Wednesday, December 1, 2010

Skin Care and BPAs

Many people are aware of BPAs in plastic bottles, liners of aluminum water bottles and plastic bags. But did you know they are in store receipts, too?

Natural Foods Merchandiser reports:

"Although BPA had come under fire mainly for its presence in food packaging and baby bottles, the EWG reported that “the total mass of BPA on a receipt is 250 to 1,000 times greater than the amount of BPA typically found in a can of food or a can of baby formula.” What’s more, research revealed that BPA can be transferred from paper to skin quickly and easily and penetrate deep enough that it cannot be washed off. And, according to EWG senior scientist David Andrews, PhD, “study results indicate that short or infrequent contact with BPA paper is similar to multiple contacts with BPA paper. That said, people who have constant dermal exposure to BPA, such as cashiers, have BPA levels up to 30 percent higher than the average adult.”

(EWG is the Environmental Working Group)

New receipts are being used in many stores. To determine if they are BPA free look for red threads on the back. Otherwise..handle with care or better yet, gloves!

On a related note...at a recent festival I saw T-shirts being sold with recycled plastic in them. Sounds environmentally responsible, right? My initial thought was "what about the BPAs?" Now we know that exposure on the skin is far more detrimental than other exposures. Please be wary of these shirts when shopping.

Holistic Dentist - what to look for

I've been a patient at 5 different holistic dentists (hey, it's my job to check them out ;-). While they had appropriate equipment and protocols for removing mercury fillings, their routine care was far from what we think of as holistic.

Most of them are still using toothpaste with flouride. I was able to request flouride-free toothpaste, but they also could not tell the other ingredients. Since most toothpastes are made with sugar, I remain cautious and slightly uncomfortable with having my teeth cleaned.

Several of the dentists asked me to use mouthwash. These are the same products on the shelves at supermarkets and drug stores. They are bright blue - surely not a color existing in any food. One dental assistant told me that the dentist absolutely would not see me if I refused the mouthwash. Interestingly when I asked the dentist about that, he said if I didn't want to use the mouthwash that was fine. Always be responsible for your own health.

A few of the dentists handed me a "mainstream" brand of toothpaste and new brush after my cleaning. The toothpaste had sugar, artificial colors and flouride in it.

Certainly use a good holistic dentist to have your mercury fillings removed and for regular dental care, but also be aware of their practices and with what you are comfortable and not comfortable. In the end, we are each responsible for our own health.

So what do I use if not toothpaste? Mostly I use hydrogen peroxide to brush my teeth. A few times per month I'll also use baking soda. Sometimes I use Doc Bronner's soap. Lately I've also been doing what's called oil pulling in the morning. Before anything goes in my mouth, I take a teaspoon of coconut oil and swish it in my mouth for about 20-30 minutes. For a while I was spitting it out, but now I'm experimenting with swallowing it in order to test some information about coconut oil that I've been reading. I'll post that another time.

So, regular care:
-- hydrogen peroxide (3%, which is what you can buy at any drugstore or supermarket is fine. It doesn't need to be food grade which is usually 8%)
-- baking soda a few times per month (if you have gum disease, you may not want to do this. It is abrasive.)
-- clean (unadulterated) soap

Tuesday, November 23, 2010

Where Does Your Organic Produce Come From?

Sustainable Industries magazine had a great article in their Sept-Oct issue. It reported that when asked where Trader Joe's gets their organic produce, Joe wouldn't answer!

Some grocers will share this information. Others won't, citing concerns about competition and needing to protect sources. Many grocers then allow a third party to authenticate that milk really is organic or eggs really are cage-free. Trader Joe's does not have third party authentication.

Please know, I am not maligning Trader Joe's. I think we all have a responsibility to make choices about what we ingest and can only do that when we have appropriate information. If a grocer won't provide the information and isn't being responsible about providing authentication...well how do you know what you're getting?

I've been to several stores which sell both conventional and organic produce. I've seen stock clerks take conventional produce, mistakenly placed in an organic bin, and move it. By law this would render the entire organic bin "spoiled" but of course no retailer can afford that kind of loss.

If you are fortunate to live in a place where you can buy directly from farmers that's the best. You can talk to them and find out their practices as well as buy very fresh food. If you have the option to buy from a store which only carries organic food, that's a no-brainer.

Question from where your food comes. Read labels. Make choices about what you ingest.

Calorie Counting: Does weight = health?!

I read an article the other day about a nutritionist who only ate junk food for a month and lost a few pounds. The person intended to prove that it's only a matter of calories and as long as the calorie intake was lower than calories expended, weight would be lost.

Another nutritionist wrote about eating corndogs and M+Ms on her blog. She's skinny and looks great, so she must be healthy. She's a nutritionist!

Does weight equal health?

No! Certainly overweight can be indicative of ill-health

I've known several people who are appropriate weight and have healthy skin, hair and eyes (these are often telltales of health). Yet they have high blood pressure, high cholesterol and heart disease. Calories and weight do not equal health.

Health is a strong immune system. One capable of fighting off minor colds and viruses. Health is preventing major disease. Health happens from the inside out - meaning a substantial population of healthy bacteria, good elimination (physically, emotionally and mentally), a balance of work, fun and relaxation.

Yes, you can lost weight by eating fewer calories and burning more calories. That has little to do with health. You are what you eat, drink and think. I'm going to joyfully make my morning juice now.

Friday, November 19, 2010

Want a Wildly Successful Life?

Join the fun! Know your true purpose in life and fuel your body so you can enjoy life.

Your Life Purpose is what energizes you while you're using your talents and contributing to society.

Fueling your body is about eating nutritious food in a whole, unprocessed state and bringing your body to a level of health whereby it can process those nutrients most efficiently. When you eat this way, consistently, you boost your immune system; come to your natural, normal weight; release cravings.

Most people eat because they are:
  • angry
  • lonely
  • tired
  • bored
  • stressed
and occasionally because they are hungry!

My newsletter provides gentle coaching. It makes you think.

This blog will be more opinionated. Comments are welcome. I cannot diagnose or prescribe. I do not offer therapy services. Specific health questions cannot be answered on this blog. For specific inquiries, please schedule a consultation. Thanks and happy reading!