Could Your Hair Dye Make You Sick?

 

Are you a brunette? Blonde? Redhead? Now, be honest: do you get the color of your lovely locks from a bottle? Well, if you do, then there are a few very important things you need to know.

Do You Dye Your Hair? Read This Before You Pick Up Another Bottle!

Hair dye manufacturers do not want you to know the hidden dangers behind coloring your hair with their products. Recently, links have been found between hair dye and primary biliary cirrhosis (PBC),1 liver disease. Some of the processed chemicals in popular dyes (which are also found in nail polish) have been shown to block bile ducts which interferes with the liver’s ability to process toxins properly. In 2003, a Chinese patient was diagnosed with “hair dye-induced hepatitis.”² Similarly, in 2006, another patient was found to have “hair dye-induced liver injury.” This is real. And, really scary, to boot.

According to the study, “Women who used hair dye were 37 percent more likely to develop PBC than women who didn't use hair dye. Previous research has suggested a link between PBC and chemicals in cosmetics, particularly octynoic acid, which is found in hair dye and nail polish.”¹

 

Toxic Chemicals in Hair Dye To Watch Out For:

• Octynoic acid: A chemical cosmetic and food additive also found in nail polish 3
• Formaldehyde: The very same  chemical used to preserve cadavers
• Ammonia:  A colorless gas with a pungent odor

 

Dealing with Dye...What to Do if you feel you MUST Dye Your Hair

What if you really need to dye your hair?  Perhaps you are coloring your hair to cover up early gray, or even to express your individuality. There are some alternatives to mainstream chemical hair dyes, including natural dyes (like henna) that won’t harm you.

You may even find a salon that offers organic, chemical-free dyes.

 

Hair Dye Alternatives

Would you believe that people have been coloring their hair since as early as history has been recorded? There’s even mention of the ancient Egyptians and Greeks using hair dye to enhance their looks. Of course, those early hair dyes were made of much more natural ingredients, like plants. The good news is that you can still take advantage of these alternatives and keep your hair looking great, without the toxic risk. Look what these herbs and plants can do for your hair:

• Rosemary and Sage can darken grey or enrich your brown hair
• Lemon Juice or Chamomile Tea can brighten your blonde locks
• A mixture of Carrot and Beet Juice can add red highlights to your hair

 

Always Create Balance in Your Body First

If it’s impossible for you to abstain from dying your hair, it’s even more important that you take proper steps to undo as much of the damage as possible.  When you create a hardy inner eco-system of healthy bacteria and beneficial yeasts in your intestines, your body will have a much better chance of combating poisons. You’ll also build the best possible foundation for increased energy, great skin, and shiny hair that won’t be so quick to turn gray.

• Increase your intake of probiotics through fermented foods. Fermented foods contain an abundance of beneficial microflora that aid in digestion and assimilation of nutrients from your food. But very importantly these microflora help you detoxify better. You might say they help us survive the chemical soup surrounding us these days.
• Eat and drink foods and herbs that assist your body with your natural ability to detoxify.  The herb, turmeric has recently been proven to assist in the production of bile. Bile is essential for proper liver detoxification. Foods from the cruciferous vegetable family (broccoli, cabbage, kale, Brussels sprouts, collard greens, cauliflower) are powerful detoxifiers. And of course, eating a serving of cultured vegetables with each meal really can’t be beat for detoxification of your intestines, and therefore, your entire body.  
• Practice Colon Therapy at home with home enemas or with a skilled colon therapist. Colon therapy does an amazing job of flushing out the extra toxic build up in your large and small intestines. This therapy also helps cleanse your lymph and your liver. Colon therapy is part of the Body Ecology System of Health and Healing and complement The Diet.
• Practice Skin Brushing. In Traditional Chinese Medicine, your liver and skin are paired organs. That means you can help heal your liver by working on your skin. Dry brushing your skin, your largest organ of elimination, with a natural bristled brush, will help pull toxins out through your skin, and take stress off of your liver.

 

Your Thriving Inner Eco-System and Fabulous Hair

Having a healthy and happy immune system is key in not only feeling well, but also looking fabulous! After all, that is what dying your hair is all about, right? Your liver must filter every chemical and food that enters your body. So, it becomes overtaxed when you assault it with chemicals like hair dye. If your liver isn’t functioning at 100%, then your eyes, skin and hair will suffer too.

Dying your hair can be fun. Just remember that there are plenty of chemical-free alternatives to help keep your hair looking the way you like it, without causing harm to your body. If you begin following the Body Ecology Principles, your body will naturally release toxins that have accumulated from any chemicals you have used. On top of that you will build a healthy inner eco system that allows you to continue to resist damage from toxins and illness. You’ll feel younger, healthier, and be better prepared to enjoy vibrant life. You’ll also look better than ever!





1 BMJ-British Medical Journal. "Hair Dye and Smoking Linked to Progressive Liver Disease." ScienceDaily 24 March 2010. 5 May 2010 .

2 CMJ-Chinese Medical Journal. “Severe Liver Injury Induced by Repeated Use of Hair Dye.” Chinese Medical Journal 2009. 5 May 2010 .

3 "Chemical Xenobiotics and Mitochondrial Autoantigens in Primary Biliary Cirrhosis: Identification of Antibodies against a Common Environmental, Cosmetic, and Food Additive, 2-Octynoic Acid -- Amano Et Al. 174 (9): 5874." The Journal of Immunology. Web. 29 June 2010. .

Article with thanks to http://bodyecology.com/