Dangers of Deodorant

By Monica D. Siembor

Do you know what you’re slathering under your arms every morning? Cancer-causing, hormone-disrupting, pore-clogging sludge—that’s what. Take a look at the tongue-twisting ingredients in your deodorant / antiperspirant. There are too many scary toxins to tackle in one article, so I’ll just examine a few:

• Aluminum Chloride / Sulfate
  These ingredients are found in antiperspirants and stop you from sweating. Perspiration is natural and necessary. It allows our bodies to cool off and release toxins. You don’t want to stop perspiration. If you eat a low-fat raw vegan diet, perspiration will be minimal anyway. These ingredients have also been linked to breast cancer.
• Parabens
  This ingredient is used as a preservative. Parabens act like estrogens and could disrupt normal hormone function. Studies show that parabens have been found in tumors of breast cancer patients. These cancerous tumors are found in the upper outer quadrant of the breast, the area closest to the underarm.
• Mineral Oil
  This ingredient clogs pores and blocks skin respiration and excretion. Blocked pores interfere with detoxification, keeping toxins inside of your body.
  The pores under your arms are quite large and eagerly ready to absorb these toxins and many others lurking in your deodorant and antiperspirant, especially just after you shave. If you use spray deodorant, you are breathing in these toxins too, junking up your lungs.

What’s important to note, however, is that after some time on a low-fat raw vegan diet, you will not even need deodorant. Body odor will be a thing of your past. The smelliness that wafts from under your arms is from cooked-food residue and excitotoxins. Caffeine especially promotes B.O., so ditch the coffee. Clean up your diet, and throw away your deodorant for good.

Keep in mind that your underarms are an avenue for detoxification. You should not apply any products under your arms anyway. Leave your skin free and clear, allowing for natural detoxification. This process is what keeps you clean and healthy.

If you still have a ways to go detoxifying your body on a diet of raw foods and feel that you need deodorant, at least search for one void of harmful ingredients. You will, more than likely, not find a safe deodorant at your local drug store. Try a health food store for better alternatives. Be careful, however, just because something is labeled “natural” doesn’t mean it’s safe. Read the ingredients.

A good on-line source for safe personal care products is http://www.saffronrouge.com.