Last month I promised you we would address why artificial colors, additives and preservatives .  They are things that make foods look better and last longer, but are they safe?  Do the manufactures of these products care about “our “safety  and “our” Health, or is it all about “the bottom line?” Let’s face it, less spoilage, more sales.  Years ago, you’d can your foods during the summer to feed your family in the winter.  Today, in this era, we expect to find a full range of fruits and vegetables in the grocery store whether they are in season or not, and it can’t happen without preservatives – and of course, long distance ,  energy guzzling shipping.

What about the FDA, isn’t that their job to protect us? You ask.  The answer to that is yes…. Sort of.  The companies are required to provide their research, but the FDA must just take the submitters word for it.

They simply don’t have the staff to monitor food safety.

Here are a few of the food additives I try to avoid:

Butylated Hydroxyanisole ( BHA) , Butylated Hydroxtolunene , ( BHT) Propy lGallate  These are found in many breakfast cereals, rice products, dried soups.  These chemicals accumulate in the body and increase the risk of cancer, as well as playing a role in  ADD & ADHD and other behavioral abnormalities in kids.

Potassium Bromate  : Banned in most countries, but not the US.   It has been shown to cause cancerous tumors and is found in baked goods.  ( look for unbromated flour to be safe)

Nitrates & Nitrites :   Preservatives which add flavor and color.  When heated they make nitrosamines.

Monosodium Glutamate  (MSG)  A flavor enhancer .  But also seems to enhance headaches, digestive disorders, mood swings, depression, convulsions, asthma,

Artificial Sweeteners:  They started with saccharine ( which caused cancer in rats) moved on to Aspartame ( Nutra sweet, Equal) and more recently sucralose ( Splenda).  These are in all sorts of diet products

There is a study on depression and usage of Aspartame, and other found it increased cancers like lymphoma and leukemia in rats.  Sucralose in high doses has been linked to DNA damage in mice.

High Fructose Corn Syrup;  Found in Soft drinks , Fruit juices and array of other products.  It is cheaper than cane sugar, and it also tricks your body into thinking it hasn’t had enough sugar. Probable cause of obesity today.

Hydrogenated Fats and Trans Fats:  This makes them easier to store, but these fats are directly related to heart disease and diabetes.  They are so dangerous, that there are some cities around the US that have banned the usage of them in restaurants.

Olestra:  A fat substitute.  It may cause abdominal cramping as well as inhibit the absorption of vitamins A,D,E and K.  (since they artificially  added these nutrients… the warning has been dropped)

 What can you do to protect yourself and your family?  First and foremost, read the labels!  You need to know all of the things you are putting in your body, not just the calories and fats.  Here are the rules and guidelines I like to follow

                Shop the outer perimeter of the foodmarkets  ( fresh fruit & veggies, meat, dairy and bakery)

                The closer to natural and less processed, the better

                If you can’t pronounce an ingredient, then don’t buy the product

                If an ingredient has more than 4 syllables, don’t buy  the product

                If it has a number in the name, don’t buy  the product

Or in order to make it easier, just buy ORGANIC.  We need to do everything we can to support farmers who are trying to do the right thing.  Next  time I’ll talk about What Organic really is:   In the Mean time, be part of the solution and not part of the pollution. Be well………

www.eco-logicalnews.com     email me at deb@bellawelllifestyles.com  

Very few of us are farmers , and as a matter of fact, most farmers don’t even grow food, but rather “commodity” crops like corn and soybeans which get processed into oils, ethanol fuel , sweeteners and livestock feed, among other things.    Most of us forage through the grocery store deciphering what foods to buy which have the least amount of chemicals.  These Chemicals pretty much fall into three group:

·         Chemicals that kill things ( pesticides, herbicides, fungicides)

·         Chemicals that make things grow fast and big ( fertilizers, growth hormones, antibiotics)

·         Chemicals that make things look better than they  normally would and last longer than they should (artificial colors, flavors, preservatives, and other additives)

Today’s report,  talks  about the first two groups, and next time we’ll address the artificial colors, additives, and preservatives.

Many think that the word “pesticide” means a bug killer.  There are in fact, 3 classes of pesticides with big, hard to pronounce names, but the one most  of us are familiar with is DDT.  DDT does not break down. Not in the food, or in our bodies, and so it cycles through our food chain.  It was banned in 1973, and it is still being found in human DNA.  Imagine, after all those years. It is still lingering in our bodies. 

Here are a couple things you should know;

·         First. Lots of veggies and fruits on your grocer’s shelves can exceed our Governments  set limits they set on the chemicals used on the food we eat, because……

·         Second, we are a global economy, thus we can purchase strawberry’s any time of the year because it’s always summer somewhere.   The strawberries are HUGE because they are food pumped up on fertilizers and pesticides.  Taste the difference between the natural organic and the chemically pumped up and I guarantee you’ll taste the difference.    The Huge one is Pilthy and has little taste, the organic one is loaded with flavor and juice.  Don’t be deceived by how perfect and beautiful the fruit or veggie looks? It’ about the nutrition value not it’s beauty.

·         Third, look at the conventionally grown produce in your grocery store.  Now compare it with the organic produce they keep off to one side.  The conventional stuff is Bigger, Prettier,  &  it looks healthier right?  Looks can be deceiving.   It looks perfect because it was pumped up on inorganic fertilizers  and chemicals.  Just imagine this:  I spray an apple for pesticides, it rains, the chemical washes off, the ground absorbs the chemicals, the next year grows new fruit, and the cycle continues year after year after year.  It becomes systemic in nature.  Let me ask you this.   “Would you like a bite of my apple….. deary??”

·         They can grow them faster, and more bug resistant but at what cost to the consumer? They can make them last longer on the store shelves,  by using preservatives, thus helping the bottom line, but  are we  consuming things that harm our bodies, affect our hormones, lower our resistance and set us up for all sorts of “dis- ease”?  If you are wondering why all the cancers, inflammatory, hormonal disorders,  and de- generative diseases are on the rise, we might want to take a look at the source.  What are we feeding our bodies?

Chemicals that make things grow fast and big are known as non-organic chemical fertilizer which produce higher yield and those phosphates are the biggest source of water pollution.  So we eat big things, and our rivers and streams become more and more polluted.    Next month we’ll look more into how the food chain is effecting our environment.   We’ll take a look at the artificial colors, additives and preservatives, and what we can do to make our environment safe.

Are YOU part of the Solution or Part of the Pollution?  Deb Villarese   www.eco-logicalnews.com  email me deb@eco-logicalnews.com  

How Safe is YOUR Clean?  ( Become part of the Solution…. NOT the Pollution)

Cleaning your home or office shouldn’t be a “risky job”, yet unfortunately, the majority of cleaning products available in retail stores are unsafe, harmful, toxic and even deadly.   The American Association of Poison control Centers reported that exposure to many popular household cleaning substances can be serious enough to require treatment in a medical health facility.

Un safe cleaning products can be more dangerous than a loaded gun.  The National Safety Council reported that,“ more children under  four die of accidental poisonings at home than are accidentally killed with a gun at home.”  You wouldn’t keep a loaded gun under your sink or in your bathroom yet millions of households keep extremely dangerous household products where children or pets might accidentally get into them.

Many common cleaning Products that are purchased at grocery stores contain warning labels that the products are dangerous, poisonous, or flammable.  When exposed to heat, aerosols can explode and cause accidents, serious injury or death.  Chlorine, found in bleach is highly corrosive and extremely reactive.  It can cause damage to the skin, eyes, and other permeable membranes.  It was listed as a hazardous pollutant in the 1990 Clean Air Act.  Chlorine bleach can also cause cancer causing chemicals to form in waste water systems.  Knowing this, a vast majority of homes rely on bleach as their primary cleaning agent.

Many disinfectants  contain labels stating that the product “kills germs”.  These products usually contain an ingredient known as triclosan, a suspected immune-toxicant and skin toxicant.  This ingredient is more hazardous than many other chemicals in government ranking systems.  Products with harmful substances may kill germs, but they leave behind chemicals such a hydrocarbons,  chlorine, and volatile organic chemicals.  Chemicals that effect our respiratory systems as well as our brain’s neurotransmitters.

Now that summer is upon us, it is time to get the kids to join in some of the family chores, things like clean windows and mirrors, clean their bathroom,  and doing  the dishes.   If you haven’t allowed them to clean because you don’t want to expose them to the “toxic soup mixture”, then maybe it’s time to change your thinking and most importantly , change your products.   A most recent comment by an 11 year old that was allowed to clean the mirrors with A SAFE, EFFECTIVE NON-TOXIC CLEANER was, ”Mom, this stuff ROCKS ! the mirrors are perfect and my throat isn’t scratchy” Remember, CLEAN DOESN’T HAVE A SMELL.  (Want to know what she was using? email me:  I have a  FREE SAMPLE:  Deb@bellawelllifestyles.com   ) or Deb@eco-logicalnews.com   

I am currently looking a Front Page Headline in the Chicago Tribune.  Wed. April 4, 2007

            “More than 3 decades, after Chicago banned phosphate –laden detergents to

prevent foul-smelling algae from choking lakes and rivers, dishwasher soap made with chemicals still dominate supermarket shelves.”

( back in the early 70’s Chicago forced the Laundry detergent Manufactures’ to rid their products of phosphates.  They weren’t as concerned about Dish washing agents because not that many dishwashers were in use at the time.)

In addition to harming our environment, we now find out it can be associated  with major diseases like Heart Disease and even Cancer.

Numerous studies (recent one is from UK) have shown that our body is laden with chemicals that are toxic to our health as well as to the environment.  These chemicals are found in personal care products such as shampoo, toothpaste, lotion, make-up, etc.  Undesirable ingredients, such as talc, fillers, waxes, mineral oils occlusive oils, BHT (preservatives), fragrances, etc. are commonly found in personal care products.  These chemicals according to Paula Ballie-Hamilton, M.D., Ph.D. have “switched our metabolism”, that is, it prevents us from losing the extra pounds and keeping it off permanently.  Also, processed foods are loaded with chemicals that lengthen shelf life but hazardous to our health as these chemicals not only widen our girth, that is, promote belly fat, but also are very inflammatory.  And inflammation is a major causative factor to a hosts of chronic degenerative diseases such as heart attack, stroke, Alzeheimer’s, and even cancer.

Suggested books:  “Our Toxic World” by Doris Rap, MD;  

 ”Experimental Man: what one man’s body reveals about his future, your health and our toxic world” by David Ewing Duncan.

“Our Stolen Future”

“The best way to be healthy is to be informed.”  M. Oz, M.D.

DISCOVER A SAFER, MORE ECONOMICAL ALTERNATIVE AND…..

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Most landscaping work has a perfectly manicured look and maintains a perfect shade of green year round. The techniques used to achieve this often are damaging to the environment – they use excess amounts of water, remove trees, and use chemical treatments on their lawns. You can still have a lush landscape without doing so much damage. Get started with these three steps:

Use a rain barrel. Collecting rainwater provides an extra water resource that is excellent for maintaining your garden, lawn, house plants, or for washing your car.

Plant trees.  Plant them where they are most needed – your lawn, around shrubs and bushes, near shade flower and vegetable beds, and around the southern side of the home, if possible. Planting trees around the south side of the house will help cut down on cooling costs in the summer.

Use climate friendly plants. Plants that are not native to your environment are less likely to thrive without excess water or environmental alteration. Talk to nurseries in your area about the best type of plants for your current climate.

Happy “Earth-Day” to You, Happy “Earth-Day to You,  Happy Earth-Day…  Mother Earth, Happy Earth-day to you!     And many more…………….

Yep, April 22^nd is the day!  Sadly we have only been celebrating “Earth Day” for  40 years, because it was 40 years ago that we discovered we could be destroying this place we call “home”.

So what do you get a Planet who has EVERYTHING?   ( or at least used to have everything)?

If “Mother Earth” is like the rest of  US, she wouldn’t be interested in “stuff” but certainly would love thoughtful , kind, and generous ACTIONS, sort of like a coupon book of services. Here are some suggestions:

·         Be fussy about recycling!  Go that extra mile and ask yourself  “ Could this be recycled?

·         Don’t throw your trash out the car window for the rest of us to look at, & someone else to pick up.  “This is a self -cleaning EARTH, Clean it  your-self”

·         Plan your trips .  Figure out the route that will save the most mileage and perhaps prevent you from going out another day.

·         Make your own Household cleaners using sustainable ingredients.  ( I use products that have saved me lots of money each year, and work far better than the chemical cleaners or the baking soda, vinegar alternatives) 15% Discount to all if you contact me in the month of April.

·         Put your own drinking  water in stainless containers to drink as you are out and about.   It will save you money and there will be that many less plastic bottles in the land fills

·         Bring your lunch in re-useable containers.  Why throw away all that trash every day?

·         Use fabric Napkins at the table (use a special fold or a napkin holder to identify the user for several usages)

·         Use Microfiber cloths instead of paper towels for cleaning.

·         Make sure when you are washing clothes that you have gathered a full load.

·         Monitor the length of your showers.  There is NOT an endless supply of clean water, as a matter of fact the water that comes through your faucets have been used by 25+ other people.

·         Most of all, “worship the ground we walk on”.  This place we call home is just “borrowed “ from future generations to come.  What kind of a world do you want your great grand children to in? Air respirators and full body protection suits?

 What we do today will leave a direct impact on what we will do tomorrow.  Be Part of the Solution, NOT part of the Pollution.

Submitted by:

Deb Villarese

www.bellawelllifestyles.com     email: deb@bellawelllifestyles.com    630-420-2119

America’s Solar Challenge comes to Naperville

Did you know that the energy the sun produces is constantly being recycled?   The sun’s energy can neither be created or destroyed, but only changed!  The sun’s energy helps thing to grow , then die, then decompose, then become something new again. 

This same process is how we get oil and gas and coal. They all started as tiny organisms hundreds of millions of years ago.  They died, decomposed, were compressed by the pressure of the earth and then changed into petroleum.  Coal was once green plants and the same processed occurred.  In each case they became carbon atoms which we now know as fossil fuels.  This process is occurring today as well, but  remember, it took millions of years to create oil.  The first well was drilled only a century and a half ago and we are already running out.

Here is what I am trying to convey.  Fossil-based energy isn’t just what you use when you fill up your gas tank or flip your switch.  It refrigerated your food, and then cooked it.  It fed the growing corn that fed the steer that became the steak on your plat e.  It fueled the salad in your bowl which depending on the season may have been flown from another continent altogether.  It’s in your clothes, and your furniture,   It’s in your hair and on your face.  It’s in the materials from which your home was built.  Fossil fuel energy is everywhere.

Each and every one of us is connected to the grid, and I don’t mean the electrical grid, I mean the energy grid. The living things grid.  The sun grid.   The point I am making is that the source is “non-renewable”

Energy from sustainable biological systems is renewable.  ( Solar is renewable energy)

June 26, Naperville will be the “finish line” Host  for America’s Solar Challenge.  University Students from all over the country create solar powered vehicles in a race through America, and finish at Naperville North High School.  Put this important date on your calendar.  It will be an event focused on efficient, sustainable choices.

Until next time, Don’t be part of the Pollution, try being part of the Solution

Submitted by

Deb Villarese

Connect to my blog by going to my website:   www.bellawelllifestyles.com  

Chemicals that kill things

The “easy way” to kill bugs and weeds has been underway since  the early part of the last century.  After WWII petroleum chemical companies realized that a lot of chemicals developed for the war could be used to kill insects and weeds.  That was good for agriculture because the U.S. was moving away from small family farms into “big business” farms.  Thus, expensive labor could be replaced with cheap chemicals.

DDT, one of the pesticides in the Chlorinated hydrocarbon family was banned in 1973, but more than 3 decades later is still being found in humans.  Chemicals in the organophosphates category have  been found to cause nervous system disruption.  Lead, Arsenic, Mercury, & Copper have been used as pesticides for more than a century, and we all know that each are dangerous to human health.

So what is the big deal you say?  The federal government sets limits on the amount of any of the chemicals that can be in the food we eat.  They claim they are safe, yet here is the problem.  Lots of the fruits and veggies on the grocer’s shelves can exceed these levels because there is no system for checking.  Plus the food we get comes from global sources, and let’s just say that some places don’t have the rigorous regulations.  AND, have you noticed the amount of people with Celiac disease, food allergies, and digestive disorders? 

A lot of these chemicals can cause damage to the nervous system, disrupt your hormones, and according to a report by the Nat’l Research Council, 30 percent of commonly used insecticides, 60 percent of herbicides, and 90 percent of fungicides can potentially cause cancer.  It’s unethical to test humans, so we rely on the poor farm workers who have been regularly exposed to these chemicals regularly.

As spring approaches, and you sign those contracts with the lawn companies, think about what you are throwing on the lawn where your children might be playing, and consider a more natural product.

One that takes to heart the impact their product makes on the Planet, the Rivers, Streams and Ponds, in their community as well as the lawn where your children romp and play.  We use Natural Lawn of America.  Email me to know more:   deb@eco-logicalnews.com   

Eco  Logically Yours

Deb Villarese

www.bellawelllifestyles.com

Times are tougher than ever. Money is tighter than it has been. These are all the more reasons to go green.  True, it’s good for the planet, but did you know it can also save you a huge amount of money down the road?  Last month I wrote about what you “could” and I had no specifics.   I thought I would include some ideas that will save you money, time, and most importantly a little wear and tear on Mother Earth, after all, she isn’t getting any younger.

• Visit your local library. Take the kids on a Saturday, have them pick out 2 of their favorite books, and return them next week! It’s free and it’s green.

• Carpool! If your drive to work is 25 miles each way and at least half is stop-and-go traffic, you’ll save

almost 10 percent of your monthly carbon emissions by carpooling. Not to mention the gas dollars you’ll

save.

• Bulk shopping is good for the environment because it reduces packaging and waste plus it means less

trips to the market and less gas used so you save money.

CONSERVE ENERGY

• Run your dishwasher. It can actually help the environment while saving you time and preserving your manicure, and be sure all the germs are washed away. Many studies show that dishwashers actually use less water than dishes by hand and you can save a ton of water, energy and money by only running the dishwasher when it’s full—especially if it’s Energy Star-approved.

• Throw in a concentrated, phosphate-free detergent such as Automatic Dish Wash Concentrate that is so powerful a pre-rinse isn’t required, and you earn extra eco-warrior points!

• Use Rechargeable Batteries. Investing in rechargeable batteries can save you some money over time.  In general, the less you rely on single-use, disposable items, the less money you’ll burn through.

• Check Out the New CFLs. CFL bulbs use 80% less energy than standard incandescent light bulbs, and last up six to 10 times longer. You might not be aware of the newest designs from cutting-edge

manufacturers, including a new range of pleasant color temperatures, dimmable CFLs, bug lights, 3-way

models, candelabra and flicker tip styles and more.

• Turn Off Your Computer - Save energy, wear on your hardware and an average of $90 each year on

electricity costs by shutting down your computer at night. The Department of Energy recommends shutting off your monitor if you aren’t going to use it for more than 20 minutes, and the whole system if you’re not going to use it for more than two hours. 

·         Un plug your phone/iPod chargers when they aren’t charging phones, they uses Phantom energy

·         Check into Green$witch, (one switch that shuts all that controls unnecessary lights left on from one switch.  Learn more at:  www.greenswitchgroup.com   

RECYCLE & REUSE

• Rather than going through rolls of paper towels, cut up old t-shirts and towels for cleaning rags. If DIY isn’t your cup of tea, try  Microfiber Cleaning and Window Cloths. They are ridiculously absorbent and can be washed and reused hundreds of times.

• Ditch bottled water! The cost adds up and the bottles pile up in landfills to pollute our planet. Save big

bucks and keep waste out of the landfills by switching to filtered water.

The BestWater® PerfectPitcher® is NSF-certified and serves up delicious, clean water that can be poured into a glass to be enjoyed at home, or a portable, reusable water bottle if you’re on the go.

Come join me, and be part of the Solution, NOT part of the Pollution

Deb Villarese

www.bellawelllifestyles.com   

When it comes to the environment- and many others things for that matter- I think most people make choices base on three criteria: Health, Convenience, and Budget.  Then, if their choice happens  to be good for the planet too, that would just be a “ Bonus.”

What if you could make greener choices without sacrificing convenience and budget?  More importantly, what if those choices made a positive impact on your family’s health?  There is just a natural momentum that comes with doing the right thing for yourself and your family and your planet.  You buy one non-toxic cleaning product, you start using one baby bottle made for materials that are safe for your infant, and the next thing you know, you’re recycling and riding a bike to work and using organic bamboo towels.  I think helping the environment is a lot like working out.  It’s sort of like putting on work- out clothes (a step to be proud of in itself) and then stepping out and “starting”

The Plain Truth is this:

·         The pollution inside out homes is worse than outside and we spend nearly 90 % of our time indoors.

·          We as a nation need to rethink what our idea of clean is; in other words, our “idea” of clean could actually be hurting us.

·         The health of “your” family and “our” planet are connected.  If each of us started with our own home we could make an impact on the planet.

·         Knowledge is power.   Not knowing is one thing, Knowing and continuing to use or do the things we know is harmful is another.

It is just the simple act of cleaning the kitchen sink that can become the large act of changing the world.

It just takes the first step to make the difference.

What are a few of the adjustments YOU or your FAMILY can make in this New Year?  Cleaning supplies, cosmetics, deodorants and other personal care products, dry-cleaned clothes, laundry, plastic food containers, paints , varnishes, home and garden supplies. Many of these contain VOC’s (Volatile Organic Chemicals) which escape into the environment, the home and ultimately, into YOU.  

An accumulative ACT of ONE can and will make a huge”WORLD” of difference.

Are you part of the solution? Or part of the Pollution

Submitted by Deb Villarese, Lifestyle expert and coach.

www.eco-logicalnews.com       www.bellawelllifestyles.com