Given the current times when hand sanitizers are provided in every location upon entrance and dispensed as though they were free candy, it is more important than ever to discuss the dangers of hand sanitizers, so that you can better protect yourself and your family.
The biggest health detriment of poisonous hand sanitizers inevitably falls on children and the elderly, and this is usually the demographic that is most encouraged to use them. Children are still developing and are sensitive to our toxic world, and the elderly have frail bodies that shouldn’t be exposed to additional toxic overload. Truly saddening!
Instead of the toxic cocktail of conventional sanitizers, there are many alternative and effective sanitizers that you can make easily right at home. Here are some of my tips and recipes with simple ingredients that are not only effective and safe but are also good for you!
If You Wouldn’t Eat It, Don’t Put It On Your Skin
The skin membrane is the third largest organ in the body that is highly permeable, meaning that it absorbs environmental compounds and detoxifies inner toxins into the environment through perspiration.
When we apply any substance to the skin, this substance will enter the bloodstream, which will affect other organs, especially the liver. On the other hand, when we eat food, our stomach and other mechanisms that denature toxins are in place and the pathway to the liver is organized in a way that the liver can easily convert these toxins into water-soluble compounds that can be excreted through the colon. Therefore, it is actually safer to eat chemicals that we usually place on our skin!
Since the skin doesn’t have the protective pathways that protect the skin-blood barrier, anything we place on it (like a nicotine patch, for example) is directly absorbed into the bloodstream and directed through all tissues and organs through blood circulation.
The skin has its own immune system and protects us from dangers and infections with the aid of skin microbes that are designed to fight dangerous pathogens. The skin itself forms blisters to trap microorganisms and secretes immunoglobulins to help with immunity. Inevitably, when we use and apply antibacterial agents, we not only disrupt the skin’s own protection system, but we allow toxic substances to penetrate deeply into the body.
Why Are Conventional Hand Sanitizers Bad For Health?
Clearly, the health dangers of hand sanitizers are enormous, and yet, they do not protect us from germs as widely claimed. In actuality, they prevent us from developing immunity to the harmful exotoxins that may make us sick (although, my knowledge of health is based on the terrain theory, meaning that we are only susceptible to pathogenic influence if our bodies are acidic).
And with increased use, not only do we harm our capacity for building up natural immunity, but we toxify our bodies at an alarming rate.
If you happen to use conventional sanitizers, it’s a good time to stop and look for alternatives! If you’re sick from something despite eating healthy, exercising daily, getting enough sleep, and drinking clean water – it is most likely that the personal products and environmental toxins are to blame.
To protect your health, make sure to use sanitizers made from only a few natural ingredients. Conventional sanitizers and antibacterial soaps contain many dangerous chemicals such as triclosan, which is a pesticide used in hospitals (a truly disturbing fact in itself!) that is now found to be deadly to human cells.
It is highly effective and vastly healthier to simply wash your hands in warm water and basic castile soap than use sanitizers.
5 of the Most Common Health Dangers of Hand Sanitizers
The health effects of chemicals from toxic hand sanitizers are multi-fold. Here are some of the most common ways sanitizer usage can harm your health.
1) Cancer
The chemicals present in most hand sanitizers are called teratogens, which are known to accumulate in the body, causing acidification and leading to tissue degeneration. In fact, a recent study found that the cancer-causing chemical benzene was found in 44 of the 200 sanitizers that were sold during the pandemic. Benzene is known to poison the blood and cause leukemia.
2) Allergies
Most conventional sanitizers are loaded with artificial perfumes, colorings, and chemicals that are not only irritating to the skin, but also to the liver and other organs! Allergies are usually a sign of an overtaxed and under-performing liver and stagnated lymphatic/kidney system (the body’s sewage system), which is usually caused by the body’s toxic overload.
3) Brain Damage
The typical chemicals found in hand sanitizers include triclosan, aluminum, isopropyl alcohol, and ethanolamine. Triclosan is classified as a neurotoxin and even leads to an 18% increase in the risk for Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder. Additionally, aluminum is a heavy metal that is frequently found in conventional sanitizers, and is known to be one of the main compounds to cause neurodegenerative disorders and senility at a young age.
Isopropyl alcohol, or rubbing alcohol, is a dangerous neurotoxin that profoundly affects the kidneys and the liver. And finally, ethanolamine was found to be a penetration enhancer, meaning it helps all the other chemicals be absorbed by your body more effectively.
4) Hormone and Thyroid Disruption
Conventional hand sanitizers contain bisphenol-A (BPA) and in addition to other chemicals present, damage the thyroid and other glands. This undermines hormone production, including that of testosterone (the male hormone), estrogen (the female hormone), prolactin (associated with milk production in females), luteinizing hormone, and other follicle-stimulating hormones.
5) Lowered Immunity
Artificial chemicals of all types are known to damage gut flora and cause poor gut health. This alone can damage the immune system, since up to 90% of our immune system is located in the gut.
Other common health issues such as weight gain, diabetes, birth defects (and autism), skin problems, emotional and mental imbalances, and most chronic conditions are all signs of body chemical overload and toxicity all diseases form with underlying body toxicity as the culprit!
When genetic weaknesses, lifestyle choices, and exposure to environmental toxins synergize in the body, it is the ideal recipe for the disabling of its own healing mechanisms, which leads to the formation of chronic illness. How disease expresses itself in the form of a “condition” all depends on our bodily constitution, genetics, and current state of health.
Given that most individuals use hand sanitizers multiple times a day during these times, including children, this is a recipe for a collective health disaster in the long run! Since toxins accumulate over time to cause major issues, most individuals cannot pinpoint causation and would not be aware of what caused the onset of their health issues.
In fact, most people assume that when illness befalls them, that they were unlucky and are the victims of their bodies, when nothing is further from the truth! Awareness, prevention through regular detoxification, and a healthy lifestyle are all key to keeping the body healthy and in homeostasis.
It is highly recommended you use natural alternatives that contain antiviral essential oils or wash your hands in water with baking soda. These methods have shown health benefits so long as you avoid over-using them!
Replacing Conventional Hand Sanitizers With Natural Alternatives
Essential oils are arguably the most powerful ingredients you can add to a natural sanitizer, since they have natural, herbal compounds known to not only fight dangerous microbes (antifungal and antimicrobial), but to help the body re-balance in many other ways.
Probably the main concern with using essential oils is that they are highly concentrated and should be used in very small quantities. Because of this high potential for skin irritation, some people may be allergic to their application, so it is recommended to always combine them with oils and water and to test them on the skin first!
Here are some of the best essential oils you can use to make your own sanitizer:
- Lime or lemon oil – citrus oils are known to be antibacterial, antiviral, and antifungal, making them a great choice for your hand sanitizer. Not to mention how refreshing it is to the senses! Apply directly to hands after washing in water or use as an air freshener when diffused.
- Rosemary oil – this oil is antibacterial, antifungal, deodorizing, and relaxing. It can be applied to the skin for its powerful antimicrobial and immune-boosting properties.
- Tea tree oil – this oil contains terpinen-4-ol, which has been shown to stop the growth of fungus that causes athlete’s foot as well as several other fungal species. It also contains anti-inflammatory properties which will help those who suffer from chronic skin inflammation issues.
- Grapefruit seed extract – this is a natural compound that can be added to water and used in the same way as conventional hand sanitizers. Grapefruit seed extract has been shown to kill 99% of common skin germs within 5 minutes. Since it contains Vitamin C, its chemistry is also nourishing to skin and nails, helping to boost collagen production.
Other Natural Sanitizer Alternatives
Aside from essential oils, other natural alternatives are ideal when it comes to protecting your health. Organic apple cider vinegar, for example, is known to help treat acne, eczema, and other skin conditions, as it is one of nature’s great cleaners, astringents, and clarifiers.
Packed with antimicrobial properties, apple cider vinegar makes an excellent antibacterial alternative to conventional hand sanitizers. In general, vinegar is also effective at keeping bacteria from sticking to surfaces, making it perfect for use around the kitchen and the bathroom.
To make your own highly effective natural hand sanitizer, combine apple cider vinegar with water and a few drops of essential oil. Voila, it’s that easy!
Another great way to sanitize hands is with organic coconut oil and baking soda. You can simply rub your hands together with the two ingredients and dry them off with a paper towel or warm water wash.
Baking soda is a great option, because it’s antifungal and antibacterial, while coconut oil works miracles to soothe inflammation of any kind. Coconut oil is one of the best skin healers and protectors found in nature! It is also a natural sunscreen that contains inbuilt SPF protection and is a healthy alternative to conventional sunscreens (which are also full of chemicals that not only penetrate the skin in a similar fashion but are activated by the sun’s heat to cause even more damage).
Final Thoughts
These days, people all over the globe are encouraged to sanitize their hands and are provided with conventional, toxic sanitizers at every turn – from malls to restaurants, cafes, and airports. However, instead of being effective and protecting, they are actually incredibly harmful to our health.
Indeed, some of the “officially recommended” practices that our “protective” government administrators have put into practice, such as mask-wearing (which has been proven scientifically to be ineffective against viral transmission), sanitizing (toxic), social distancing (lowers immunity through lack of exposure to the environment as well as serotonin we require as social animals to build up emotional and mental strength), and quarantine (which prevents us from exercising, getting vital vitamin D from sunshine and interacting with nature/our environment) are not only ineffective but quite dangerous to our physical, emotional, and mental health.
The effects of these practices will not only impact us presently, but will most likely last for generations to come.
My sincere recommendation is to stay empowered and research everything that impacts your body, mind, and spirit! By understanding how the body functions and the terrain theory of illness causation, you will be more aware of how to protect your health and make health decisions that are in line with natural law as well as your own personal knowledge and intuition.
If you’d like to begin today and learn more about your body, how health works, and how you can detoxify holistically, check out some of my in-depth articles that can help you start on the journey safely and effectively:
What is Detoxing and Does Body Detox Work?
Natural Healing: A Guide to Full Body Detox Without Gimmicks and With Long-Term Results
The Complete Acid Food List and Which Foods to Avoid for Optimal Health