Sunday, October 15

Get Familiar with Your Breasts




October is Breast Cancer Awareness month ... Get Familiar with your Breasts

Each year, an estimated 211300 women will learn they have breast cancer, 1300 men will get the same news, and 40200 people are expected to die from the disease. Beginning now, in October, we are reminded to honor survivors, remember those lost to the disease, and support the search for a cure.

Think Before You Pink: A caution about the proliferation of the color pink and pink ribbons in marketing products. Find out before you buy, if the sale of the product you are considering really does legitimately raise funds for breast cancer research and education --- or if it's just another marketing ploy to get money from well intentioned consumers. And if the company donates funds to breast cancer research, how much of the sale money goes towards the cancer awareness cause? And how much goes toward the cause of fattening corporate wallets?

To read more about the Pink Ribbon marketing campaigns, the history and ploy, check out the website, Think Before You Pink.

Something else you may not think to consider: it sounds great when cosmetics companies promise to contribute a portion of sales of cosmetics to finding a cure for breast cancer ... gives us all the warm fuzzies, right? But what if that cosmetic contains chemicals that might actually increase your risk of developing the disease? To find out if your cosmetics are on the no-no (suspicious chemicals as ingredients in their products) click here.

Quick Links:


4 Comments:

Patia said...

Thanks for the links. I will check some of them out. I have been making the switch lately to safer cosmetics and cleaning products, since learning about some of the scary ingredients.

I have long believed that the products women use are responsible in large part for the ever-increasing rates of breast cancer.

What's tricky is sorting out the "real" healthy products from the "fake" ones -- "pseudobotanicals," I've heard them called.

Maureen said...

you're right about that, Patia - it's tricky sorting all the cosmetics and body care products ... like, Aveda is supposedly a really good brand -- they don't use pthalates, so you think they're safe? They do use parabens, though. Seems like it's either one or the other if you buy ready-made stuff. If I had more time I'd probably already be making my own shampoo and conditioner.

I don't use stuff on my face (except a little lotion) so I don't have to worry about putting chemicals on my skin daily. At least not stuff like lipstick, mascara, foundation. But I know lots of women who do.

The thing that gets to me is these companies will say the amount of a particular chemical coming in contact with a person's skin isn't enough to cause cancer... what about putting it on every day for years and years?

thanks for responding. talking about this with our friends and peers is one way to take some action, however little.

Susannah Conway said...

Hi M, thank you for these links - it's good to be reminded to look after ourselves. :-) you have some beautiful photographs on your blog! so good to find you x

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