TOXINS IN YOUR HOME
by Dan Vickers
If you are like many people you live life to the fullest and take each day as a new day. You take care of yourself and your children as best as you can.
What if I told you that your home may be filled with toxins that are harmful to you and your children? Many people have no clue about the dangers that are present in their homes and the effects of chemicals and toxins.
Americans suffer from more degenerate disease then ever before. There is a definite link between the "Epidemic of Degenerative Disease" and the increase in the development of synthetic ingredients used in personal care products and home care products.
Many people do not consider their home to be a toxic waste dump and the facts may surprise them. The average home today contains 62 toxic chemicals. That is more than a chemistry lab! More than 72,000 synthetic chemicals have been produced since World War II, and those are the same chemicals that have been found in many homes across the nation!
Here are some facts about products that are found in many homes.
Bleach has been linked to reproductive problems in men and learning and behavioral problems in children.
Everyday household cleaners are the number one cause of poisoning of children.
Behavioral problems have been linked to exposure to toxic chemicals and molds.
Carpet cleaner solution is extremely toxic to children. The fumes given off by carpet cleaners can cause cancer and liver damage.
Laundry detergents, household cleaners and pesticides have been linked to breast cancer.
Glass cleaners often may contain ammonia. Fumes from ammonia can irritate skin, eyes, and respiratory system.
Toilet Bowl Cleaners are one of the most dangerous cleaning products. Can contain chlorine and hydrochloric acid. Harmful to health simply by breathing during use.
Formaldehyde, phenol, benzene and toluene are found in common household cleaners, cosmetics, beverages, fabrics and cigarette smoke. These chemicals are cancer causing and toxic to the immune system.
An EPA study stated that the toxic chemicals in household cleaners are 3 times more likely to cause cancer than outdoor air.
These are proven facts and back-up the real dangers in many products in our homes. If you use store bought window cleaner, disinfectants, carpet cleaners, make-up , degreasers or stain removers, you should be aware that all have been found to contain very dangerous chemicals and toxins. These toxins have been linked to cancer, immune system disorders, liver damage, and many other very common health issues many American's face today.
So, what can people do to protect themselves and their families? Remove all toxic products from their homes! By removing those products and utilizing natural or organic made products, you will increase your chances of a healthy life and improve your health greatly!
http://www.ahealthcafe.com/t2s
Thursday, July 12, 2007
Thursday, June 28, 2007
Concern raised over chemical levels in tooth whitening productsBy Louise Prance
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The UK Trading Standards Institute (TSI) has warned consumers against DIY tooth whitening kits after tests reported illegally high levels of hydrogen peroxide in many products.
A total of 14 out of 20 DIY kits tested were found to contain high levels of the chemical more commonly found in hair dyes, with high quantities in tooth whitening causing damage to the mouth.
'Many people these days aspire to having the perfect Hollywood smile and some stars have paid a lot of money to achieve this through cosmetic dental treatment" said Ron Gainsford, chief executive of TSI.
'There are much cheaper kits on sale for home use - for instance, some of those tested by trading standards cost as little as £14. But this could end up burning more than a hole in your pocket. Our tests found high levels of hydrogen peroxide, which can aggravate gum disease and cause sensitive teeth - or even chemical burns to the mouth.
As tooth whitening continues to grow in popularity consumers are increasingly seeking cheaper alternatives to the expensive option of having the teeth professionally coloured.
Therefore the trend for at home tooth-whitening kits is growing, with more and more consumers opting for the cheaper alternative.
However, with one of the tested products being 230 times over the legal limits the TSI has highlighted a rise in the dangerous levels of chemicals found in formulations.
Only two of the products, which were purchased over the internet or in beauty shops across the Midlands, complied with the Cosmetics Products (Safety) Regulations - guidelines that ban the sale of tooth whitening kits that contain more than 0.1 per cent hydrogen peroxide.
'The remaining 14 contained amounts of hydrogen peroxide ranging from 0.24 per cent to an incredible 23.8 per cent,' said Alex Rankin, a spokesman on safety for the Central England Trading Standards Authority and principal trading standards officer for Telford & Wrekin Council in Shropshire.
The issue has raised concerns over whether the Cosmetic Products (Safety) Regulations should also regulate dentists, as there may be individual occasions where a fully qualified dentist could decide that a patient can be treated safely with a product containing a higher level of hydrogen peroxide.
'However, at present anyone manufacturing or supplying a teeth whitening product - including dentists - with a higher concentration of hydrogen peroxide than 0.1% is in breach of the Cosmetic Products (Safety) Regulations and could face action by trading standards authorities,' said Mike MacGregor, operations and development manager for Hertfordshire County Council Trading Standards..
Get the latest Market Reports on
TSIwhitening
Related Product NewslettersCosmeticsNews ArchivesAll news for June 2007 All news for May 2007 28/06/2007 -
The UK Trading Standards Institute (TSI) has warned consumers against DIY tooth whitening kits after tests reported illegally high levels of hydrogen peroxide in many products.
A total of 14 out of 20 DIY kits tested were found to contain high levels of the chemical more commonly found in hair dyes, with high quantities in tooth whitening causing damage to the mouth.
'Many people these days aspire to having the perfect Hollywood smile and some stars have paid a lot of money to achieve this through cosmetic dental treatment" said Ron Gainsford, chief executive of TSI.
'There are much cheaper kits on sale for home use - for instance, some of those tested by trading standards cost as little as £14. But this could end up burning more than a hole in your pocket. Our tests found high levels of hydrogen peroxide, which can aggravate gum disease and cause sensitive teeth - or even chemical burns to the mouth.
As tooth whitening continues to grow in popularity consumers are increasingly seeking cheaper alternatives to the expensive option of having the teeth professionally coloured.
Therefore the trend for at home tooth-whitening kits is growing, with more and more consumers opting for the cheaper alternative.
However, with one of the tested products being 230 times over the legal limits the TSI has highlighted a rise in the dangerous levels of chemicals found in formulations.
Only two of the products, which were purchased over the internet or in beauty shops across the Midlands, complied with the Cosmetics Products (Safety) Regulations - guidelines that ban the sale of tooth whitening kits that contain more than 0.1 per cent hydrogen peroxide.
'The remaining 14 contained amounts of hydrogen peroxide ranging from 0.24 per cent to an incredible 23.8 per cent,' said Alex Rankin, a spokesman on safety for the Central England Trading Standards Authority and principal trading standards officer for Telford & Wrekin Council in Shropshire.
The issue has raised concerns over whether the Cosmetic Products (Safety) Regulations should also regulate dentists, as there may be individual occasions where a fully qualified dentist could decide that a patient can be treated safely with a product containing a higher level of hydrogen peroxide.
'However, at present anyone manufacturing or supplying a teeth whitening product - including dentists - with a higher concentration of hydrogen peroxide than 0.1% is in breach of the Cosmetic Products (Safety) Regulations and could face action by trading standards authorities,' said Mike MacGregor, operations and development manager for Hertfordshire County Council Trading Standards..
Thursday, June 21, 2007
Saturday, June 9, 2007
The Harmful Effects of Household Cleaners on Children and Babies
Author: Danni Vickers
Many people often find themselves cleaning their home like crazy, because they want to make sure their home is clean for their children. Unfortunately most people have no clue about the harmful toxins found in many household cleaning products. Many mothers an fathers find themselves using bleach to clean items bought at yard sales, and even to clean walls or bathrooms.
Why should they not? I mean the bottles do not say how toxic it is! All the manufacture cares about is making a parent think the product is great to kill germs, so as parents we buy them. They fail to alert users of the toxins contained in these cleaning products. Most parents find themselves cleaning off the baby's crib, toys, and floors with cleaning products, that are leaving more toxins behind than the toxins they are cleaning because the companies are NOT required by law to alert the consumer!
Here are some facts about common household cleaning products found in many homes across the globe today!
Formaldehyde, phenol, benzene and toluene are found in common household cleaners and all have been linked as cancer causing and toxic to the immune system.
Children are highly vulnerable to chemical toxicants. Pound for pound of body weight children drink more water, eat more food and breathe more air than adults. The implication of this is that children will have substantially heavier exposures than adults to any toxicants that are present.
Most children at young ages spend much of the day putting things in their mouths. Especially toddlers, they seem to put anything and everything in their mouths that they can get their hands on. In 1998, scientists at Rutgers University discovered that pesticides sprayed in a home evaporate from floors and carpets, and then re-condense on plastic and foam objects such as pillows and plush toys. By observing how frequently a group of pre-schoolers put clean toys in their mouths, the researchers calculated that contaminated toys are likely to give young children much higher doses of poison than adults would get in the same environment.
Babies do not excrete contaminants or store them away in fat in the same ways that adults do, making the poisons more available to affect rapidly growing bodies. Furthermore, because a baby's immune system is not fully functional, a baby's body cannot counteract toxic effects as well as an adult can. In an adult, a blood-brain barrier insulates the brain from many of the potentially harmful chemicals circulating through the body. But in a human child, that barrier isn't fully developed until six months after birth.
A pregnant woman can also pass the toxins from common cleaners to their unborn child! Many contaminants such as dioxins and PCBs have an affinity for fatty tissue. During pregnancy, women mobilize their amassed stores of body fat to provide nourishment for their growing babies; the contaminants in the fat are then passed to their children. Nursing mothers also transfer a good portion of their lifetime accumulation of chemicals to their babies.
Children exposed in the womb are at greatest risk of all. Because cellular structures change so rapidly during embryonic and fetal growth, a toxic exposure at the wrong moment can permanently alter further development. According to Dr. Landrigan, the central nervous system is especially vulnerable. To function properly, the developing brain must lay down an intricate web of interconnecting neurons. Small doses of neurotoxins during critical periods of brain development can alter those crucial neural pathways - one mistake early on, and the brain may be forever changed in subtle or serious ways. Government and university scientists are currently investigating the possibility of a connection between fetal exposures to toxics and developmental disabilities such as attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD).
As a parent you SHOULD be concerned about this! Cleaning your home with toxic products are literally breaking down your children's bodies and adding onto the changes of cancer and other life threatening health concerns.
Even if you had no clue about this concern, until you just read this article, now is the time to take action! You can start by only bring into your home toxin free cleaning products! Get rid of any products that are not eco-friendly. If a product is eco friendly, that means it is safe to have in your home! If it is safe to have in your home, it is safe to use without having to worry about the harmful effects!
The Harmful Effects of Household Cleaners on Children and Babies
Author: Danni Vickers
Many people often find themselves cleaning their home like crazy, because they want to make sure their home is clean for their children. Unfortunately most people have no clue about the harmful toxins found in many household cleaning products. Many mothers an fathers find themselves using bleach to clean items bought at yard sales, and even to clean walls or bathrooms.
Why should they not? I mean the bottles do not say how toxic it is! All the manufacture cares about is making a parent think the product is great to kill germs, so as parents we buy them. They fail to alert users of the toxins contained in these cleaning products. Most parents find themselves cleaning off the baby's crib, toys, and floors with cleaning products, that are leaving more toxins behind than the toxins they are cleaning because the companies are NOT required by law to alert the consumer!
Here are some facts about common household cleaning products found in many homes across the globe today!
Formaldehyde, phenol, benzene and toluene are found in common household cleaners and all have been linked as cancer causing and toxic to the immune system.
Children are highly vulnerable to chemical toxicants. Pound for pound of body weight children drink more water, eat more food and breathe more air than adults. The implication of this is that children will have substantially heavier exposures than adults to any toxicants that are present.
Most children at young ages spend much of the day putting things in their mouths. Especially toddlers, they seem to put anything and everything in their mouths that they can get their hands on. In 1998, scientists at Rutgers University discovered that pesticides sprayed in a home evaporate from floors and carpets, and then re-condense on plastic and foam objects such as pillows and plush toys. By observing how frequently a group of pre-schoolers put clean toys in their mouths, the researchers calculated that contaminated toys are likely to give young children much higher doses of poison than adults would get in the same environment.
Babies do not excrete contaminants or store them away in fat in the same ways that adults do, making the poisons more available to affect rapidly growing bodies. Furthermore, because a baby's immune system is not fully functional, a baby's body cannot counteract toxic effects as well as an adult can. In an adult, a blood-brain barrier insulates the brain from many of the potentially harmful chemicals circulating through the body. But in a human child, that barrier isn't fully developed until six months after birth.
A pregnant woman can also pass the toxins from common cleaners to their unborn child! Many contaminants such as dioxins and PCBs have an affinity for fatty tissue. During pregnancy, women mobilize their amassed stores of body fat to provide nourishment for their growing babies; the contaminants in the fat are then passed to their children. Nursing mothers also transfer a good portion of their lifetime accumulation of chemicals to their babies.
Children exposed in the womb are at greatest risk of all. Because cellular structures change so rapidly during embryonic and fetal growth, a toxic exposure at the wrong moment can permanently alter further development. According to Dr. Landrigan, the central nervous system is especially vulnerable. To function properly, the developing brain must lay down an intricate web of interconnecting neurons. Small doses of neurotoxins during critical periods of brain development can alter those crucial neural pathways - one mistake early on, and the brain may be forever changed in subtle or serious ways. Government and university scientists are currently investigating the possibility of a connection between fetal exposures to toxics and developmental disabilities such as attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD).
As a parent you SHOULD be concerned about this! Cleaning your home with toxic products are literally breaking down your children's bodies and adding onto the changes of cancer and other life threatening health concerns.
Even if you had no clue about this concern, until you just read this article, now is the time to take action! You can start by only bring into your home toxin free cleaning products! Get rid of any products that are not eco-friendly. If a product is eco friendly, that means it is safe to have in your home! If it is safe to have in your home, it is safe to use without having to worry about the harmful effects!
Wednesday, May 30, 2007
Deirdre Imus Is 'Cleaning Up' With New Book
By Carol King
Article Launched: 05/30/2007 04:08:45 PM EDT
Last month, Deirdre Imus released the first book in a five-volume series on greening. "By the time I am done, you will know how to green your entire life," she promised.
Green This! Volume 1: Greening Your Cleaning is a guide to keeping one's family healthy by cleaning the home in an environmentally friendly way. The 256-page book, published by Simon & Schuster, debuted April 10 and, according to Imus, has already been named a New York Times bestseller.
Using nontoxic cleaners can save lives, according to the author. "Children are not healthier than the planet, and the planet is pretty sick," she said. "We are exposed to pesticides and carcinogens in the foods we eat and the clothes we wear; in the air we breathe; the water we drink and the substances we use to clean our houses. The deadly chemical cocktail building up in our bodies is causing great harm, manifesting itself in everything from asthma to cancer."
In a presentation last week at the Westport Public Library, Imus reported that:
Childhood cancer is the leading cause of death by disease for children
One out of six children is obese
One out of 150 children has autism
One out of 400 to 500 children is diagnosed with diabetes
One out of eight babies is born premature
Asthma leads chronic illnesses in children, is a major factor in absences from school and is the cause of many deaths
"The United States has the third highest rate in the entire world for infant mortality," Imus said. "This is disgraceful." She believes there is a direct link between these conditions and the contaminants and toxins used in many commercial cleaning products.
In Greening Your Cleaning, Imus describes how housecleaning in an environmentally responsible way is not only safer and healthier for people and the environment, but also can be an effective and often cheaper method of cleaning than traditional, toxic means.
The book includes:
Simple, efficient cleaning methods for every room of the house
Spotlights on everyday products (all purpose cleaner, glass/window cleaner, laundry detergent) and the toxic ingredients readers should be wary of
Summaries of the latest research on the toxic effects of ordinary chemicals
Resource lists of widely available "green cleaning" products and retailers
Filled with tips and testimonials, Greening Your Cleaning is designed to streamline household cleaning products and practices, and make it easy to adopt a "living green" way of life.
By Carol King
Article Launched: 05/30/2007 04:08:45 PM EDT
Last month, Deirdre Imus released the first book in a five-volume series on greening. "By the time I am done, you will know how to green your entire life," she promised.
Green This! Volume 1: Greening Your Cleaning is a guide to keeping one's family healthy by cleaning the home in an environmentally friendly way. The 256-page book, published by Simon & Schuster, debuted April 10 and, according to Imus, has already been named a New York Times bestseller.
Using nontoxic cleaners can save lives, according to the author. "Children are not healthier than the planet, and the planet is pretty sick," she said. "We are exposed to pesticides and carcinogens in the foods we eat and the clothes we wear; in the air we breathe; the water we drink and the substances we use to clean our houses. The deadly chemical cocktail building up in our bodies is causing great harm, manifesting itself in everything from asthma to cancer."
In a presentation last week at the Westport Public Library, Imus reported that:
Childhood cancer is the leading cause of death by disease for children
One out of six children is obese
One out of 150 children has autism
One out of 400 to 500 children is diagnosed with diabetes
One out of eight babies is born premature
Asthma leads chronic illnesses in children, is a major factor in absences from school and is the cause of many deaths
"The United States has the third highest rate in the entire world for infant mortality," Imus said. "This is disgraceful." She believes there is a direct link between these conditions and the contaminants and toxins used in many commercial cleaning products.
In Greening Your Cleaning, Imus describes how housecleaning in an environmentally responsible way is not only safer and healthier for people and the environment, but also can be an effective and often cheaper method of cleaning than traditional, toxic means.
The book includes:
Simple, efficient cleaning methods for every room of the house
Spotlights on everyday products (all purpose cleaner, glass/window cleaner, laundry detergent) and the toxic ingredients readers should be wary of
Summaries of the latest research on the toxic effects of ordinary chemicals
Resource lists of widely available "green cleaning" products and retailers
Filled with tips and testimonials, Greening Your Cleaning is designed to streamline household cleaning products and practices, and make it easy to adopt a "living green" way of life.
Sunday, May 27, 2007
IS YOUR HOME A HEALTHY HOME?
There are two major risks in your home today - hazardous chemicals and poor indoor air quality.
"Each year, over 1 million children are accidentally poisoned in their homes. 250,000 of these victims are hospitalized. 3,000 children will end up in intensive care. Dozens more will die. Thousands of children and adults are permanently disfigured or injured through contact with chemicals in the home, each year."
OSHA states that over 650,000 hazardous chemicals exist today and 100's are being added every year.
There are no federal or state regulations on what chemicals go into the products you use in your home. Unless you read the Material Safety Data sheets on each product, you don't know what you're up against. Most people don't read these, they just trust in the companies that manufacture these products. The problem is that most of these companies don't have our best interests at heart.
Warning labels on containers refer to toxic hazards from ingestion; however, many health problems from chemicals are caused by the inhalation of vapors and absorption of particles.
"Most people are aware that outdoor air pollution can damage their health, but many do not know that indoor air pollution can also have significant harmful effects. U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) studies of human exposure to air pollutants indicate that indoor levels of pollutants may be 2-5 times, and occasionally more than 100 times, higher than outdoor levels. These levels of indoor air pollutants may be of particular concern because it is estimated that most people spend about 90% of their time indoors. Comparative risk studies performed by EPA and its Science Advisory Board have consistently ranked indoor air pollution among the top five environmental health risks to the public."
"50% of all illness is due to poor indoor air quality."
"…even a very low exposure to a cancer-causing chemical may result in cancer if the chemical happens to alter cellular functions in a way that causes cancer to develop."
Exposure to toxic and cancer-causing chemicals can have long term effects for you and your family. Look at what some scientific studies have uncovered:
"In 1946 1 in 20 women had a risk of getting breast cancer. Today, 1 in 8 women in the U.S. will get breast cancer."
"There has been a 126% rise in prostate cancer from 1973 to 1991. Over 50% of American males have problems with their prostate."
"Male sperm count has dropped as much as 50% in recent decades."
"Infertility is increasing and widespread, with over 2 million couples who want children and are unable to conceive."
"Attention Deficit Disorder in adults and children. In 1993, 2 million children were treated with the drug Ritalin. In 1995, it doubled to 4 million. It's expected to reach 8 million by the year 2000."
There are many connections between the chemicals contained in the household cleaners and personal care products you use in your home and health. Many families have discovered that by eliminating products with these chemicals from their homes many existing health problems improve or disappear.
Why risk using unsafe, poisonous or carcinogenic productsin your home when there's another alternative? For more information you can click on the Health Cafe button.
There are two major risks in your home today - hazardous chemicals and poor indoor air quality.
"Each year, over 1 million children are accidentally poisoned in their homes. 250,000 of these victims are hospitalized. 3,000 children will end up in intensive care. Dozens more will die. Thousands of children and adults are permanently disfigured or injured through contact with chemicals in the home, each year."
OSHA states that over 650,000 hazardous chemicals exist today and 100's are being added every year.
There are no federal or state regulations on what chemicals go into the products you use in your home. Unless you read the Material Safety Data sheets on each product, you don't know what you're up against. Most people don't read these, they just trust in the companies that manufacture these products. The problem is that most of these companies don't have our best interests at heart.
Warning labels on containers refer to toxic hazards from ingestion; however, many health problems from chemicals are caused by the inhalation of vapors and absorption of particles.
"Most people are aware that outdoor air pollution can damage their health, but many do not know that indoor air pollution can also have significant harmful effects. U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) studies of human exposure to air pollutants indicate that indoor levels of pollutants may be 2-5 times, and occasionally more than 100 times, higher than outdoor levels. These levels of indoor air pollutants may be of particular concern because it is estimated that most people spend about 90% of their time indoors. Comparative risk studies performed by EPA and its Science Advisory Board have consistently ranked indoor air pollution among the top five environmental health risks to the public."
"50% of all illness is due to poor indoor air quality."
"…even a very low exposure to a cancer-causing chemical may result in cancer if the chemical happens to alter cellular functions in a way that causes cancer to develop."
Exposure to toxic and cancer-causing chemicals can have long term effects for you and your family. Look at what some scientific studies have uncovered:
"In 1946 1 in 20 women had a risk of getting breast cancer. Today, 1 in 8 women in the U.S. will get breast cancer."
"There has been a 126% rise in prostate cancer from 1973 to 1991. Over 50% of American males have problems with their prostate."
"Male sperm count has dropped as much as 50% in recent decades."
"Infertility is increasing and widespread, with over 2 million couples who want children and are unable to conceive."
"Attention Deficit Disorder in adults and children. In 1993, 2 million children were treated with the drug Ritalin. In 1995, it doubled to 4 million. It's expected to reach 8 million by the year 2000."
There are many connections between the chemicals contained in the household cleaners and personal care products you use in your home and health. Many families have discovered that by eliminating products with these chemicals from their homes many existing health problems improve or disappear.
Why risk using unsafe, poisonous or carcinogenic productsin your home when there's another alternative? For more information you can click on the Health Cafe button.
Wednesday, May 23, 2007
CANCER-CAUSING CHEMICALS IN KIDS PRODUCTS
Study: Cancer-Causing Chemicals Found In Kids Products
Testing Shows Elevated Chemicals In Bath Products
POSTED: 1:21 pm EST February 20, 2007
UPDATED: 10:10 am EDT March 28, 2007
PITTSBURGH -- The bubble bath and shampoo you’re using on your babies may contain a cancer causing petrochemical.
A recent study found some bath products contained more than twice the levels considered safe by the Food and Drug Administration. Lab tests found the chemical 1,4-Dioxzne in products like Hello Kitty Bubble Bath, Huggies Baby Wash and Sesame Street Bubble Bath.
1,4-Dioxane is a petroleum derived contaminant that is considered a probable human carcinogen by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency and a clear cut animal carcinogen by the National Toxicology Program.
The study results were released by the Campaign for Safe Cosmetics, a San Francisco-based coalition of eight national environmental and health advocacy organizations.
The tests were commissioned by David Steinman, publisher of Healthy Living magazine, and are included in his new book “Safe Trip to Eden” which outlines steps consumers can take to protect the environment.
Many people assume the FDA regulates these products. Not true.
The FDA does not review or regulate cosmetics for safety before they are sold. Labels do not have to list chemicals in the products.
Dr. Devra Davis, director of the Center for Environmental Oncology at the University of Pittsburgh Cancer Institute explains, “The FDA has no authority to tell us whether or not products are safe and as a consequence there are ingredients in cosmetics that are used very widely that have not been tested,”
The FDA has worked with the cosmetic makers to reduce levels of this chemical on a voluntary basis.
In 2000 the FDA recommended that cosmetic products should not contain 1,4-Dioxane at concentrations greater than ten ppm (parts per million), but 15 percent of products tested exceeded those limits.
Campaign for Safe Cosmetics says, babies exposed to the chemical form baby shampoo may be exposed to the chemical from bubble bath or other products.
That cumulative effect creates a burden the body can’t bear.
Davis explains, “Now we're beginning to realize that the sum total of a person's exposure to all the little amounts of cancerous agents in the environment may be just as harmful as big doses of a few well-known carcinogens. Over a lifetime, cigarettes deliver massive quantities of carcinogens that increase the risk of lung and other cancers. Our chances of getting cancer reflect the full gamut of carcinogens we're exposed to each day—in air, water and food pollution and in cancerous ingredients or contaminants in household cleaners, clothing, furniture and the dozens of personal-care products many of us use daily.”
1.4-Dioxane was also found in three women’s shampoos.
According to a 2004 survey conducted by the Campaign for Safe Cosmetics, women and girls use an average of 12 personal care products.
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Copyright 2007 by Wpxi.com. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.
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Study: Cancer-Causing Chemicals Found In Kids Products
Testing Shows Elevated Chemicals In Bath Products
POSTED: 1:21 pm EST February 20, 2007
UPDATED: 10:10 am EDT March 28, 2007
PITTSBURGH -- The bubble bath and shampoo you’re using on your babies may contain a cancer causing petrochemical.
A recent study found some bath products contained more than twice the levels considered safe by the Food and Drug Administration. Lab tests found the chemical 1,4-Dioxzne in products like Hello Kitty Bubble Bath, Huggies Baby Wash and Sesame Street Bubble Bath.
1,4-Dioxane is a petroleum derived contaminant that is considered a probable human carcinogen by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency and a clear cut animal carcinogen by the National Toxicology Program.
The study results were released by the Campaign for Safe Cosmetics, a San Francisco-based coalition of eight national environmental and health advocacy organizations.
The tests were commissioned by David Steinman, publisher of Healthy Living magazine, and are included in his new book “Safe Trip to Eden” which outlines steps consumers can take to protect the environment.
Many people assume the FDA regulates these products. Not true.
The FDA does not review or regulate cosmetics for safety before they are sold. Labels do not have to list chemicals in the products.
Dr. Devra Davis, director of the Center for Environmental Oncology at the University of Pittsburgh Cancer Institute explains, “The FDA has no authority to tell us whether or not products are safe and as a consequence there are ingredients in cosmetics that are used very widely that have not been tested,”
The FDA has worked with the cosmetic makers to reduce levels of this chemical on a voluntary basis.
In 2000 the FDA recommended that cosmetic products should not contain 1,4-Dioxane at concentrations greater than ten ppm (parts per million), but 15 percent of products tested exceeded those limits.
Campaign for Safe Cosmetics says, babies exposed to the chemical form baby shampoo may be exposed to the chemical from bubble bath or other products.
That cumulative effect creates a burden the body can’t bear.
Davis explains, “Now we're beginning to realize that the sum total of a person's exposure to all the little amounts of cancerous agents in the environment may be just as harmful as big doses of a few well-known carcinogens. Over a lifetime, cigarettes deliver massive quantities of carcinogens that increase the risk of lung and other cancers. Our chances of getting cancer reflect the full gamut of carcinogens we're exposed to each day—in air, water and food pollution and in cancerous ingredients or contaminants in household cleaners, clothing, furniture and the dozens of personal-care products many of us use daily.”
1.4-Dioxane was also found in three women’s shampoos.
According to a 2004 survey conducted by the Campaign for Safe Cosmetics, women and girls use an average of 12 personal care products.
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Copyright 2007 by Wpxi.com. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.
Email This Story Print This Story
Tuesday, May 15, 2007
NO INTEREST IN REDUCING EXPOSURE TO TOXIC CHEMICALS
I find it interesting that the cancer industry and the big cancer non-profits still refuse to pursue preventing cancer by supporting the banning of cancer-causing chemicals. They choose to ignore the truth about cancer-causing chemicals in food, beverages, personal care products and in the workplace. They refuse to look at the chemical toxicities that are ever-present in the environment, and instead put their efforts into cancer treatment (because that's where the money is). Conventional medicine makes money in chemotherapy or cutting out tumors. There's no money to be made in preventing cancers.
There's a whole lot of money to be made in covering up the truth about toxic chemicals, however. Cancer organizations accept millions of dollars from sunscreen manufacturers, for example. And those sunscreen products are made with all sorts of toxic, cancer-causing chemicals that also happen to disrupt normal neurological function. If you look at where the money is coming from that supports most of the "disease" groups, it's all from the companies that expose consumers to synthetic chemicals: drug companies, processed food manufacturers, personal care product companies, and so on.
It is no coincidence that the mainstream disease groups keep the chemical causes of cancer and neurological disorders a big secret. They're primarily focused on treatment, not prevention. Because prevention would necessitate a discussion of why all these product companies are using such toxic chemicals in their foods, drugs and personal care products.You want to prevent or treat your own neurological disorder or cancer? Knowing where to start is simple: Get all the synthetic chemicals out of your life. Permanently!
Here's a must-read book if you want to learn even more about the burden of synthetic chemicals on your heart, liver, nervous system and entire body: The Hundred-Year Lie by Randall Fitzgerald. The book will open your eyes and leave you shocked about just how much the consumer product corporations have been poisoning you.
###About the author: Mike Adams is a consumer health advocate with a passion for teaching people how to improve their health He is a prolific writer and has published thousands of articles, interviews, reports and consumer guides, reaching millions of readers with information that is saving lives and improving personal health around the world. Adams is an honest, independent journalist and accepts no money or commissions on the third-party products he writes about or the companies he promotes. In 2007, Adams launched EcoLEDs, a manufacturer of mercury-free, energy-efficient LED lighting products that save electricity and help prevent global warming. He also launched an online retailer of environmentally-friendly products (BetterLifeGoods.com) and uses a portion of its profits to help fund non-profit endeavors. He's also the founder and CEO of a well known email mail merge software developer whose software, 'Email Marketing Director,' currently runs the NewsTarget email subscriptions. Adams volunteers his time to serve as the executive director of the Consumer Wellness Center, a 501(c)3 non-profit organization, and enjoys outdoor activities, nature photography, Pilates and adult gymnastics. Known by his callsign, the 'Health Ranger,' Adams posts his missions statements, health statistics and health photos at www.HealthRanger.org
I find it interesting that the cancer industry and the big cancer non-profits still refuse to pursue preventing cancer by supporting the banning of cancer-causing chemicals. They choose to ignore the truth about cancer-causing chemicals in food, beverages, personal care products and in the workplace. They refuse to look at the chemical toxicities that are ever-present in the environment, and instead put their efforts into cancer treatment (because that's where the money is). Conventional medicine makes money in chemotherapy or cutting out tumors. There's no money to be made in preventing cancers.
There's a whole lot of money to be made in covering up the truth about toxic chemicals, however. Cancer organizations accept millions of dollars from sunscreen manufacturers, for example. And those sunscreen products are made with all sorts of toxic, cancer-causing chemicals that also happen to disrupt normal neurological function. If you look at where the money is coming from that supports most of the "disease" groups, it's all from the companies that expose consumers to synthetic chemicals: drug companies, processed food manufacturers, personal care product companies, and so on.
It is no coincidence that the mainstream disease groups keep the chemical causes of cancer and neurological disorders a big secret. They're primarily focused on treatment, not prevention. Because prevention would necessitate a discussion of why all these product companies are using such toxic chemicals in their foods, drugs and personal care products.You want to prevent or treat your own neurological disorder or cancer? Knowing where to start is simple: Get all the synthetic chemicals out of your life. Permanently!
Here's a must-read book if you want to learn even more about the burden of synthetic chemicals on your heart, liver, nervous system and entire body: The Hundred-Year Lie by Randall Fitzgerald. The book will open your eyes and leave you shocked about just how much the consumer product corporations have been poisoning you.
###About the author: Mike Adams is a consumer health advocate with a passion for teaching people how to improve their health He is a prolific writer and has published thousands of articles, interviews, reports and consumer guides, reaching millions of readers with information that is saving lives and improving personal health around the world. Adams is an honest, independent journalist and accepts no money or commissions on the third-party products he writes about or the companies he promotes. In 2007, Adams launched EcoLEDs, a manufacturer of mercury-free, energy-efficient LED lighting products that save electricity and help prevent global warming. He also launched an online retailer of environmentally-friendly products (BetterLifeGoods.com) and uses a portion of its profits to help fund non-profit endeavors. He's also the founder and CEO of a well known email mail merge software developer whose software, 'Email Marketing Director,' currently runs the NewsTarget email subscriptions. Adams volunteers his time to serve as the executive director of the Consumer Wellness Center, a 501(c)3 non-profit organization, and enjoys outdoor activities, nature photography, Pilates and adult gymnastics. Known by his callsign, the 'Health Ranger,' Adams posts his missions statements, health statistics and health photos at www.HealthRanger.org
Monday, April 16, 2007
Go Green At Home & Day Care
Everyday household cleaners that can make cleaning faster and perhaps simpler, are full of chemicals. These chemicals have their costs. Many give off unhealthy fumes that can irritate the eyes, nose and lungs. Some cleaners are corrosive and can harm your skin.
Many contain ingredients that are suspected of causing cancer.Many cleaners can leave behind chemical residues. Children tend to touch everything and then put their hands in their mouths or pick up food dropped on the floor. They may be putting chemicals in their mouths along with their toys and food. Small amounts may not be immediately harmful but can accumulate to cause healthproblemsovertime.
As a parent, you are right to be concerned about the kinds of cleaning products used in your child's day care or schools. Cleaning products contribute to the contamination of indoor air, especially those containing solvents, perfumes or other irritating or harmful chemicals. Chlorine bleach can be irritating to the airways, especially to young children. Given the need to protect children in day care programs from disease, it is also important that the facility is cleaned well.
Because germ-killing products, or antimicrobials, are considered pesticides, all disinfectants sold in the United States must be registered with the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency. In terms of regulation, antimicrobial pesticides differ from pesticides used to kill insects and weeds: Disinfectants, for example, must be shown to be effective in killing disease-causing bacteria.
Note that there are two types of disinfectants: hospital disinfectants and general use disinfectants. In addition, sanitizers are used to reduce microbes to safe levels. However, they are not required to eliminate them.EPA registration doesn't guarantee that the product kills germs. Many EPA-registered antimicrobial products are registered because they kill algae, odor-causing bacteria, bacteria that causes spoilage or deterioration, and microbes that are infectious only to animals.
For that reason, you should read the label carefully and contact the manufacturer. The manufacturer should be able to provide you with data on the kinds of disease-killing microbes the disinfectant kills and its level of efficacy. You should be able to find a customer service number on the product label or on the company's Web site.
If you want to hear more by attending a free online workshop on how you can change to safer and more effective products in your home, contact Marilyn at bobinchek@sbcglobal.net and say you want to attend a go green workshop.
Many contain ingredients that are suspected of causing cancer.Many cleaners can leave behind chemical residues. Children tend to touch everything and then put their hands in their mouths or pick up food dropped on the floor. They may be putting chemicals in their mouths along with their toys and food. Small amounts may not be immediately harmful but can accumulate to cause healthproblemsovertime.
As a parent, you are right to be concerned about the kinds of cleaning products used in your child's day care or schools. Cleaning products contribute to the contamination of indoor air, especially those containing solvents, perfumes or other irritating or harmful chemicals. Chlorine bleach can be irritating to the airways, especially to young children. Given the need to protect children in day care programs from disease, it is also important that the facility is cleaned well.
Because germ-killing products, or antimicrobials, are considered pesticides, all disinfectants sold in the United States must be registered with the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency. In terms of regulation, antimicrobial pesticides differ from pesticides used to kill insects and weeds: Disinfectants, for example, must be shown to be effective in killing disease-causing bacteria.
Note that there are two types of disinfectants: hospital disinfectants and general use disinfectants. In addition, sanitizers are used to reduce microbes to safe levels. However, they are not required to eliminate them.EPA registration doesn't guarantee that the product kills germs. Many EPA-registered antimicrobial products are registered because they kill algae, odor-causing bacteria, bacteria that causes spoilage or deterioration, and microbes that are infectious only to animals.
For that reason, you should read the label carefully and contact the manufacturer. The manufacturer should be able to provide you with data on the kinds of disease-killing microbes the disinfectant kills and its level of efficacy. You should be able to find a customer service number on the product label or on the company's Web site.
If you want to hear more by attending a free online workshop on how you can change to safer and more effective products in your home, contact Marilyn at bobinchek@sbcglobal.net and say you want to attend a go green workshop.
Monday, April 9, 2007
Personal Care Products
Cosmetics and personal care products have been around since civilization began, and it's doubtful that we would ever want to give up the primping and pampering of our bodies that personal care products and makeup provide. But for most of history, personal care products were made of natural ingredients. Today this is increasingly less so. The products that feel so good to our skin and look and smell so good on our faces and bodies often contain chemicals and dyes that we should be warned about.
You probably know someone who is taking a medication that is applied through the skin. This method is used for administering medicine for hormone replacement for both men and women, and also, a patch is used to treat high blood pressure. Skin patches can also be purchased over the counter to help smokers stop smoking. Although the body takes substances in through the skin in a much slower way, what you apply on your skin will eventually make its way into your body.
So why is it that most of us apply many personal products to our skin throughout the day but never consider that these products will end up in our organs and tissues throughout our bodies? They most certainly do.
Like most of us, you probably use your favorite personal products with the complete assurance that the federal government carefully tests and screens each one and would never permit products with dangerous or toxic ingredients to reach the supermarket, drug store, and department store shelves. Sadly, your confidence in government screening to protect you may be naive. The Federal Food, Drug and Cosmetic Act (FFDCA) does not require premarket testing, review or approval for cosmetics. In addition, the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) will pursue enforcement action for problem cosmetics only after they are on the shelves.
This means that it's up to you to understand what you are purchasing and to make wise, healthy choices regarding the personal products that you and your family will use.
The cosmetic industry may not tell you that some of the ingredients used in its products are hazardous to your health. Become informed about the possibility of allergy-producing and cancer-causing substances in your personal products - your life may depend on it.
Source: What You Don't Know May Be Killing You
by Dr. Don Colbert
You probably know someone who is taking a medication that is applied through the skin. This method is used for administering medicine for hormone replacement for both men and women, and also, a patch is used to treat high blood pressure. Skin patches can also be purchased over the counter to help smokers stop smoking. Although the body takes substances in through the skin in a much slower way, what you apply on your skin will eventually make its way into your body.
So why is it that most of us apply many personal products to our skin throughout the day but never consider that these products will end up in our organs and tissues throughout our bodies? They most certainly do.
Like most of us, you probably use your favorite personal products with the complete assurance that the federal government carefully tests and screens each one and would never permit products with dangerous or toxic ingredients to reach the supermarket, drug store, and department store shelves. Sadly, your confidence in government screening to protect you may be naive. The Federal Food, Drug and Cosmetic Act (FFDCA) does not require premarket testing, review or approval for cosmetics. In addition, the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) will pursue enforcement action for problem cosmetics only after they are on the shelves.
This means that it's up to you to understand what you are purchasing and to make wise, healthy choices regarding the personal products that you and your family will use.
The cosmetic industry may not tell you that some of the ingredients used in its products are hazardous to your health. Become informed about the possibility of allergy-producing and cancer-causing substances in your personal products - your life may depend on it.
Source: What You Don't Know May Be Killing You
by Dr. Don Colbert
Saturday, April 7, 2007
What Is A Toxic Substance?
A toxic substance means any chemical or mixture that may be harmful to the environment and to human health if inhaled, swallowed, or absorbed through the skin. Did you know that some toxic substances are found in nature? There are naturally occurring toxins (poisonous substances coming from living organisms) found in certain plants like poinsettias and even some wild mushrooms and berries. However, the toxic substances contained in most everyday household products are synthetic which means they are man-made. The opposite of toxic substances are called non-toxic substances. Non-toxic substances are safe to use, and do not harm humans and the environment.
Many of the products you find in your home may have toxic substances. These products include:
drain cleaners;
oven cleaners;
laundry detergents;
floor or furniture polish;
paints, and
pesticides
While these products are useful at home, some of the chemicals in these products can irritate your skin, eyes, nose and throat, or can even poison you - so be careful! Kids, you must think about the products you use at home - are they toxic? If they are, be careful when you use them. If you are unsure, please check with an adult before you use them.
Source: Environmental Protection Agency
Thursday, March 22, 2007
Asthma in Children
One of the more difficult things in being a parent is to care for the health and well-being of our children. This no doubt causes many of us anxiety and to worry if are doing the right things to care for our children. One of the biggest problems we have is that children simply do not come with an operator's manual that explains everything that can go wrong.
A good example of this is found in dealing with respiratory illness and disorders. Kids seem to pick up and share every flu and other illness that makes an appearance at the local daycare or school. Our job is parents is to determine if our sick child has one of those common flu-like illnesses or if the symptoms point to something much more serious.
The problem with asthma is that the symptoms are often very similar to bronchitis and other very common respiratory infections.
Childhood Asthma Symptoms:
Coughing. Coughing is caused by a buildup of mucus in the bronchial tubes that needs to be cleared. Mucus is a good indication of a respiratory infection or irritation. Coughing however is symptomatic of many childhood and adult illnesses. Although coughing is a symptom, the type of cough plays a role in identifying and understanding the underlying cause. Simply put, a rattling or loose type cough can suggest one type of illness, while a tight or hacking cough can lead a medical doctor in a different direction. Understand that both types of coughing, indicate illness but it's the type of cough that helps a doctor accurately diagnose the problem .
Wheezing is a whistling type of sound that you can hear when your child breathes. Although most commonly associated with asthma, some do not wheeze while others without asthma have a tendency to wheeze when ill. Again, accurate diagnosis is critical to determine the cause and if it is asthma develop an effective treatment plan.
Chest Congestion and Tightness. Chest congestion is symptomatic of influenza, but can also indicate a more serious respiratory disease like asthma.
Shortness of Breath Many asthma sufferers experience shortness of breath so profound that they feel as if they're being smothered. This is serious because asthma actually constricts air passageways making it almost impossible to get enough air into the lungs
These signs and symptoms may indicate that your child is suffering from asthma. While as a parent you cannot be expected to understand how these various symptoms interact or be able to accurately diagnose and illness, your medical doctor can. If you suspect that your child has developed a respiratory illness, get them to the doctor as soon as practical and get an accurate diagnosis .
About the Author
Abigail Franks has done extensive research into Asthma,Allergies, and their triggers. Visit the Asthma site for more information on Asthma Symptoms and Asthma Treatments
Asthma is the number 1 cause of absenteism in the classroom. The asthma rate has triples - 20 -30 million Americans currently afflicted. Asthma is triggered by the products we use in our homes to keep them "clean" but at what cost?
-->
A good example of this is found in dealing with respiratory illness and disorders. Kids seem to pick up and share every flu and other illness that makes an appearance at the local daycare or school. Our job is parents is to determine if our sick child has one of those common flu-like illnesses or if the symptoms point to something much more serious.
The problem with asthma is that the symptoms are often very similar to bronchitis and other very common respiratory infections.
Childhood Asthma Symptoms:
Coughing. Coughing is caused by a buildup of mucus in the bronchial tubes that needs to be cleared. Mucus is a good indication of a respiratory infection or irritation. Coughing however is symptomatic of many childhood and adult illnesses. Although coughing is a symptom, the type of cough plays a role in identifying and understanding the underlying cause. Simply put, a rattling or loose type cough can suggest one type of illness, while a tight or hacking cough can lead a medical doctor in a different direction. Understand that both types of coughing, indicate illness but it's the type of cough that helps a doctor accurately diagnose the problem .
Wheezing is a whistling type of sound that you can hear when your child breathes. Although most commonly associated with asthma, some do not wheeze while others without asthma have a tendency to wheeze when ill. Again, accurate diagnosis is critical to determine the cause and if it is asthma develop an effective treatment plan.
Chest Congestion and Tightness. Chest congestion is symptomatic of influenza, but can also indicate a more serious respiratory disease like asthma.
Shortness of Breath Many asthma sufferers experience shortness of breath so profound that they feel as if they're being smothered. This is serious because asthma actually constricts air passageways making it almost impossible to get enough air into the lungs
These signs and symptoms may indicate that your child is suffering from asthma. While as a parent you cannot be expected to understand how these various symptoms interact or be able to accurately diagnose and illness, your medical doctor can. If you suspect that your child has developed a respiratory illness, get them to the doctor as soon as practical and get an accurate diagnosis .
About the Author
Abigail Franks has done extensive research into Asthma,Allergies, and their triggers. Visit the Asthma site for more information on Asthma Symptoms and Asthma Treatments
Asthma is the number 1 cause of absenteism in the classroom. The asthma rate has triples - 20 -30 million Americans currently afflicted. Asthma is triggered by the products we use in our homes to keep them "clean" but at what cost?
-->
Monday, March 19, 2007
Why Should I Worry
According to the EPA, most homes have airborne concentrations of hazardous chemicals that are two to five times higher indoors than outdoors.
According to the EPA, toxic chemicals found in the home are three times more likely to cause cancer than outdoor airborne pollutants.
The Consumer Product Safety Commission connects 150 chemicals commonly found in our homes to allergies, birth defects, cancer and psychological disorders.
The National Cancer Institute has a list of twenty known carcinogens and over 2,200 chemicals that are probable carcinogens. Many of these chemicals are in the cleaners and personal care products you buy at your local grocery store.
What can you do?
There are many safe products on the market... all you have to do is change brands of products.
Link about what you can do:
http://www.ahealthcafe.com/cgi-bin/team.cgi?id=Ma28353&action=show
According to the EPA, toxic chemicals found in the home are three times more likely to cause cancer than outdoor airborne pollutants.
The Consumer Product Safety Commission connects 150 chemicals commonly found in our homes to allergies, birth defects, cancer and psychological disorders.
The National Cancer Institute has a list of twenty known carcinogens and over 2,200 chemicals that are probable carcinogens. Many of these chemicals are in the cleaners and personal care products you buy at your local grocery store.
What can you do?
There are many safe products on the market... all you have to do is change brands of products.
Link about what you can do:
http://www.ahealthcafe.com/cgi-bin/team.cgi?id=Ma28353&action=show
Thursday, March 8, 2007
Cleaning Products
DID YOU KNOW?
* An EPA study revealed that toxic chemicals in household cleaners are three times
more likely to cause cancer than outdoor air.
* The Asthma Society of Canada has identified common household cleaners and
and cosmetics as triggers to asthma.
The vast majority of domestic cleaning products contain an abundance of toxic chemicals, most of which could seriously impact your health. Indeed, household cleaners are the major source of home toxins. Approximately 500,000 tons of liquid cleaners are washed down U.S. drains annually. These products are absorbed through the skin, breathed into the lungs, and eaten from plates with chemical residue following “cleaning.” Ingestion, of course, is always a danger as well, and the number-one cause of household poisoning is dish detergent.
Most cleaning products rely on petroleum-based surfactants, solvents and other chemicals, some of which are known to be acutely toxic in large doses. Others have been linked to reproductive illnesses and cancer. Most of these chemicals have not been tested for their impact on human health. Many household cleansers contain substances such as the highly toxic halogens chlorine and fluorine as well as glycol ether, naphtha, and kerosene, which are neurotoxins and central-nervous-system depressants. These substances can cause confusion, headaches, lack of concentration, and symptoms of mental illness.
Some of these products contain such a toxic cocktail of chemicals that the EPA has produced guides to help people choose environmentally friendly chemicals. Chemicals found in cleaning products are surfactants – substances that remove fat, proteins, and dust from clothes or surfaces to ensure that the fats and dirt dissolve in the washing water without sticking to the clothes or surface again. Many ordinary household products such as detergents, cleaning agents, dishwashing liquids, soaps, shampoos, and conditioners contain surfactants. These chemicals are well known to be toxic to fish and in aquatic systems. The toxicity of these surfactants on humans varies, but in many cases they can cause severe skin, eye, and respiratory harm. What’s more, when surfactants, which are classified as “inert” pesticide additives, are mixed with other active chemicals, they can hugely increase the toxicity of other chemicals – whether toxic chemicals in cleaning solutions or “active” pesticides in pest-control preparations.
The best thing to do is to clear them all out, and find healthier alternatives. What products are safe for my home? For more information click on: http://www.ahealthcafe.com/cgi-bin/team.cgi?id=Ma28353&action=show
Sources: Toxic Overload
Paula Baillie-Hamilton, M.D., Ph.D.
DID YOU KNOW?
* An EPA study revealed that toxic chemicals in household cleaners are three times
more likely to cause cancer than outdoor air.
* The Asthma Society of Canada has identified common household cleaners and
and cosmetics as triggers to asthma.
The vast majority of domestic cleaning products contain an abundance of toxic chemicals, most of which could seriously impact your health. Indeed, household cleaners are the major source of home toxins. Approximately 500,000 tons of liquid cleaners are washed down U.S. drains annually. These products are absorbed through the skin, breathed into the lungs, and eaten from plates with chemical residue following “cleaning.” Ingestion, of course, is always a danger as well, and the number-one cause of household poisoning is dish detergent.
Most cleaning products rely on petroleum-based surfactants, solvents and other chemicals, some of which are known to be acutely toxic in large doses. Others have been linked to reproductive illnesses and cancer. Most of these chemicals have not been tested for their impact on human health. Many household cleansers contain substances such as the highly toxic halogens chlorine and fluorine as well as glycol ether, naphtha, and kerosene, which are neurotoxins and central-nervous-system depressants. These substances can cause confusion, headaches, lack of concentration, and symptoms of mental illness.
Some of these products contain such a toxic cocktail of chemicals that the EPA has produced guides to help people choose environmentally friendly chemicals. Chemicals found in cleaning products are surfactants – substances that remove fat, proteins, and dust from clothes or surfaces to ensure that the fats and dirt dissolve in the washing water without sticking to the clothes or surface again. Many ordinary household products such as detergents, cleaning agents, dishwashing liquids, soaps, shampoos, and conditioners contain surfactants. These chemicals are well known to be toxic to fish and in aquatic systems. The toxicity of these surfactants on humans varies, but in many cases they can cause severe skin, eye, and respiratory harm. What’s more, when surfactants, which are classified as “inert” pesticide additives, are mixed with other active chemicals, they can hugely increase the toxicity of other chemicals – whether toxic chemicals in cleaning solutions or “active” pesticides in pest-control preparations.
The best thing to do is to clear them all out, and find healthier alternatives. What products are safe for my home? For more information click on: http://www.ahealthcafe.com/cgi-bin/team.cgi?id=Ma28353&action=show
Sources: Toxic Overload
Paula Baillie-Hamilton, M.D., Ph.D.
Monday, February 26, 2007
Cleaning Supplies
Toxic chemicals are all around us, in our homes, cars, work, and even supermarket. It is our job to limit the amount of toxic chemicals that enters our body. Exposure is the term for how toxic chemicals can enter our bodies. Exposure to toxic chemicals can occur through three ways, ingestion, inhalation, and absorption.
Chemicals are ingested through eating items that have chemicals on them. One common way toxic chemicals are ingested is through not adequately washing fruits and vegetables before eating. Inhalation occurs through breathing in chemicals. Chemicals can become suspended in the air and easily breathed in, the smaller the chemicals the deeper in the lung the chemical can go and the more harm they can cause. We breathe in toxic chemicals all day with the use of aerosol or spray cans. Absorption can occur when toxic chemicals come in contact with our skin. Our skin is a great barrier, but chemicals are still able to penetrate through skin or easily enter through cuts on our skin.
Cleaning is not something most of us enjoy, but it is part of life. Cleaning can expose us to very toxic chemicals found in common cleaning supplies sold in stores. When we clean we are exposed to chemicals through ingestion, inhalation, and absorption. Ingestion can occur by spraying toxic chemicals near food that is out on the counter. Inhalation through breathing after cleaner has been sprayed. Absorption can occur when we are wiping anything down with toxic chemicals and they touch our skin.
For more information on how to reduce the toxic chemicals we are exposed to and create healthy homes go to:
http://www.ahealthcafe.com/cgi-bin/team.cgi?id=Ma28353&action=show
Toxic chemicals are all around us, in our homes, cars, work, and even supermarket. It is our job to limit the amount of toxic chemicals that enters our body. Exposure is the term for how toxic chemicals can enter our bodies. Exposure to toxic chemicals can occur through three ways, ingestion, inhalation, and absorption.
Chemicals are ingested through eating items that have chemicals on them. One common way toxic chemicals are ingested is through not adequately washing fruits and vegetables before eating. Inhalation occurs through breathing in chemicals. Chemicals can become suspended in the air and easily breathed in, the smaller the chemicals the deeper in the lung the chemical can go and the more harm they can cause. We breathe in toxic chemicals all day with the use of aerosol or spray cans. Absorption can occur when toxic chemicals come in contact with our skin. Our skin is a great barrier, but chemicals are still able to penetrate through skin or easily enter through cuts on our skin.
Cleaning is not something most of us enjoy, but it is part of life. Cleaning can expose us to very toxic chemicals found in common cleaning supplies sold in stores. When we clean we are exposed to chemicals through ingestion, inhalation, and absorption. Ingestion can occur by spraying toxic chemicals near food that is out on the counter. Inhalation through breathing after cleaner has been sprayed. Absorption can occur when we are wiping anything down with toxic chemicals and they touch our skin.
For more information on how to reduce the toxic chemicals we are exposed to and create healthy homes go to:
http://www.ahealthcafe.com/cgi-bin/team.cgi?id=Ma28353&action=show
Monday, February 19, 2007
Cancer Causing Chemicals in Your Home
CANCER CAUSING CHEMICALS IN YOUR HOME
When I was diagnosed with Non Hodgkin’s Lymphoma in 2000 it was like a bomb went off and the blast knocked me off my feet. Trust me you are never prepared to hear the news that you have cancer. Your mind goes into overdrive thinking about all the questions you need answers for. You sit in your doctor’s office and try to absorb what he is telling you but it’s like there is cotton in your ears and everything seems out of focus and far away. What you are thinking is “am I going to die?” I can’t die now, who will watch over my husband, who will help my daughters plan their weddings, I’m too young, I have too much living to be done. During all of this you have to decide on treatment. I want this cancer gone so I will have chemo.
During my treatment and about a year after it, I had to focus on one day at a time. I could get through one day because things would be a little better tomorrow. Right from the start I wanted to know what caused the cancer in me and where did it come from. My doctor had told me that they really couldn’t pin point one thing but that the chemicals, pesticides and insecticides that we live with each day contribute toward many cancers. As I was getting better I looked for articles on the causes of cancer but soon my daily activities and work took over and I put “cancer” in a compartment at the back of my mind.
In 2005 I was diagnosed with Breast Cancer bringing “cancer” back to the front of the line. I was again told that one of the causes was the chemicals that are in products we use in our homes every day. Again I battled thru chemo and fought to regain my life but this time I am keeping cancer out in the open.
I have read many articles about what is really in my household cleaning and personal care products that I use every day and they have shocked me but more than that they have made me mad. I am mad because unlike food and drugs, cosmetic and home cleaning products like fabric softener are largely unregulated due in part to an incorrect assumption that their chemicals are not really absorbed into the body. The basic argument – which the giant corporations are more than happy to repeat – is that such chemicals could not be absorbed through the skin because the skin is a strong barrier against external agents.
In reality, nearly every chemical that touches the skin finds its way into the body and into the bloodstream. It certainly may do so in small quantities, but fact is families don’t use fabric softeners, dryer sheets and all the other popular household chemicals once or twice – they use them repeatedly.
Dryer sheets and fabric softeners are often advertised to give your laundry an “April Fresh” scent but they left out the fact that they contain carcinogens and toxic chemicals. The fresh and clean smells associated with these products are completely artificial fragrances that are required to cover up the stench of all the chemicals in typical dryer sheets (chemicals used for fabric softness and eliminating static cling.)
Here is a list of just some of the chemicals found in popular fabric softeners and dryer sheets:
BENZYL ACETATE: Linked to pancreatic cancer
BENZYL ALCOHOL: Upper respiratory tract irritant
ETHANOL: On the EPA’s Hazardous Waste list and can cause central
nervous system damage
A-TERPINEOL: Can cause respiratory problems, including fatal edema,
and central nervous system damage
CHAMPHOR: Causes central nervous system disorders
I started this blog with the intent of condensing the articles I’ve read and getting the information about toxins in our homes to mothers and fathers who are too busy to research this on their own. To get more information and learn what you can do to keep these toxins out of your home click on this link:
http://www.ahealthcafe.com/cgi-bin/team.cgi?id=Ma28353&action=show
Sources: http://www.sixwise.com/
When I was diagnosed with Non Hodgkin’s Lymphoma in 2000 it was like a bomb went off and the blast knocked me off my feet. Trust me you are never prepared to hear the news that you have cancer. Your mind goes into overdrive thinking about all the questions you need answers for. You sit in your doctor’s office and try to absorb what he is telling you but it’s like there is cotton in your ears and everything seems out of focus and far away. What you are thinking is “am I going to die?” I can’t die now, who will watch over my husband, who will help my daughters plan their weddings, I’m too young, I have too much living to be done. During all of this you have to decide on treatment. I want this cancer gone so I will have chemo.
During my treatment and about a year after it, I had to focus on one day at a time. I could get through one day because things would be a little better tomorrow. Right from the start I wanted to know what caused the cancer in me and where did it come from. My doctor had told me that they really couldn’t pin point one thing but that the chemicals, pesticides and insecticides that we live with each day contribute toward many cancers. As I was getting better I looked for articles on the causes of cancer but soon my daily activities and work took over and I put “cancer” in a compartment at the back of my mind.
In 2005 I was diagnosed with Breast Cancer bringing “cancer” back to the front of the line. I was again told that one of the causes was the chemicals that are in products we use in our homes every day. Again I battled thru chemo and fought to regain my life but this time I am keeping cancer out in the open.
I have read many articles about what is really in my household cleaning and personal care products that I use every day and they have shocked me but more than that they have made me mad. I am mad because unlike food and drugs, cosmetic and home cleaning products like fabric softener are largely unregulated due in part to an incorrect assumption that their chemicals are not really absorbed into the body. The basic argument – which the giant corporations are more than happy to repeat – is that such chemicals could not be absorbed through the skin because the skin is a strong barrier against external agents.
In reality, nearly every chemical that touches the skin finds its way into the body and into the bloodstream. It certainly may do so in small quantities, but fact is families don’t use fabric softeners, dryer sheets and all the other popular household chemicals once or twice – they use them repeatedly.
Dryer sheets and fabric softeners are often advertised to give your laundry an “April Fresh” scent but they left out the fact that they contain carcinogens and toxic chemicals. The fresh and clean smells associated with these products are completely artificial fragrances that are required to cover up the stench of all the chemicals in typical dryer sheets (chemicals used for fabric softness and eliminating static cling.)
Here is a list of just some of the chemicals found in popular fabric softeners and dryer sheets:
BENZYL ACETATE: Linked to pancreatic cancer
BENZYL ALCOHOL: Upper respiratory tract irritant
ETHANOL: On the EPA’s Hazardous Waste list and can cause central
nervous system damage
A-TERPINEOL: Can cause respiratory problems, including fatal edema,
and central nervous system damage
CHAMPHOR: Causes central nervous system disorders
I started this blog with the intent of condensing the articles I’ve read and getting the information about toxins in our homes to mothers and fathers who are too busy to research this on their own. To get more information and learn what you can do to keep these toxins out of your home click on this link:
http://www.ahealthcafe.com/cgi-bin/team.cgi?id=Ma28353&action=show
Sources: http://www.sixwise.com/
Tuesday, February 6, 2007
Cancer Causing Toxins We Use Everyday
Have We Always Been This Sick?
- One in three Americans will suffer with cancer.
- Cancer is the number 2 killer of adults and the leading cause of disease in children.
- Birth defects are on the rise.
- Infertility is increasing - over 2 million couples unable to conceive.
- Asthma rate has tripled - 20-30 million Americans currently afflicted.
- Attention Deficit Disorder in adults and children is rising.
In 2000 I was diagnosed with Non-Hodgkin’s Lymphoma and in 2005 with Breast Cancer. There wasn’t a history of these cancers in my family so I wanted to know what caused them. My doctor explained that the chemicals and pesticides we use to keep our homes “clean” and for personal care are believed to be partly responsible for many cancers.
One of these toxins is Formaldehyde and according to the International Agency for Research on Cancer it is a cancer-causing substance. The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) classifies it as a probable human carcinogen. You are exposed to this poisonous substance by inhaling its’ vapors or absorbing liquids that contain it through the skin. Some of the common sources in your home are:
Shampoo,
Toothpaste,
Mascara,
Cosmetics,
After shave,
Air fragrances
According to the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission as few as 0.1 parts per million of formaldehyde can cause watery eyes, burning sensation in the eyes, nose & throat, stuffy nose, nausea, coughing, chest tightness, wheezing, skin rashes and allergic reactions.
To guard your health and that of your children, get more information and learn what you can do to decrease your exposure to formaldehyde and other toxins click on:
http://www.ahealthcafe.com/cgi-bin/team.cgi?id=Ma28353&action=show
Sources: Environmental Protection Agency: Formaldehyde
- One in three Americans will suffer with cancer.
- Cancer is the number 2 killer of adults and the leading cause of disease in children.
- Birth defects are on the rise.
- Infertility is increasing - over 2 million couples unable to conceive.
- Asthma rate has tripled - 20-30 million Americans currently afflicted.
- Attention Deficit Disorder in adults and children is rising.
In 2000 I was diagnosed with Non-Hodgkin’s Lymphoma and in 2005 with Breast Cancer. There wasn’t a history of these cancers in my family so I wanted to know what caused them. My doctor explained that the chemicals and pesticides we use to keep our homes “clean” and for personal care are believed to be partly responsible for many cancers.
One of these toxins is Formaldehyde and according to the International Agency for Research on Cancer it is a cancer-causing substance. The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) classifies it as a probable human carcinogen. You are exposed to this poisonous substance by inhaling its’ vapors or absorbing liquids that contain it through the skin. Some of the common sources in your home are:
Shampoo,
Toothpaste,
Mascara,
Cosmetics,
After shave,
Air fragrances
According to the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission as few as 0.1 parts per million of formaldehyde can cause watery eyes, burning sensation in the eyes, nose & throat, stuffy nose, nausea, coughing, chest tightness, wheezing, skin rashes and allergic reactions.
To guard your health and that of your children, get more information and learn what you can do to decrease your exposure to formaldehyde and other toxins click on:
http://www.ahealthcafe.com/cgi-bin/team.cgi?id=Ma28353&action=show
Sources: Environmental Protection Agency: Formaldehyde
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