Category: Lung cancer

10 facts: Carcinogens and beauty products đź«Ş

by drjurisharma, posted in Adults, young people,, Cancers, death, disease,, Carcinogenic substances, carcinogens, chemicals, formaldehyde, benzene, coal tar, contaminants, phthalates, make up, beauty products, hair products, hair dye, hair styling products, personal care prod, hair, healing, health, health hazard, Infection,inflammation, Inflammation, diseases, environmental damage, health issues, Lipstick, cream, lotion, deodorant, shampoo, hair spray, conditioner, concealer, Lung cancer, Nature,, Science, skin, cancer, anti inflammatory, plant, nature, medicine, herb, wellness

1.Carcinogens are chemicals which are found to increase the risk of cancer. According to WHO,1 in every 5 people develop cancer in their lifetime, which is quite alarming. Around 10 million people die every year world wide. Many strict regulations are already in place in various countries across the world, banning certain chemicals which are found to pose grave concerns to human health, including cancer risk. Personal care products including cosmetics use various chemicals and perfume to get the expected effects where some of the chemicals may result in health concern on long term use. Not all chemicals are tested properly, or they may not go through toxicity trials or animal testing. Research methods may sometimes differ from how the product is used by customers daily and in what quantity, it has been used. But, in spite of Regulations and Laws, it is important to have general awareness amongst individuals before purchasing any product.

2. IARC: The International Agency for Research on Cancer, depending upon the cancer risk, has classified different agents based on evidence-based research :

Group 1: proven to be carcinogenic, like Alcohol, tobacco smoking, asbestos, formaldehyde, Benzene, sunlight (UV radiation)

Group 2A: Probable carcinogen with evidence of association with cancer risk, such as occupational hazards in case of hairdressers, shift workers (disruption of circadian rhythm), refinery workers.

Group 2B Possibly carcinogenic where there are limited evidence of an association with cancer risk. These categories include professions like firefighters, regular exposure to magnetic fields, diesel fuel, dry cleaning, textile manufacturing.

Group 3: Categorised as not classified, meaning that it is not possible to classify as carcinogenic based on evidence. Some examples include chlorinated drinking water, hair dyes, fluorescent light, and electric field exposure.

Group 4: Not carcinogenic, such as caprolactam used in the manufacture of synthetic fibres.

3. Many studies are carried out and are still going on in different countries for daily-use products like personal care and beauty care products. Some chemicals are banned from using in products which gave strong evidence of cancer risks. There is no specific product which has been proven to cause cancer presently in the commercial space for personal care. But, as far as consumers are concerned, there are products which should be avoided as they can be a health hazard. Some of them are:

• Hair dyes which contain coal tar derivatives, phenylenediamines.

• Hair straightening treatments which can release formaldehyde gas.

• Nail polish, which contains formaldehyde or formaldehyde-releasing preservatives.

• Shampoos containing traces of benzene.

• Talc powder, blushes and face powder containing traces of asbestos.

4. Formaldehyde: According to IARC, formaldehyde is categorised as a Group 1 carcinogen, meaning that it has been proven to be a carcinogen by evidence-based studies. It has been linked to various cancers like the nasal cavity, paranasal sinuses and nasopharynx. Also associated with blood and bone cancers. Formaldehyde is used in cosmetics, beauty products as preservatives which in course of time breakdown and emit formaldehyde releases. Products containing formaldehyde, and labels of items which contain DMDM hydantoin, diazolidinyl urea, quaternium-15, bronopol, sodium hydroxymethylglycinate should be completely avoided. Common products which contain formaldehyde or its derivatives include:

• Hair products like dyes, shampoo, hair straightening agents, conditioners.

• Make-up items.

• Nail polish, face creams, eyelash glue, false eyelashes.

• Body lotion, body wash (water-based products)

5. Apart from formaldehyde and its releases, other chemicals which are definitive proof of carcinogens such as :

• Benzene, which can be a trace contaminant in products like sunscreen, dry shampoos.

• Coal tar found in anti-dandruff products, hair colours.

• Talc, where traces of asbestos are found.

• Phenacetin is used as a stabiliser in products like hair colours, facial bleach, and depilatories.

• Ethylene oxide is prohibited in cosmetics but commonly exposed in tobacco smoke and automobile exhaust. It is commonly used to sterilise medical instruments.

• Heavy metals like chromium, cadmium, and arsenic (as a contaminant) are found in facial lotion, cream, shampoo, and foundation.

6. Mineral oils: Mineral oils are crude oils which can be refined and unrefined, used in various personal care products. Mildly treated mineral oils contain PAH (polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons), which are categorised as carcinogens, especially benzopyrene. PAHs can damage DNA when entered in the body, they are reactivated by the enzymes and bind with DNA causing mutation. Then cells can rapidly multiply and can cause tumours. Long-term exposure can cause skin, bladder, and lung cancers. Beauty products where mineral oil can be used include hair colors, hair styling products, lipstick, lip gloss, facial bleach, moisturiser, blushes, concealer, and eye shadow.

7.1,4 Dioxane: This compound has been found in traces in cosmetic products, detergents, emulsifiers, and foaming agents. It is not intentionally added but instead used as a byproduct of manufacturing these items. This compound has been proven to be a potential carcinogen by agencies like the FDA. To find 1,4-dioxane, look at the labels of products that contain the “word” like “-eth-“ or “-oxynol-“, PEG, Polyethene, Polyethene glycol, Polyoxyethylene.

8. Endocrine disruptors: Certain substances used in many personal care products may disturb the endocrine functions in the body, which can lead to cancers like breast, ovarian and prostate cancers. These substances disturb the levels of oestrogen, progesterone and testosterone in the body. Substances like Pthalates, Parabens, Benzene, and Bisphenol A (BPA)

9. Safety: Beauty and personal products should always be purchased with proper certification like COSMOS or Ecocert. Any unregulated product should be avoided. Most beauty brands do follow the regulations and Laws of the Regulatory Bodies of the particular country of origin. Some of the tips are:

• Usually, plant-based products with fewer ingredients are preferred.

• Use products which are labelled scent- free and fragrance-free.

• Use powders or blushes using rice starch, bamboo silica and arrowroot powder.

• Instead of petroleum pigments, use mineral oil pigments like zinc and iron oxide.

Any product containing formaldehyde, or its releases like DMDM hydantoin, imidazolidine, coal tar, Pthalates, benzene should be avoided.

10. Takeaway: Studies have already shown that beauty and personal care products do contain many chemicals which are not just hazardous but carcinogenic to human health. It is important to discard all the toxic products that you have already purchased. Instead, look out for plant-based, clean products which are known to be safer. Always prefer products with natural, simple ingredients. It is important to read the label before buying any product, and not be satisfied with marketing gimmicks like “natural” or “organic” written on the front of the item. Always do a skin test ( patch test) before directly using a new product on the skin, face or body.

Thanks for reading.

Peace and love 🙏

10 facts: Are Artificial flavouring substances safe?

by drjurisharma, posted in Artificial flavours, flavouring compounds, chemical compounds, vanilla extract, natural flavours, artificial sweeteners, sugar, chemical engineered foods products, organic foods, Blog, brain, Brain, nervous system, gastrointestinal disease, autism, cancer, canned food, cognitive health, dairy, curd, yogurt, deep fried food, Food, Gut friendly, microbes, healing, health, Lung cancer, milk, dairy, curd, yoghurt, Nature,, Science, self healing, wellness

1. Artificial flavouring substances are usually used in foods, beverages and some medicines too, to enhance the taste, aromas, natural-like flavours and to extend the shelf life. These artificial flavouring substances are chemical compounds produced in the laboratory to give characteristic taste and smell. Unlike natural flavours, which are naturally available, these chemical compounds are made from petroleum or synthetic agents and mixed with alcohol or propylene glycol, which acts as a solvent. The process of making and purifying artificial flavours has to maintain safety protocols, and the standards are approved by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) and other Food authorities.

2. Laboratory-made chemical compounds are easy to extract, less expensive and can mimic the required taste and smell. Widely used in products like bakery items, processed food, candies, beverages, processed meat and dairy items. Some of the common examples of artificial flavours are:

• Ethyl vanillin, which mimics natural vanilla

• Ethyl propionate, which gives a fruity flavour

• Benzaldehyde, which gives a cherry flavour

• Diacetyl, which mimics a buttery flavour

• Smoke flavourings are smoke obtained from heated steam from wood, a mixture of carboxylic acids and phenolic compounds.

3. Natural flavouring /Artificial flavouring: Natural flavourings are nature-derived compounds from plants and animal sources, obtained by extraction and distillation through physical, enzymatic and various microbiological processes. Such as vanilla derived from natural vanilla pods, citral from lemongrass.

Artificial flavouring substances are synthetic chemical compounds which are nature-identical but not natural substances. They are produced in the laboratory by many chemical-engineered substances by flavouring preparations, thermal processes, distillation, smoke flavourings and flavouring precursors. Examples of artificial flavours are vanilla flavour derived from ethyl vanillin, Methyl anthranilate which mimics grape flavour, and isoamyl acetate, which mimics banana flavour. Artificial flavours are preferred more than natural flavours as they are cheap, easily available and easier to produce in a laboratory.

4. Artificial flavourings are safe as long as they meet strict safety regulations and are approved by different regulatory bodies and Food Safety International expert committees. Some of the well-known regulatory bodies are:

• US FDA (Food and Drug Administration)

• EFSA (European Food Safety Authority)

• International Expert Bodies like FEMA (Flavour and Extract Manufacturers Association), JECFA (Joint FAO/WHO Expert Committee on Food Additives).

• Country-specific authorities such as FSSAI (India’s Food and Safety Standards Authority), BfR (German Federal Institute of Risk Assessment).

5. Why artificial flavours? The main goal behind using artificial flavours in various food items, bakery products, and processed foods is to mimic a certain flavour, taste, smell, and crunchiness, which makes a person crave such items and stimulates the sensory organs. While consuming any kind of food, the taste receptors detect certain compounds in that particular food item and send a stimulus to the brain via nerves, which actually create the sensation of taste. So, artificial flavours are engineered in such a way that they can create a specific taste similar to a natural flavour and stimulate the taste receptors so that the person becomes addicted to that particular food item.

6. Artificial flavours and health: Though artificial flavours are safe in small quantities for consumption, some side effects are reported, such as allergic reactions, headache, fatigue, stomach pain, dizziness and chest pain. Some studies have shown a link between certain diseases and artificial flavours such as:

• Artificial flavouring compounds like diacetyl can be carcinogenic and pose a health risk.

• Artificial flavours and artificial sweeteners are found to disturb the gut bacterial flora. But more studies are required in this topic.

• Artificial colour (yellow) tartrazine is linked to allergic reactions.

• Artificial flavours and colours are linked to affecting brain health, memory and ADHD in children.

• Addiction and obesity are issues that have been linked to artificial flavours in some research and can affect the brain. The taste bud receptors send signals to the brain, which in turn releases dopamine to give pleasure. Some studies show that artificial sweeteners affect the hunger and satiety centre and lead to weight gain.

7. A wide range of products where artificial flavours are mostly used include:

• Snacks: Cookies, candies, shakers, chips and many snack items.

• Soft drinks and energy beverages.

• Bakery items.

• Dairy items like yoghurt, ice creams, flavoured milk.

• Processed meats.

• Sauces, mayonnaise, ketchups, dressings.

8. Common names of artificial flavours which should be known by individuals so that they can be aware and selective while buying snacks, bakery or processed food in a supermarket.

• Ethyl vanillin, ethyl maltol, ethyl propionate.

• Diacetyl

• Benzaldehyde

• L-menthol

The best way to avoid eating artificial flavours and colours is to select minimally processed food items, plain dairy products, whole foods, unprocessed meat items and preferably organic food items.

9. Safe quantity: There is no standard safe quantity of artificial flavours and colours worldwide. But there are international committees, food regulatory authorities, and other regulatory bodies in each country to regulate the quantity of artificial flavours used in each of the food items before they go for consumption. Acceptable Daily Intake (ADI) limits are set for compound-specific limits, which are standardised by local food safety authorities and are decided by strict testing and toxicity tests before approval.

Wholesome food/ Natural Foods

10. Takeaway: Artificial flavouring is very common in a wide range of food items. Realistically, you may not completely avoid food flavourings. But it is always a wise choice to prefer natural wholesome food items to processed flavouring food items as far as health is concerned. Moreover, both artificial and natural flavourings have similar effects on health, as one cannot rule out which is healthier or safer. Therefore, it is a matter of habit formation and lifestyle choices for individuals, parents and children to learn to make healthier choices for wholesome food and minimal use of processed food items.

Thanks for reading.

Peace and love 🙏

10 facts: How Radon enter our homes đźŹ ?

by drjurisharma, posted in Blog, healing, health, life, Lung cancer, nature, Parkinson disease, migraine, fertility, Pollution , radioactive gas, pollutants, Radon gas, environmental pollution, Science, wellness

1. Radon is a naturally radioactive gas released from soil, water, and rocks. It is invisible, tasteless, and odourless. According to WHO, this gas is a potential health risk to the human population.Studies show that this gas is the second leading cause of lung cancer, next to smoking. When radon decays, it produces radioactive dust, which, when inhaled for a long time, can damage lung tissues, causing lung cancer. Therefore, it is considered a human carcinogen.

2. Research shows other potential health risks related to inhalation of radon gas exposure are Parkinson’s disease, Alzheimer’s disease, and dementia. Radon gas poisoning is considered hazardous to human health. There is no specific threshold up to which level it can be considered a health risk. Even a small concentration of long-term exposure can cause lung cancer.

3. In Nature, radon is everywhere. But in some areas, radon is present in higher levels like near coal mines, limestone caverns and near surface of bedrock. Soil with high permeability, soil of a slope or hill, soil close to bedrock, mining plant, oil refineries are found to have higher concentration of radon.

4. How does radon exposure affect human life on a day-to-day basis? Buildings which are homes, offices, and educational institutions like schools, colleges, and shopping malls, where we spend most of our hours cause the exposure to this harmful gas. Radon gas is trapped in cracks of walls, floors, in the basement, crawl spaces, in the drainage system like pipes, wires that are not sealed properly. Bulding materials like concrete, granite also emit radon but in low levels.

Cracks on walls

5. Radioactive particles are released when radon gas decays, which are inhaled in the lungs when breathed. The particles get deposited in the lung tissues over a period causing damage to lung tissues. The onset of the disease and the period of exposure can be many years. Many risk factors can influence like:

• Age and duration of exposure.

• Concentration of exposure.

• Climate-like exposure is higher in winter than in summer.

• Water sources.

• Smoking.

6. Children are more vulnerable to radon exposure as they breathe faster than an adult. Young children’s lungs are different in shape and size as compared to adult lungs. These factors make them at greater risk of high level of radon exposure than average adult. But there are not yet, any concrete studies to prove that children have higher risk of lung cancer than adult due to radon exposure.

Reservoir

7. Radon is present in water of the reservoirs, lakes, rivers and underground sources. So, home water supply coming from a treatment facility is much safer than coming directly from underground sources and wells. People working in underground work like coal mines, other metal mining businesses, fertilizer factories, oil refineries are more vulnerable to radon exposure.

Lake

8. Safety measures to reduce radon gas exposures at homes are like :

• Proper ventilation and airflow inside the house by opening windows, using fans and air conditioning.

• Using safe treatment water supply.

• Sealing cracks in floors, walls, and pipes with materials recommended for these purposes.

• Prevent smoking inside the house as well as outside.

• Using radon-resistant techniques while in the construction phase of the building rather than later.

9. Testing: If the radon level is never tested at your house, it is important to contact a Professional use a Test Kit or install a radon reduction system. However, every Country has their safety standards, but usually radon level of 4 pCi/L or above is not safe. Below 2pCi/L is considered safe.A radon reduction system is usually important to install in such homes. While buying a property, renovating, and repairing, the radon levels need to be measured before and after.

10. As already mentioned, radon present everywhere in the environment is not a health risk factor to the human population. Trouble occurs when radon exposure reaches inside homes or the buildings that people live or visit daily like schools and offices. So, it is important to have general awareness, using regular radon testing kits, installing radon reduction system if necessary, safety measures to reduce exposures and safe water supply. Homes and buildings below 2pCi/L is recommended and safe for human dwelling.

Thanks for reading.

Peace and love 🙏