As a Mom, I always worry about what ingredients are in the products I use. I did my research on the cosmetic and bath products that my family uses. I was shocked to discover that manufacturers can put any ingredient in their product and without any government review or control. That means that some products may contain harmful ingredients. I learned that personal care products, including children's products, may contain a cancer-causing ingredient, 1,4-Dioxane, and 60 percent of sunscreens contain oxybenzone, a potential hormone disruptor. There are reports of hidden substances in fragrance and preservatives in personal care products.
Recently there was a report that the increase in learning disabilities may be linked to all the chemicals we are exposed to in uterus and out. So I was glad to hear that the Congress introduced a bill to help solve this problem. The bill is Safe Cosmetics Act of 2010 (H.R. 5786). It is intended to expand the review and control of ingredients used in the cosmetic and bath products. It may allow the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) to prohibit dangerous ingredients that have already been banned in Europe.
If you want to support this bill and I urge you to click on the link below. Thank you.
Click to support the Bill
Do Cleaning Products Cause Breast Cancer?
Wednesday, July 21, 2010
ScienceDaily (July 19, 2010) — Women who report greater use of cleaning products may be at higher breast cancer risk than those who say they use them sparingly. Researchers writing in BioMed Central's open access journal Environmental Health asked more than 1500 women about their cleaning product usage and found that women who reported using more air fresheners and products for mold and mildew control had a higher incidence of breast cancer.
Julia Brody, from the Silent Spring Institute, USA, worked with a team of researchers to carry out telephone interviews with 787 women diagnosed with breast cancer and 721 comparison women. She said, "Women who reported the highest combined cleaning product use had a doubled risk of breast cancer compared to those with the lowest reported use. Use of air fresheners and products for mold and mildew control were associated with increased risk. To our knowledge, this is the first published report on cleaning product use and risk of breast cancer."
The researchers questioned women on product use, beliefs about breast cancer causes, and established and suspected risk factors. They found that cleaning products, air fresheners, and insect repellents were associated with breast cancer, but little association was observed with overall pesticide use. Women with breast cancer who believed that chemicals and pollutants contribute 'a lot' to the risk of developing the condition were more likely to report high product usage.
Speaking about this potential bias to the study, Brody said, "When women are diagnosed with breast cancer, they often think about what happened in the past that might have contributed to the disease. As a result, it may be that women with breast cancer more accurately recall their past product use or even over-estimate it. Or, it could also be that experience with breast cancer influences beliefs about its causes. For example, women diagnosed with breast cancer are less likely to believe heredity contributes 'a lot', because most are the first in their family to get the disease."
In order to avoid possible recall bias, the researchers recommend further study of cleaning products and breast cancer using prospective self-reports and measurements in environmental and biological media.
See this link: More Info
Julia Brody, from the Silent Spring Institute, USA, worked with a team of researchers to carry out telephone interviews with 787 women diagnosed with breast cancer and 721 comparison women. She said, "Women who reported the highest combined cleaning product use had a doubled risk of breast cancer compared to those with the lowest reported use. Use of air fresheners and products for mold and mildew control were associated with increased risk. To our knowledge, this is the first published report on cleaning product use and risk of breast cancer."
The researchers questioned women on product use, beliefs about breast cancer causes, and established and suspected risk factors. They found that cleaning products, air fresheners, and insect repellents were associated with breast cancer, but little association was observed with overall pesticide use. Women with breast cancer who believed that chemicals and pollutants contribute 'a lot' to the risk of developing the condition were more likely to report high product usage.
Speaking about this potential bias to the study, Brody said, "When women are diagnosed with breast cancer, they often think about what happened in the past that might have contributed to the disease. As a result, it may be that women with breast cancer more accurately recall their past product use or even over-estimate it. Or, it could also be that experience with breast cancer influences beliefs about its causes. For example, women diagnosed with breast cancer are less likely to believe heredity contributes 'a lot', because most are the first in their family to get the disease."
In order to avoid possible recall bias, the researchers recommend further study of cleaning products and breast cancer using prospective self-reports and measurements in environmental and biological media.
See this link: More Info
Organic or Not
Friday, July 16, 2010
We always look for the best foods to buy for our family. After much research I found that it pays to buy these foods from the organic section. On my next post I will tell you which ones to buy from the regular section. We have grown many of these in our gaden to make sure they are organic.
Celery
Peaches The animals eat ours before we pick them
Strawberries A few plants go a long way and are fun to grow.
Apples
Blueberries (Domestic) In NJ we have organic farms and freeze the berries.
Nectarines
Sweet Bell Peppers We grow our own. Not hard and great to grow.
Spinach
Cherries
Potatoes We tried growing them this year in planters. Not hard and now we have some to store.
Next year we will plant more.
Grapes they are growing on the side of our home.
Why should you care about pesticides? There is a growing consensus in the scientific community that small doses of pesticides and other chemicals can have adverse effects on health, especially during vulnerable periods such as fetal development and childhood. We know that chemicals are bad and now we learn that they can affect birth defects.
Of the 12 most contaminated foods, seven are fruits.
More than 96 percent of peaches tested positive for pesticides, followed by nectarines (95.1 percent) and apples (93.6 percent).
Nearly 86 percent of peaches contained 2 or more pesticide residues ‚ followed by apples (82.3 percent) and nectarines (80.6 percent).
Among the vegetables:
Some 95 percent all celery samples tested positive for pesticides, followed by imported cucumbers (84.5 percent) and potatoes (84.2 percent).
Nearly 85 percent of celery samples contained multiple pesticides, followed by sweet bell peppers (61.5 percent) and collard greens (53.2 percent).
Also keep in mind that maintaining your family's health is not the only reason to choose organic food. Pesticide and herbicide use contaminates groundwater, ruins soil structures and promotes erosion, and may be a contributor to "colony collapse disorder," the sudden and mysterious die-off of pollinating honeybees that threatens the American food supply. Buying or growing organic food is good for the health of the planet.
Celery
Peaches The animals eat ours before we pick them
Strawberries A few plants go a long way and are fun to grow.
Apples
Blueberries (Domestic) In NJ we have organic farms and freeze the berries.
Nectarines
Sweet Bell Peppers We grow our own. Not hard and great to grow.
Spinach
Cherries
Potatoes We tried growing them this year in planters. Not hard and now we have some to store.
Next year we will plant more.
Grapes they are growing on the side of our home.
Why should you care about pesticides? There is a growing consensus in the scientific community that small doses of pesticides and other chemicals can have adverse effects on health, especially during vulnerable periods such as fetal development and childhood. We know that chemicals are bad and now we learn that they can affect birth defects.
Of the 12 most contaminated foods, seven are fruits.
More than 96 percent of peaches tested positive for pesticides, followed by nectarines (95.1 percent) and apples (93.6 percent).
Nearly 86 percent of peaches contained 2 or more pesticide residues ‚ followed by apples (82.3 percent) and nectarines (80.6 percent).
Among the vegetables:
Some 95 percent all celery samples tested positive for pesticides, followed by imported cucumbers (84.5 percent) and potatoes (84.2 percent).
Nearly 85 percent of celery samples contained multiple pesticides, followed by sweet bell peppers (61.5 percent) and collard greens (53.2 percent).
Also keep in mind that maintaining your family's health is not the only reason to choose organic food. Pesticide and herbicide use contaminates groundwater, ruins soil structures and promotes erosion, and may be a contributor to "colony collapse disorder," the sudden and mysterious die-off of pollinating honeybees that threatens the American food supply. Buying or growing organic food is good for the health of the planet.
Heat Problems
Wednesday, July 7, 2010
It is 102 in NJ right now. I thought I'd post this relevant info on heat on treating Heat Stress Disorders.
Please seek medical advice as soon as possible if you have any of these. Check on the elderly and anyone living alone.
Heat Cramps
Failure to replace salt lost in sweating. Painful muscle cramps. Drink lightly salted water or lemonade; tomato juice, or "athletic" drinks; stretch cramped muscles.
Heat exhaustion
Failure to replace water and salt lost in sweating. Weakness, unstable gait, or extreme fatigue; wet, clammy skin; headache, nausea, collapse Rest in shade and drink lightly salted fluids.
Dehydration exhaustion
Failure to replace water losses over several days Weight loss and excessive fatigue. Drink fluids and rest body weight and water losses are restored. See your doctor.
Heat stroke
Total collapse of temperature regulating mechanisms. Hot skin; high body temperature (106°F or higher); mental confusion, delirium, loss of consciousness, convulsions. Rapidly cool victim immediately, either by immersing in cold water or soaking clothes in cold water and fanning vigorously to promote evaporative cooling. Continue until temperature drops below 102°F. Treat for shock if necessary once temperature is lowered. Heat stroke is a medical emergency. Send for medical help and begin treatment at once. Brain damage and death result if treatment is delayed.
Please seek medical advice as soon as possible if you have any of these. Check on the elderly and anyone living alone.
Heat Cramps
Failure to replace salt lost in sweating. Painful muscle cramps. Drink lightly salted water or lemonade; tomato juice, or "athletic" drinks; stretch cramped muscles.
Heat exhaustion
Failure to replace water and salt lost in sweating. Weakness, unstable gait, or extreme fatigue; wet, clammy skin; headache, nausea, collapse Rest in shade and drink lightly salted fluids.
Dehydration exhaustion
Failure to replace water losses over several days Weight loss and excessive fatigue. Drink fluids and rest body weight and water losses are restored. See your doctor.
Heat stroke
Total collapse of temperature regulating mechanisms. Hot skin; high body temperature (106°F or higher); mental confusion, delirium, loss of consciousness, convulsions. Rapidly cool victim immediately, either by immersing in cold water or soaking clothes in cold water and fanning vigorously to promote evaporative cooling. Continue until temperature drops below 102°F. Treat for shock if necessary once temperature is lowered. Heat stroke is a medical emergency. Send for medical help and begin treatment at once. Brain damage and death result if treatment is delayed.
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