Safe Deodorant

November 9th, 2009 1 comment »

deodorantDid you know the largest organ in your body is your skin? It is! Another little known fact is that your skin absorbs up to 60% of what’s applied to it. Think of the nicotine patch as an example- if pharmaceuticals are delivered through the skin, then certainly other things can be delivered that way too.

There has been a fair amount of publicity about the link between aluminum in antiperspirant and the incidence of Alzheimer’s disease. The reality is that aluminum in your deodorant is only one of a handful of ingredients you might consider avoiding. Other ingredients to avoid include fragrance, which likely includes phthalates, triclosan, parabens, and talc.

Five tips for choosing a safer deodorant:

  1. Do just that- opt for deodorant rather than an antiperspirant. Antiperspirants tend to work by blocking the body’s pores so that sweat that would like to escape can’t. Generally speaking, deodorant contains ingredients that neutralize odors.
  2. Experiment: when I tried to find a safer deodorant, it took a while to find one that worked. The first few attempts left me wanting to run away from myself. My untested theory here is that everyone has different body chemistry, so a deodorant that works for me, may not work for you.
  3. Ask yourself if you need it. Some lucky people don’t really need deodorant, or they may only need it during the warmer months of the year.
  4. Use the Skin Deep Cosmetic Safety Database to check out the relative safety of your favorite deodorant

Listed below are some safe brands of deodorant to look for, however I encourage you to use the Skin Deep Cosmetic Safety Database as a reference, because both the product landscape and product formulations change over time.

  • Alba
  • Almay
  • Aubrey Organics
  • Avalon Organics
  • Ban (unscented)
  • Burt’s Bees
  • Crystal
  • Dessert Essence
  • Dr. Hauschka
  • Jason
  • Kiss My Face
  • Nature’s Gate
  • Speed Stick, unscented
  • Terressentials
  • Tom’s of Maine
  • Weleda

What works for you? What doesn’t?

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Green Cleaning

October 20th, 2009 No comments »

GreenCleaningAre you interested in greening your lifestyle, but conscious of the cost? Green cleaning is a great place to start. Many household cleaning products can easily be made with a few basic ingredients at a fraction of the cost of the store bought equivalent.

Perhaps a more compelling reason to green your cleaning is the fact that many of the synthetic chemicals found in common household cleaning products contain ingredients that are potentially hazardous to us, our children and the environment. (For more on why children are uniquely vulnerable to these types of exposures, click here.)

Here are just a few examples:

  • Dryer sheets: many conventional brands contain chloroform, a carcinogen that is also an anesthetic.
  • Dishwasher detergent: most dishwashers contain chlorine, a severe upper respiratory tract and skin irritant.
  • Glass & oven cleaners: some brands contain butyl cellosolve, (also known as butyl glycol, ethylene glycol monobutyl ether, or EGBE), a neurotoxin that is also implicated in reproductive problems and birth defects.

Try these five tips to green your cleaning:

  1. Adopt a shoes off in the house policy! This keeps everything from dirt to pesticides out of your home.
  2. Removing our shoes is a good start, but floors still tend to be one of the dirtiest surfaces in our homes. Try mopping once a week with a gallon of hot water, 1/8 cup of castile or other liquid soap, and 1/8 cup of white distilled vinegar. You’re not baking, so precise measurements aren’t necessary!
  3. Replace conventional cleaning products with homemade solutions or brands that do not contain potentially hazardous ingredients. Check out this list of recommended safe brands
  4. Open the doors and windows to let the old air out and fresh air in on the days you clean.
  5. Naturally remove polluted air from your home with any or all of the following houseplants, proven by NASA to be effective air purifiers: Areca Palm, Boston Fern, English Ivy, Peace Lily, Rubber Tree, Philodendron, Golden Pothos, or Weeping Fig.

Following these tips will improve the air quality in your home, keep money in your pocket, and leave your house clean.

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Can the Cans: Tips for Avoiding Exposure to Bisphenol A (BPA)

October 8th, 2009 No comments »

4333701_blogMy last post, about apples, was partially inspired by the fact that fall is here. This post too, is inspired by the time of year, and again focuses on food safety.

Depending on what part of North America you live in, the availability of fresh food diminishes as we approach winter. In New England, many of us cover up our grills, dust off our crock pots, and begin making comfort foods like spaghetti and meatballs, chili, and soups. In years past I would buy canned tomatoes for tomato sauce and canned kidney beans for chili. Most regrettably, I bought cans of formula when my son was an infant. I did all of this prior to learning about the long list of potential health hazards associated with exposure to Bisphenol A (BPA), the plastic resin used in polycarbonate food and drink containers and the lining of tin cans. In cans, BPA is used to prevent corrosion of the can and contamination of the food inside. Ironic, eh?

If you aren’t aware of the impacts of BPA exposure, consider these facts:

  • BPA is a synthetic form of estrogen, and has been proven to interfere with the normal function of the endocrine system.
  • Exposure to BPA is implicated in fetal development defects and reproductive system damage
  • Recent studies have raised questions about BPA exposure increasing the risk for diabetes and certain types of cancers.
  • More than 100 peer-reviewed studies have reported that BPA is toxic at low doses. (http://www.ewg.org/reports/bisphenola)
  • Developing fetuses and babies are most vulnerable to BPA’s toxic effects; this age group also has the highest level of exposure. (link to http://www.ewg.org/tipstoavoidBPA)

Five tips for minimizing your families’ exposure to BPA

  • Avoid canned food, particularly if you are pregnant
  • Look for food that comes in bottles or cartons rather than cans (e.g. tomato sauce)
  • Choose BPA-free baby bottles, sippy cups, pacifiers, and water bottles. Check the Environmental Working Group’s Guide to Baby-Safe Bottles & Formula.
  • Ask your dentist for BPA-free sealants and fillings
  • Avoid eating or drinking from plastic containers marked with the recycling code #7

Remember- it’s not just what you eat, but also what you eat out of! On that note, I’m off to soak some beans for the first batch of chili this season. Using dry beans rather than canned takes planning and time, but the evidence points to the fact that it’s a safer route- cheaper too!

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How Do You Like Them Apples?

September 18th, 2009 5 comments »

apple

The kids are back in school, the days are getting shorter, and in many towns across North America, the apples are almost ready to pick.

 

We eat a ton of apples in our house; in fact we probably eat more apples than any other type of fruit. Because of the large number of apples we consume and because apples have a heavy pesticide load, I always buy the organic variety. According to the Environmental Working Group’s Shopper’s Guide to Produce, apples are the second most pesticide-laden type of produce out there (peaches claim first prize)!

 

Conventionally grown apples are treated with herbicides and pesticides. Some are natural; however most are altered versions of natural chemicals. In agriculture, farmers use pesticides and herbicides to protect crops from various insects, weeds, and diseases. The concern with conventionally grown produce is that human exposure to a wide range of pesticides is linked negative effects on the endocrine, nervous, and immune systems and increased incidence of certain types of cancers. As with exposure to many other synthetic chemicals, children (born and unborn) are particularly susceptible due to their developing systems; their limited ability to detoxify, or excrete the pesticides; and their lower body weight relative to adults.

Lots of people wonder if thoroughly washing conventionally grown apples removes all of the pesticide residue. The answer is that it does not. Some amount of residue remains on the skin of the apples, while some is absorbed into the apples through the skin.

 

So when you’re strolling through the produce aisle this fall, think about opting for organic apples, free of harmful pesticides and herbicides. Not only will you be protecting your families’ health, but you will also be indirectly protecting the environment, because organic growing methods don’t contaminate the soil or water supply with their growing methods.

 

Tips for stretching your produce dollars:

  • Buy in season. Food that is purchased while it’s in season will always cost less than when it’s not readily available.
  • Check out all the varieties of the item you’re buying and be flexible. In our local natural foods market, they stock about seven different types of organic apples, ranging in price from $1.65/lb to $3.49lb.
  • Buy in bulk. If you know you’ll consume a substantial quantity of a specific type of produce, look for savings if you purchase larger quantities.

Do you ‘go organic’ when buying this fruit?

 

Does the cost of organic apples factor into your decision about whether or not to buy organic or conventionally grown apples?

Enjoy your apples, apples and cheese, apple crisp, and apple cider!

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Why Should We Care About the Household Consumable Products?

September 8th, 2009 3 comments »

Why, exactly, should we pay special attention to the consumable products we buy every week? First, think of the long list of consumable products most of us buy: food, laundry detergent, shampoo, lotion, all-purpose cleaner, deodorant, etc. Most of us buy a lot of this stuff!

 

Here are some reasons why we should all pay special attention to our food, cleaning and personal care product choices:

  • There are thousands of industrial chemicals used in the products we buy. The majority of these chemicals have not been tested for human safety.
  • Exposure to many of these chemicals is increasingly linked to serious health issues, including cancer, behavioral, immunological, and reproductive disorders.
  • By making informed decisions about the products you bring into our house, you can drastically reduce your families’ exposure to things such as VOC’s, parabens, phthalates, pesticides, and PCB’s. By reducing your family’s exposure to these and other chemicals, you can protect and optimize the health of your family.

 

Top four ways to reduce your family’s exposure to harmful chemicals:

  1. Buy as much organic produce as you can afford (download the Environmental Working Group’s Shopper’s Guide to Pesticides.
  2. Avoid personal care products with parabens or phthalates listed as ingredients. Refer to my ‘safer’ brands list on the personal care page.
  3. Filter your water.
  4. Buy organic meat.
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Posted in BPA, parabens, phthalates

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