According to Harvard Medical School professor Dr. Karin Michels, a lot of women don’t realize they’re lugging around health hazards in their handbags. For example:

Do you carry hand sanitizer in your purse? Dr. Michels says it’s great to kill germs on the go. But a lot of sanitizers contain triclosan – a chemical linked to tumor growth in animals. So, only use alcohol-based sanitizers, and ditch the ones made with triclosan.

Then, is your handbag stuffed with old receipts? Researchers say most printed receipts are coated with a chemical called “BPA”. And it rubs off on our hands and is absorbed through our skin. We can tell you that BPA has been linked to a higher risk of diabetes, cancer, and infertility. So, handle receipts as little as necessary… and see if the cashiers can email or text your receipts, instead.

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