July 6, 2011

Is Your Perfume Making You Fat?


So we all thought that a healthy diet and some exercise was all this country needed to beat the obesity epidemic. However, recently some studies have emerged that address what scientists call "chemical calories" in beauty products.

Don't worry, I thought this was a load of BS at first too. But there are some legitimate studies and experiments that are investigating the possibility of chemical calories. Apparently, doctors at the Mount Sinai Medical Center in New York have found evidence that chemicals in personal care products, such as phthalates, act as endocrine disruptors. Doctors found that endocrine disruptors can mimic hormones and affect the performance of the glands that produce them. The research at Mount Sinai echoes previous studies which have shown that the chemicals can wreak havoc on the system that naturally controls body weight. Currently doctors are taking the conservative view point: 1) more research needs to be done before anything conclusive can be drawn from the studies, 2) if they do indeed play a role, it probably is only a contributing factor along with diet, exercise, genetics and environment.


Endocrine disruptors have already been linked to early puberty, impaired immune function, different types of cancer, birth deformities, and other diseases. If obesity has now been added to the list, there are plenty of reasons to avoid endocrine disruptors. Just pick one.

Bruce Blumberg, a professor of developmental and cell biology at the University of California, Irvine investigates the effects of endocrine disruptors on obesity in mice. He sees definite differences between exposed and unexposed rodents. As an expert in obesity, he says that metabolism, appetite, and the number and size of fat cells you have all play roles, and each of these factors is controlled by your hormones. Combined with the knowledge that hormones have been proven to be affected by endocrine disruptors, this is a troubling fact.

Jeanett Tang-Peronard, from the Institute of Preventive Medicine in Copenhagen investigated 450 studies on endocrine disruptors and obesity for her article in Obesity Reviews. She discovered that nearly all 450 studies found a link between endocrine disruptors and an increase in body size.

So what can you do about it? Avoiding endocrine disruptors may not be as difficult as you might think.

  1. Buy personal care products that don't contain the ingredient "fragrance." This one word includes dozens of  chemicals, including phthalates, which act as fragrance fixers. Instead, buy personal care products that are scented with essential oils. And don't use perfume, no matter how much you think J.Lo's new perfume will get you the ass of your dreams.
  2. Don't microwave your plastic tupperware. That's just leaching Bisphenol-A into your food.
  3. Avoid using plastics with the number "seven" printed on the bottom.
  4. Buy beauty products that are free of: Diazolidinyl Urea, PEGs, Propelyne Glycol, Stearyl Alcohol, Aluminum Chlorohydrate and Triclosan.

And while you're at it, get off your couch and go exercise.

8 comments:

  1. Shop Perfumes and Ittar Online In Pakistan at BuyBest.Pk with Cash on Delivery, Free Shipping. Get Best Prices For Original Branded Perfumes like allure. perfumes baratos

    ReplyDelete
  2. "Chemical calories", is that even a term? If it is true about that then some hygienic people should really worried about that. As a perfume addict, I couldn't go outside without fragrances. That's the most horrifying part of this. Thanks for sharing this article.

    ReplyDelete
  3. Scents can also provide the perfect backdrop for festive occasions, including holidays. Apple cinnamon and pumpkin spice are perfect for the fall months as they evoke feelings of warmth and comfort. www.agrariahome.com

    ReplyDelete
  4. Consider, for example, that there is no “West Indies” in the Olympics. There was in 1960, when the Federation of the West Indies competed as the Antilles. But since 1964, Jamaica and Trinidad and Tobago have competed on their own, as countries. Barbados followed in the next games, and so on. The only sport where the West Indies still exist is cricket. online shopping in pakistan with free home delivery

    ReplyDelete
  5. The governing West Indies Cricket Board has power over the boards of Barbados, Guyana, Jamaica, the Leeward Islands (itself composed of Anguilla, Antigua and Barbuda, the British Virgin Islands, St. Kitts and Nevis, Montserrat, St. Maarten and the U.S. Virgin Islands), Trinidad and Tobago, and the Windward Islands (comprising Dominica, Grenada, St. Lucia, and St. Vincent and the Grenadines). That’s 15 total with six others allowed to affiliate in the future. mobile application development experts

    ReplyDelete
  6. I really loved reading your blog. I also found your posts very interesting. In fact after reading, I had to go show it to my friend and he enjoyed it as well! Send Gifts To pakistan

    ReplyDelete
  7. Can’t get over the fact that words can be used this beautifully.Scented Space Candles

    ReplyDelete
  8. This is beautifully perfume.

    ReplyDelete