Can you believe that?
In 1912 Beyer marketed Heroin as a cough suppressant.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Heroin – mediaviewer/File:Bayer_Heroin_bottle.jpg
We do NOT recommend any commercial over the top cough syrup for kids. If you must, try honey (for kid > 1 yr) or turmeric milk.
Researchers in Sweden studied nearly 300 non-smoking hairdressers and those who often used light colored hair dyes or hair-waving products on clients had more potentially cancer-causing compounds in their blood than hairdressers who used the chemicals less frequently. Specifically, toluidine compounds in the blood increased with exposure to perm chemicals and permanent light hair dyes.
In the late 1970s, regulatory actions were taken in Europe and carcinogenic aromatic amines were forbidden for use as hair dye ingredients. But it still shows up in hair colors.
SO WHAT DO YOU DO?
Exposure to o-toluidine should be eliminated since it is a carcinogen.
· If you must use color, use gloves to minimize exposure to chemicals in dyes and change to fresh gloves after mixing the dye, applying it and rinsing it.
· Use Shikakai as an alternate natural coloring agent.
Coal Tar Driveway Sealant
If you plan to seal your blacktop driveway, avoid coal tar–based sealants. They contain polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons, or PAHs, toxic compounds shown to cause cancer or other genetic mutations. When rainwater and other precipitation hit your driveway, the toxic chemicals run off into your yard and into your local drinking water supply.
Better Alternative: Gravel and other porous materialsare best for driveways because they allow rainwater to sink into the ground, where it gets filtered and doesn’t inundate water treatment plants.
Synthetic Pesticides
The Dirt: Chemical weed, fungus, and bug killers all fit under this category and should be avoided both inside and outside of your house. Researchers have linked these pesticides to various forms of cancer, including non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma; insecticides have been connected to brain damage in kids.
Better Alternative: Combating an indoor bug problem is as simple as cleaning up crumbs, sealing food in containers, and using wood shims and a caulking gun to fill pest entry points.
Antibacterial Soap
The Dirt: The antimicrobial chemical triclosan, used in some toothpastes and antibacterial soaps, is believed to disrupt thyroid function and hormone levels in people; when it mixes into wastewater, it can cause sex changes in aquatic life.
Better Alternative: Good old-fashioned soap and warm water will kill just as many germs
Synthetic Fragrances
The Dirt: Fragrance may be the most common type of chemical in your house. Used in laundry detergents, fabric softeners, dryer sheets, cleaning supplies, disinfectants, air fresheners, deodorizers, shampoos, hair sprays, gels, lotions, sunscreens, soaps, perfumes, powders, and scented candles—and dozens of other products you may not know about—fragrances are a class of chemicals that are well worth the time and effort to avoid. The term "fragrance" or "parfum" on personal-care-product labels can be a cover for hundreds of harmful chemicals known to be carcinogens, endocrine disrupters, and reproductive toxicants, even at low levels.
Better Alternative: Go the unscented route whenever possible, especially with soaps and detergents.
Harsh Cleaning Products
Ammonia can trigger asthma attacks, and harsh oven cleaners and drain openers can cause respiratory damage or burn the skin of children who come into contact with them.
Better Alternative: Save tons of money by turning to Grandma’s homemade cleaning concoctions, including a general cleaning solution of one part white vinegar and nine parts water. This will kill up to 90 percent of bacteria and many spores.
Nonstick Cookware and Bakeware
synthetic material known as perfluoroalkyl acid, a class of chemicals that have been linked to ADHD, high cholesterol, and thyroid disease. They’re also potentsperm killers and are suspected of contributing to female infertility.
Better Alternative: Opt for safer cookware like made-in-America cast iron, glass or stainless steel
Vinyl
The Dirt:Some environmental health groups have dubbed vinyl the "poison plastic," due to its harmful production process and its effects on humans. Vinyl is laced with phthalates, chemical plastic softeners linked to hormone disruption, stunted growth, obesity, and other health problems, as well as low IQs.
Better Alternative: When it’s time to replace flooring in your home, opt for wood, bamboo, or cork that’s Forest Stewardship Council (FSC) certified or for real linoleum, instead of vinyl. Avoid plastic shower-curtain liners, as well as fake leather furniture, clothing, and accessories, to cut down on phthalate exposure. (Try hemp or organic cotton shower curtains.)
Flame-retardant chemicals can be found in electronics, carpets, carpet padding, and furniture foam. They’ve been associated with a wide range of health problems, including infertility, thyroid problems, learning disabilities, and hormone disruption.
Better Alternative: When shopping for new furniture, call the manufacturer and ask if it contains flame retardants. If you see a tag that says "complies with California Technical Bulletin 117," avoid bringing home that piece of furniture
Bisphenol A, or BPA, is a hormone-disrupting chemical linked to male infertility, diabetes, heart disease, aggressive behavior in children, and other ills. The chemical is used in some No. 7 plastic bottles and most canned-food containers Opt for fresh or frozen fruits and veggies, and bypass cans as often as possible. Don’t store or microwave food or beverages in plastic containers.
VOCs
Nasty indoor air-polluting culprits, volatile organic compounds, or VOCs, could be trashing your indoor air, especially in the kitchen, the basement, or even the laundry room. (Scented, petroleum-based laundry detergents contain high levels of VOCs.) These hazardous chemicals are linked to asthma and, in some instances, even cancer, and they add to indoor air pollution. Pressed wood and particleboard cabinets and other furniture are big emitters of the VOC (and carcinogen) formaldehyde in the home, too.
Choose unscented, plant-based detergents, or go old-school and use castile soap or washing soda and borax to clean your clothing. For new paint projects, choose readily available no-VOC paint
Dry-Cleaning Chemicals
cleaning chemical of choice in this country remains perchloroethylene, also known as PCE, or perc. This chemical is classified a probable carcinogen and is linked to kidney, liver, and central nervous system damage. It’s not something you want to wear or have holed up in your home closet.
You can work around "Dry Clean Only" instructions on clothing tags.
Source: Rodale news and Jessica Alba’s fact-filled book, The Honest Life, for easy ways to detox your cleaning, shopping, and cosmetics routines, too
Subway, one of the world’s biggest bread bakers says it’s in the process of removing the chemical known as Azodiacarbonamide from its sandwich breads.
Subway’s announcement follows a petition that Vani Hari, an activist, recently launched that asked Subway to stop using Azodiacarbonamide in its bread. The ingredient is banned in the UK, Europe and Australia.
Continuing her activism, Vani was able to convince Chick-fil-A to become antibiotic-free within 5 years.
Now look at the shocking finds by her team in Beer
Source: FDA
1. FDA DOES NOT HAVE TO APPROVE ALL COSMETICS BEFORE THEY GO ON THE MARKET.
Unlike drug companies, cosmetic companies may use almost any ingredient they choose, with these exceptions:
· There are a few substances that are not allowed to be used in cosmetics.
· All color additives must be approved for their intended use. For example, a particular color additive may only be used in an eye shadow if it is approved for cosmetic use, including the area of the eyes. Many colors even have to be "certified" by FDA. That means that samples from each batch must pass special testing for purity in FDA’s own labs before they may be used.
· If a product or its ingredients have not been shown to be safe, the product is supposed to have this warning statement on the label:
"Warning: The safety of this product has not been determined."
2. USING MASCARA THE WRONG WAY CAN CAUSE EYE INJURIES AND INFECTIONS – EVEN BLINDNESS.
The most serious risk from mascara is scratching your eye with the mascara wand, then getting an infection from germs on the wand.
To use mascara safely, follow these rules:
· Never apply mascara in a car, bus, plane or any other moving vehicle. It’s easy to scratch your eye if you hit a bump or come to a sudden stop.
· If mascara gets dried up, don’t add water or – even worse – (yuck) spit into it to moisten it. This can add germs that may grow and cause an infection.
· As mascara gets old, it is more likely to have germs growing in it. Throw it out after three months.
· Don’t share mascara – not even with your best friend. You might be sharing germs that way.
· Remove all mascara, and any other make-up, before you go to bed. Bits of mascara can flake into your eyes and cause an infection.
3. IT’S NOT OK TO USE HAIR DYES ON YOUR EYEBROWS AND EYELASHES.
Never use hair dyes on the eyebrows and eyelashes. Doing this can cause blindness.
There are approved, safe colors for mascara and eyebrow pencils, but no hair dyes are approved for tinting or dyeing the eyebrows or eyelashes.
4. TATTOOS ARE GENERALLY PERMANENT.
Lasers have made it easier to lighten tattoos, but it’s not as easy or as reliable as many people think.
Lightening a tattoo generally takes several treatments and can be expensive.
Also, some tattoo colors are harder to remove than others. Laser treatments can turn some tattoos darker instead of lighter, or change them to a different color.
The same goes for "permanent makeup," which is a kind of tattoo. It depends on what ingredients went into the tattoo ink to produce the color.
But it can be hard to find out what’s in tattoo inks because they usually don’t have ingredients listed on the label.
Very often, even the tattooist doesn’t know what’s in the tattoo ink because the company that made it considers the formula a trade secret.
FDA has not approved any color additives for injection into your skin.
Although it happens only very rarely, some people may have an allergic reaction to the dyes used for tattooing. Imagine being allergic to something that’s been injected into your skin.
Speaking of forever, how often do you change your mind about your hair, your earrings, or the clothes you like to wear? It’s not so easy when you change your mind about a tattoo.
Although many "temporary tattoos" are legal, some — especially some of those imported from other countries — are illegal in the United States because they use color additives that are not approved for use on the skin.
FDA has had reports of people having allergic reactions to temporary tattoos.
What about henna temporary tattoos? Henna is a brown to reddish brown dye made from a plant. It is approved only for use on the hair, not the skin. If it is black, or any other color besides brown or reddish brown, it contains other ingredients. It also may contain other ingredients to make the stain darker, make the skin absorb the color more easily, or make the stain last longer.
Could these ingredients hurt you? It depends. Individuals are different and may be sensitive to different things. If you don’t know what the ingredients are, it’s impossible to tell what they might do if you put them on your skin.
5. "CRUELTY FREE" OR "NOT TESTED IN ANIMALS" DOES NOT MEAN THAT NO ANIMAL TESTING WAS DONE ON THE PRODUCT AND ITS INGREDIENTS.
Even if a product never was tested in animals, there’s a very good chance its ingredients were.
6: IF A PRODUCT IS LABELED "ALL NATURAL" OR "ORGANIC," IT’S PROBABLY NOT HYPOALLERGENIC.
Remember, poison ivy is all natural, too!
Another example, lanolin, from sheep’s wool, is a common natural ingredient in some moisturizers that sometimes causes allergic reactions.
CHOOSING PRODUCTS WITH THE CLAIM "DERMATOLOGIST TESTED" IS NOT A WAY TO AVOID AN ALLERGIC REACTION OR OTHER SKIN IRRITATION.
"Dermatologist tested" doesn’t really tell you much:
· Did the dermatologist work for the manufacturer?
· How many people was the product tested on?
· How long did the testing last?
· What were the results of the testing?
KEY TAKEAWAY
Avoid all chemicals on your skin as much as possible.
Environmental Working Group, an environmental health advocacy organization has released a list of 12 of the worst hormone-disrupting chemicals. These chemicals affects, mimics or interfere with the actions of hormones in the human body.
· Bisphenol A (BPA): Found commonly in plastics. Health problems include obesity, early puberty and miscarriage.
· Dioxin: Found in animal fatty tissue. It is linked to lower sperm count and other reproductive system effects. Chronic exposure to dioxins has been linked to immunological problems and cancer.
· Atrazine: Could cause tumors, delayed puberty and prostate inflammation.
· Phthalates: found in detergents, plastic clothes, raincoats and personal care products, such as soaps, shampoos and nail polishes. Can affect the human reproductive system.
· Perchlorate: found in many produce and milk products. Affects the ability of the thyroid gland to make hormones.
· Polybrominated diphenyl ethers (PBDEs) or Fire retardants: disrupt thyroid activity, and lowers IQ.
· Lead: linked to brain damage, lower IQ, hearing loss and nervous system problems and lowers sex hormone level.
· Perfluorinated chemicals (PFCs): found in no-stick cookware. linked to lower sperm quality, low birth weight and thyroid disease.
· Mercury: primarily found in fishes and seafood. Interferes with fetal brain development, woman’s ovulation, and can damage insulin producing cells in the pancreas.
· Arsenic: Enters through pesticides. Increases risks of bladder, lung and skin cancers.
· Organophosphate Pesticides: Affects brain development, behavior, fertility, and testosterone levels.
· Glycol ethers: Used as solvents in paints and cleaning products; lowers sperm count, aggravates asthma and allergies in children
WHAT DO YOU DO?
· Buying organic produce.
· Avoid meat and seafood – which tend to accumulate these chemicals. Eat more vegetables and fruits.
· If you have to, consume only low mercury fishes.
· Use a filter (like reverse osmosis) for drinking water.
· Avoid food contact with Plastics. Use ceramic, glass or stainless steel instead.
· avoid plastic food containers and plastic wrap made from PVC
· Avoid Personal care products that list “fragrance” as an ingredient
· Consume enough iodine in the diet to reduce the effects of Perchlorate
· Avoid products with the ingredients 2-butoxyethanol (EGBE) and methoxydiglycol (DEGME)
Source: http://www.ewg.org/, Livescience, Other
Women with the highest BPA levels were found to be 80 percent more likely to have a first trimester miscarriage than those in the group with the lowest BPA levels. BPA exposure increases the risk of both genetically normal and genetically abnormal miscarriages, which suggests that BPA may work in multiple ways to increase miscarriage risk.
WHAT IS BPA?
Bisphenol A (BPA) is the primary component in polycarbonate plastic and is used in the resin lining of most food and beverage cans. It is an industrial chemical that mimics estrogen.
HEALTH EFEFCTS OF BPA
BPA is similar in structure to the hormone estrogen, so there is a thought that it may bind to estrogen receptors in the body and disrupt hormone signaling.
· Pre-cancerous changes in the mammary and prostate glands;
· Altered brain development causing behavioral abnormalities and earlier onset of puberty;
· Reproductive abnormalities such as lower sperm counts, hormonal changes, enlarged prostate glands, and abnormalities in the number of chromosomes in eggs;
· Obesity and with insulin resistance, a condition that commonly precedes the development of diabetes.
But here is the kicker, The federal Food and Drug Administration says BPA is safe.
SOURCES OF BPA
BPA is used in the resin lining of all food and beverage cans.
It is the principal building block of polycarbonate plastic and is used in a wide range of products, including clear plastic baby bottles and sippy cups, clear plastic water bottles, and other kitchen plastics such as measuring cups, drinkware and storage containers.
BPA is also found in some dental sealants and fillings, medical devices, paints, epoxy adhesives and cash register receipts.
Most people have BPA in their urine, which suggests that the chemical leaches out of the packaging of foods or drinks and into the body.
KEY TAKEAWAY
For more information on what other federal agencies are doing related to BPA, visit the following websites and search for “bisphenol A.”
· BPA-Related Journal Articles and Stories
· Consumer Product Safety Commission
· U.S. Food and Drug Administration
· U.S. Environmental Protection Agency
Source: NRDC, News, NIH, FDA, others
What do you know about food additives?
Read this (below) and think!
Is it still safe to take our kids on a weekly pilgrimage to the local McDonalds or fast food joint?
Don’t get alarmed. Just act!
Before you walk down the Health and Beauty aisle for a lip gloss or shampoo for your child, take a peek at this from the Cosmetology School. Pretty eye opening
LIPSTICK AND KIDS
STUDY
Testing of 32 commonly sold lipsticks and lip glosses found they contain lead, cadmium, chromium, aluminum and five other metals — some at potentially toxic levels, according to researchers at the University of California-Berkeley’s School of Public Health. Its findings appear in the peer-reviewed journal Environmental Health Perspectives.
"This study is saying, ‘FDA, wake up and pay attention,’ "
When not blotted on tissue or left as kiss marks, lipstick and lip gloss are ingested or absorbed by the user. For even the average user, the study found that some of the lipsticks could result in excessive exposure to chromium, a carcinogen linked to stomach tumors.
WHAT CAN YOU DO ABOUT IT?
Use less. Especially, don’t use beauty products on kids.
Since no level of lead exposure is considered safe for children, we discourages kids from playing with lipstick or using it for beauty contests or as substitute for candy.
A NEW TREND IN ADDICTION AMONG KIDS
STUDY:
A study from Drugfree.org suggest that only 14% of the parents have discussed abuse of prescription drugs with their kids. One in four teens in the study said they had misused or abused a prescription drug at least once. One in eight teens report misusing or abusing the drugs Ritalin or Adderall. Some parents didn’t see a significant risk in teens misusing prescription drugs. More shockingly, some kids are having “skittles parties,” where the teens throw all the pills they poach from home into a big bowl, mix them up and then take a few without knowing exactly what they were ingesting.
WHAT CAN YOU DO?
Talk to your kid about the dangers and risk of prescription drugs. They are just as potent and in some cases, more deadly a chemical than street drugs.
Lock away unsafe drugs in a cabinet and keep track of it.
Keep an eye on your kid’s habit and know their friends. As the famous saying goes “You are, the company you keep”.
For more read “The Partnership at Drugfree.org”
STUDY:
The finding in the journal Diabetologia is based on an analysis of data collected from more than 28,000 people in Denmark, France, Germany, Italy, the Netherlands, Spain, Sweden and the United Kingdom.
The study found an association between consumption of sugar-sweetened soft drinks and heightened risk of type 2 diabetes. Consumption of pure or diluted fruit juice was not significantly associated with diabetes risk, according to the report.
The 22 percent increased risk of diabetes among Europeans who drink sugar-sweetened soft drinks is similar to previous research showing that North Americans who consume these types of beverages have a 25 percent increased risk of diabetes, the researchers said in a journal news release.
SO WHAT?
Diabetes is very serious disease. Ask someone suffering from it and you will hear horror stories of its effect on blood vessels, lungs, eyes and wound healing. Additionally, since it is non reversible (in most cases) one has to live with-in limits for the rest of the life. Would you ever wish that on your worst enemy?
No! So why do we let our children knowing or unknowingly consume so much sugar.
Do you realize that there are 16 stacks of sugar cubes in one soda?
ACT:
a) Avoid Soda. In fact cut out soda from any parties or restaurant meal and replace it with water or fresh fruit juices instead. This is what we do in our family.
b) Check the labels on your food items to find the level of sugar. To learn more, check out: http://www.sugarstacks.com/
c) Minimize use of white sugar and substitute with natural sweeteners like honey, dates etc.
But before we go preaching to our kids, let us start by cutting soda and refined sugar out from our own diet.
A journey of a thousand mile, Lao Tzu says, starts with one step.
IS YOUR CHILD AT RISK FOR SKIN CANCER?
STUDY:
According to an epidemiologic study published online in Pediatrics, since the 1970s, the incidence of melanoma (Skin Cancer) has been rising about 2% per year in adolescents, similar to adults.
However they are not sure of the reasons for this increase. UVB exposure did not appear to be the primary factor contributing to the increase in melanoma, the researchers noted. These data are consistent with those of previous studies that have reported increasing rates of melanoma in the pediatric populations of Australia, Sweden, and England.
OBSERVATION:
Melanoma was nearly twice as common in girls compared to boys overall (61% vs. 39%) with similar percentages within each age group (0-9 years, 10-14 years, and 15-19 years).
The incidence increased with age. The majority of melanomas – 77% – were diagnosed in adolescents aged 15-19 years.
The most frequent melanoma sites in girls were the lower limbs and hips.
Among boys, melanomas were most common on the skin of the face and trunk.
WHAT CAN YOU DO?
All significantly increasing trends for melanoma occurred in sun-exposed areas of the body. So cover your body. And use a high index SPF sun block cream when your kids go out in the sun.
Don’t allow your kids to tan. This finding also suggests that tanning facilities may instead be a major source of the increase in incidence.
For more information, read this.
A recent article in the newspaper screamed that ADHD diagnosis is rising in the US. 11% of the kids have ADHD.
The article points:
A.D.H.D. has historically been estimated to affect 3 to 7 percent of children. These new rates reflect a marked rise over the last decade and could fuel growing concern among many doctors that the A.D.H.D. diagnosis and its medication are overused in American children. About two-thirds of those with a current diagnosis receive prescriptions for stimulants like Ritalin or Adderall.
And even more teenagers are likely to be prescribed medication in the near future because theAmerican Psychiatric Association plans to change the definition of A.D.H.D. to allow more people to receive the diagnosis and treatment. the new rates suggest that millions of children may be taking medication merely to calm behavior or to do better in school. There’s a tremendous push where if the kid’s behavior is thought to be “abnormal “— if they’re not sitting quietly at their desk — that’s pathological, instead of just childhood.
So who benefits:
The pharmaceutical industry. Sales of stimulants to treat A.D.H.D. have more than doubled to $9 billion in 2012 from $4 billion in 2007, according to the health care information company IMS Health.
And what is worse, parents don’t even realize that they are being manipulated. Several doctors recently mentioned that advertising from the pharmaceutical industry played off parents’ fears — showing children struggling in school or left without friends — encouraging parents and doctors to call even minor symptoms A.D.H.D. and try stimulant treatment. A pamphlet for Vyvanse, for example, shows a parent looking at her son and saying, “I want to do all I can to help him succeed.”
What can you do about it?
Resist the urge to find quick fixes. ADHD is not a life sentence. And once you put your child on medicine, it harder to wean them off. ADHD medicine can also lead to addiction, anxiety and occasionally psychosis. So, think thrice before you start medicating your kid for ADHD.
