly without realizing it. Cancer has increased dramatically since World War II (after all the chemicals came out). Attention Deficit Disorder is on the rise (more and more of our children are being put on toxic, brain-altering drugs like Ritalin when simply cleaning up their environment could solve their problems). Chronic Fatigue Syndrome, Alzheimer's Disease, Allergies, Asthma, Lupus, Fibromyalgia, and Multiple Sclerosis are also increasing. All these illnesses could very well have a chemical connection to their cause or, at the very least, these patients would benefit from using less-toxic products. Pretty much any "immune system" disorder could be helped by a cleaner environment and by using safer products.

The products we use on our skin are absorbed directly into the bloodstream (the reason why nitroglycerine, nicotine, and hormone patches work). The chemicals we breathe (such as perfumes, formaldehyde, pesticides, etc.) all go straight to our brains and can cause low-level to severe damage - similar to how someone can snort cocaine or glue to get a "high". Start reading labels - check for petro-chemicals, formaldehyde, and fragrance, and avoid them as much as possible. A clue that an ingredient may be a petro-chemical is the "prop" prefix. A clue that an ingredient releases formaldehyde is "Quaternium". Be careful about products labeled "fragrance free" or "unscented". Don't trust them! Read the label and be sure they don't list "fragrance" or "masking fragrance". Don't put anything on your skin you'd be afraid to eat, because the end result is the same!

Before I got sick, I had no clue that I was slowly being "poisoned" by products that I assumed were "safe" since they were on the market! If this could happen to me - YOU COULD BE NEXT. I encourage you to read through my story and the rest of the information pages listed here to learn how to protect yourself and your family.

http://pure-research.net/...iving.html

stoped using chemical perfumes over 17 yrs ago

okay that was WAY too much for me to read



that being said, I'm happy as I totally got over wearing cologne about 3-4 years ago. I smell pretty enough on my own

Mach said:

As a chemist, I feel I have to write on this topic. A lot of this sounds like fear mongering. Do I feel that commonly used chemicals can cause chronic illnesses --yeah, but our quality of life has been greatly improved by the use of these chemicals. My advice would be to cut them out if you are sensitive and if it's not too much trouble, I won't wear perfume and I reduce the amount of anti-perspirant I wear and have reduced the amount of makeup I wear. Some people are, some people aren't susceptible. I work with a lot of these chemicals and CHCl3(chloroform) is used as a NMR solvent, but I am careful to not breathe it in same with CH2Cl2. Anything with chloride isn't necessarily bad in fact salts (KCl, NaCl) are pretty harmless. I think that the increase in the number of illnesses is due to a few things including: with advances in medicine more illnesses are actually diagnosed and reported also people are living to an older age which means they are more likely to get cancer and other illnesses. There are people who've eaten plutonium who've lived into their 90s (Seaborg). I know organic profs who worked with some of the nastiest carcinogens in their day and they're in their 80s with no health problems. I think the most important thing to remember is that the poison is in the dose. Have you ever read the MSDS for acetone?? We can produce that naturally in our bodies (ketone bodies). Also, some of the WORST carcinogens and poisons are "natural" like aflatoxin and even most mercury is naturally emitted. Did you know that botulism toxin is even more toxic that 239Pu?? I also take issue with if you won't eat it why put it on your body. Different routes of exposure have different risks-- see the Pu example. If you eat Pu it goes through your body, but if you inhale it you will get cancer.

Did you know ethyl acetate is used in the manufacture of candy???

yeah, yeah..... take away everything why dontcha


sorry guys.... i love my perfume, i love my drier sheets, i love my air freshener and my scented candles...

and i ADORE a good smelling man...





im gonna have to stay with my smelly stuff

I love my perfume and have matching Chanel bath and body cream. I like to smell nice and like it when other people do too. Was so much to read on this but I guess it should get added to the list of stuff not to do anymore..

It feels like every day somebody else is telling you not to do something... i actually heard other day that bottled water was bad for you...

squirrelscientist said:

squirrelscientist said:

are you asking me personally by attaching your statement to mine ?

i am well educated on what you speak of also ...

i do know many of your comments, yes

i also know to not to take all i see read and hear as "the truth" and end all of possible outcomes

i stay updated and make my choices for what is best for me and my family day to day

Mach said:

No actually I just copied your reply by accident. As I said, I personally don't wear perfume. But I believe people (such as the author) of the article tend to overreact.

squirrelscientist said:

oh

yes ... humans thrive on fear and doom and gloom

Mach said:

OOPS !!! SOME humans thrive on it ....