The holiday season is in full swing and there’s nothing more festive than lighting candles scented with cinnamon, fresh cut pine or peppermint in your home.
But this seemingly routine holiday tradition can become an unexpected health hazard.
Let me explain…
Most scented candles contain synthetic fragrances that can interfere with your hormonal system.
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The Environmental Working Group (EWG) found that more than 75% of products listing “fragrance” as an ingredient contained phthalates.
These chemicals are used in bath oils, blushes, nail polishes and a host of other personal care products.
And they’re in many scented candles.
Phthalates are estrogen-mimickers that lead to estrogen overload. They destroy your delicate balance of estrogen, testosterone and other hormones.
I’ve seen firsthand in my clinic how these chemicals can lead to estrogen dominance. And an important study has shown the link between these environmental toxins and hormone effects in both wildlife and humans.1
In women these alien estrogens slow down thyroid function and cause weight gain. They also bring on extreme symptoms of PMS and menopause. Girls as young as 7 and 8 years old go through early puberty and develop breasts and sexual traits.2
These chemicals can also lead to diabetes, neurological problems, heart disease, birth defects and infertility.3
But phthalates are not the only danger with candles…
Most candles are also made with paraffin. Paraffin is a waste product from the petroleum industry. It’s like burning diesel fuel in your home.
A study from the University of South Carolina found that burning paraffin candles releases carcinogens like alkenes, alkanes and toluene.4 All of these are known to cause health problems in humans.
But don’t let this dampen your holiday spirit. There’s a healthy alternative you can find that sets the mood without disrupting your hormones or poisoning your air.
Here’s what I recommend when shopping for candles:
- Choose candles that are unscented or scented with pure essential oils.
- Look for candles with braided cotton, paper or hemp wicks.
- Instead of paraffin, look for pure beeswax candles. Some candles are a mix of paraffin and beeswax so choose candles made from 100% beeswax.
You can also make your own candles. It’s not difficult. I recommend mixing beeswax with coconut oil and essential oils.
Homemade Christmas Candle Recipe
Ingredients:
- 8 ounces beeswax
- 1/2 cup coconut oil
- 50 to 75 drops organic essential oil
- Cotton wick
- Heat-resistant glass jar (12-ounce)
- Pencil
Directions:
- Melt wax in a double boiler over medium heat until fully melted and temperature reaches about 170 degrees F.
- Blend in coconut oil until fully melted. Add the essential oils and stir to incorporate.
- Tie one end of the wick to a pencil. Lay the pencil across the mouth of the jar with the wick hanging inside.
- Cut the wick to a length long enough to hang straight and ending ¼ inch above the bottom of the jar.
- Once wax has cooled to 160 degrees, slowly pour it into the jar, adjusting the wick to stay centered. Fill jar to one inch below opening.
- Let the wax dry for one to two days. Once completely dry, cut the wick to ½ inch.
Good essential oil choices for the holidays include pine, cinnamon, peppermint, clove, nutmeg, sweet orange, ginger, cedarwood, anise, frankincense and myrrh.
Mix several of them together to make your own signature holiday blend.
To Your Good Health,
Al Sears, MD, CNS
1. Sonnenschein C, Soto AM: An updated review of environmental estrogen and androgen mimics and antagonists. J Steroid Biochem Mol Biol. 1998 Apr.
2. Cesario S, Hughes L. “Precocious puberty: a comprehensive review of literature.” J Obstet Gynecol Neonatal Nurs. 2007.
3. Ziv-Gai, A., et al. “The effects of in-utero bisphenol-A exposure reproductive capacity in several generations of mice.” Toxicol Appl Pharmacol. 2015.
4. “Frequent use of certain candles produces unwanted chemicals” Accessed December 3, 2017 https://www.scsu.edu/news_article.aspx?news_id=832