Monday, June 30, 2008

How Safe Are Your Cosmetics?


Or for that matter anything you use on your body? Check the Cosmetic Safety Database by the Environmental Working Group to find out. What you find may shock you. But all for the better- then you can toss your old personal care items and replace them with ones that are safe as soon as possible. I know that safe cosmetics can be a few dollars more expensive, but it is certainly worth that money as opposed to exposing you and your family to toxins. Remember, anything that touches your body is absorbed by your skin. Think- foundation, lotion, toothpaste, shampoo, soap, eye cream, hair gel...get started in your bathroom cabinet. And don't forget to look up the products you are using on your baby or child- never assume they are safe!

Saturday, June 28, 2008

Clean Your Entire House With Just THREE Things You Already Have


When I look down the "cleaning products" aisle in the grocery store, I cannot believe the products being marketed to the general public. It makes me sick that people are paying money to spread toxic chemicals around their home in the name of "cleaning". Especially people with young children who touch and lick almost everything (and are most vulnerable to toxins). Not that it's any better for you and me.

Sure, there are "green" cleaning products out there. I have never tried them because why spend the money? You can use exactly three things you already have to clean your entire house. Seriously.

1. WHITE VINEGAR


  • Mix a solution of one part vinegar and one part water in a spray bottle. This is your all purpose cleaner. Use this for countertops, tables, and pretty much any hard surface. Also use as a glass cleaner with a clean cloth. Dishcloths, old Tshirts and the like are good for this.

  • Mix very hot water with a cup of vinegar in a dishpan to clean hard floors.

2. BAKING SODA



  • Mix a little with water to form a paste and use this with a sponge or scrub brush to clean sinks, the bathtub and any hard surface that needs a little extra abrasion.

  • Sprinkle some in the toilet and use a toilet brush to clean.

  • Sprinkle some on hard to clean pots and pans and scrub.

3. OLIVE OIL



  • Use with a little on a clean cloth to dust and polish wood furniture.

Wednesday, June 25, 2008

Vaccines - Why Fear Sells

I like this article's slant. People are so pumped with fear on this issue that they don't even have the ability to cut through the curtain and look for the truth.


By Sherri Tenpenny, DO



It's interesting how a discussion about vaccination can quickly become heated and sometimes even hostile. Would the same debate rage over an antibiotic or an antihypertensive medicine if there was evidence the drug was causing harm? When it becomes obvious that thousands have been injured by a drug such as Vioxx, it is removed from the market. We stop the use of drugs until they are proven safe. And we sue.


Not so with vaccines. Vaccines are promoted with fanfare until they are statistically proven to cause harm to a large number of persons. The thousands of individuals who suffer from vaccine reactions in proportion to the millions who have been vaccinated are not considered to be a mathematically significant statistic. However, the more than $1billion that has been paid to vaccine-injured persons shows that safety is not all that is it promoted to be. Why the double standard?


Vaccination is built around a "belief system." We believe vaccines are safe; we believe vaccines are important to health; we believe the stories that vaccines are solely responsible for the elimination of smallpox and polio. And we really want to believe that our doctors have read all the available information on vaccines--pro and con--and are telling us the complete truth about vaccines.


However, belief is based on faith, not necessarily on fact. For example, we want to believe that vaccinating our children will keep them from getting sick with measles or chickenpox. However, there is a plethora of information documenting this is not necessarily so.


Why is there an almost desperate need to defend the current belief--and trust--in vaccines? The public’s view of disease seems to be similar to our current view on terrorism: Random attacks that are potentially deadly. The media hawks this view of childhood illnesses and the need for vaccines. Pharma sells it, doctors push it, and educational institutions reinforce it. They keep selling it because most readily buy into it, without question. There is a "just in case" or "better be safe than sorry" mentality when it comes to vaccination and illness with children.* After nearly 200 years of use, fear still sells vaccination.


What do we really know about vaccines? A review of the literature and the CDC documents reveals the following:


1. Vaccine safety studies are relatively small and include only healthy children. However when a vaccine trial has been completed, vaccines are given to ALL children, regardless of the condition of their health, family history or genetics.


2. Vaccine safety studies are short. Most clinical trials monitor for side effects a paltry 21 days, sometimes, it is only for 5 days. It can take months before immune system complications appear. This arbitrary deadline, established by the FDA, precludes associating vaccines with chronic health disorders. "Safe" is a designation given based on limited information.


3. Vaccine safety studies do not use a true placebo. One of the Gold Standards in medical research is the "placebo-controlled" trial. An inactive substance such as a sugar pill is given as a placebo to one group of participants, while the treatment group is given the new drug. The data is analyzed to compare the number of side effects that occurred in those given the drug compared to the numbers of side effects that occurred in those given the placebo. However, the "placebo" used in vaccine research is not an inert substance such as sterile water; it is another vaccine. Inert, sterile water doesn't cause a reaction; as substitute vaccine can. If both groups of babies in a trial have the same number of reactions, the study reports that the vaccine "is as safe as a placebo." This is deceptive science.


4. Vaccine-induced antibodies do not correlate with protection. In fact, the esteemed journal, Vaccine stated this clearly "…It is known that, in many instances, antigen-specific antibody titers do not correlate with protection." The full reference can be found at PMID: 11587808


Vaccination has been accepted as safe, effective and protective. The shots can be described as a medical "sacred cows," by definition, "a medical procedure unreasonably immune to criticism." The strong response is a reaction to a suggestion that the "cow" should be "sacrificed." It is heresy to suggest that the status quo is wrong.


When Copernicus insisted that the sun, not the earth, was the center of the solar system, it went against the philosophical and religious beliefs held during the medieval times. When two other Italian scientists of the time, Galileo and Bruno, embraced Copernican theory their comments were considered blasphemous. Bruno was tried before the Inquisition, condemned and burned at the stake in 1600. Thirty years later, Galileo was brought forward and in front of his "Betters," was forced to renounce his beliefs under the threat of torture and death. Even after his confession, he was sentenced to imprisonment for the remainder of his days.


The more one investigates vaccination and studies the adverse effects that have been attributed to vaccines, the more one becomes a Copernican heretic, speaking out against the status quo can have deadly consequences. I have personally invested more than 8,000 hours in revealing the truth about vaccines. If the result of this inquiry and exposure is to be called a heretic, than I am in wonderful company.



http://ezinearticles.com/?Vaccines---Why-Fear-Sells&id=610035

Monday, June 23, 2008

The Weston Price Foundation


A friend led me to the Weston Price Foundation website. It is great nutritional resource- absolutely worth the read. It will make you think about food and more in a whole new way. In the future, I'm sure I will post articles from it that I feel are extra important because it's a lot to sift through and so much of value.

http://www.westonaprice.org/splash_2.htm

Wednesday, June 18, 2008

Got Vegetable Recipes?


This lady does!

I stumbled on her blog when looking for a new way to cook up green beans and boy, was I happy. About the blog, I mean. But the green beans were good too! I adore vegetables, although I am not the most creative in cooking them. So if you're like me, this is a real gem- it has SO many yummy and easy veggie recipes that are totally worth a look. It has helped me more than once when I've been in a pinch. Yay for vegetables!

http://kitchen-parade-veggieventure.blogspot.com/

Badger Products: I Really Can't Rave Enough!!!

I recently was looking for lavender lotion or oil to help my son fall asleep more easily and I came across Badger Sleep Balm. All of the ingredients in it are organic and there are no preservatives or chemicals of any kind:


Organic Extra Virgin Olive Oil, Natural Beeswax, Castor Oil, and Essential Oils of Bergamot, Ginger, Organic Rosemary, Lavender & Organic Balsam Fir


I thought I'd give it a try. Let's put it this way- it is amazing and lasts forever. And the smell- fabulous! So after using more of their stuff and loving it, I am totally hooked.They have such a great selection of soaps, suncreen, lip balms, body balms, baby products, body butter, oils, and more. A homegrown startup that makes natural products- my kind of company!

Check out their site- I am so psyched about this find!

http://www.badgerbalm.com/default.aspx

Tuesday, June 17, 2008

Slow Cooker Vegetarian Chili

Ingredients

  • 1 (28-ounce) can diced tomatoes
  • 1 cup reduced-sodium vegetable or chicken broth (and add 1 chicken bullion for richer, slightly saltier flavor)
  • 1 8oz tomato paste
  • 1 (15-ounce) can black beans, rinsed and drained
  • 1 (15-ounce) can white (cannellini) beans, rinsed and drained
  • 1 (15-ounce) can red kidney beans, rinsed and drained
  • 1 can of corn
  • 1 cup chopped onion
  • 1 or two bell peppers, seeded and chopped
  • 5 or 6 cloves garlic, minced
  • 1 tablespoons chili powder or cayenne pepper
  • 2 tablespoons dried oregano
  • 2 teaspoons ground cumin
  • 1 teaspoon ground coriander
  • Salt and freshly ground black pepper


(Or instead of all the spices, you can use Penzey's Adobo Mix)

Process

In a slow cooker, combine all ingredients. Cover and cook on LOW for 6 to 8 hours or on HIGH for 3 to 4 hours.

We love to eat this chili in a "bread boats". Take Italian bread, cut it in half horizontally and vertically so that it is in four quarters. Or any other kind of loaf that works to your liking! Hollow out the middle. Save the crumbs in the refridgerator or freezer for use in meatloaf or another dish later. Fill the loaf with chili and bake in the toaster oven or regular oven on 350 degrees for about 15 minutes. You can also add cheese on the top and let that melt while baking them.

Thursday, June 12, 2008

Coconut Oil: Diaper Rash Prevention, Treatment and Much More!

Coconut oil is such a wonderful condiment to have on hand!

Using it on a baby's skin is an easy, natural way to prevent and heal diaper rash. I've never had a diaper rash to contend with by using cloth diapers and coconut oil, thank goodness! To prevent them I wash my son with water and a reusable cloth wipe (cut from old T-shirts). To make sure he is extra dry, I use a blow drier on cool-shoot (never use it at regular heat!!!). Taking away any excess moisture is very important, I find. Then I apply coconut oil. It protects the area from being irritated by further secretions. (I am sure you could find other oils that work to your liking as well). What I enjoy about using coconut oil is that it is natural (unlike other diaper rash creams- even those that claim to be natural are usually not if you read the package). I also find other diaper creams to be goopy- coconout oil goes on smooth. And the best part is a little goes a LONG, LONG way.

I love to use coconut oil to moisturize or massage my son after his bath and my own skin and scalp too. In addition, it is an excellent nutritional supplement for babies, children and adults- or just for cooking!

Here are some great articles detailing the benefits of the oil:


Get yourself some today- it's worth it in SO many ways. Make sure to get organic, unrefined oil. Here's where I got mine:



Cloth Diapering: Easy, Economical and Chemical-Free



When I was pregnant with my son, my husband and I knew we wanted to use cloth diapers. Everything about cloth is positive, as far as I am concerned! Now, each time I wash and dry my son's diapers, I know that I'm doing something excellent for him and that makes me feel great inside. For those who want to use cloth, the challenge is settling on the way to do it that best suits your needs. There are so many products on the market that it can make your head spin- and seem complicated and expensive. So what is the cheapest and easiest method that will still stand up to wear and tear? I spent a good deal of time researching those very things and compiled some information for parents interested in cloth diapering. Here's how to get started.



What you need:



- 3 or 4 dozen indian or chinese prefolds (depending on how much you do laundry)

- 10 nylon pants

- a "snappi" or two (that is the fastener)

- a regular size kitchen garbage pail

- a waterproof laundry bag to line the pail



How to prep:



- Wash the diapers and dry them two or three times to get them to their full absorbancy.

- Stretch the snappi about 30-40 times to get it feeling more elastic and pliable.

- Line the garbage pail.



What you do:



- Fold on the diaper (there are plenty of sites to show you how to do this- just Google "cloth diaper folds").

- Fasten with snappi.

- Cover with nylon pants.



Clean-up:



- If the diaper has poop on it, swish it in toilet and rub clean (I keep a pair of rubber gloves nearby so I don't get my hands dirty). You don't need to do this if it is just a pee diaper.

-Throw the soiled diaper in the pail ( you don't have to throw the cover in if it's not soiled- I use the cover a few timese before tossing it in the pail).

- Sprinkle in a little baking soda. The pail doesn't need water- it won't smell and it's a lot less messy to do a dry pail than a wet pail.

- Once you're almost out of diapers or the pail is full, throw the bag and the diapers into the machine and wash them with Soap Nuts. Nuts that grow on trees that create soap- just throw them in the washer. Crazy, I know- look them up on Google! (I used to use Biokleen Powder which is natural. There are also other natural detergents on the market as well, which you can find in Whole Foods, for instance.) . Then dry- I personally hang them on a drying rack. You certainly could put them in the drier if you so desire- I just choose to save money/energy. Also, do not use a drier sheet if you choose the drier method. Not only do they make the diapers less absorbant, they are also FULL of chemicals. Really not needed.

- You may be wondering about bleach- I buy unbleached prefolds, so I don't need to bleach them. Bleach is harsh on the baby's skin and there is no need for it. So even if you can't buy unbleached prefolds for whatever reason, do not bleach your cloth diapers.



Specs:



- Indian or chinese prefolds are really, really absorbant and the cheapest to buy. Make sure you get 4x8x4 weave. The "8" means that the middle has 8 layers. Anything less will not be as absorbant and that means leakage. Wherever you buy the diapers, pay attention to that middle number. You will have to get at least two sets of diapers as your child grows. One size is for newborn -15lbs, then next size is for 15-35lbs. I found this site to have the cheapest prices.



http://store.nexternal.com/shared/StoreFront/default.asp?CS=clothdiape&StoreType=BtoC&Count1=592266261&Count2=509406685&ProductID=41&Target=products.asp



- Nylon diaper covers are the cheapest, other than plastic pants. Nylon actually breathes so it's much better than plastic...it also doesn't crack like the plastic pants would. There are several sizes you might need, but they are cheap, so it's not a big deal. You only need about 10 pants for each size. You don't change them at every diaper change because they won't be dirty. This site has the cheapest prices for nylon pants.



http://www.babybestbuy.com/diapering-nylon-pants-2.asp



- The Snappi you can buy anywhere. Cloth diapering sites sell them, but I got mine off Ebay for cheaper. They are great because you don't have to mess around with pins.



Prices:



- If you go this route, you will not spend more than $400 max. The actual figure depends on if your baby will be potty trained by the time he reaches 35lbs (if not, you'd need the third biggest size), if you buy 3 or 4 dozen, and the shipping. But over the course of 2+ years, you'd spend WAY more on disposables than $400. You should also figure in the cost of using the washing machine (and the drier if you do not choose to use a drying rack).



- Another way to keep costs down is to make your own reusable baby wipes. What I did is cut up old T-shirts into 5x7 inch rectangles. I use a spray bottle to spray water on to the wipe (or my son's bum, if there's a big poop!) and clean with that. Then I just throw it in the pail to be washed with the diapers. Soft and free- they are just great! And think of all the money you save on wipes.



-A good place to shop, if you know what you're looking for is http://www.diaperswappers.com/