8 Household Carcinogenic Chemicals to Watch Out for

You may be avoiding smoking, alcohol or processed food to minimize your risk of getting cancer. But you can up the ante against cancer. All you need to do is identify the carcinogenic chemicals in your house and banish them. Here is a list of the most-common cancer-causing substances in your house.

PVC (Polyvinyl Chloride) and VOC (Volatile Organic Compounds)

PVC and VOC are two carcinogenic chemicals abundantly present in plastic shower curtains and vinyl floors. Not only are they harmful to the nervous system, eyes and throat, but they can also lead to liver and kidney cancer.Instead of plastic curtains, opt for cotton or linen. They are natural and non-toxic. As for your flooring, it's safe to use wood or marble.

Radon

Radon is a radioactive and carcinogenic gas. It is the chief contributor to cancers in non-smokers. If there are granite countertops in your home, they could be emitting this gas. If possible, you should replace them with marble.

Parfum

As the name suggests, this skin cancer-causing agent is present in all products that you use to kill stench. For example, it is present in air fresheners, incense sticks, body wash, perfumes.

Diethanolamine

This carcinogen is a foaming agent and commonly found in soaps, shampoos, body wash, and shaving cream.

Parabens

Parabens are a preservative present in skincare products like moisturizing cream, body lotion or lip balm. They are also present in make-up products like lipstick, highlighters or foundation.Parabens can lead to breast cancer and hormonal imbalance. If you think you have symptoms of these conditions, you can consult a doctor on MediBuddy. The alternative is to use products that are labelled paraben-free. Meticulously go over the list of ingredients before you purchase something.

Carcinogens in Cleaning Supplies

Every household stocks up on cleaning materials - laundry detergent, liquid dish cleaners, and floor cleaners. When you use any, you are breathing in cancer-causing chemicals like dioxane, alcohol ethoxylates, and nonylphenol ethoxylates. Toilet cleaners and stain removers for clothes contain chlorine bleach - another carcinogen. The fumes that emanate from these may cause respiratory distress and eventually cancer of the trachea.Similarly, when you get your clothes dry-cleaned, the cleaning agent used contains cancer-causing chemical perchloroethylene. It stays on your clothes and seeps into your skin when you put them on.

DEET (N, N-diethyl-meta-toluamide)

DEET is present in bug repellent sprays and creams. This chemical can cause breast cancer, and damage the nervous system.

Carcinogens in Your Food

You could be unwittingly consuming carcinogens through the food you eat every day. WHO has labelled red meat, microwaved popcorn, salted fish, refined sugar, white flour, sodas, certain cooking oils like corn oil, peanut oil or margarine as cancer-causing. So, try to cut down your consumption of these food items. Instead, fill your refrigerator with organic and fresh food. The bottom line is you are being exposed to carcinogenic chemicals through the products you are using every day. However, you can lower your chances of getting cancer by reducing your reliance on them. [av_promobox button='yes' label='Consult a Specialist on MediBuddy' link='https://www.medibuddy.in/?utm_source=blog_cta&utm_medium=blog' link_target='' color='blue' custom_bg='#f00' custom_font='#ffffff' size='large' icon_select='no' icon='ue800' font='entypo-fontello'] The bottom line is that you are being exposed to carcinogenic chemicals through the products you are using every day. However, you can lower your chances of getting cancer by reducing your reliance on them. And just to be safe, you should always consult a doctor.[/av_promobox] References: cheatsheetnaturalonhealthline