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From: rpautrey2 on 15 Aug 2008 15:49
NaturalNews.com
Originally published August 11 2008

Why Scented Products (Fakegrances) Are Not Safe
by Virginia Hopkins


(NaturalNews) If all fake fragrances (I call them fakegrances) were
banned tomorrow, the world would be a dramatically healthier place by
the following day. That's not going to happen, but the more people who
refuse to use them in any form, the faster they'll disperse (so to
speak). But watch out, those who manufacture products containing
fakegrances are sneaky. The word "unscented" usually means that
fragrances have been used to cover up fragrances. To actually avoid
fragrances you have to look for the words "fragrance free" on the
label.

By fake fragrances I mean that they're not found in nature. Oh sure,
they may smell like a rose, or mint, or apple, but what goes into
creating that aroma has nothing to do with the flower or fruit.
Virtually all perfumes, scented laundry soaps and fabric softeners, so-
called air fresheners (they should be called air poisoners) and many
cleaning products are scented with fakegrances. Even dry cleaners are
getting into the act, handing back clothes that are clean, pressed and
exuding fragrance.

Perfumes are All Fake

Well, almost all. Unless they're pure essential oils, they're made
from a nasty brew of dozens if not hundreds of chemicals which are, of
course, a secret. For example, the benzene family of chemicals tends
to have a sweetish aroma that is very popular among perfumers. The
benzenes are petroleum-based, so they're cheap, easy to come by, and,
by the way, a known cause of leukemia. It was one thing when a woman
spritzed some benzene on her wrist before a romantic evening, but it's
quite another when it's everywhere from clothes to cars to the
restroom in the dentist's office.

Or how about those phthalates, plastics that can interfere with the
normal sexual development of a fetus or infant. Phthalates have
recently been banned from toys in California which is great, but how
about clothes and bed sheets? Apparently phthalates make perfumes
stick around longer so they're in just about everything scented.

Asthmatics Should Look for Fakegrances as Causes

I don't want to downplay those good old-fashioned allergens such as
ragweed and cats, but according to the Environmental Working Group,
"Fragrance formulas are considered to be among the top five known
allergens and can trigger asthma attacks." Are doctors giving this
information to their asthmatic patients? Not very often.

I'll bet you didn't know that many processed foods contain
fakegrances. Take for example diacetyl, a chemical that gives
microwave popcorn its buttery flavor and aroma, and also causes
serious lung disease when heated and inhaled frequently. Diacetyl is
being phased out of microwave popcorn, but not before many popcorn
factory workers were permanently disabled by it. Now it might take a
lot of microwave popcorn fumes to knock down an adult, but how about a
child with asthma?

For optimal health, it's important to avoid fakegrances, and it's also
important to speak up if they're in a public area. You'll be amazed at
how many other people will suddenly admit they hate fakegrances when
you speak up. If someone in your workplace is using heavy perfume, or
there's a so-called air freshener in the restroom, do something about
it. You have a right to breathe clean air.

How about products that claim to be "natural scented"? Sorry about
that, but "naturally scented" means absolutely nothing. It probably
smells like something in nature such as apple or rose or jasmine, but
it's likely made from the same old nasty chemical brew, complete with
carcinogens, xenohormones and allergens. The only way to be sure that
a scented product is for real is to read the label. If it says, "pure
essential oils" or "lavender oil" for example, it's the genuine
article.


About the author
Virginia Hopkins
Virginia Hopkins Health Watch
http://www.virginiahopkinshealthwatch.com






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