Why You Might Want to Rethink Your Soap Habit
A fresh scent comes more from a plant-based diet than from synthetic soap, which fades away anyhow.
(Photo: shutterstock)There are several issues with intense soap or shampoo usage.
1. Today’s regular soaps are made from harmful substances, such as allergenic materials known for causing cancer; petrolatum (petroleum); DMDM that can lead to joint pain, allergies, depression, exhaustion, asthma, and cancer; SLS foaming agents causing irritation, rashes, hair loss, and accumulation of carcinogens; parabens (preservatives) - highly toxic; talc - may cause ovarian cancer and respiratory issues. Synthetic fragrance oils - petroleum-based and can trigger headaches, dizziness, rashes, breathing problems, vomiting, and skin irritation.
2. Soap removes the natural oils from the skin, which assist in producing vitamin D from sunlight. This might be one reason for vitamin D deficiencies observed in blood tests.
3. Soap harms the microbiome on the skin. The microbiome is the collection of all bacteria living inside and outside our bodies, contributing to health and helping the immune system against external and internal threats (like infectious bacteria). An adult human body contains about 3 kilograms of bacteria. The microbiome changes over a lifetime and is unique to each individual. Its composition is influenced by countless factors: genetics, hygiene, diet, medication use, living environment, stress levels, and more...
Could you handle it? A doctor named Dr. James Hamblin decided to shower only with water for 5 years. In his book "CLEAN," he explains what soap does to his microbiome: "I started studying the subject... I conducted many experiments in my life to understand what the skin's microbiome is. There are bacteria that are good for us and improve our health... we destroy them through soap showers! I don't recommend this method for everyone universally. In many ways, it was terrible for me not to shower with soap for 5 years. Breaking such a habit isn’t easy. It changed my life completely." He felt much more energetic and less tired throughout this period. Nowadays, there are soaps made only from natural substances (like olive oil), and you don’t need to scrub your entire body, just the concealed, dirty, and sweaty areas. Shower water washes away most of the dirt anyway, and the right scrubbing is with a natural loofah on dry skin. A pleasant body scent comes from a basic, plant-based, healthy diet, not from soap, whose synthetic fragrance dissipates anyway.
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