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Articles that Matter
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Protect Our Children
Take those
so-called air fresheners. According to a study published in New Scientist
in 1999, in homes where aerosol sprays and air fresheners were used
frequently, mothers experienced 25 percent more headaches and were 19
percent more likely to suffer from depression, and infants under six
months of age had 30 percent more ear infections and 22 percent higher
incidence of diarrhea. Other products that contaminate air include:
fragranced laundry detergents, fabric softener, and various products with
fragrance listed on their labels.
According to the Mayo Clinic- Dawn Dishwashing detergent contains
formaldehyde
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Ginny Caldwell (03/03/2003) |
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Additives What are They? |
"Natamycin - Pimaricin. An antifungal
produced from Streptomyces Natalensis from soil near Pietermaritburg, South
Africa, applied to the surface of cuts and slices of cheese to inhibit mold
spoilage at the rate of 200 to 300 ppm. As with any antibiotic added to the
food we eat, a resistance to other antibiotics given for illness may occur
after a period of time. Allergic reactions to these hidden antibiotics may
also be manifested."
"A Consumer's Dictionary of Food Additives" by Ruth Winter
See how they can twist words on a label? (Natural mold inhibitor =
antibiotic). -Michelle- |
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Ginny Calldwel (03/26/2003) |
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Heavy
Metal Harm |
Mercury is a persistent heavy metal,
processed into a liquid from mined cinnabar, that accumulates in water and
in the tissues of humans, fish and animals. It was declared a hazardous air
pollutant by the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) in 1971. According to
the federal Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry, long-term
human exposure to mercury in either organic or inorganic form "can
permanently damage the brain, kidneys, and developing fetuses." A potent
neurotoxin, mercury is slowly being phased out of many commercial uses,
including consumer thermometers, but it is still used in many industrial
processes and is in such products as fluorescent lights, home and appliance
thermostats, and even toys.
Ask most people about mercury in the environment and they're apt to think of
broken thermometers. But the truth is that industry, in the form of
coal-fired power plants, electric arc furnaces (which melt and recycle the
steel from old cars) and municipal waste incinerators are the major sources.
In landfills and in water, bacterial contamination turns mercury into its
most toxic form, methyl mercury. Mercury also gets into the environment in
pharmaceutical products, and through ritual religious uses, especially in
Latin American Santeria (see sidebar). Mercury sells for less than $2 a
pound on the wholesale market, and even when it is "recycled," it may still
end up in the environment.
Progress is being made to end some of mercury's more visible uses, but the
campaign is far from over. Five states have laws that either put some
restrictions on mercury use, sale or disposal or require labeling of
products containing it. Similar bills are pending in 15 state legislatures.
"Despite state and local bans, thousands of retailers still sell mercury
thermometers to consumers who aren't aware of the risks," says Felice
Stadler, policy coordinator of the National Wildlife Federation's Clean the
Rain campaign.
TO VIEW Clink on Following link
http://www.emagazine.com/may-june_2002/0502feat1.html |
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Jim Motavalli
(From emagazine.com)
(03/26/2003) |
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Are Women at Higher Risk for
Cancer? |
The answer is YES! The reasons are as
follows: We spend 90% of our time indoors, and 65% of that time at home.
Moms, infants and the elderly spend 90% of their time in the home. The
National Cancer Institute released results of a 15-year study concluding
that women who work in the home are at a 54% higher risk of developing
cancer than women who work outside the home. Cancer rates have almost
doubled since 1960. Cancer is the Number ONE cause of death for children.
There has been a 26% increase in breast cancer since 1982. Breast cancer is
the Number ONE killer of women between the ages of 35 and 54. Primary
suspects are laundry detergents, household cleaners and pesticides.
There has been a call from the U.S. / Canadian Commission on Chemicals to
ban bleach in North America. Bleach is being linked to the rising rates of
breast cancer in women, reproductive problems in men and learning and
behavioral problems in children. Chemicals get into our body through
inhalation, ingestion and absorption. We breathe 10 to 20 thousand liters of
air per day.
Chemical and environmental sensitivities are known to cause all types of
headaches. The effects of these Chemicals are cumulative. Just as one
cigarette doesn’t give someone Lung Cancer, it would be false reasoning To
feel that using these products for years and not being sick means they
aren’t harmful!
Labeling laws do not protect the consumer - they protect big business. The
New York Poison Control Center reports that 85% of product warning labels
were either inadequate or incorrect for identifying a poison, and for first
aid instructions.
Formaldehyde, phenol, benzene, toluene, xylene are found in common Household
cleaners, cosmetics, beverages, fabrics and cigarette smoke. These chemicals
are cancer causing and toxic to the immune system. Chemicals are attracted
to, and stored in fatty tissue. The brain is a prime target for these
destructive organics because of its high fat content and very rich blood
supply. The National Institute of Occupational Safety and Health has found
more than 2500 chemicals in cosmetics that are toxic, cause tumors,
reproductive complications, biological mutations and skin and eye
irritations. Fibromyalgia, chronic fatigue syndrome, arthritis, lupus,
multiple sclerosis, circulatory disorders, Alzheimer’s, Parkinson’s disease,
irritable bowel syndrome, depression, and hormonal problems are diseases
commonly related to chemical exposure.
Manufacturers ARE NOT required to list the exact ingredients on a label.
Chemical names are often disguised by using “trade names”, so you may not
recognize the chemical for what it truly is! A women’s fertility has also
been negatively affected by the increase use of chemicals. In 1934 only 21
cases of endometriosis existed in the entire world. Today over 5 million
women have this condition, which causes infertility in the US alone.
Note: One other aspect to consider - and it not a minor one at all - is the
high probability that women who wear a bra washed in harsh detergents (&
synthetic underwear in general) continually wear a TOXIC SKIN PATCH! Now
that is a daring statement and we explain... Most modern laundry detergents
are still alkaline-based with fancy ingredient names such as washer
protection agents, processing aids and brightening agents. Simply put,
however, the main ingredients are salt, sand and acid. The water softeners
are aluminosilicates which are aluminum-based salts. Aluminum has been
identified as a likely contributor to breast cancer!
Frequently-found “processing aids” are sodium sulfates which are a salt
derived from sulfuric acid - an effective drain cleaner. That is why washer
protection agents such as sodium silicate is included because it protects
your machine’s porcelain and metal from being eaten up by the “processing
acids”. Now, imagine what is happening to your clothes. Rinse water cannot
be 100% effective in removing these toxic ingredients because some of them -
such as fabric brightening agents - are formulated so that they can’t be
rinsed out! Since your clothes are in direct contact with your skin,
whatever they contain can be transferred into your body through the skin and
that is why clothes become a big, toxic dermal patch throughout your entire
life!
What can one do about this? The first step would be to either change to a
different, less toxic, laundry detergent or to eliminate detergents.
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(05/06/2003) |
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Why A Natural Fiber
Chemical Free Mattress? |
We spend almost a third of our lives
sleeping on a synthetic mattress full of polyurethane foam and/or other
petrochemical materials, covered with synthetic fabrics (such as polyester
or nylon) and treated with chemical fire retardants and formaldehyde.
These mattresses outgas over the years and emit potentially toxic substances
that you absorb into your skin and lungs which may cause allergic reactions
and a many other very serious health problems. Sleep problems, headaches,
and asthma to name just a few.
Creating a chemical-free environment should start with your bed so your body
can spend it's time doing it's job of repairing itself as you sleep.
BUYING A NATURAL MATTRESS: View our selection of high quality mattresses,
foundations, and futons
Innerspring
Innerspring with natural rubber pillow top
Natural Rubber
Futons
Is your Mattress Making You Sick?
There are no industry or government standards regarding the chemicals that
companies pump into mattresses, WPBF-TV in West Palm Beach reported. The
only government requirement is that mattresses must be flame-retardant,
which means many mattresses are packed with irritating chemicals like
pesticides and formaldehyde.
"Formaldehyde, unless they've changed it recently, is the major component in
embalming fluid," said allergist Dr. Dan Tucker. "It kills things. It kills
bacteria fungi -- and enough of it kills people."
Tucker said researchers don't know how chemicals in mattresses could affect
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