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Aluminum in Deodorant

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Image result for deodorant unbranded

Source: Ebay

Kavya Rajesh

A few years ago, an email linking antiperspirant use to breast cancer went viral. The email suggested that antiperspirants prevented the body from “purging toxins” and caused these toxins to travel to the lymph nodes and cause cancer. Many health and beauty sites, including beauty vloggers with large followings, have recommended using aluminum free deodorant.

However, experts (including the director of medical content for the American Cancer society) say that “there is no convincing evidence that deodorant or antiperspirant use increases cancer risk.” In fact, a study in 2002 with over 1,500 women found no link between breast cancer risk and antiperspirant use.

Some research has suggested that aluminum can disrupt hormone receptors in breast cells. However, an incredibly small amount of aluminum is absorbed through the skin.

https://www.wellandgood.com/good-looks/deodorants-without-aluminum/

https://www.teenvogue.com/story/deodorant-aluminum-safety-what-you-should-know

https://www.webmd.com/breast-cancer/features/antiperspirant-facts-safety#2

 

All, Common Myths

Reading in the Dark

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Does reading in the dark make your eyesight worse?

Nicole Kell

As kids, many of use were told  that reading in the dark “weakens your eyes”. People tend to hold books closer to their face in dim lighting because of the decrease in contrast between the black words and white pages. Reading or focusing on close objects in the dark can makes the  eye muscles work harder than normal to focus on images and they can fatigue. Think of it as “eye exercise”.

Ophthalmologists have found no evidence to support the idea that this extra exercise your eyes get in low light is harmful and find no evidence to support this concept.   If you feel  headache or nausea it might be due to staring at something relatively close to your face.

It’s safe to read in low light.

Sources

https://www.nytimes.com/2006/07/04/health/04real.html

https://scienceline.org/2007/10/ask-peck-darkeyesmyopia/

 

All, Common Myths

Winter Joint Pain

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Image result for joint pain

Source: Pain Doctor

Andrea Hernandez

Have you ever had a sharp pain in your ankles or shoulders when you were taking a walk in cold and rainy weather? Many people ascribe such symptoms to the effects of atmospheric pressure and humidity changes. When it is cold, there is higher pressure in the atmosphere. When it rains there is lower pressure and higher humidity.

There is no argument that our body’s tissues are stiffer in the cold.  And this stiffness might be uncomfortable.

A study observed the joint paint of people with rheumatoid arthritis (RA) and osteoarthritis (OA). A pair of people lived in a chamber that controlled temperature, humidity, barometric pressure, air flow, and air ionization for a two-week period.  Six of the eight people with RA and all four of the people with OA reported more pain and stiffness when humidity increased and atmospheric pressure was decreased. The small sample and short amount of time in the chamber make these findings interesting, but very preliminary.

There are alternative explanations for the association of weather changes with joint pain.  For instance, it may be that a person is less likely to exercise when it is cold outside, and the lack of activity might contribute to joint pain.  

https://www.webmd.com/pain-management/features/weather_and_pain#1

https://www.oline.org/open-access/effect-of-cold-weather-on-the-symptoms-of-arthritic-disease-a-review-of-theliterature-2329-9126-1000275.php?aid=82154#8

https://ac.els-cdn.com/030439599400215Z/1-s2.0-030439599400215Z-main.pdf?_tid=d372cc1a-212a-431a-91de 42d7ed05bd47&acdnat=1543609846_b25a1291cdc3f79c3981c399fff367e0

https://nyaspubs.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/pdf/10.1111/j.21640947.1961.tb00760.xhttps://www.health.harvard.edu/healthbeat/the-secret-to-joint-pain-relief-exercise