The General Toxic Load

1. The General Toxic Load
By Natasha Campbell-McBride, M.D.
[Excerpted from Gut and Psychology Syndrome, page 307-308]
Very important contributors to the general toxic overload in the body are cosmetics,
toiletries, perfumes and other personal care products. The personal care products
industry is generally not regulated. More than a thousand carcinogenic and toxic
chemicals are widely used in the formulation of shampoos, soaps, toothpaste,
cosmetics, perfumes, creams, etc.
The old opinion that our skin is a barrier and does not let toxins in has proven to be
completely wrong. Human skin absorbs most things from the environment very
efficiently, in come cases even better than our digestive system. Toxins, which go into
the body through the digestive system, have to pass through the liver, where most of
them get broken down and rendered benign. That is why the pharmaceutical industry
has recently started producing more and more drugs which are applied to the skin as
patches, because the skin absorbs them better than the digestive system and they get
straight into the bloodstream without passing the test of the liver.
The wide use of personal care products is a major contributor to our cancer epidemic.
Children, women and men are unknowingly exposing themselves to huge amounts of
carcinogenic substances, which they apply to their skin. A good example is breast
cancer. Cells removed from a cancerous breast in many cases are full of aluminum –
a toxic metal. Where does all this aluminum come from? Probably from not far away –
from deodorants, which are absorbed through the skin in a woman’s armpits. Recent
research into toxic metals showed that when a pregnant animal is exposed to these
metals they accumulate in large amounts in the fetus. That is why it is particularly
important for a pregnant or breastfeeding mother to be careful about the personal
products and cosmetics she puts on her skin, face and hair.
In this book we cannot go into the details of all the toxins present in our toiletries and
cosmetics. But let us list some of the most common ones.
• Talc or talcum powder can cause ovarian cancer. Do not use it, particularly on
babies!
• Sodium Lauryl (Laureth) Sulfate (SLS) – a highly toxic detergent that is present in
most shampoos, soaps and toothpaste.
• Fluoride – a terrible poison for every system in the body. Widespread in toothpaste
and other dental care products. It is also added to some water supplies and given
to babies as drops. If you are not familiar with its toxicity I would strongly advise
you to learn more about it and avoid it like the plague.
• Titanium dioxide – carcinogenic.
• Triethanolamine (TEA) and Diethanolamine (DEA) form carcinogenic nitrosamines.

2. • Lanolin, itself a non-toxic natural substance, is often contaminated with DDT and
other carcinogenic pesticides.
• Dioxanes are inhaled and absorbed through skin – highly carcinogenic.
• Saccharin – carcinogenic.
• Formaldehyde – a toxic and carcinogenic substance.
• Propylene glycol – carcinogenic.
• Lead, aluminum and other toxic metals are present in many personal care products,
particularly in deodorants and make-up.
In patients with GAP syndrome the use of personal care products should be reduced to
an absolute minimum.