Does The Price Of Your Perfume Add Up To Health Issues?

Author: Gregg Hall

Almost everything made today includes some kind of fragrance. It is in soaps, cleaning products, laundry detergent, deodorants, and more. I could list a lot more but then all we would have would be a list. We utilize perfume for air freshener, on our own bodies and on the bodies of our pets. The problem with all of this is that the proliferation of all of these chemicals could be contributing to making you feel ill.

The use of fragrances is nothing new, they have been used for centuries dating to biblical times but it is only now that we have begun to see some of the issues arising from the use of perfume. One of the main reasons for this, I think, is that throughout the ages fragrances were created from natural ingredients while now the vest majority of scents on the market are made from chemicals which leave a toxic vapor trail.

The reason for making the fragrances with synthetics is simple; it is much cheaper and faster to produce once they have the formula down. Some of the chemicals used like petroleum are proven and well documented to contain dangerous toxins that can cause health issues from birth defects to disorders of the nervous system, and even cancer.

The fragrance industry that uses these chemicals is completely unregulated because they are not thought to be producing anything dangerous. They don't have to supply the FDA with any date or information of testing, safety, or their formulas. Some people are more sensitive to these chemicals than others, so while it may not affect you it could very well be harming someone in your home. For people who are highly allergic to some of these chemicals they don't have to smell them, it can just be laundry soap that has an allergen that causes them to break out in a rash when they put on a freshly laundered piece of clothing.

Some are so hyper sensitive to certain perfumes that just one sniff of the scent can cause shortness of breath, rapid breathing and heart beat and other reactions. Some other very common signs of someone who is highly allergic are sore throat, sneezing, nausea, and watery eyes. In many cases if the chemical is absorbed through the skin it has an even more powerful impact.

There are many establishments today that are beginning to implement fragrance free policies due to the allergic reactions that are being seen. Not only do the ask people not to wear any scented products but they also use only unscented cleaning products for their janitorial services. As more and more people display reactions to the chemicals we will see companies all across the country following suit with similar policies.

Article Source: http://www.articlesbase.com/health-articles/does-the-price-of-your-perfume-add-up-to-health-issues-45162.html

About the Author:
Gregg Hall is an author living in Navarre Florida. Find more about discount designer perfume and discount women's perfume store at http://www.perfumeandcolognestore.com

Honeybee Gardens Mercury-Free Mascara, Water-Based Nail Polish Suncoat,All Natural Creations Face Cream, Karma Naturals Organic Body Products

After my research today, I'm thrilled to find some black nail polish without the harsh chemicals, mercury-free mascara, face lotion that is NOT linked to cancer and my recent discovery-->>Karma Naturals, specializing in Natural & Organic body products.

Check them out and if you've tried any of them, be sure to post a comment below:)

Mercury-Free Mascara

• Honeybee Gardens Mascara
• http://www.honeybeegardens.com/natural-cosmetics/products/masc.html

• Afterglow Pure Soul Mascara
• http://afterglowcosmetics.com/all_natural_mascara/

• Suncoat Natural Vegan Mascara
• http://www.suncoatproducts.com/index-mascara.htm

Water-Based Nail Polish

Acquarella Nail Polish ($18)
http://store.acquarellapolish.com/Acquarella-Nail-Polish/M/B000WQU5IE.htm

• Rates a 0 on Skin Deep
• NOT linked to cancer

Suncoat Nail Polish ($7.63)
https://www.internatural.com

• "In Suncoat water-based nail polish, all the chemical solvents are replaced by water. The major ingredient is water, not chemical solvents! So when Suncoat water-based nail polish is being applied, it is only water that evaporates to the air, not toxic chemical fumes."

Face Lotion That Is All Natural!
All Natural Creations Light Shea Butter Lotion ($10 + $4.95 s&h)
http://www.allnaturalcreations.com/face.shtml

• Rates a 1 on Skin Deep
• NOT linked to cancer
  
• Compact for Safe Cosmetics signor
  

Natural & Organic Body Products
Karma Naturals
www.karmic-klutter.com

• All natural or organic lip balms, gloss, blush, foundations plus more
• Compact for Safe Cosmetics signor
  

President Barack Obama: Letter to Help Support The Pickens Plan

No matter who we voted for, we need to back our President who was elected this week.

I just sent President -Elect Barack Obama a letter congratulating him on his historic victory and hoping he will join me in supporting the Pickens Plan.

You can also send him a letter by visiting http://action.pickensplan.com/obama

Here is the letter:

Congratulations on your historic win.

As you begin to develop an agenda for the first 100 days of your Administration, I look forward to learning more about your plans to reduce our country's dependence on foreign oil.

The Pickens Plan is our country's way to create hundreds of thousands of new energy jobs and kick-start this ailing economy.

I hope you will join me in supporting the Pickens Plan. Together we can make a difference.

Just When You Thought It Was Safe To Eat Veggies By Amy Todisco

Green Living Expert, Amy Todisco
http://www.greenlivingnow.com

Most of us eat veggies because we know that they are healthy for us, and most of them really taste good. At least we thought they were healthy for us. Well, guess what? A recent University of Minnesota study published in the Journal of Environmental Quality found that antibiotics given to animals could end up in your veggies (gasp!).

Here's the problem:

Raw and/or lightly composted manure is often used as fertilizer on conventional farms. In contrast, manure used on organic farms must be composted or applied at least 90 days before harvest. No such requirements exist on conventional farms.

In the study, researchers found that corn; cabbage and green onions all absorbed the antibiotic, chlortetracycline from the manure fertilizer from pigs that were given the antibiotic. Chlortetracycline is a member of the tetracycline class of antibiotics used in human medicine. It's used to treat upper respiratory tract infections and other illnesses. When humans ingest antibiotics, especially unnecessary ones, it can make bacteria in the intestines become drug resistant. So, if you really needed that antibiotic at some point, it wouldn't be effective. Also, all antibiotics (as I understand it) kill off both the good and bad bacteria in our bodies leaving us more vulnerable to yeast infections, and other health issues. Beyond the immediate effects to our bodies, resistant bacteria created on a farm can contaminate air, water and soil, and travel significant distances.

Did you think antibiotics were just used to treat disease? I did. Apparently they are also fed to animals to make them grow faster and to compensate for overcrowded, unsanitary conditions on industrial scale farms. Not good for the animals, and not good for the consumers of those animals either.

Sadly consumers have no idea that they are consuming antibiotics in their food, there isn't any label requirement to reveal this information. I guess it's just like genetically engineered organisms, pesticides and other toxins in conventional food. That's not to say that it's impossible for antibiotics to appear in organic food too. It would seem unlikely though due to the requirement to compost the manure and apply it 90 days before harvest. But who knows? I'll continue to put my money on the organic stuff, what about you?

P.S. Occasionally I get asked what a person can do who cannot afford organic food. I usually suggest the following: (1) grow it yourself and freeze and can it for the winter. No land? Grow your own in a community garden plot, or in a neighbor's garden (get the soil tested for heavy metals. Call your local extension service for more information). Shop at local farmer's markets (fresher and usually more affordable). Join a community supported agriculture group (perhaps some farmers will barter your share of the harvest for something of value to them). I've heard that big box stores, like Costco's and Big Lots, carry some organic food. So, if you already shop there, choose the organic.

Steps Families Can Take to Living Green

Author: Britt Michaelian

I do not consider myself to be a huge environmentalist but, I am proud to say that I saved my allowance to join Greenpeace in the 80s. As an adult, I now realize the importance of having an awareness about our impact on the earth and sharing this with our children.

We may not be able to save our planet from every black cloud, but it is important to be responsible and respectful to the earth on a daily basis.

There are simple steps that we can all take to help live in a more green, earth friendly way. We do not have to change our lives drastically and with a few adjustments, nothing will seem to be different (for the exception of the land fills not being as full, our energy and water bills not being quite as high, and our knowing that we are doing our part in living a conscious and environmentally friendly way).

The following is a list of simple steps that families can take to living green. It is not a complete list, but a starting point. The important thing here is that parents and caregivers discuss these steps and ENFORCE them. If parents teach children to live green at an early age, children will naturally respect the earth.

I know there are many more things we can do, so I encourage you to please send us your great tips too! The earth thanks you and so do we!

Steps to Living Green:

1. Turn off the lights and the TV when you are not in the room. Better yet, turn the TV off all together and grab a book!

2. Get energy efficient appliances. This will help save on your electric bills as well as helping the environment!

3. Change out all of your old incandescent light bulbs with the new energy efficient florescent bulbs. They not only save you money, but time- you do not need to replace them as often and there is less waste from needing fewer bulbs!

4. There is one thing that is better than these new energy saving light bulbs and that is natural light. If it is light out, open the shades and catch some rays! Natural sun light helps with seasonal depression and vitamin D!

5. Recycle all of your plastic and glass bottles and aluminum cans. We have been hearing this for years, so do it! Every little bit counts.

6. Get a water purifying filtration system, or just a container with a filter like a Britta and STOP using those plastic water bottles! .

7. Buy a kitchen timer and put it next to each shower in your home. Take the 4 minute shower. One minute for shampoo, one for soap, one for conditioner and one to rinse. Shave with the water off in between soaping and rinsing. This is HUGE in helping with water consumption, especially if you have more than one child taking showers. Better yet, take showers with more than one person at a time and still keep it to minutes! Make it a game!

8. Turn the water off while brushing teeth and while washing hands. After a quick initial rinse, turn the water off during lather and turn on again for a thorough rinse to finish up. For extra dirty hands, use a washcloth to remove dirt, not running water!

9. Recycle toilet paper and towel rolls. Better yet, if your kids are in preschool or grade school, save up the rolls and give them to the school. Kids can always make great art or science projects using paper towel and toilet paper rolls!

10. Fix leaky faucets as soon as the start to leak. Do not procrastinate on this kind of stuff. It not only costs you money, but wastes way more water than you realize.

11. Switch your household cleaners, dish soaps and hand soaps to environmentally friendly ones. The chemicals in bleaches and harsh chemicals are not only bad for earth, they are bad for you! Think cancer and fertility issues, not that much fun.

12. Every time that you go to the store to stock up on supplies for the house or office, look for recycled or green products. This way, you will know you are at least trying to be green!

13. Organic is the way to go. Buy from local farmers if you can and buy most, if not all of your produce from the organic section. Again, this not only benefits the earth, but your body does not need all of those pesticides and chemicals- more cancer and infertility, yuck!

14. Even shampoos and cosmetics companies are starting to go green. And these products are actually good! Give them a try!

15. Be open to trying new things that are green. The more open you are, the sooner you will find out that this whole green movement is kind of fun and definitely makes you feel like you are being responsible! What could feel better than that?

Article Source: http://www.articlesbase.com/environment-articles/steps-families-can-take-living-green-379071.html

About the Author:
Britt Michaelian, MA is the founder and CEO of Responsible Family Company. Her DVD, Care for Kids: The Essential Guide to Preparing Caregivers educates caregivers about medical emergencies. Sign up for her newsletter to receive a free Child Safety Report at http://www.responsiblefamily.com

Facts About Global Warming You Should Know

Author: Nathalie Fiset

Global warming is not a 20th century phenomenon. It has, in fact, occurred in the past more than once, along with periods of extreme cold known as the ice ages. With so much written and reported about global warming, sometimes it's difficult to detect which is fact and which is just part of scientific scare tactics. Here are some facts about global warming that might help:

What exactly is global warming?

Global warming is basically the increase in the temperatures of the Earth's atmosphere, land masses and oceans. The Earth's surface temperature is at an average of 59F and over the last hundred years, this figure has risen to about 1F. By the year 2100, the average change in the temperature of the Earth could range from 2.5F to about 10F, enough to melt glaciers and polar ice caps.

The cause of global warming

Global warming has and will always occur naturally. Why it has become such a concern in our lifetime is due to the fact that human activities and practices have contributed significantly to its occurrence and severity. With the advent of industrialization and careless environmental practices, we have caused the increase in the average global temperatures by contributing negatively to the greenhouse effect.

This began about 240 years ago, when the Industrial Revolution was born. As more and more fossil fuels in the form of oil were mined and burned, gases as the by-product of that process began to be released in the atmosphere. Currently, it is estimated that 75% of the increase in the carbon dioxide content of the Earth's atmosphere is caused by the burning of these fossil fuels.

Global warming and the greenhouse effect

Global warming is related to changes in the Earth's greenhouse effect. Gases naturally occur in the Earth's atmosphere and act both to protect and retain heat. These gases include carbon dioxide, methane, nitrous oxide and water vapor. Of these, water vapor is the most dominant and abundant greenhouse gas.

Global warming and the greenhouse effect are not the same thing. The greenhouse effect refers to a natural process that occurs in the Earth's atmosphere. If this process is disrupted, then it could contribute to global warming.

As the sun's rays hit the Earth, heat is bounced back to the atmosphere where these gases contain the heat and keep it there to warm the planet. This is an important natural process and allows life forms to flourish and survive. Problems only occur when these gases multiply and build-up, containing heat too efficiently and thus warming the Earth's atmosphere.

As the Earth's average temperature rises, effects in its landmasses and sea water level become apparent. Polar ice caps melt along with glaciers, contributing to higher and warmer sea levels. By the end of the century, it is estimated that sea levels can increase from 4 inches to a high of about 40 inches if global warming continues unabated.

Global warming can also affect the behavior of the winds and can also contribute to a harsher and drier climate, with frequent visitings of strong hurricanes. Water from heavier rainfall will not stay long to irrigate the land, however because with a warmer climate, water on the Earth's surface will evaporate quickly. This has a significant effect on agricultural practices not only in the US but also for the rest of the world.

Another phenomenon that is equated with global warming is the El Nino. The El Nino phenomenon has occurred for possibly thousands of years and is not caused directly by global warming. However, changes in the average temperature of the planet can contribute to its severity and frequency.

The other human practices that contribute to global warming

The agricultural revolution has also contributed to global warming. As more and more communities need lands converted from forests to residential and commercial areas, biomass is reduced, contributing to the increase in the presence of carbon dioxide in those regions. Since carbon dioxide is processed by plants and trees, their absence contributes to its increase.

It is estimated that about 25% of the annual increase in the carbon dioxide found in the Earth's atmosphere is caused by extreme changes and usage of the Earth's natural resources. Other practices also include deforestation, salinization, desertification and overgrazing also contribute to global warming. However, many scientists surmise and agree that the contribution is slight and indirect.

Facing the facts of global warming

Countries all over the world have just begun to acknowledge the negative effects of global warming not only to the world's politics and economy but also to humankind in general. Many of the world's governments have encouraged implementation of measures to try to counteract the problem of global warming through careful measures and practices designed to protect and respect the environment.

How these measures will fare and contribute to the long-term maintenance of our planet, though, remains to be seen.

Article Source: http://www.articlesbase.com/environment-articles/facts-about-global-warming-you-should-know-131079.html

About the Author:
For more information now go to: http://www.solutionstoearthdestruction.com
http://www.stopearthdestruction.com/index.html

Soft Drinks-The Drinks of Champions?

Author: Craig Burton

One of the most heavily promoted and "coolest" products around are soft drinks. Millions are spent on superstars advertising coke, pepsi and the like. We know they are not healthy but how damaging is that innocent - and many would say satisfying - can of coke to our health?

In the following article I will outline:

1. The current soft drink epidemic

2. The ingredients

3. The physical cost from soft drink ingredients

1. The current soft drink epidemic

In the U.K. in 2004 nearly 14 billion litres of soft drink were consumed. The 2004 total soft drinks figure represents an increase of 47% over the past ten years. (1)

In Australia soft drink consumption increased by over 30% in the 10 years to 1999. 50% of 16-18 year olds consumed soft drinks every day. (2)

These popular beverages account for more than a quarter of all drinks consumed in the United States. More than 56.9 billion liters were sold in 2000 - that works out to at least one can per day for every man, woman and child. Soft drink consumption among children and adolescents rose 41% between 1989-1991 and 1994-1995, mostly displacing milk and juice, the leading sources of many vitamins and minerals in the American diet. (3)

2. The ingredients

One can of soft drink has about:
• 10-13 teaspoons of sugar
• 30 to 55 mg of caffeine
• And additionally it is loaded with artificial food colors and sulphites

3. Physical costs from soft drink ingredients

• Sugar: Soft drink manufacturers are the largest single user of refined sugar in the United States. It is a proven fact that sugar increases insulin levels, which can lead to high blood pressure, high cholesterol, heart disease, diabetes, obesity, premature aging and numerous other negative side effects including associated tooth disease problems.

• Caffeine: Caffeinated drinks cause many nervous system reactions including the jitters and insomnia. High caffeine use is associated with high blood pressure, irregular heartbeat, elevated blood cholesterol levels, vitamin and mineral depletion that potentially leads to disease.

• Aspartame: This chemical is used as a sugar substitute in diet soda. There are over 92 different health side effects associated with aspartame consumption including brain tumors, birth defects, diabetes, emotional disorders and epilepsy/seizures. Further, when aspartame is stored for long periods of time or kept in warm areas it changes to methanol, an alcohol that converts to formaldehyde and formic acid, which are known carcinogens. Please see February and March Peak Performance editions to read more on this deadly product.

• Phosphoric Acid: May interfere with the body's ability to use calcium, which can lead to osteoporosis or softening of the teeth and bones. Phosphoric acid also neutralizes the hydrochloric acid in your stomach, which can interfere with digestion, making it difficult to utilize nutrients. (4)

• Benzene: Recent random government testing of soft drinks found five of them contaminated with levels of benzene (which is a cancer-causing chemical linked to leukemia) that exceeded federal standards set for benzene in drinking water. Benzene is able to form in beverages that contain vitamin C (ascorbic acid) and the preservatives sodium benzoate or potassium benzoate. Exposure to heat and light can trigger the formation. (5)

Looking at the consumption statistics and related health consequences I have no doubt soft drinks are one of the main reasons from a nutritionally perspective why many people suffer health problems. Aside from the negative effects of the soda itself, drinking a lot of it is likely to leave you with little appetite for whole foods that your body needs to function at its best.

Your 3d Coach
Craig Burton
References
(1) http://www.researchandmarkets.com/ reportinfo.asp? report_id=302947.
(2) http://www.nutritionaustralia.com.au/SNAC/ soft-drink-final-paper.pdf
(3) Squires, S, The Amazing Statistics and Dangers of Soda Pop, 2001 http://www.mercola.com/2001/mar/10/ soda_pop_dangers.htm
(4) Mercola, J, The Real Dangers of Soda to You and Your Children, mercola.com, 2003 http://www.mercola.com/2003/jul/9/soda_dangers.htm
(5) Soft Drinks: Disease in a can, bloomberg.com, May 20, 2006

Article Source: http://www.articlesbase.com/health-articles/soft-drinks-the-drinks-of-champions-195102.html

About the Author:
Article by Craig Burton. Craig is a prominent European based holistic health and fitness coach and founder of 3D Personal Training Systems. Craig is a Sports Science graduate with postgraduate accreditations in nutrition, massage, athletic training, and corrective exercise therapy.

He is the author of "The 21 Day Roadmap to Health" available at http://www.21dayroadmap.com.

Receive your FREE 3d pts tools including the 7 Part Series: Success Strategies for transforming the body, mind and spirit, our FREE monthly Peak Performance Newsletter and our FREE questionnaire to find out more about your current health status at http://www.3dpts.com/freetools.

For more information and articles on health and fitness visit http://www.3dpts.com/articles.