They don't smell toxic.... HUH??

I find some things very interesting and rather bizarre.  As a parent, I am always worried about my kids.  We all want the best for our kids.  When we find out we're pregnant, our whole life changes immediately.  We try to eat as healthy as we can, we take the prenatal vitamins, we don't drink alcohol, etc...  It's always in the back of our minds... will this hurt the baby.
As the due date comes closer, we're getting everything we need for the baby that we'll soon bring home.  We make sure we're buying a safe car seat and crib.  We worry so much about that baby's safety.
Then we get products like Johnson & Johnson baby shampoo, bubble bath, lotions, and more.  We clean, clean, clean to make sure the home is nice and clean for the baby.
But how many of us never even think of the safety of these types of products??  I know I sure didn't.  The products are sold... so they're safe... right?
Why are we so trusting?
I was on a message board about safe cleaning products and people were recommending Mr Clean Magic Erasers because "they don't smell toxic".  REALLY???  They don't SMELL??  Ummmm ok.  Do all toxic chemicals smell?  No they do NOT!
Come on people!  Do some research.  It drives me insane.  I am always on different message boards online... it simply amazes me what people think is safe.
I will admit, I was pretty naive 14 years ago when I had my first baby.  But it didn't take me long to start researching what the heck I was cleaning with... what I was washing baby's clothes in and what I was bathing him in.
I didn't have a lot of money and sure couldn't go and pay the amount of money the stores wanted for "all natural" products.  The few that I did try, didn't work!  They didn't clean worth crap.
We all have options though.  Do some research, spend some time looking at what you're using in your home.  There ARE safer alternatives that do NOT cost a fortune!

Which Products? Which Chemicals? by John K. Beaulieu

Chemicals that can cause death, cancer, central nervous system (CNS) disorders, learning disorders, birth defects, respiratory illness, and many other health problems appear in most of the cleaning and personal care products in your home.  It may be difficult, however, to tell which health risks a particular product poses.  Since manufacturers do not list long-term health effects on the packages and are not required to list the ingredients, it's impossible to learn all the health risks by reading the label. 
That's why I have provided a short list of product type and general comments about possible health risks below.  Of course, every product is different.  Even the same product's ingredients can vary from batch to batch depending on the cost and availability of certain chemicals.  The following lists of cleaning supplies and personal care products are by no means exhaustive.  The possible health effects do not apply to every single brand.  However, based on examination of many grocery store brands, chemicals in the following products cause the listed health problems:

Cleaning Products

• Air freshener - toxic; may cause caner; irritates nose, throat and lungs
• Disinfectant - very toxic; causes skin, throat, and lung burns; causes coma.
• Drain cleaner - toxic; causes skin burns; causes liver and kidney damage
• Oven cleaner - toxic; causes skin, throat, and lung burns
• Window cleaner - toxic; causes CNS disorders; causes liver and kidney disorders
• Floor/Furniture Polish - toxic; causes CNS disorders; may cause lung cancer
• Spot remover - toxic; may cause cancer; causes liver damage
• All-purpose cleaner - causes eye damage; irritates nose, throat, and lungs
• Toilet bowl cleaner - very toxic; causes skin, nose, throat, and lung burns
• Chlorinated scouring powder - toxic; highly irritating to nose, throat, and lungs
• Dishwasher detergent - toxic; causes eye injuries, damage to mucous membranes, and throat
• Dishwashing liquid - harmful if swallowed; irritates the skin
• Carpet shampoo - toxic; may cause cancer; causes CNS and liver damage
• Laundry detergent - toxic; irritates the skin and lungs
• Bleach - toxic by swallowing; vapors are harmful; causes CNS disorders
• Stain remover - toxic; may cause cancer; vapors can be fatal
• Fabric softener - toxic; may cause cancer; causes CNS disorders; causes liver damage

Personal Care Products

• Shampoo- may cause cancer; irritates eyes, skin and lungs
• Dandruff shampoo- may cause cancer; causes organ degeneration; causes CNS disorders
• Deodorant soap- may cause cancer; causes asthma; irritates lungs
• Bubble bath - causes bladder and kidney infections; irritates skin and nose
• Mousse and hair spray - may cause cancer; causes lung disease; irritates eyes and skin
• Mouthwash - toxic to children; may cause cancer
• Breath Spray - may cause cancer
• Cosmetics - may cause cancer; causes CNS damage; irritates skin and lungs
• Perfumes/cologne - toxic; may cause cancer, irritates skin and lungs

They Wouldn't Sell It If It Wasn't Safe... Would They??

article by: John K. Beaulieu

When we pick up a product at the local grocery store, most of us like to think we are getting something that has been tested and proven to be safe.  After all, we have laws to protect our health and safety, don't we?  Actually, the government has very limited power to regulate manufacturers, or require testing of their products.  here are some disturbing facts:

• A product that kills 50% of lab animals through ingestion or inhalation can still receive the federal regulatory designation "non-toxic."
• Of the 17,000 chemicals that appear in common household products, only 30% have been adequately tested for their negative effects on our health; less than 10% have been tested for their effect on the nervous system; and nothing is known about the combined effects of these chemicals when mixed within our bodies.
• No law requires manufacturers to list the exact ingredients on the package label.  "Personal care product" refers to just about anything we use to clean our bodies or make ourselves look or smell good.  The closest thing to a regulatory agency for the personal care industry is the Food and Drug Administration (FDA), and their power is extremely limited.  Here are more unsettling facts regarding personal care products.
• The FDA cannot regulate a personal care product until after is it released into the marketplace.
• Neither personal care products nor their ingredients are reviewed or approved before they are sold to the public.
• The FDA cannot require companies to do safety testing on their personal care products before they are sold to the public.
• The FDA cannot require recalls of harmful personal care products from the marketplace.
• The National Institute of Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH) analyzed 2,983 chemicals used in personal care products.  The results were as follows: 884 of the chemicals were toxic.  314 caused biological mutation.  218 caused reproductive complications.  778 caused acute toxicity.  148 caused tumors.  376 caused skin and eye irritations.

WARNING:

You Can't Trust Warning Labels!

You may think you know what is in a product and its potential harms by reading ingredients.  Think again.  Manufacturers are not required to list the exact ingredients on the label.  Also, chemical names are often disguised by using innocuous "trade names."  So even if the chemical is listed on the label, you may not recognize it for what it is. 

Even if the harsh and dangerous active ingredients are listed on a package, oftentimes the remainder of ingredients are lumped into a category known as "inert" (not active) ingredients.  This term may lead you to believe that these chemicals are not toxic or hazardous.  In fact, many of the 1,000 different chemicals used as inert ingredients are more harmful than the active ingredients.  The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) does not require manufacturers to identify most inert chemicals, or disclose their potential harmful effects.  Even suspected carcinogens (cancer-causing agents) are used as inert ingredients in household products.

Regarding warning labels, on New York study found that 85% of products they examined had incorrect warning labels.  Some were labeled poisonous, but weren't; others were poisonous, but not labeled as such; others gave incorrect first aid information.  And there are absolutely no warnings on products about possible negative effects of long-term exposure.  This is unfortunate because most diseases linked to chemical exposure are the result of long-term exposure.

If we don't know what's in it, and we don't know if it can hurt us, how are we supposed to make an intelligent decision about whether or not to bring this product into hour home?

That Amazing Tea Tree Oil!

That Amazing Tea Tree Oil!  by Karen MacKenzie

When I initially hear about Tea Tree oil, I could not believe it.  It was too good to be true.  Why had we not heard about it before?  The truth is we had, but then we had chosen to ignore it!

I have traced Tea Tree oil back to its roots in Aboriginal Australia, through its popularity during the Second World War, right up to the present day world-wide acclaim.  I have read the research papers, used it for first aid applications, treated my pets, and even cleaned many household accessories and furnishings with it.

I am constantly amazed by its versatility and effectiveness.  I would never have believed that an essential oil from one plant could lend itself so successfully to so many different applications.  No one bu God, through nature, could have created such a valuable broad-spectrum substance, and that is the beauty of Tea Tree oil - it is totally natural.

I wrote this in  an effort to bring Tea Tree oil to your attention, so you, like I, could read about its history, study the research work, utilize its many properties, and make up your own mind about nature's potent gift.  After all, Tea Tree oil was created for each and every one of us. 

Every week we see the same headlines in the newspapers, "Head Lice Shampoo Cancer Scare"... "The Age of the Superbug is Here"... "Treatment Damages Skin Cells"... and so on. 

We are now just beginning to wake up to the fact that the synthetic chemical cocktails we encounter during the course of a lifetime - hairsprays, cosmetics, deodorants, polishes, detergents, toothpastes, perfumes, aftershaves, first aid treatments, medicines, air fresheners, etc. - are systematically weakening our bodies.  It is undeniable that our health is beginning to suffer.  Where will it all end?

Germs, bacteria, and other parasites are evolving to beat their chemical killers.  The "superbugs", including MRSA (Golden staph), thrive.  Mystery illnesses are on the increase. Do we then try to make stronger chemicals?  You bet we do!  

Are we not forgetting one simple, fundamental fact?  Bacteria is a basic, one-celled form of life, and these chemicals are harmful to all life - including our own!  When we use harsh chemicals against bacteria we can also unbalance and even destroy our own body cells, too.

I am not denying that synthetic medicine was, and is, a great gift.  But it is its indiscriminate use, in addition to all other synthetics and chemicals, that is causing the problme.  Over fifty years ago society started to turn its back on nature, and the chemical industry took center stage.  We seemed to forget that we were part of nature and that to turn against it, we would be turning against ourselves.  It is only now that we are beginning to pay the price. 

Now, wouldn't it be marvelous if we could find a safe, non-toxic, non-irritating substance that would play a role in replacing many of the strong chemicals in our cupboards?  Well, we have!

Here is a product that is made by nature, for nature.  It is a completely natural, topical, clinically proven anti-bacterial and anti-fungal substance.  It has anti-inflammatory, immune system strenghthening, pain killing, and wound healing qualities.  It also exhibits anti-viral, expectorant, and balsamic characteristics.  

All this, and it can be used as a powerful antiseptic, parasiticide and insecticide.  AND it's also kind to our skin cells.  The pure Tea Tree oil of the Melaleuca Alternifolia, works with the body, not against it.  Research shows it has rapid results against the new "20th Century Superbugs" including MRSA.  

I still find it ironic that if man made such a synthetic substance and had spent millions of dollars on the development program, it would have been hailed as the wonder of the century.  Everyone would have known about it, and everyone would be utilizing its many properties.  But because Tea Tree oil is found in nature, it is viewed with suspicion. 

The sooner we all once again wholeheartedly embrace a more natural approach in both medicine and in industry, the sooner we will begin to stem the tide of the so called "superbugs" and "mystery illnesses."  

Girls as young as 7 hitting puberty

Females appear to be hitting puberty earlier, perhaps due to rising obesity rates and common chemicals found in plastic, a new study suggests.
Among 1,200 girls in the study, 15 per cent showed signs of breast development at age seven, which is between a year and four years earlier than what was considered usual.
The research, which was led by a team from Ohio, also suggests that puberty is arriving at increasingly younger ages.
Other key findings show that by the age of eight, 18 per cent of white girls and 42 per cent of black girls had developed breasts.
Those numbers suggest that girls at age seven or eight are twice as likely to have breasts as compared to girls a decade ago.
A 1997 study showed that only five per cent of white girls had breast development at age seven.
The new study, published on Monday, was printed in the medical journal Pediatrics, and it raises more concerns about how girls will deal with such developmental pressures.
Researcher Dr. Frank Biro said that partially developed bodies may push girls into behaviours they may not be emotionally and mentally ready for.
"Simply because one is physically more mature does not mean they are socially more mature or psychologically mature," he said.
Perhaps equally troubling are links between early sexual development and the risk of developing breast and endometrial cancers later in life. It appears that longer exposure to certain hormones exacerbates the risk of such cancers.
Unplanned pregnancies and exposure to sexually transmitted infections are also major concerns.
Other studies have shown that girls who develop earlier are also more likely to suffer through depression and self-esteem problems as they grow older.
While heavier girls seem to hit puberty earlier in life, the study suggests that environmental factors are also speeding up the process. Chemicals such as bisphenol A, which is commonly found in plastic, have been blamed for the early development.
Other compounds, like phthalates, appear to disrupt the normal work of hormones in the body.
Of interest is that in different U.S. cities, the onset of puberty appears to differ. In San Francisco, 11.6 per cent of seven-year-olds showed breast development.
By contrast, 18.9 per cent of seven-year-old girls in Cincinnati showed pubertal growth.