lawilcox | OrganicSpot
News: Study Examines Flame Retardants in 101 Commonly Used Baby Products
lawilcox | OrganicSpot
Filed under Environment, Health & Fitness, Home & Family, News & Research
Tagged for babies, baby, baby products, brominated flame retardant, carseat, changing table pad, chemicals, children, chlorinated flame retardant, crib mattress, flame retardants, health, infant, infant products, infants, toxins
Tagged for babies, baby, baby products, brominated flame retardant, carseat, changing table pad, chemicals, children, chlorinated flame retardant, crib mattress, flame retardants, health, infant, infant products, infants, toxins
Forks Over Knives – Documentary About the Western Diet and Illness
WARNING: This Movie Could Save Your Life!
What if you discovered you were dying of cancer? I expect you’d seek the best doctors you could find to help you wage a war for your life. You’d likely end up on a variety of medications and treatments, costing you thousands and thousands of dollars…and you’d still probably fear for your health and livelihood. Now, what if I told you that you could reverse the progression of that cancer (or heart disease, diabetes, auto immune disorder, bone disease or stroke) by radically overhauling your diet? Would you be surprised? Would you make those necessary changes all while wondering why your doctor never shared this information and option with you?
The filmmakers of the thought-provoking and potentially life-changing documentary “Forks Over Knives,” which opens in theaters tomorrow, examine this concept – that basic changes to the Western Diet prove to be a much more effective “treatment” for many modern diseases and ailments than standard surgeries/treatments/prescription medications.
Continue reading
Filed under Cooking & Food, Health & Fitness, Nutrition & Wellness
Tagged for animal protein, cancer, dairy, diabetes, diet, disease progression, disease reversal, doctors, documentary, Dr. Caldwell Esselstyn, Dr. Colin Campbell, drugs, FDA, food, Forks Over Knives, health, heart disease, illness, meat, medical treatments, medications, medicine, plant-based foods, processed foods, sick, sugar, surgery, therapy, treatment, wellness, Western Diet, whole foods, Whole Foods Plant Based Diet
Tagged for animal protein, cancer, dairy, diabetes, diet, disease progression, disease reversal, doctors, documentary, Dr. Caldwell Esselstyn, Dr. Colin Campbell, drugs, FDA, food, Forks Over Knives, health, heart disease, illness, meat, medical treatments, medications, medicine, plant-based foods, processed foods, sick, sugar, surgery, therapy, treatment, wellness, Western Diet, whole foods, Whole Foods Plant Based Diet
Prenatal Pesticide Exposure in the Womb Affects Child’s Development
When I was pregnant with Ethan (now 8-years-old), I was very careful about what I ate and drank. I was careful about my exposure to second hand smoke and I was even thoughtful about avoiding fumes from paints. Like many of you, I did this because I knew that when I exposed my body to dangerous toxins – I also exposed Ethan’s developing system to the same things. I even took all caffeine out of my life (which at the time was huge because I was admittedly addicted to Dr Pepper!)
But at that time, though I was reading multiple books about a healthy pregnancy and fetus development, I was naïve; while I was careful about paint fumes and caffeine, went to each and every prenatal appointment with my OBGYN, ate a diet rich in green vegetables and took a quality multi-vitamin, I didn’t know about dangerous pesticides used on conventionally grown produce. The more I learn about these chemicals created to be neurotoxins for pests, the more I cringe. A neurotoxin is a neurotoxin, right? Continue reading
Filed under Environment, Health & Fitness, Home & Family, Nutrition & Wellness, Organic
Tagged for ADHD, ASD, Asperger’s Syndrome, Autism, caffeine, chemicals, child development, cognition, conventional produce, environment, Environmental Health Perspectives, fetus, green leafy vegetables, IQ, multi-vitamin, OBGYN, obstetrician, organic produce, organic vegetables, pesticides, pregnancy, prenatal exposure to pesticides, Science Daily, toxins, umbilical cord blood, vegetables, womb
Tagged for ADHD, ASD, Asperger’s Syndrome, Autism, caffeine, chemicals, child development, cognition, conventional produce, environment, Environmental Health Perspectives, fetus, green leafy vegetables, IQ, multi-vitamin, OBGYN, obstetrician, organic produce, organic vegetables, pesticides, pregnancy, prenatal exposure to pesticides, Science Daily, toxins, umbilical cord blood, vegetables, womb
Drink Your Spinach, Young Man
About a year ago I talked my husband into investing a nice fruit and vegetable juicer (made by Breville). I’d read about the general health benefits of fresh fruit and vegetable juices and had a friend who was incorporating fresh juices into her son (living with an Autism Spectrum Disorder – ASD) and her neurotypical daughter’s daily diet. After talking to her about the machine itself and whether or not her kids actually drank the juice – which they did, I was sold!
While my son Ethan lives with Asperger’s Syndrome and is on a Gluten-Free and Casein-Free (GFCF) and mostly Soy-Free (SF) diet, we are blessed that he will eat a variety of foods and actually enjoys a range of textures. Even so, since so many kids with ASD have absorption issues, I tend to worry Continue reading
Filed under Uncategorized
Non-toxic Home Care Solutions
Kent Potter | OrganicSpotTransitioning household products to non-toxic solutions is something households across America are taking seriously. Here are just a few of tips to get you started:
- Baking Soda – cleans, deodorizes, softens water, scours.
- Soap – unscented soap in liquid form, flakes, powders or bars is biodegradable and will clean just about anything. Avoid using soaps which contain petroleum distillates.
- Lemon – one of the strongest food-acids, effective against most household bacteria.
- Borax – (sodium borate) cleans, deodorizes, disinfects, softens water, cleans wallpaper, painted walls and floors.
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White Vinegar – cuts grease, removes mildew, odors, some stains and wax build-up.
- Washing Soda – or SAL Soda is sodium carbonate decahydrate, a mineral. Washing soda cuts grease, removes stains, softens water, cleans wall, tiles, sinks and tubs. Use care, as washing soda can irritate mucous membranes. Do not use on aluminum.
- Isopropyl Alcohol – is an excellent disinfectant. (It has been suggested to replace this with ethanol or 100 proof alcohol in solution with water. There is some indication that isopropyl alcohol buildup contributes to illness in the body. See http://drclark.ch/g)
- Cornstarch – can be used to clean windows, polish furniture, shampoo carpets and rugs.
- Citrus Solvent – cleans paint brushes, oil and grease, some stains. (Citrus solvent may cause skin, lung or eye irritations for people with multiple chemical sensitivities.)
- Trisodium phosphate (TSP) – a mixture of soda ash and phosphoric acid. TSP is toxic if swallowed, but it can be used on many jobs, such as cleaning drains or removing old paint, that would normally require much more caustic and poisonous chemicals, and it does not create any fumes.
For more ideas on substitutions and formulas visit eartheasy.com
Filed under Home & Family
Are Organic Strawberries Better?
A recent study in California gives bite to what a lot of people have been saying, organic foods are better. At least as far as strawberries are concerned. Scientist studied the strawberries and the soil they were grown in and found them to be superior. They produced more antioxidants and vitamin C than the conventionally grown berries. They also lasted longer before rotting.
Basic Reminders For Organic Foods
There are a few basic things to remember when dealing with organic foods. The costs of buying organic can be a strain on some peoples budgets, almost to the point of being prohibitive. If you find buying mostly organic costs too much for you, then try to at least buy what the EWG (Environmental Working Group) calls the dirty dozen: peaches, strawberries, nectarines, apples, spinach, celery, pears, sweet bell peppers, cherries, potatoes, lettuce, and imported grapes. Continue reading
Filed under Cooking & Food, Organic
Grass vs. grain … interesting tips and a nice deal on Sept 3rd
Whole Foods continues to be a dependable source of information for my family. I’ve used their free iPhone app many times to find a quick yet healthy dinner menu. Also, their employees have always helped our family find the obscure or unpronounceable ingredient needed for our child’s restricted diet.
Just this week, one of their press releases provided a concise overview of the benefits of grass-fed beef over the more common grain-fed options and a list of cooking tips for the grass-fed novices out there. Additionally, they announced a one-day sale on grass-fed ground beef on Friday September 3rd.
Source: press release
Interesting 2010 Food Trend Predictions
Although we’re still 3 months away from the year end, I reviewed a few of the 2010 food trends predictions and found a more interesting take on the topic … Smithonian.com presented a much more specific and unique view of food and dining trends for 2010. I enjoyed their description of the economy’s impact on dining habits including smaller portions and wider range in cuts of meat.
Source: Food Trend Predictions for 2010
Filed under News & Research
Waste Management Gets More Organic
The nation’s largest trash company, Waste Management, has recently acquired a majority stake in Garick LLC. Garick is an organic lawn and products manufacturer, allowing Waste Management to continue their expansion into more organic options for the company.