Thursday, July 29, 2010

Unsafe Plastics

From LOSING IT! With Jillian Michaels

Tuesday, July 27, 2010

 
 

Is Your Kitchen Full of Unsafe Plastics?

If you've seen the movie The Graduate, you might remember the classic scene in which the main character is told that the future can be summed up in one word: Plastics. Unfortunately, the person giving that advice pretty much nailed it — plastics are now everywhere. Manufacturers use plastics more than any other material to create and package products. The bad news is, many types of plastic contain endocrine disruptors and other dangerous chemicals. If you use containers made of those types to store food, those chemicals can leach into your food and affect your metabolism and your overall health.

You can tell which plastics to avoid by checking the numbers printed on the bottom of the containers. Here are the ones you should stop using:

  • #3 — Polyvinyl chloride (often abbreviated PVC or V): PVC is found in bottles that contain cooking oils, cling wrap, the clear wrap around deli meats and cheeses, plumbing pipes, shower curtains, and toys. This type of plastic contains hormone-disrupting phthalates and cancer-causing dioxins that can leach out when the plastic comes into contact with heat, food, water, air, or our bodies.
    Alternatives: Choose Glad wrap, Saran premium wrap, or Saran Cling Plus wrap (which do not contain PVC) or store your food in glass. Buy cooking oil in glass bottles. Don't ever microwave your food in plastic — instead, use parchment paper or wax paper.

  • #6 — Polystyrene (Styrofoam; often abbreviated PS): Polystyrene is another big no. It's found in your typical take-out containers, disposable coffee cups, and egg cartons. The materials used to create polystyrene are all known or suspected carcinogens, and when PS gets hot, it can release chemicals into foods.
    Alternatives: Buy eggs in cardboard containers and don't drink your coffee from Styrofoam cups. If you can't avoid polystyrene packaging, transfer any food into a glass or ceramic container ASAP.

  • #7 — Polycarbonate (often abbreviated PC): Polycarbonate is found in baby bottles, microwave ovenware, stain-resistant food storage containers, eating utensils, the plastic liners of almost all food and soft-drink cans, Lexan containers, old Nalgene or other hard-plastic drinking bottles, 5-gallon water jugs, and building materials. Hundreds of studies have linked bisphenol A (BPA), a chemical in polycarbonate plastic, with harmful endocrine-disrupting effects, such as early puberty in girls, abnormal breast tissue and prostate growth, and lower sperm count.
    Alternatives: Use glass baby bottles and switch to stainless steel or ceramic drinking bottles. Limit your exposure from canned foods like beans by rinsing the food thoroughly before you eat it.

A few types of plastic are okay to use because they don't contain as many toxins. These are PET or PETE (#1 plastic, the type used in many beverage bottles), HDPE (#2 plastic, used in some Tupperware products), LDPE (#4 plastic), and PP (#5 plastic, used in yogurt containers). While these types are okay, I say the fewer plastics in your life, the better. Whenever possible, look for alternatives such as glass, stainless steel, and ceramics.

 
 

Pasted from <http://www.jillianmichaels.com/fitness-and-diet-tips/plastics-to-avoid>

 
 

Sunday, January 31, 2010

Ridiculous Recall | Shout It | Powder Room Graffiti

Ridiculous Recall


The daily coffee grind

by Janie Emaus (Fri Jul 31, 2009)

I understand the necessity of recalling products. I'm all for taking back a stroller that folds up while walking your toddler. Car seats that don't stay buckled in place. Tainted milk. Poisoned dog food. Even a condom that has a faulty layer. But the other day when I learned about this new recall, I was taken aback: My Starbucks coffee grinder!

For God's Sake.

How can using this device possibly be harmful to my existence? For almost a year now it hasn't turned off while grinding. So, I let it grind while I fill the water in the pot, and put in the filter. I've sort of gotten used to that whirring sound. When it's done I just pull the plug from the wall. It's an annoyance, but certainly not anything life-threatening.

Starbucks says there is a danger of laceration from the blade. I suppose if you stick your finger in the grinder, but that's like putting your hand down the garbage disposal. Who in their right mind would do that?

What will be dangerous, especially to those around me, is not having fresh ground coffee in the morning.

So, I'm thinking, if I send this grinder back to Starbucks, then what? Are they going to give me a new one on the spot? No, absolutely not. I have to send in the old one (shipping box not provided, mind you) and then wait six to eight weeks for a new one to arrive. In the meantime, I can go into any Starbucks and they will grind my coffee, for free. Like I'm going to do that every day.

Is this a conspiracy? A ploy to get me into Starbucks every morning, where I'm certain to buy a cup of coffee, rather than grind my beans?

What's a coffee addicted person supposed to do in this situation?

 
 

Inserted from <http://www.powderroomgraffiti.com/shout-it/ridiculous-recall.html>

Saturday, January 30, 2010

In This Issue


 
 

Back in 1970's, "Bein' Green" was a famous song sung by Kermit the Frog.  In the song, Kermit first believes "it's not that easy bein' green" until he comes to the realization that being green is actually beautiful, and it is cool.   

 
 

Today, when you hear "Bein' Green", "Going Green", "Go Green" or "Green".  Whatever the name it's been given, it is the start of the revolution of saving our plant and saving our lives.  'Going green' means recycling, not being wasteful, saving money, eating healthy, and creating a safe home environment for our families and pets.  I call it "Going Back to Basics," when life was not compromised with harmful ingredients to clean our homes, or to make our food look pretty.  It was a time when the personal care products we used had ingredients that we could pronounce.

 
 

My journey of "Going Green" began when I had the opportunity to try a skin care line made of certified organic ingredients – it actually had the USDA ORGANIC symbol on the bottle.  It was non-toxic, made out of fruit and vegetable extracts, herbs and essential oils!  When I learned that these types of personal care products were available, my next step was to 'green' my home cleaning products including my laundry.

 
 

Why switch to green cleaning?  It is good for our family and for our environment.  The most compelling reason is that there are hardly any government regulations on what chemicals can be put in our cleaning or the personal care products millions of Americans buy and use on a daily basis.  How many times have you or someone you know, used a cleaning product that is so toxic, the label gives instruction to provide "proper ventilation" so as not to be overcome by the fumes?  In some instances, even with "proper ventilation," one may require time to collect their senses or may experience coughing attacks.

 
 

"Green" families benefit because they are not exposing their children to harmful chemicals that may contribute to asthma, allergies or autism.  They also are protecting their pets from the potential increase of infections or skin disease.  Young children and babies often spend time playing on floors where toxins have been used to 'sanitize' the area.  Frequently, these children innocently have their hands in their mouth, thus transferring certain amounts of toxins in to their body.  Pets also are exposed because they walk in the sanitized area and may have a tendency to lick their paws. 

 
 

What can be done to make a home clean and safe?  As a start, read the label on the product that is currently being used.  Get to know what is actually in the product.  Next, when the questionable brand or merchandise runs out, restock it with a non-toxic item.  In many instances, one may find these items in the store they currently shop in.  Many stores today are carrying green line products, particularly for the home.  Look for such brands as Earth Friendly, Seventh Generation, Bi-O-Kleen and other green companies.

 
 

To save even more money, cleaning products can be made at home, which is not only easy, but also fun!  Here is a recipe for creating an All-Purpose/Surface Spray Cleaner:

 
 

Here is a recipe for creating an All-Purpose/Surface Spray Cleaner:

2 teaspoon of washing soda or borax

¼ teaspoon of liquid castile soap

Hot water

Place the washing soda or borax in a 16 oz spray bottle, fill the bottle with hot water, shake until the washing soda or borax dissolved, and then at the soap.  Spray on surfaces, let it sit a minute or two, and wipe off with a sponge or microfiber cloth.   

 
 

Whether products are made at home or purchased in the store, Bein' Green is cool and really is easy!

 
 

References:

Green This – by Deirdre Imus

Green Up Your Cleanup by Jill Potvin Schoff

 
 

Renee Winston, founder of NuVision Wellness and The Detox Challenge, is a board certified holistic health counselor.  In her practice, she offers wellness programs, cooking classes, teleclasses and workshops to support and educate clients to create a relationship with food that supports their true health, well being and living a green lifestyle.  She is also one of the Senior Executive Directors for The Network of Business Women.

 
 

Inserted from <http://www.networkofbusinesswomencanada.com/In_This_Issue.html>