In an age of burgeoning childhood cancers and leukaemia it seems only common sense (if not a moral imperative) for parents to reduce the toxic burden their kids are exposed to.

Many people are not aware that the vast majority of products we happily use every day in the bathroom - shower and bath soaps (especially liquid ones), shampoos, conditioners, toothpaste, etc., etc., (and the other 'grown up' stuff such as aftershave and cosmetics) contain a cocktail of synthetic chemicals many of which are known to cause a variety of health problems - or pose serious health risks.

How can this be? Well the Laws relating to personal care products and cosmetics have never required rigorous testing of ingredients or the long-term effects of products. Back when they were laid down - the powers that be still laboured under the impression that 'you rub some stuff on your skin- you wash it off...no problem'.

They did not consider that Laws were necessary to regulate these products like they did for foods and medicines. Whilst the stuff you eat, or 'take' obviously gets inside you - it was not so apparent that cosmetics, body, hair and skin care were a problem because they are on the outside!

Now though, it is acknowledged that up to 50% of the 'stuff' you put on your skin is absorbed by it. The skin is, after all, a living breathing membrane, one of the 'largest organs' of your body. It is now known that many of the thousands of chemicals that have been passed as safe to use in personal care products can cause irritation, trigger allergies, exacerbate sensitivities and either directly, or indirectly due to contamination, cause cancer.

Children's delicate young skin is especially vulnerable to these toxic, synthetic (that is to say non-natural) chemicals that are almost universally used in body care products. As adults we may be lucky that we 'toughened up' in the last few decades and have not yet seen any detrimental effect ourselves from years of using certain products (cosmetics and body care- attract long-term loyalty from users!). But it is now known that chemicals used in everyday products in wide use - may be 'mutagens' -causing 'genetic damage and mutation'. We may never see the results of this damage ourselves but it may yet be seen in health problems suffered by future generations of our family.

This issue is an important one, especially for responsible parents to know - and do - more about. You may not only be influencing the product choices your children make - you may currently be 'forcing' them to use products that could really affect their long-term well-being. The other major problem is that millions of people every day do wash off the remainder of their soaps and cosmetics down the drain...this means literally tons of harmful toxins are going down the rain...and into the eco-system. This too is having a profound negative impact on the environment.

We particularly recommend that you consider 'swapping' your current products for ones that are TRULY organic. Products should be 'certified organic' by independent bodies - as these products should not only NOT contain the harmful ingredients that most other products do. But always take care to check the labels as many major manufacturers are 'conning' the public by using 'natural' claims due to inclusion of 1 in 2 ingredients - alongside the same old toxic cocktail. We suggest you see further information about toxic ingredients and safer alternative products here at http://saferalternative.com now.

This is a serious matter - we hope that you agree, and recognize the need to do something about it - for your own sake, and your children's health and well-being too!

[Published by R.Ramos de Smith & A.Smith authors of http://toxictimebomb. blogspot.com. This article may be freely distributed and re-printed but must only be used in its entirety with Author's Bio and any links still intact]

About the author:

Ruth & Al Smith - Write under the pseudonym 'websage' on many Internet forums - and publish http://toxictimebomb.blogspot.com - promoting healthy, natural and organic products. Reduce your family's exposure to environmental toxins today - chose to defuse your 'toxic-time-bomb' see www.saferalternative.co m.