Over the last 100 years, the rate of cancer in the U.S. has sky rocketed from 1 out of 800 people diagnosed, to 1 out of 3 today.

Are you wondering WHY? The Healthy Bitch has some of the answers.

Making healthy choices about skin care and cosmetic products is equally as important as the choices we make about the food we eat. Our skin acts as a sponge, absorbing whatever is applied, which then enters our bloodstream and is absorbed by certain organs. It is important to read and understand the labels of the products you use.

Think of beauty products like food.

What you put on your skin eventually ends up in your body.

Certified organic products are made with ingredients that are grown free of synthetic pesticides, herbicides and genetically modified organisms. They also don’t include harmful additives such as petroleum waxes, fillers and artificial chemicals. Certified organic beauty products work better simply because they are made with superior ingredients.

Organic farming eliminates the use of synthetic chemicals and fertilizers, all of which have a destructive effect on our water, soil and health. Organic plants are also grown without the use of genetically modified organisms (GMOs), as they may pose a significant threat to both human and environmental health. Therefore, through looking out for your own health, you’re also helping to protect our fragile ecosystem. That is what they call a “win-win” situation.

The Term “Natural”
There is no legal definition for “natural” which is why you see it everywhere. In cosmetic terminology, the term “natural” usually means anything the manufacturer wishes. There are no legal boundaries for the term. There are no guidelines surrounding what can or cannot be inside a “natural” product. Most cosmetics called “natural” still contain preservatives, coloring agents and all the other things you can think of that sound very unnatural.

What is a carcinogen?
A carcinogen is any substance or radiation directly involved in the evolution of cancer. Studies have shown that this may be due to the disruption of cellular metabolic processes and damage to the structure of an organism. Several radioactive substances are considered carcinogens. A common example of a carcinogen is tobacco smoke.

Tobacco smoke contains over 4000 chemical compounds, many of which are carcinogenic or otherwise toxic. After the carcinogen enters the body, the body makes an attempt to eliminate it through a process called biotransformation. The purpose of these reactions is to make the carcinogen more water-soluble so that it can be removed from the body. But these reactions can also convert a less toxic carcinogen into a more toxic one.

What is Cancer?
Cancer is a class of diseases in which a group of cells display uncontrolled growth beyond the normal limits, invade and destroy adjacent tissues, and sometimes spread to other locations in the body.

Carcinogens may increase the risk of getting cancer by altering cellular structure or damaging DNA directly in cells. Usually DNA damage, if too severe to repair, leads to programmed cell death, but if the programmed cell death pathway is damaged, then the cell cannot prevent itself from becoming a cancer cell.