But what are toxic metals? Will I survive?
Toxic metals are everywhere.
In the food we eat, the air we breathe, the products we use, and the jewelry we wear.
But what are these toxic metals everyone is talking about?
Nickel
Yes , the same metal used in the five cent, so you know you can’t avoid it, if you live in the US.
While people with allergies will show skin reactions; people without allergies will develop allergies when they are overexposed to the metal.
Do not panic, unless you are wearing a jewelry piece that contains nickel for long periods of time there is no reason to worry.
Aluminum
When aluminum is absorbed by the body, it can lead to ulcers, rashes, and arthritic pain.
Aluminum affects the brain. Exposure can lead to a loss of memory, coordination, and balance.
Aluminum can also enter the body via skin contact with appliances, jewelry, and other products.
Lead
Over an extended period of time, lead poisoning brings serious consequences.
You can expect damage to organs like the brain and kidneys as well as effects across the nervous and reproductive systems.
Lead has even stronger effects on children and can affect babies before they’re born.
Thankfully, lead has been illegal for decades. But there are still companies uses the metal for cheaper production. Please always buy from reliable marketplaces.
Copper
Copper is a very common metal we use every day.
Each day we need a little under a milligram to survive, however just a tiny bit more than you need will become toxic.
Symptoms of copper poisoning include headaches, cramps, fever, mood swings, depression and ADHD.
Over the long term, copper toxicity can result in death.
Copper is also absorbed through skin contact, especially if you are sensitive; avoid jewelry that contains this metal.
Cadmium
Cadmium is a known carcinogen, causes severe kidney and bone damage, and accumulates in the body throughout life.
It is used as a cheap filler metal or pigment in low-quality consumer products.
Cadmium has been found in dozens of items including jewelry pieces and being sold everyday at very common places we shop at.
How to Stay Safe
In a world where capital means more than other’s well-being to many, we consumers are responsible to keep ourselves safe by being educated on the risks of the products we purchase. It’s concerning how many brands continue to offer jewelry that has high contents of harmful chemicals, but what more concerning is that; there is no regulations provided by our governments to keep us safe from certain toxic substances. Don’t confuse being well-known with being conscious and being credible. Most well-known companies are the ones producing the most toxic products in high quantities and exposing all living beings to their greedy destruction.
It is not a rocket science. If you aren’t sure what it is, do not buy it. Look closely into the jewelry piece, do you see any stamps indicating the content of the metal?
If it’s in the budget; you hope it to be silver. Look for the stamp for .925, the standard hallmark for sterling silver. It shows that the piece of sterling silver is 92.5 % pure silver and 7.5 % alloys. That is the best quality sterling silver out there.
Don’t forget, if you are not sure what you are buying, you are not in control of what enters your body.