You’re probably wondering what natural skincare has to do with your immune system and fighting viral infection. The short answer: a lot.
Thanks to a mountain of insightful research performed in recent years, more and more people are becoming aware of the toxic ingredients found in many commercial skin care products. From cleansers to moisturizers to shampoos to serums, etc, discerning consumers are learning to make better beauty care choices to support their skin and their overall well being.
However, there is one devious baddie found in many familiar big brand staples that even astute shoppers may have a hard time identifying. Not only is this constituent bad for the skin, its negative impact can suppress your body’s innate immunity, and in some cases greatly increase the risk of viral infection...
Estrogen and Your Immune System
When the average person hears or reads the word “estrogen”, they tend to think of female health, and rightly so. While the hormone estrogen plays an important role in proper female reproductive wellness, it can become highly toxic when its levels move beyond the normal range. An estrogenic imbalance can lead to a number of different ailments – from mood instability, headaches, depression, anxiety. On top of that, it can adversely affect your immune system’s ability to fight viral infections.
While we are learning new distinctions in the relationship between estrogen and your immune system every day, there are a few things that we know for sure. Currently, research indicates that an estrogen imbalance can do all of the following:
- Depress your body’s innate antiviral immunity
- Impair the activity of NK cells (natural killer cells) – the body’s first line of defense in fighting viruses
- Suppress certain aspects of white blood cell function
- Increase the production of systemic antibodies (antibodies usually increase in response to tissue catabolism, but more on that later)
- Impair the immune response to viral infection
Additionally, studies in animals and humans have found that pregnancy, the estrogen-drive stage of menstruation, and some estrogen supplementation can all have an immunosuppressive effect and increase the severity of bacterial, parasitic, and viral infections.
Estrogen and The Thymus Gland
There are multiple mechanisms that contribute to estrogen’s immunosuppressive effects, but the most dominant mechanism is controlled through direct chemical interaction with the thymus gland.
The thymus gland is a small organ behind the breastbone that plays an important role both in your endocrine and immune system. Like a boxing coach (think Rocky), the thymus gland works to “train” cells in your body to fight infections.
During stressful episodes, many hormones are produced, including cortisol and estrogen. For both of these hormones, when production levels become too great, they stimulate catabolic processes (the breaking down of molecules) that damage the body's tissues, particularly the tissues of the thymus gland. This can quickly lead to inflammation and a suppressed immune response, increasing the risk disease and infection. [1]
How Commercial Skincare Products Weaken Your Ability To Fight Viral Infection
The skin is your body’s largest organ and your first line of defense against infection. Much like a porous sponge, your skin is built to absorb things that you touch or apply. This means that when you use beauty care products with contaminants, which most people do on a daily basis, harmful chemicals can enter the bloodstream via the skin. Over time, a sort of slow-released toxicity occurs.
As previously mentioned, most commercial skincare products – facial cleansers, moisturizers, lotions, shampoo, perfumes, cosmetics, deodorants, etc. – are contaminated with toxic chemicals. A great many of these bad-for-you constituents harm your body by impersonating estrogen, allowing them to bind to and activate estrogen receptors. As estrogen elevates within the system, your body’s ability to fight infection and disease becomes more and more compromised. [2]
It’s important that you educate yourself as to the main estrogen impersonators that sneak their way into brand name products. Below is a short list to get you started:
- Bisphenol A (BPA)
- Phthalates
- Dioxins
- Perchlorate
- Triclosan
- Perfluoroalkyl (PFAS)
- Phytoestrogens
- Polybrominated biphenyls (PBB)
- Polybrominated diphenyl ethers (PBDE)
- Polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs)
Non-Toxic, Natural Skincare Products For Radiant Skin And Healthy Immune Function
As you can clearly see, fighting viral infection and disease requires much more than proper sanitation practices. The immune system is affected by many different forces in our internal and external environments. Given the evidence of the negative effects of estrogen-mimicking chemicals on your health, we strongly advise swapping any toxic skincare and personal care products for truly natural, non-toxic products.
At Alitura, our all-natural skin care products are designed with you in mind. All of our natural skin care products are made with non-toxic ingredients that help promote healthy skin and a healthy YOU. So, if you’re looking for a way to cut out the contaminants and improve the health of your skin and immune system, the Alitura product line is a safe and smart place to start!
Consult our website today to learn more about natural skincare and health-positive beauty practices!
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