You are hopefully used to reading nutrition labels, but do you also scrutinize your personal care products? There are over 10,000 chemical ingredients that go into personal care products. And the government does not require health studies, safety testing or FDA approval before these products go onto the market.

The skin is our largest organ, and we can readily absorb toxins from whatever we rub, rinse or lather into our skin. These 3 ingredients listed below are endocrine disruptors. Endocrine disruptors have following effects:

• Harm developing babies
• Infertility
• Endometriosis/PCOS
• Feminization of males
• Breast cancer
• Hypothyroidism
• Diabetes
• Obesity
• Early Puberty
• Menopausal symptoms

Here are the 3 endocrine-disrupting ingredients to avoid:

1.  Parabens– often listed as “Methylparaben,” “ethylparaben,” “buytlparaben” or “propylparaben.” Found in lotions, shampoos, conditioners, make-up, shaving products.

2. Phthalates– often listed as “diethylphthalate (DEP)”, “diisobutylpthalate,” or “fragrance.” Found in toys, plastic milk containers, nail polish, perfume, paint pigments, inks, soaps and shampoos.

3. Bisphenol-A (BPA)– Found in plastics with #7 recycling code, water bottles, composite fillings, and receipts.

Reduce your exposure to these toxic chemicals by reading labels. Look for “paraben-free” and “phthalate-free” products. A good place to buy your personal care products is at the health food store. Also, drink out of glass water bottles and store your food in glass containers to avoid BPA exposure. A great resource to check the toxicity of your products is Environmental Working Group’s online database.

Editor’s Note: The information in this article is intended for your educational use only. Always seek the advice of your physician or other qualified health practitioners with any questions you may have regarding a medical condition and before undertaking any diet, supplement, fitness, or other health program.