But houseplants can't hurt. Not only might they take out some of the air pollution, but some think they may offer some protection against electromagnetic radiation. But which houseplants should you pick? The New Ecologist made a list of the top 10 anti-pollutant houseplants. They rate the best as:
Thursday, October 22, 2009
The 10 Best Pollution-Busting Houseplants
Serious Vaccine Reactions to Now Be Called 'Coincidence'?
Every day Americans wake up to news reports that warn us about the dangers of influenza, especially the new H1N1 “swine flu”. Nonetheless, wide-scale vaccination is being encouraged -- even though swine flu vaccines have been tested on only a few thousand healthy Americans for a few weeks. There is little or no information about how safe the vaccine is for pregnant women and chronically ill or disabled children. There is no funded government vaccine injury compensation program for swine flu vaccine. The most tragic cases of vaccine injury occur when vaccine reaction symptoms are dismissed as a 'coincidence" and more vaccines are given that result in more severe symptoms -- and sometimes end with permanent brain and immune system damage or death. But while Americans are still debating whether to roll up their sleeves for a swine flu shot, companies have already figured it out: vaccines are good for business. Drug companies have sold $1.5 billion worth of swine flu shots, in addition to the $1 billion for seasonal flu they booked earlier this year. These inoculations are part of a much wider and rapidly growing $20 billion global vaccine market. "The vaccine market is booming," says Bruce Carlson, spokesperson at market research firm Kalorama, which publishes an annual survey of the vaccine industry. "It's an enormous growth area for pharmaceuticals at a time when other areas are not doing so well," he says, noting that the pipeline for more traditional blockbuster drugs such as Lipitor and Nexium has thinned. As always with pandemic flus, taxpayers are footing the $1.5 billion check for the 250 million swine flu vaccines that the government has ordered so far and will be distributing free to doctors, pharmacies and schools. In addition, Congress has set aside more than $10 billion this year to research flu viruses, monitor H1N1's progress and educate the public about prevention. Drugmakers pocket most of the revenues from flu sales, with Sanofi-Pasteur, Glaxo Smith Kline and Novartis cornering most of the market. But some say it's not just drugmakers who stand to benefit. Doctors collect copayments for special office visits to inject shots, and there have been assertions that these doctors actually profit handsomely from these vaccinations.
But swine flu is mild for most people and the virus is not mutating into a more serious form.
Millions of people around the world have recovered from swine flu, and millions more will get sick with fevers, body aches, nasal congestion, cough and sometimes diarrhea and vomiting and recover from it this year and next year without any complications.
If you or your child are injured from getting a flu swine flu shot, you are on your own. Congress has shielded the vaccine manufacturers and any person giving swine flu shots from lawsuits if people get hurt.
Do NOT let a doctor or anyone else tell you that a serious health problem you or your child experiences after vaccination is a coincidence and allow more shots to be given until you know for sure.
Tuesday, November 11, 2008
Does the Flu Shot Even Work?
Only about 1,000 people die directly from the flu virus in the U.S each year. But the government claims 36,000 -- the remaining 35,000 deaths are caused by diseases like pneumonia that may follow the flu.
But there's no clear scientific connection between the flu and these more serious afflictions. That means most of the time a flu shot has little impact in actually preventing death.
Barbara Loe Fisher, head of the National Vaccine Information Center, says that the repeated references to 36,000 seems to be an attempt to scare people into getting the shot. Fisher has a new book on the safety issues with vaccines, "Vaccines, Autism & Chronic Inflammation: The New Epidemic."
Her concerns have led her to look at alternatives. One alternative favored by a number of physicians is vitamin D. Dr. John Cannell, Executive Director of the Vitamin D Council, suggests the reason we even have a flu season is because our vitamin D levels drop, which takes place naturally as we get less and less sun with the approach of winter.
Cannell suggests babies get a 1,000 units of vitamin D a day, and those two and older get 2,000 units. Many adults and some children need more than that.
Sources:
CBN November 4, 2008
Low Potassium Causes High Blood Pressure
Low levels of potassium in the diet may be as important as high levels of sodium as a risk factor for high blood pressure, especially among African Americans.
A new study suggests that low potassium may be a particularly important contributor to high blood pressure, and also identifies a gene that may influence potassium's effects on blood pressure. Researchers analyzed data on approximately 3,300 subjects, about half of whom were African American. The results showed that the amount of potassium in urine samples was strongly related to blood pressure. The lower the potassium in the urine, and therefore in the diet, the higher the blood pressure.
The relationship between low potassium and high blood pressure remained significant even when other cardiovascular risk factors such as high cholesterol, diabetes, and smoking were taken into account.
Sources:
Eurekalert November 8, 2008
Three Girls Died, Others Hospitalized, After HPV Vaccine
Amid controversy over state legislatures in the U.S. requiring young girls to take Gardasil, Merck's new vaccine for human papillomavirus (HPV), severe side effects are being reported.
1,637 adverse reactions have been reported by Judicial Watch, a public interest watchdog, including three girls who died shortly after receiving the immunization. Judicial Watch obtained the reports from the U.S. Food and Drug Administration using the Freedom of Information Act.
In Australia, 25 girls who had just received their first injection of the vaccine experienced headache, nausea, and dizziness. In some cases, the problems were so severe that they were hospitalized. Shares of the vaccine's Australian developer, CSL, fell after the incident was reported in the news.
British Medical Journal June 9, 2007;334:1182-1183
Tuesday, July 22, 2008
Our Children!
This just blew me away!! How crazy are the people in this world becoming!!!!!
Poor Innocent Children
Why are Cholesterol Drugs Being Recommended for 8 Year Olds?
For the first time, the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) has recommended that some children as young as 8 should be given cholesterol-lowering drugs to ward off future heart problems.Dr. Stephen Daniels, who is on the academy's nutrition committee, says the new advice is based on mounting evidence that damage leading to heart disease, the nation's leading killer, begins early in life. The drug treatments would be targeted at kids at least 8 years old who have too much LDL, or "bad," cholesterol along with other risky factors, including obesity and high blood pressure.Cholesterol screening is also now being recommended for kids with a “family history” of high cholesterol and those who are overweight, obese or have other heart disease risk factors. Screening should take place after age 2 but no later than age 10, according to the AAP.
Sources:
ABC News July 7, 2008
Pediatrics July 2008, Vol. 122 No. 1, pp. 198-208
I cannot believe no one is catching on to this yet. I mean does everyone not understand that 90% of the food we are consuming comes from a Laboratory or Machine! Wow!
We have created this problem, and it will not go away until people understand that the solutions to our problems have already been identified. We just need to stop!! Listen!! and do a little research!
It all comes down to what we put in our body! Simple!
And a simple word: MYCOTOXICOLOGY
Saturday, April 19, 2008
Do You Know What Plastic Recycling Symbols Mean?
Well Here you Go!
The Daily Green offers this handy guide on the various types of plastic:
Number 1 Plastics -- PET or PETE (polyethylene terephthalate)
Found In: Soft drinks, water and beer bottles; mouthwash bottles; peanut butter containers; salad dressing and vegetable oil containers; ovenable food trays.
Recycling: Pick up through most curbside recycling programs.
Recycled Into: Polar fleece, fiber, tote bags, furniture, carpet, paneling, straps, (occasionally) new containersIt poses low risk of leaching breakdown products. Recycling rates remain relatively low (around 20 percent), though the material is in high demand by remanufacturers.
Number 2 Plastics -- HDPE (high density polyethylene)
Found In: Milk jugs, juice bottles; bleach, detergent and household cleaner bottles; shampoo bottles; some trash and shopping bags; motor oil bottles; butter and yogurt tubs; cereal box liners
Recycling: Pick up through most curbside recycling programs, although some only allow those containers with necks.
Recycled Into: Laundry detergent bottles, oil bottles, pens, recycling containers, floor tile, drainage pipe, lumber, benches, doghouses, picnic tables, fencingHDPE carries low risk of leaching and is readily recyclable into many goods.
Number 3 Plastics -- V (Vinyl) or PVC
Found In: Window cleaner and detergent bottles, shampoo bottles, cooking oil bottles, clear food packaging, wire jacketing, medical equipment, siding, windows, piping
Recycling: Rarely recycled; accepted by some plastic lumber makers.
Recycled Into: Decks, paneling, mudflaps, roadway gutters, flooring, cables, speed bumps, matsPVC contains chlorine, so its manufacture can release highly dangerous dioxins. If you must cook with PVC, don't let the plastic touch food. Never burn PVC, because it releases toxins.
Number 4 Plastics -- LDPE (low density polyethylene)
Found In: Squeezable bottles; bread, frozen food, dry cleaning and shopping bags; tote bags; clothing; furniture; carpet
Recycling: LDPE is not often recycled through curbside programs, but some communities will accept it. Plastic shopping bags can be returned to many stores for recycling.
Recycled Into: Trash can liners and cans, compost bins, shipping envelopes, paneling, lumber, landscaping ties, floor tileHistorically, LDPE has not been accepted through most American curbside recycling programs, but more and more communities are starting to accept it.
Number 5 Plastics -- PP (polypropylene)
Found In: Some yogurt containers, syrup bottles, ketchup bottles, caps, straws, medicine bottles Recycling: Number 5 plastics can be recycled through some curbside programs.
Recycled Into: Signal lights, battery cables, brooms, brushes, auto battery cases, ice scrapers, landscape borders, bicycle racks, rakes, bins, pallets, traysPolypropylene has a high melting point, and so is often chosen for containers that must accept hot liquid. It is gradually becoming more accepted by recyclers.
Number 6 Plastics -- PS (polystyrene)
Found In: Disposable plates and cups, meat trays, egg cartons, carry-out containers, aspirin bottles, compact disc cases
Recycling: Number 6 plastics can be recycled through some curbside programs.
Recycled Into: Insulation, light switch plates, egg cartons, vents, rulers, foam packing, carry-out containersPolystyrene can be made into rigid or foam products -- in the latter case it is popularly known as the trademark Styrofoam. Evidence suggests polystyrene can leach potential toxins into foods. The material was long on environmentalists' hit lists for dispersing widely across the landscape, and for being notoriously difficult to recycle.
Number 7 Plastics -- Miscellaneous
Found In: Three- and five-gallon water bottles, 'bullet-proof' materials, sunglasses, DVDs, iPod and computer cases, signs and displays, certain food containers, nylon
Recycling: Number 7 plastics have traditionally not been recycled, though some curbside programs now take them.
Recycled Into: Plastic lumber, custom-made productsA wide variety of plastic resins that don't fit into the previous categories are lumped into number 7. A few are even made from plants (polyactide) and are compostable. Polycarbonate is number 7, and is the hard plastic that has parents worried these days, after studies have shown it can leach potential hormone disruptors.
Sources:
The Daily Green March 31, 2008
Someone asked for a list of the potential Hormone Disruptor's in Plastics!
Here they are.
PFOA's: perfluorooctanoic acid, or PFOA. Studies have shown that PFOA causes cancer and other health problems in laboratory animals, and it is under scrutiny by the Environmental Protection Agency and the Food and Drug Administration.
PBDE's: which cause reproductive problems
Polybrominated diphenyl ethers or PBDE, are a flame retardant sub-family of the brominated flame retardant group. They have been used in a wide array of household products, including fabrics, furniture, and electronics. Polybrominated diphenylethers represent a class of flame retardant chemicals akin to that of PCB’s in their functionality, however there much debate about the potential health affects surrounding this recently synthesized chemical. Polybrominated diphenylethers, abbreviated as PBDEs, operate as a specific group of flame retardant chemicals commonly utilized as constituents in building materials, electronics, furnishings, motor vehicles, plastics, polyurethane foams, and textiles. There are three main types, referred to as penta, octa and deca for the number of bromine atoms in the molecule. After studies in Sweden found substances related to PentaBDE accumulating in breast milk and other tissues, Sweden reduced the use of this substance. A follow-up study has in the meantime indicated declining levels
Phtalates: group of reproductive toxins.
Phthalate esters are the dialkyl or alkyl aryl esters of phthalic acid (also called 1,2-benzenedicarboxylic acid, not be confused with the isomeric terephthalic or isophthalic acids ); the name phthalate derives from phthalic acid, which itself is derived from word "naphthalene". When added to plastics, phthalates allow the long polyvinyl molecules to slide against one another. The phthalates show low water solubility, high oil solubility, and low volatility. The polar carboxyl group contributes little to the physical properties of the phthalates, except when R and R' are very small (such as ethyl or methyl groups). They are colorless, odorless liquids produced by reacting phthalic anhydride with an appropriate alcohol (usually 6 to 13 carbon).
As of 2004, manufacturers produce about 363 thousand metric tonnes (800 million pounds or 400 000 short tons) of phthalates each year. They were first produced during the 1920s, and have been produced in large quantities since the 1950s, when PVC was introduced. The most widely-used phthalates are di-2-ethyl hexyl phthalate (DEHP), diisodecyl phthalate (DIDP) and diisononyl phthalate (DINP). DEHP is the dominant plasticizer used in PVC, due to its low cost. Benzylbutylphthalate (BBzP) is used in the manufacture of foamed PVC, which is mostly used as a flooring material. Phthalates with small R and R' groups are used as solvents in perfumes and pesticides.
Phthalates are also frequently used in soft plastic fishing lures, soft plastic children’s toys, children’s products, nail polish, adhesives, caulk, paint pigments, and sex toys made of so-called "jelly rubber." Some vendors of jelly rubber sex toys advise covering them in condoms when used internally, due to the possible health risks. Other vendors do not carry jelly rubber sex toys, in favor of phthalate-free varieties.[1] The Dutch office of Greenpeace UK sought to encourage the European Union to ban sex toys that contained phthalates.[2]
Though controversial, phthalates are still being used in a variety of household applications (shower curtains, adhesives, perfume), modern pop-culture electronics and medical devices such as catheters. Notable recent examples include Apple Inc.'s iPhone and iPod, and personal computers. The company has been criticized by environmental supporters claiming that tests on a commercially-purchased iPhone returned "toxic" levels of the chemical, prompting public declarations for change due to its associated hazards.[3].
BPA: disrupts endocrine system by replicating the female hormone estrogen.
Bisphenol A, commonly abbreviated as BPA, is an organic compound with two phenol functional groups. It is a difunctional building block of several important polymers and polymer additives. With an annual production of approximately 3 million tonnes, it is an important monomer in the production of polycarbonate.
Suspected of being hazardous to humans since the 1930s, concerns about the use Bisphenol A in consumer products grabbed headlines in 2008 when several governments issued reports questioning its safety, and some retailers pulled products made from it off their shelves.
Shocking Facts About the Pharmaceutical Industry
Big drug companies have been accused of putting profits above patients, spinning false PR campaigns and more. Here are some of the most shocking facts about the pharmaceutical industry.
The price of drugs is increasing faster than anything else a patient pays for: The prices of the most heavily prescribed drugs are routinely jacked up, sometimes several times a year. Some medications have a mark-up of 1,000 percent over the cost of their ingredients.
Your doctor may have an ulterior motive behind your prescription: Drug reps often give gifts to convince doctors to prescribe the medications that they represent. These drug reps usually have no medical or science education.
Pharmaceutical companies spend more on marketing than research: Almost twice as much!
Guilty of Medicare fraud: Pharmaceutical companies are being tried in federal courts as a result of their exploitation of Medicare. AstraZeneca had to pay more than $340 million in penalties for coaching doctors to cheat Medicare.
The combined wealth of the top 5 pharmaceutical companies outweigh GNP of sub-Saharan Africa: In fact, the combined worth of the world’s top five drug companies is twice the combined GNP of that entire region.
Americans pay more for prescription meds than anyone else in the world: $200 billion in 2002 alone.
"New" Drugs aren't really new: Two-thirds of “new” prescription drugs are identical to existing drugs or modified versions of them.
Drug companies are taking advantage of underdeveloped countries to perform clinical trials: In developing countries, government oversight is more lax.
For more shocking facts, click the link below.
Sources:
Nursing Online Education Database March 27, 2008
Saturday, March 15, 2008
Grilled Butterflied Chicken Breasts with Pico de Gallo
Healthy Eating Recipe!
4 Chicken breasts
2 cups diced Roma tomatoes, seeds removed
½ cup finely chopped cilantro
4 green onions, chopped
2 tablespoons lime juice
3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
Finely grated zest of one lime
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper to tast
2 teaspoons minced chipotle (from a can of chipotles in adobo sauce)
1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
With a very sharp knife, carefully cut each breast in half horizontally, starting on the thicker side of the piece of meat and stopping about ¼ inch from the other side. Lay the breasts open. The breasts should now be uniformly thin, about ¼ inch in thickness. This allows the chicken to be cooked very quickly and evenly.
Mix the minced chipotle pepper with 2 tablespoons of the olive oil, 1 tablespoon of fresh lemon juice, ½ teaspoon of the kosher salt and ¼ teaspoon of the pepper or to taste. Rub this mixture all over chicken breasts and allow to rest while you prepare the Pico de Gallo.
Heat a grill pan over medium high-heat.
In a medium bowl, combine the tomatoes, chopped cilantro, green onions, lime juice, 1 tablespoon of the oil and the lime zest. Season with salt and pepper to taste.
Place chicken breasts on the hot grill pan, two at a time. Cook for approximately 5 minutes, turn and cook for approximately 2 minutes more, or till done. Set aside, keep warm, and cook remaining 2 breasts. Serve with Pico de Gallo.
Drugs In Your Drinking Water
A vast array of drugs, including antibiotics, anti-convulsants, mood stabilizers and sex hormones, have been found in the drinking water supplies of at least 41 million Americans. Drugs have been detected in the drinking water supplies of 24 major metropolitan areas.
The presence of so many prescription drugs, as well as over-the-counter medicines like acetaminophen and ibuprofen, is causing worries among scientists about long-term consequences to human health.
Water providers rarely disclose this information; the head of a group representing major California suppliers said the public "doesn't know how to interpret the information" and might be unduly alarmed.
Although researchers do not yet understand the exact risks that arise from decades of exposure to random pharmaceuticals, recent studies have found alarming effects on human cells and wildlife.
Sources:
Yahoo News March 9, 2008
Broccoli Boosts Aging Immune Systems
Study findings have shown that sulforaphane, a chemical in broccoli, switches on a set of antioxidant genes and enzymes in specific immune cells. This helps to combat the effects of molecules known as free radicals, which can damage cells and lead to disease.
Free radicals are a supercharged form of oxygen which can cause oxidative tissue damage -- for example, they can trigger the inflammation process that causes clogged arteries. Oxidative damage is thought to be one of the major causes of aging.
According to the study, the ability of sulforaphane to reinvigorate the immune system abilities of aged tissues could play an important role in reversing much of the negative impact of free radicals.
Sources:
Science Daily March 10, 2008
Thursday, December 13, 2007
Cholesterol-Lowering Drugs: What Are Drugmakers Hiding?
Nearly two years after a clinical trial of the cholesterol-lowering drugs Zetia and Vytorin was finished, the results have still not been released by the drugs’ makers (Merck and Schering-Plough).Yet, close to 800,000 prescriptions for the drugs are written each week in the United States, bringing in close to $4 billion for the year.
The companies have responded to cardiologists’ concerns over the lack of safety data for the drugs by promising to publish only a portion of the results in March, a move that critics are calling highly unusual.Currently, no one knows whether Zetia and Vytorin are as effective as other cholesterol-lowering medications called statins. If they turn out to be less so, patients may be unnecessarily at risk of heart attacks.Zetia was approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration in 2002 because it was found to lower LDL cholesterol by 15 to 20 percent. Vytorin combines Zetia with Merck’s statin drug, Zocor.
Together, the drugs have acquired close to 20 percent of the U.S. market for cholesterol-lowering drugs.However, because Zetia and Vytorin work differently than standard statin drugs, cardiologists have expressed concerns that they may not protect the cardiovascular system as much as using a statin does.Drugmakers Changed the Trial’s EndpointAlong with announcing that they will only be releasing part of the clinical trial’s results, Merck and Schering-Plough said they had changed the trial’s endpoint, or the final result the study was supposed to measure.
Typically, the trial’s endpoint is supposed to remain constant because otherwise the study’s authors could change their goals to conform to the data they received.The delay in publishing the study’s results raise further questions as to whether the drug industry is improving their disclosure of clinical trials.Two years ago drugmakers promised to disclose study results publicly, however they face few penalties for failing to do so.
Sources:
New York Times November 21, 2007
12 Top Places You Risk Getting Infected
In some cases, you may encounter these places numerous times a day. In others, your exposure will be more sporadic. But either way, the following locations are some of the most germ-infested in the entire United States.
1. Your kitchen sink: With more dirt than a typical bathroom, and over 500,000 bacteria per square inch in the drain, your kitchen sink basin and faucet are teeming with germs.
2. Airplane bathrooms: Never mind the fecal bacteria that’s commonly found on door handles and faucets, the worst part is the tornado of germy particles that’s spewed into the air when you flush the toilet.
3. Wet laundry (even after it’s been washed): A dirty pair of underwear contains about a gram of ***, and this gets spread around the entire load of laundry very quickly. It’s not until you dry the clothes that the germs are destroyed.
4. Drinking fountains: All public drinking fountains are loaded with germs, but those in schools -- which contained anywhere from 62,000 to 2.7 million bacteria per square inch of the spigot -- were the worst.
5. Shopping cart handles: While you’re innocently shopping for groceries, your hands are grasping a handle covered in saliva, bacteria and fecal matter from dozens of people.
6. ATM buttons: Think about how often these buttons are touched everyday. Now think about how often they’re cleaned. This explains why one study found an average of over 1,200 bacteria on the average ATM key.
7. Your handbag: Women, your purse is likely overrun with thousands, and even millions, of bugs like salmonella, E. coli, staph bacteria and more. Makes you think twice about putting your handbag on the floor, and then plopping it down onto your kitchen counter, doesn’t it?
8. Playgrounds: Your typical children’s playground is covered in bodily fluids like blood, mucus, saliva and urine.
9. Mats and machines at health clubs: Yoga mat? Elliptical machine? Think bacteria factory. Such mats and cardio machines have been found to contain antibiotic-resistant staph bacteria and more.
10. Your bathtub: Bathtubs contain more than 100,000 bacteria per square inch, some of which you have just washed off your own body.
11. Your office phone: Phones get coated with germs from your mouth and hands, to the tune of over 25,000 germs per square inch.
12. Hotel-room remote control: This little remote has been used by hundreds of other people, and likely wasn’t thoroughly disinfected in between.
Danger: What exactly are you putting on your skin
Ever wonder why so many skin care products you buy — even at the health food store — have ingredients on their labels that you can’t even read or pronounce?
In my view, if you can’t read or pronounce the ingredient, there is a high likelihood it should not be in your lotion or other skin care product.
Obviously, you really want to avoid using anything potentially toxic on your skin!
Because this is such a common problem, I’ve been searching for a product that you could be confident was made of real, recognizable, natural and organic ingredients. So you could enhance your health from the ‘outside in’, as well as the ‘inside out’.
Quality skin care is not a replacement for good internal health — it is a part of your entire package of wellbeing.
One of the first strategies you can use to improve your skin health is to make sure you are getting enough high quality omega-3 fats. This is such a reliable indicator that I frequently am able to tell someone’s omega-3 needs just by shaking their hand.
If their hand is not smooth as a baby’s behind, it’s usually a strong indication that they need some more high quality animal-based omega-3 fats — like Omega Guard.
So if you struggle with dry skin, make sure you are taking enough of these omega-3 fats. In the colder dry winter months, you may even need to increase your dose.
Your skin grows from the inside out, so your overall nutritional levels really matter. That said however, caring for your skin is not just an inside job — it’s an outside job too.
Plus, it has a number of amazing responsibilities that you probably don’t think about on a daily basis:
Protects your internal organs from injury and infection.
Helps detoxify wastes through perspiration.
Provides an important line of immune defense against infections — your healthy skin creates a barrier to viruses and bacteria.
Protects you against extreme changes in temperature, through its thermoregulatory effect of controlling heat flow between you and your environment.
Produces and stores vitamin D, which is important to your immune system.
Rich in receptors, it allows you to sense conditions around you — like hard/soft and hot/cold — and send information to your brain so you can react to it for self-preservation.
Protects your body from sunburns.
Protects you from dehydration.
Put simply, your skin plays a major role in your health.
It functions as an organ that can absorb and excrete both nutrients and toxins through its pores. The condition of your skin is a powerful reflection of just how healthy you are on the inside.
Because your skin has the ability to absorb whatever you put on it, careful choices are critical. You want to give your skin the same thoughtful care you give your internal organs. In a moment, I’ll tell you about some things that help support the health of your skin.
But first, let’s take a quick look at some of the ingredients in today’s skin care products that can compromise the health of your skin (or even more of your body functions).
Potential toxins used in the name of beauty – not a fair trade…
Yet many skin care products use ingredients with unrecognizable and unpronounceable names.
Personally, I rarely put anything consciously on my skin that I wouldn’t be willing to put in my mouth.
Potentially harmful ingredients continue to be used. Why? Because they are cheap, readily available, and easily diluted.
Propylene glycol – Used as a moisturizer in cosmetics and as a carrier in fragrance oils. Shown to cause dermatitis, kidney or liver abnormalities, and may inhibit skin cell growth or cause skin irritation.
Sodium laurel or lauryl sulfate (SLS), also known as sodium laureth sulfate (SLES)– Found in car washes, engine degreasers, garage floor cleaners… and in over 90% of personal care products! SLS breaks down the skin’s moisture barrier, easily penetrates the skin, and allows other chemicals to easily penetrate. Combined with other chemicals, SLS becomes a “nitrosamine”, a potent class of carcinogen. It can also cause hair loss. SLES is sometimes disguised with the labeling “comes from coconut” or “coconut-derived”.
You’d be better served by switching to skin care products made of plant names you recognize, can pronounce, and could even eat (if you had to).
Tuesday, November 20, 2007
Free Eco Toys for Baby!
Our friends at Z Recs have started a blog called Prizey, a directory of online giveaways related to children. This month, they are featuring an Eco Baby Giveaway! This giveaway features over $200 in eco-friendly baby products.
To enter, you must email the folks at Prizey:
a theme idea you’d love to see in a future PRIZEY giveaway, with one company whose products you think would be a great fit for it, and
your mailing address (even if you’ve entered a past contest, because we don’t store your personal info at PRIZEY)
by Midnight CST Nov. 27.
Featured in this eco baby giveaway are a set of BPA-free bottles, a bamboo velour baby blanket, wooden and plush infant toys, a set of natural rubber pacifiers, and an Amnesty International toddler t-shirt.
Since Prizey is giving away pacifiers, I will share my opinion on them. Neither of my children had a pacifier (well, my son used one for two weeks while in the hospital after open-heart surgery). I do not think children need pacifiers, if they are allowed to nurse at will anytime there is no need. It is true that sucking is important for children’s oral and emotional development, but I hate to see toddlers with pacifiers pinned to their shirts and never without one in their mouths. If you think about it, much of the human race survives without pacifiers and have done so from the beginning.
I’ve been wracking my brain to come up with an entry idea, but this giveaway is exactly what I would suggest. I wish you luck and hope the folks at Prizey will continue to giveaway quality eco-friendly gifts.
The Deadly Side Effects of the Birth Control Pill 2
Long-term use of birth control pills may increase artery buildups in your body that may raise your risk of heart disease, Belgium researchers found.
In a study of 1,300 healthy women between the ages of 35 and 55, there was a 20 percent to 30 percent increased prevalence of plaque for every 10 years of oral contraceptive use.
Though the researchers pointed out that the plaques identified were small and not large enough to block an artery, any plaque is thought to raise your risk of heart disease.
Many of the women in the study had used older, first-generation birth control pills, which had twice the estrogen levels as most oral contraceptives used today.
About 100 million women worldwide currently take birth control pills, and hundreds of millions of women have used them since they were first introduced in 1960.
Sources:
American Heart Association Conference November 6, 2007, Orlando, Florida
Yahoo News November 6, 2007
Do You Know the Dangerous Chemicals in Common Baby Products?
The Environmental Working Group is again sharing shocking news. After surveying 3,300 parents, comparing the baby products they use to lists of chemicals known to cause allergies, hormone disruption, damage to the nervous system, and cancer, the group found that children are exposed to 27 chemical ingredients on a daily basis that have never been assessed for safety.
Not by the industry, nor by the government. Dr. Rebecca Sutton, the environmental scientist who conducted the study, points out that:
2 bromo, 2 nitropropane, and 3-DIOL create allergies and skin irritations, and in certain products can break down to form new cancer causing agents
Desitin diaper cream contains sodium borate, which can collect in your child’s brain and liver, causing detrimental health effects
Sunscreen with oxybenzone can trigger allergies, and disrupts your delicate hormone system.
Surprisingly, 89 percent of products labeled “Recommended by doctor” are actually some of your worst offenders, containing what Dr. Sutton considers dangerous chemicals.
Manufacturers have responded with the following statement from the Cosmetic, Toiletry and Fragrance Association: "Companies utilize a complex, multi-tiered scientific approach to extensively evaluate the safety of individual ingredients and finished products. These processes can take many months to several years to complete and utilize the expertise of leading chemists, toxicologists, biologists, dermatologists and experts from other scientific disciplines and medical specialty areas."
Sources:
Environmental Working Group October 31, 2007
Saturday, November 17, 2007
Antioxidants in Food Stop Both Cancer and Heart Disease
According to new research published in the November 2007 issue of The FASEB Journal a common ingredient in red wine, fruits and vegetables, has the ability to affect cancerous tumors, and can battle heart disease.
The French team found that high and low doses of polyphenols have different effects.
Most notably, very high doses of antioxidant polyphenols– equivalent of one bottle of red wine per day -- were able to shut down and prevent cancerous tumors, by cutting off the formation of new blood vessels needed for tumor growth.
Alternatively, relatively low doses of polyphenols – equivalent to approximately one glass of wine a day -- were found to play a beneficial role in combating heart disease, benefiting your circulatory system by facilitating blood vessel growth.
Polyphenols are commonly found in:
Red wine
Fruits
Vegetables
Green tea.
Sources:
Eurekalert October 30, 2007
The FASEB Journal November 2007;21:3511-3521
Black Tea Shows Blood Sugar Benefits
Drinking black tea may be beneficial for people with diabetes, as it appears to stimulate an insulin response and reduce blood sugar levels, according to researchers from King's College London and the University of Central Lancashire.Sixteen participants drank glucose in either water, water plus a small amount of caffeine, or water plus instant black tea.
After two hours, plasma glucose concentrations were significantly reduced in those who consumed 1 gram of tea, compared to the plain water and caffeine drinks. Drinking black tea also increased insulin levels compared with the other drinks, after 90 minutes.Tea’s protective benefits have been linked to polyphenols,
including:
Epigallocatechin gallate (EGCG)
Epigallocatechin
Epicatechin gallate
Epicatechin
These compounds may offer blood sugar benefits by stimulating B-cells -- pancreatic cells responsible for insulin production -- to produce insulin in your body, according to researchers.Black tea makes up about 78 percent of the global tea market.
Sources:
Journal of the American College of Nutrition October 2007 Vol. 26, No. 5, 471-477
NutraIngredients.com October 24, 2007
Friday, November 16, 2007
Energy Drinks Increase Your Risk of Heart Disease
A recent study showed that there is a link between the consumption of energy drinks, high blood pressure, and heart disease risk.15 healthy young adult volunteers were given energy drinks, and then had their blood pressure and heart rate measured, over a period of seven days.
The numbers went up at every measurement done after the first day, and their heart rate had increased up to 11 percent by the seventh day.
Sources:
eFluxMedia November 9, 2007
Merck Unblinds AIDS Study
Merck plans to tell thousands of people who volunteered to test an experimental AIDS vaccine whether they received the actual shot or a placebo. The vaccine may have actually raised the risk of HIV infection.
Two international trials of the vaccine were halted in September after it became clear that the vaccine did not prevent infection. In early November, researchers saw worrying indications that the vaccine could raised the risk of HIV infection, although they have asserted that the vaccine itself could not cause an infection.
In many tests of new drugs, neither the researchers nor the volunteers know who gets the actual drug and who gets a placebo, in order to avoid any bias in determining how well the treatment works.
Sources:
Reuters November 13, 2007
Vitamin C Gives Staying Power to Antioxidants
Those who take lemon juice in their tea may be getting far more of the health benefits.
Catechins are naturally occurring antioxidants found in tea; complementing green tea with either citrus juices or vitamin C increases the amount of catechins available for the body to absorb.
Catechins may be responsible for some of green tea's reported health benefits, such as a reduced risk of cancer, heart attack and stroke. But catechins are relatively unstable in the intestines meaning that less than 20 percent of the total generally remains after digestion.
Citrus juice increased available catechin levels by more than five times, and vitamin C increased recovered levels of the two most abundant catechins by six-fold and thirteen-fold.
Lemon juice caused 80 percent of tea's catechins to remain available.
Sources:
Science Blog November 13, 2007
U.S. STD Rates On the Rise
Chlamydia, gonorrhea and syphilis infections rose again in the United States in 2006, the second year in a row that rates of these sexually transmitted bacterial infections increased. The rate of chlamydia increased by 5.6 percent 2005 to 2006.
In 2006, more than 1 million chlamydia cases were reported. 2006 saw the most since the CDC began tracking the disease in 1984, and the highest number of annual U.S. cases ever for any sexually transmitted disease.
In addition, according to the CDC, reported cases of chlamydia are likely less than half the actual occurrence, the CDC said.
The rate of gonorrhea rose 5.5 percent in 2006, with more than 350,000 cases reported, and the rate of syphilis rose 13.8 percent, with nearly 10,000 cases.
About 19 million new sexually transmitted infections occur each year in the U.S., almost half among people ages 15 to 24.
Sources:
Yahoo News November 13, 2007
Tuesday, November 13, 2007
The Deadly Side Effects of the Birth Control Pill
Oral contraceptives, especially the high-estrogen ones sold decades ago, might increase the chances of artery buildups that can raise the risk of heart disease, according to a new Belgian study.
About 16 million American women are presently taking birth control pills, and hundreds of millions have used them at some time. They are already known to raise the risk of blood clots and high blood pressure.Ultrasound exams showed a 20 to 30 percent increased prevalence of plaque for every 10 years of oral contraceptive use, and any amount of plaque is believed to raise the risk of heart disease.
I can't stress enough that ALL birth control pills and injections can have serious health risks. There is always a safer option when it comes to birth control pills. Admittedly, it may not be as convenient, but other, far safer options exist.
We certainly don't know everything about estrogen or estrogen dominance, as it is called when estrogen levels remain high (throughout the menstrual cycle) without being balanced by progesterone, but among the effects we do know are:
Increased risk of breast cancer
Increased risk of blood clotting, heart attack and stroke
Migraines
Nausea, irregular bleeding or spotting
Gall bladder disease
Increased blood pressure
Benign liver tumors
Barrier methods and natural family planning (NFP) offer much safer, albeit less convenient, options than hormonal contraceptives. With NFP, there are no side effects and no toxic substances to put in your body and women often feel empowered as they become aware of their fertility cycle. I do recommend that you learn the method from a reliable source and if preventing pregnancy is an absolute must you may want to use a backup barrier method. Because these other safer options exist, I try to tell people to stop hormonal contraceptives like birth control pills as soon as possible.
Sources:
Yahoo News November 6, 2007
www.provedorcrescenet.com
Newest Thoughts on Brain Food
This intriguing editorial from the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition looks at the effects of omega-3 fats on brain health. Now that more than 5 million Americans have some form of Alzheimer’s disease, and just as many suffer from vascular dementia, preventing and slowing the progression of neurodegenerative disorders is a public health imperative.
A host of recent studies, in the AJCN and elsewhere, have looked at the relation between omega-3 fats and cognitive function. These studies could eventually lead to opportunities for early intervention to maintain brain function and slow progression to dementia.
One of the best things you can do to prevent dementia--and a variety of other chronic disease--is to adhere to a nutritious diet, suitable for your nutritional type. Increase the amount of fresh vegetables, which are high in folate, in your diet, and restrict grains and sugars.
One of the crucial balancing acts on the course to better health, and warding off dementia, is mastering the ratio of omega-6 and omega-3 fats in your daily diet. Both are essential for your health. However, the typical American consumes far too many omega-6 fats and not enough omega-3 fats, like DHA.
The ideal ratio of omega-6 to omega-3 fats should be 1:1. Today, your intake ratio of omega-6 to omega-3 averages from 20:1 to 50:1!
The easiest way to balance your ratio is to consume more omega-3 fats from good sources and to reduce your intake of omega-6 fats. The primary sources of omega-6 are corn, soy, canola, safflower and sunflower oil, so avoid or limit these oils. Your best source for omega-3 is from fish oil or krill oil. This is a clean, safe and pure alternative to fresh fish.
Omega Guard The World's Finest Fish Oil
Sources:
American Journal of Clinical Nutrition, 86(5), 1259-1260, November 2007
Crestor Fails to Save Lives
Heart-failure patients who are given Crestor, a cholesterol-lowering statin drug, are just as likely to suffer from heart attacks, strokes, and other fatal cardiovascular problems as those on standard therapy alone.
Results of a 5,000-patient study showed that Crestor is, in fact, no better than a placebo when it comes to saving lives. Although Crestor's cholesterol-lowering ability is well-documented, the so-called CORONA study was the first to test whether the drug actually improves patient outcomes in the long run.
No statin has before been tested to assess its ability to protect heart-failure patients from fatal health consequences. In fact, trials of statins have traditionally excluded heart-failure patients.
Natural Alternatives to Heart Health and Cholesterol Management
Sources:
Reuters November 5, 2007
Merck to Pay $4.85 Billion Vioxx Settlement
Merck plans to pay $4.85 billion to end as many as 50,000 lawsuits regarding its painkiller Vioxx. The deal, if accepted, would be one of the largest drug settlements ever.
Merck pulled Vioxx from the market in 2004 after its was revealed that the popular drug doubled the risk of heart attacks and strokes. Before it was pulled, Vioxx may have resulted in 60,000 fatalities in the U.S.
Merck executive vice president Kenneth Frazier called the agreement "responsible and reasonable," although Merck’s financial responsibility has been estimated as being as high as $50 billion.
Negotiating teams in eight states have been working out this deal over the course of many months.To qualify to receive part of the settlement, plaintiffs must have presented medical proof that they suffered a heart attack or stroke, and that they received at least 30 Vioxx pills. Previously, Merck had attempted to claim that Vioxx caused harm only after 18 months of use, although these claimes were dismissed by independent scientists and the plaintiffs’ lawyers.
Natural Pain Relief that works
Sources:
Yahoo News November 9, 2007
Monday, November 12, 2007
Is Goji Juice Really as Good as it is Being Promoted As?
That’s the million-dollar question being asked, and answered, in this video, which exposes the truth about the latest health craze sweeping across Canada and into the United States.
Goji juice is hyped as the cure-all remedy for 34 different ailments, including arthritis, diabetes and cancer. But the truth is both shocking and infuriating, as they uncover the lack of nutritional value of the goji juice in the lab.
Earl Mendel—the well-respected author of the Vitamin Bible—is the face of Himalayan Goji, and he’s making some pretty hefty claims about the berry. And that’s the problem. Upon probing, he admits he’s talking about the berry—not necessarily the juice!
Himalayan Goji juice is not sold in stores, but rather through a multi-level marketing plan. At about $50 per bottle, there’s lots of money being made, but there does not seem to be enough proof to back up the amazing health claims of the juice itself.
CBC News Marketplace January 24, 2007
Watch this video of the interview and some findings with Earl Mendel the face of Himalayan Goji
http://www.cbc.ca/mrl3/8752/marketplace/goji.wmv
A Drug That Quadruples Your Risk of Fatal Bleeding
Prasugrel, an experimental anticlotting drug from Eli Lilly reduces the risk of heart attacks when compared with the common drug Plavix in experimental trials. But it also increases your risk of fatal bleeding by an astonishing 400 percent.
In spite of this, Lilly and Daiichi Sankyo, the drug’s co-developer, say that they are “pleased” with the results of the trials. They plan to apply for FDA approval for the drug as early as the end of 2007, which means it could be on the market by the end of 2008.
Dr. Tim Anderson, a former emergency room doctor and current drug industry analyst, was skeptical of Prasugrel. Although it has better efficacy, he noted that, “... higher bleeding, including fatal bleeding -- it’s a question mark, a serious question mark, both regulatory and commercial.”
Nonetheless, if Prasugrel is approved, worldwide sales could reach $1.6 billion a year by 2012.
It’s truly disheartening to know that drugs like Prasugrel will probably be approved, judging by the U.S. FDA’s previous history. Remember, Plavix was found to elevate your risk of developing ulcers by a factor of 12 versus aspirin and Nexium. Prasugrel, with its 400 percent increased risk of fatal bleeding, is obviously not a better choice.
No matter what your doctor may tell you, aspirin, or worse, even more expensive aspirin-like drugs, are not your solution for decreasing your risk from heart disease or stroke.
So what can you do to authentically, safely and inexpensively lower your risk of heart disease?
A safe and effective alternative to aspirin is nattokinase, a powerful enzyme derived from the food natto. Unlike aspirin, and other pharmaceutical agents, nattokinase has been used safely for over 20 years, has not been known to produce any negative side effects -- and it is not known to be an allergen.
You can also use these other lifestyle modifications to protect your heart:
Get moving on an exercise program today
Eat a healthy diet according to your nutritional type
Take a high-quality omega-3 oil, like Omega Guard from Shaklee The finest fish oil in the world, daily
Sources:
New York Times November 5, 2007
New Research on How Sunshine Decreases Infections
A study of more than 2,000 women has found those with higher vitamin D levels showed fewer aging-related changes in their DNA. A second study, examining almost 1,000 patients in West Africa, showed that low vitamin D levels are common among tuberculosis (TB) patients. Lack of vitamin D has been linked in previous studies to multiple sclerosis, rheumatoid arthritis, and other diseases.
Cells have built-in DNA clocks, known as telomeres. Measuring the length of these strands of DNA is one way of examining the aging process at a cellular level.
Women with higher levels of vitamin D are more likely to have longer telomeres, and vice versa. This means that people with higher levels of vitamin D may actually age more slowly than people with lower levels of vitamin D. No wonder vitamin D has a protective effect on so many diseases, ranging from MS and TB to heart disease and cancer -- it keeps your body young!
