Common Chemicals Found in Your home

Technology has given rise to products loaded with chemicals that alter, define, or enhance the function of said product. They are neither seen by the naked eye nor felt immediately by the body. Unbeknownst to most people, products that we are exposed to everyday are abounding with harmful chemicals that can cause long term health effects.

Chemicals in Home Products

It has been a long-standing belief that if you stay at home, you will be safe from contaminants. However, this may not be so since there are still dangerous chemicals in products that you use on a daily basis in the home. For instance, some cosmetic foundations, shampoos and antiperspirants contain bentonite. This chemical clogs the pores and prevents oxygen from being transported normally. It can also cause asthma as well as lung damage.

Ethylene glycol is another chemical that can cause health problems. This may be found in floor polish, acrylic paints, firming moisturizers and smoothing lotions. It can cause headaches, kidney problems, cell death or necrosis, as well as backaches and throat irritation.

Chemicals in Indoor Air Pollution

At home, there is a pervading presence of volatile organic compounds (VOCs). These compounds create a polluted environment at home without your even realizing it. VOCs are chemicals that can be found in the air that you breathe at home. Sources of VOCs include paints, wax, cleaning products, and varnishes. You might be surprised that even the adhesives and glues you use are sources of VOCs.

EPA’s Office of Research and Development has done extensive research on VOCs to discover how to lessen the indoor air pollution that greatly affects people’s health. It was found that the level of harmful chemicals indoors is 2-5 times higher compared to the level outdoors, making the home a haven for environmental pollutants.

Ugly Toxins

In everyday living, it is highly probable that you will be subjected to some level of toxic exposure. Sources of pollution are not always found outside the home. They can be found in the things that are used inside your home. Toxic substances include lead, mercury and manganese. Lead may be found in the paint on your walls. Mercury is found in thermometers and thermostats. Manganese, along with iron, is commonly found in water.

The adverse effects of environmental pollution on the body usually take some time to manifest. Therefore, ensuring that the home products you are using are free from harmful chemicals would be an ideal way to prevent the onset of adverse health effects. 

Shaklee has all your need to build and maintain a safe home.  Check them out today (and enter ID# ZS23417 at checkout).

Seven Hidden Dangers in Your Home

1. Mold
Does your bathroom, closet or basement have an old musty odor?  Blame mold spores. They make themselves at home in damp spots. “Mold can grow within 24-48 hours where there’s moisture and what they consider a food source,” says Jeff May, co-author of My House is Killing Me! and The Mold Survival Guide (both from The Johns Hopkins University Press).  It doesn’t take much to make mold happy and multiply: It chomps down on dust, wood, paint, paper, cotton or oil, among other things. It’s attracted to modern building materials like drywall. Complex heating and cooling systems can make mold matters worse, especially if you suffer from allergies or asthma.  Mold spores can trigger asthma symptoms, such as coughing, wheezing and shortness of breath, the Mayo Clinic reports.  Allergic reactions include: sneezing; runny or stuffy nose; itchy, watery eyes; and inflamed sinuses. Common spots to find the fuzzy stuff – it often grows in a circular pattern and can be black, brown, white, yellow, pink or greenish-blue – are basement walls and carpets, closets and on wooden backs and bottoms of furniture stored in damp spaces. 
Protective steps:  Use a dehumidifier to keep the humidity in mold-prone rooms below 50%.  Operate an oscillating fan in the bathroom after showering and fix leaks as soon as possible.  Keep rooms well ventilated.  If you suspect mold, check the area with a flashlight (some of the fungi can only be seen with a bright light).

 2. Dust mites
You can’t see these microscopic critters with the naked eye, but they can wreak havoc on your health. They may be one of the most common causes of allergies and asthma and can trigger the same miserable symptoms. Dust mites, too, need moisture and feed off the dead skin cells our bodies shed. Their favorite hiding place? Beds, pillows, mattresses and sheets. Protective steps: Face it: Dust mites are a part of your life. Here are some tips: Allergy covers can help because they’re woven, so even dust mites can’t slip through them. Seal your mattress, box spring, comforter and pillows. (You can usually buy allergy covers where sheets are sold.). Wash your bedding and area rugs in hot water (120 degrees F) at least once a week.  Put items that aren’t machine washable – like a special pillow or stuffed animal – in the freezer for a couple hours at a time to kill dust mites.  Don’t go to bed with wet hair − you’re just giving the mites more moisture.  Regularly vacuum all floors, especially carpets, where dust mites can hide.

 3. Carpet chemicals
 Redecorating or renovating your house can give you a headache – literally.  When your wall-to-wall or area rug gives off that new carpet smell, it’s usually shedding 4-PC, a chemical in carpet backing.  Though the smell probably will go away within days or weeks, it can cause temporary headaches and hoarseness in people sensitive to chemicals. Protective steps:  Ideally, new carpet should be aired before installation. But if that’s not possible, keep the carpeted room well ventilated and stay out if you’re sensitive to 4-PC.  Here’s how he tells if carpet odor is giving off gas:  Take a clean, fragrance-free paper towel and fold it in half twice.  Place it on a section on the rug and cover it with aluminum foil secured with tape.  After 24 hours, fold the towel inside the foil quickly.  Then go outside and unwrap it just enough to take a whiff.  If it stinks, your carpet is giving off gas.

4. Medications
To tweens, toddlers and preschoolers, prescription and over-the-counter medications may look as tempting as candy, thanks to their interesting shapes and colors.  Protective steps:  Store these drugs where kids can’t find them and use a safety lock on that cupboard or cabinet.  Never leave meds within easy reach, such as your purse, night-table or countertop.  Make sure all bottles have child-resistant caps.  Never call any drugs candy – no matter how desperate you are to get them to take it when they’re sick – or they may dip into the “sweet stuff” on their own.  Most important: Put the number of your local Poison Control Center where you can easily find it in an emergency. Need the number? Visit the American Association of Poison Control Centers (AAPCC).

5. Mothballs
They may keep your favorite sweaters from resembling Swiss cheese, but the stinky naphthalene balls that keep moths away also emit chemicals that can irritate people. According to the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), “acute exposure through inhalation, ingestion and dermal contact is associated with anemia, damage to the liver, and, in infants, neurological damage.”  Signs that you’ve had short-term exposure to naphthalene include headache, nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, confusion, anemia, jaundice and convulsions.  Protective steps:  Play it safe by replacing moth balls (and their horrible aroma) with natural moth repellants like cedar blocks or chips or dried lavender.  Even white peppercorns are reputed to ward off these flying insects.

6. Cleaning products
More than one million children under 5 years old are exposed each year to potential poisons such as medicines and household chemicals, the AAPCC reports. And like medications, the bright colors and sweet scents of cleaning products make them look appealing to little ones.  But there’s nothing pretty about health problems they can cause. The most common products ingested by children are drain, oven and toilet bowl cleaners, bleach, detergents, furniture polish and rust remover.  Protective steps: High, not low: Under the kitchen and bathroom sinks are common places to store cleaning products, but it’s better to keep them on high shelves, out of reach of kids.  If you have to store cleaners in low cabinets, use baby-proof locks and make sure all tops are properly closed.  When you take products out to clean, make sure they’re way out of your child’s reach and securely closed.  Put a danger mark on all hazardous products (draw your own or use a sticker) and teach kids to steer clear when they see it. 

7. Carbon monoxide
This odorless, colorless gas is toxic and may even kill you. And you may not even realize it’s in your home!  Typically, the danger comes from fuel-burning appliances: furnaces, stoves, fireplaces, clothes dryers, water heaters and space heaters, as well as automobile exhaust from attached garages.  Low levels of this toxic gas may cause headaches, dizziness, disorientation, nausea and fatigue, according to the EPA.  Higher levels can lead to impaired vision and coordination, headaches, dizziness, nausea, vomiting, confusion, unconsciousness and, at very high concentrations, death.  Protective steps: Buy a carbon monoxide detector, something the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) recommends for all homes. Make sure it’s installed properly and test it regularly.  Make sure fuel-burning appliances are installed correctly. To stay safe, have a pro inspect all your fuel-burning appliances annually.  With gas stoves, use an exhaust fan vented to the outside.  Make sure the flue is open when using your fireplace and that your space heater is vented.  Never let your car idle in the garage.

Fish Oil: Omega 3's Key to a Healthy Heart

Fish naturally found in cold-water and certain shellfish are good sources of Omega-3 fatty acids EPA and DHA. Supportive but not conclusive research shows that consumption of EPA and DHA Omega-3 fatty acids may reduce the risk of coronary heart disease. In addition, fish oil can help maintain healthy triglyceride levels already in normal range.† For heart health in healthy adults, some experts recommend about 500mg of omega-3 fatty acids daily, containing both EPA and DHA. Fish oil supplements are a convenient way to take advantage of the benefits of Omega-3 fatty acids.  Check out Shaklee for the purest, 100% natural and safe fish oil, and other nutritional supplements (use ID# ZS23417 at checkout).

Spinach, Broccoli, and Brussels Sprouts Can Reduce Inflamation

Fruits and vegetables help reduce inflammation in the body, which in turn, helps reduce risk for chronic diseases. Chronic diseases like heart disease, diabetes, cancer, osteoarthritis and fibromyalgia can be reduced if certain foods are introduced into the diet.

Amy Jamieson-Petonic is a registered dietitian at Cleveland Clinic. She says an easy way to get anti-inflammatory foods into your diet is to go green; "Think spinach, think broccoli, think brussel sprouts, these foods are going to have specific anti-oxidants that will reduce inflammation in the body. And broccoli actually has a specific chemical that turns on and off cancer genes."

Jamieson-Petonic says 100-percent whole grains also reduce inflammation. She says whole grains have components that have been shown in studies to reduce inflammation. Beans, peas, and legumes tend to stabilize our blood-sugar levels.

When it spikes, it increases our risk for diabetes. And she says you can wash down all of your anti-inflammatory foods with a little bit of almond milk. She continues, "What's important for people to understand is that they're getting the unsweetened almond milk. If you get the regular almond milk it's sweetened with cane juice, and that's an added sugar. Added sugars increase inflammation body and they increase our risk of disease."

Jamieson-Petonic says herbs and spices can also decrease inflammation. So, add things like tumeric and cinnamon to some of your dishes for added health benefits.

How to Choose a Daily Supplement for Kids and Adults

Key Principles for Optimal Health for Kids (and Adults)

1. Give a body what it recognizes. Organic food is just food. The body understands that and it responds beautifully to it. The bonus here is that it means that any food—in its high-quality, organic form—can be part of a nutrition plan for optimal health. Want something red? Nature gives us apples, beets, cherry tomatoes, red meat—there are lots of options, so you can choose. Want something smooth? Nature offers avocado, creamy cheeses, natto, and beans we can puree into a small dip. The body recognizes, anticipates and desires different textures, colors and tastes. And nature delivers.
2. Avoid anything the body won’t completely recognize. Somehow ingredient panels became marketing space, and crafty names guided us into thinking what we were eating was just food or, in some instances, even better than just food (e.g., vitamin water). The truth is that nature doesn’t need a marketing campaign or creative names for its pieces and parts. Nature provides foods of varying sweetness, so why do we need artificial sweeteners or chemical hybrids? Nature provides some fats that are hard at room temperature and some that are liquid, so why do we need to eat chemically made ones that are liquid outside of the body but act as a solid inside? And why add vitamins to water when water is meant to hydrate us? Optimal hydration has more to do with minerals (electrolytes) than vitamins anyway.
3. Be a qualitarian. A growing body is like the frame of a house: when we build, we want to use the highest-quality ingredients for the strongest foundation possible. This way, as the elements challenge the foundation over the years, it doesn’t mean nothing will break—accidents and natural disasters do occur (broken bones, disease, and so on)—but with a strong foundation the house (or body) is better able to overcome them. Teach your kids, and yourself, to make the highest-quality choices. “Always eat your veggies” may require modification to “Eat your organic veggies most of the time—avoid the GMO legumes (including soy); and eat these foods in their whole-food form versus isolating the protein from the highly desirable fiber, omega fatty acids, and carbohydrates.”
4. Define “supplementation”; don’t be defined by it. By definition, a supplement is supplemental to (a healthy) diet.

Understanding the Dangers and Symptoms of Lead Poisoning

By now we have all heard about the danger of pollutants in our drinking water, pollutants in our food, but what about pollutants in our walls? Lead is a heavy metal that is a surprisingly common danger found in homes. It is used in paints, gasoline and plumbing materials and is hazardous if swallowed or breathed. In U.S. state screenings, up to 10% of the children tested under the age of 6 show elevated blood lead levels.

Sources of Lead

Most U.S. homes built before 1978 were painted with lead-based paints. It was only in 1978 with the realization of the dangers of lead exposure that the government banned the use of lead–based paints in housing. When lead-based paint deteriorates, the paint chips and lead dust can contaminate various surfaces around the home. Lead may contaminate normal dust in the house or soil around the painted exterior of the home. Even drinking water may become contaminated if lead is present in your plumbing materials.

Dangers of Lead Exposure

Lead poisoning is a result of inhaling or ingesting lead. Children are their bodies absorb more lead and their systems are more susceptible to the harmful effects. They also tend to have greater exposure as they often play near lead contaminated surfaces like floors and soil as well as encountering lead contaminated objects with their hands and mouths. Some effects of lead poisoning include learning disabilities, seizures, damage to the nervous system, and even death.

Symptoms of Lead Poisoning

Symptoms of lead poisoning include stomachache, diarrhea, constipation, headache, and muscle weakness. Aside from these physical symptoms, there are also behavioral symptoms such as hyperactivity, loss of appetite, lack of interest in playing, irritability, and learning problems in children. Even low blood lead levels of 10 mcg/dL have been shown to have lower children’s IQ levels. In fact, the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and the World Health Organization (WHO) have recognized the level of 10 mcg/dL as sufficient for concern. In adults, behavioral symptoms would include irritability, inability to concentrate, memory loss, unexplained changes in mood, as well as changes in sleep patterns.

Lead Poisoning Prevention

There are various steps that can be taken to reduce health risks in the home like lead poisoning. If possible, remove any sources of lead. If you live in an old home, clean up paint chips from cracking or peeling paint. Clean floors, windows, and other exposed surfaces regularly to reduce lead dust. Be careful no to store food in lead-based crystal or pottery. Make sure that children don’t chew on window sills or furniture that has lead paint. Have your children tested for lead poisoning. Review your local water report or test it yourself to ensure that there are only safe levels of lead in your water.

If your paint is deteriorating, chipping or cracking, or if you choose to error on the side of caution, hire a professional to remove the paint. A lead abatement contractor will test for lead and safely remove lead hazards completely from your home.

Seven Nutrition Tips for Ulcerative Colitis Patients

The temptation for people with Ulcerative Colitis and other bowel disease is to eat a bland diet which is often low in nutritional value.  Instead, one should strive for varied diet high in vitamins and minerals while paying attention to which particular foods cause flares.

Because not all foods will cause the same issue in any two people, it is important to keep track of which foods cause you problems and the easiest way to do that is to keep a food journal.  The journal can be as simple as writing down everything you eat and noting any adverse side effects.  The journal is a good thing to take to doctor appointments as well.

Ulcerative Colitis also hinders the body's ability to absorb calories resulting in low body weight and malnutrition.  Patients should strive to eat high calorie and high protein diets.  Many people will eat three meals a day plus two or three healthy snacks to stay nourished.

While it is always preferable to get essential vitamins and minerals from food, some people may not be able to tolerate some foods that are high in one particular nutrient.  If nutrient gaps exist, it may be necessary to add nutritional supplements.  Many people with Ulcerative Colitis need to supplement vitamin B12 and Iron in their diets.

While each person's particular food sensitivities will differ, there are a few foods that are more likely to cause issues for people with Ulcerative Colitis than others.

• High Fiber Foods (whole grains and raw fruits or veggies)
• Dairy Products
• High-fat foods
• Caffeine
• Carbonated drinks
• Alcohol 

It is important for all people to stay hydrated, but especially people who suffer from Ulcerative Colitis or any other Inflammatory Bowel Disease.  This will help avoid dehydration, kidney problems, gallstones and a myriad of other issues aggravated by Ulcerative Colitis.

As you get to know your condition and how you need to eat, keep in mind that food sensitivities can change.  A food journal will be very helpful in helping you and your doctor discern which foods cause you problems and under what circumstances.

Seven Common Symptoms of Ulcerative Colitis

Ulcerative Colitis affects the inner lining of the rectum and colon, causing it to wear away in spots and leave ulcers.  This wear and tear on the digestive tract can cause severe abdominal cramping, pain and even nausea.

During an Ulcerative Colitis flare, patients often report bloody diarrhea, sometimes containing pus or mucus.

Some patients report a feeling that they have little warning before they need to have a bowel movement, making it difficult to get to a bathroom in time.

During an Ulcerative Colitis flare, some people are awoken during the night due to frequent bowel movements.

Ulcerative Colitis hinders the body's ability to absorb both nutrients and calories.  As a result, people with UC often have nutrition deficiencies and can struggle to keep maintain a healthy weight.

Many people experience dehydration during an Ulcerative Colitis flare.  It is important to try and drink as much water as possible during a flare to avoid dehydration.

Each patient will experience Ulcerative Colitis in a different way and on a different schedule.  It is important to keep track of the frequency and severity of each symptom to help minimize both the number and severity of UC flares.

Migraines May Raise the Risk of Depression in Women

As if having migraine headaches weren’t enough of a burden, a new study finds that women with migraines are also more likely to develop depression — about 40% more likely than women who have no history of the headaches.

The study found that even women whose migraines had ceased in the previous year had a higher risk of becoming depressed than migraine-free women.

Read more: http://healthland.time.com/2012/02/23/study-migraines-may-raise-the-risk-of-depression-in-women/#ixzz1nFp151c5

Quick Tips for healthier Cooking

Braising, broiling, grilling and steaming can capture the flavor and nutrients of your food without adding excessive amounts of fat, oil or sodium. If your recipe calls for frying the ingredients in oil or butter, try baking or broiling the food instead. If the directions say to baste the meat or vegetables in oil or drippings, use wine, fruit juice, vegetable juice or fat-free vegetable broth instead.

Colonoscopy Lowers Rate of Cancer Deaths, Study Finds

By DENISE GRADY Published: February 23, 2012

A new study provides what independent researchers call the best evidence yet that colonoscopy - perhaps the most unloved cancer screening test - prevents deaths. Although many people have assumed colonoscopy must save lives because it is so often recommended, strong evidence has been lacking until now.

In patients tracked for as long as 20 years, the death rate from colorectal cancer was cut by 53 percent in those who had the test and whose doctors removed precancerous growths, known as adenomatous polyps, researchers reported on Wednesday in The New England Journal of Medicine. The test examines the inside of the intestine with a camera-tipped tube.

"For any cancer screening test, reduction of cancer-related mortality is the holy grail," said Dr. Gina Vaccaro, a gastrointestinal oncologist at the Knight Cancer Institute at Oregon Health and Science University who was not involved in the research. "This study does show that mortality is reduced if polyps are removed, and 53 percent is a very robust reduction."

Colorectal tumors are a major cause of cancer death in the United States and one of the few cancers that that can be prevented with screening. This year, more than 143,000 new cases and 51,000 deaths are expected. Incidence and death rates have been declining for about 20 years, probably because of increased use of screening tests and better treatments. But only about 6 in 10 adults are up to date on getting screened for colorectal cancer, according to federal estimates.

Cancer screening tests have come in for greater scrutiny recently. A government panel recommended in October that men no longer get the P.S.A. blood screening test for prostate cancer after concluding it did not save lives. The new study on colonoscopy has limitations - it is not a randomized clinical trial - but some experts say it nonetheless was well done and helps answer questions about the effectiveness of the procedure.

Earlier research had proved that removing precancerous polyps could greatly reduce the incidence of colorectal cancer. But a major question remained: Did removing the polyps really save lives?In theory, it was possible that doctors were finding growths that would not have killed the patient, or missing ones that could be fatal.

"This study puts that argument to rest," said Dr. David A. Rothenberger, a professor and deputy chairman of surgery at the University of Minnesota Masonic Cancer Center. He was not part of the study.

Robert A. Smith, the senior director for cancer control at the American Cancer Society, said, "This is a very big deal."

A team of researchers led by Dr. Sidney J. Winawer, a gastroenterologist at Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center in New York City, followed 2,602 patients who had adenomatous polyps removed during colonoscopies from 1980 to 1990. Doctors compared their death rate from colorectal cancer with that of the general population, where 25.4 deaths from the disease would have been expected in a group the same size. But among the polyp group, there were only 12 deaths from colorectal cancer, which translates into a 53 percent reduction in the death rate.

The new study did not compare colonoscopy with other ways of screening for colorectal cancer and so does not fully resolve a long-standing medical debate about which method is best. Tests other than colonoscopy look for blood in the stool or use different techniques to examine the intestine. All the tests are unpleasant, and people are often reluctant to have them.

Although doctors have differed about which method is best, they agree that it is important to get over the squeamishness and have some type of test, usually starting at age 50. Screening is worthwhile because colorectal cancer is one of the few types of cancer (cervical and skin cancer are others) in which premalignant growths have been identified and the disease can be prevented if those growths are detected and cut out. Research indicates that not every polyp turns into cancer, but that nearly every colorectal tumor starts out as an adenomatous polyp.

Even if intestinal cancer has already developed, it can still be cured if it is found early and treated.

"Not all adenomas become cancers, and not all cancers cause death," said Ann Zauber, the lead author of the study and a statistician at Sloan-Kettering. But in many cases, she said, "we have gotten those that would have had the potential to go on and cause a cancer death."

Dr. Smith, at the American Cancer Society, said the new study on colonoscopy was well done, and noted that changes in death rates can be difficult to measure because they require long-term studies like this one.

But Dr. Harold C. Sox, an emeritus professor of medicine at Dartmouth Medical School and former editor of a leading medical journal, Annals of Internal Medicine, cautioned that the new study was not the last word. He said it was not clear that the same reduction in the death rate found in the study would occur in the general population.

Nonetheless, he said, "I suspect that removing polyps does reduce colorectal cancer mortality."

The type of evidence in this study, based on looking back at patient records, is not considered as reliable as that from a randomized controlled study, in which groups of patients are picked at random to have one treatment or another and then compared over time.

Dr. Sox also said that because all of the patients in the study had adenomatous polyps, it is not certain that the findings would apply exactly to the general population, in which this type of polyp is found in about 15 percent of women and 25 percent of men.

In addition, Dr. Sox said, the people with polyps were part of a study that provided high-quality colonoscopy, so they may not have been comparable to the general population.

Other studies have found that doctors vary in their ability to find polyps, that certain types of polyps are hard to detect and that colonoscopy is better at finding polyps in the lower part of the intestine than in its upper reaches.

Other screening tests look for blood in the stool, and if it is found, the patient is advised to have a colonoscopy. Another test, sigmoidoscopy, examines only the lower part of the colon. Barium enemas with X-rays can also show some abnormal growths. But sigmoidoscopy and barium enemas are not used much anymore in the United States.

Stool tests need to be done once a year; many people do not comply. Indeed, a study from Spain in the same issue of the journal as Dr. Winawer's article found that when people were offered a stool test, only 34.2 percent took it. The figure for colonoscopy was even worse: 24.6 percent.

Colonoscopy does not have to be done every year: If there are no polyps, it is recommended just once every 10 years. People with polyps are usually told to have the test every three years.

But colonoscopy is expensive, costing hundreds or thousands of dollars, depending on whether polyps are removed and on the part of the country where it is done. It also carries small risks of causing bleeding or perforation of the intestine. And it requires sedation and taking strong, foul-tasting laxatives to clean out the intestines so that the doctor can look for polyps.

"Any screening is better than none," Dr. Winawer said. "The best test is the one that gets done, and that gets done well."

His study was paid for by the National Cancer Institute, Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center and private foundations dedicated to colon cancer.

Five Tips for Buying Organic Produce

5 tips for buying organic produce by Elisa Bosley Aug. 24, 2010

Want to get the most for your organic dollars? Take the advice of Harold Ostenson, organic program manager at Stemilt Growers in Wenatchee, Wash., for picking the best organic produce.

Number 9

Look at the PLU (Price Look Up) sticker; if it’s organic, it will start with a 9, followed by four digits. (Genetically modified, or GMO,fruit PLU codes start with 8 followed by four digits; non-GMO, conventionally grown fruit PLUs have only four digits.)

Size

“Early in the fruit season, look for fruit in the larger sizes; later in the season, lean more toward mid-sized fruit, which will normally result in firmer, crunchier eating experience,” says Ostenson.

Color

“If you plan to eat your fruit soon, look at the calyx or bottom end of the fruit for full color,” he says, which usually indicates full ripeness.

Firmness and appearance

Organic apples and pears should be firm to the touch with little to no blemishes on their skin. However, “’blush’ and ‘freckles’ on the exterior of some varieties is very common and certainly not a reason to throw the produce away.”

Storage

Once you’ve bought your organic fruit, take care to store it properly at home, says Ostenson. “Apples should be stored in the coldest part of the refrigerator (crisper drawer) and away from strong-smelling foods. The same is true for pears, unless they are too firm. To ripen pears, place them at room temperature. Check for ripeness daily by gently pressing the neck of the pear. Once it gives slightly to pressure, it is ripe and ready to enjoy.”

Fish Helps Reduce the Risk of Polyps in Women

Prevention: Fish Helps Reduce Risk of Polyps in Women By NICHOLAS BAKALAR Published: February 21, 2012

A new study has found that consumption of omega-3 fatty acids from fish is associated with a reduced risk for one kind of colon polyp, but only in women.

Animal studies have suggested that omega-3 fatty acids may have anti-cancer effects, but the results from human epidemiological studies have been inconclusive. For this case-control study, researchers recruited 5,307 colonoscopy patients, 60 percent of them men,at two Tennessee hospitals over a seven-year period ending in April 2010. The analysis appears online in The American Journal of Clinical Nutrition.

They found 2,141 people with polyps, leaving 3,166 polyp-free controls. All patients were interviewed about diet, health habits and medical history.

After controlling for age, race, body mass index, smoking and other factors, the researchers found that women in the highest fifth for omega-3 consumption - those who consumed three or more servings of fish a week - were 33 percent less likely than women in the lowest fifth to have adenomatous polyps, a type likely to become cancerous.

The researchers found no effect in men,and no effect of omega-3 consumption on hyperplastic polyps, which are more likely to be benign.

"This is more evidence to suggest that omega-3s are beneficial and may have anti-inflammatory action helpful in reducing cancer risk," said the lead author, Dr. Harvey J. Murff, an associate professor of medicine at Vanderbilt.

What does being Eco-Friendly really mean?

With so many products claiming to be green or friendly to the environment, it is hard to know what truly constitutes an eco friendly product these days. Whether they are called green products, sustainable products or environmentally responsible products, these eco friendly products cause minimal harm to people and the environment. The manufacturing and/or consumption of these goods have a minimal impact on the environment. Although there are no universal certifications or standards to deem a product as eco-friendly, there are some questions that you can ask when trying to buy green.

Is the Production Process Eco Friendly?

Whether in a factory or on a farm, working conditions should be fair and protect human rights, like in the production of eco friendly jewelry. The treatment of animals is also a consideration. These days you can find differentiating product labels from hormone free beef to wild salmon.

If the product is a type of crop like produce or grains, soil pollution something to consider. The negative effects of pesticides, herbicides and insecticides are a big motivator on why we should go organic.

What Are the Negative Effects of the Production?

Think about what it takes to produce a product. Consider the amount of resources that are being used to put the item on the shelf. Is the product being produced in a big factory using a lot of electricity? Obviously handmade soaps or unprocessed foods require fewer diminishing natural resources than those being produced in a plant. That is, of course, unless the plant is being powered by renewable sources, like wind power or solar energy. Sustainable production helps to protect our diminishing natural resources.

Find out what other resources are being used to create the product. Is the company utilizing recycled materials, including recycled building materials, office supplies and production materials like compostable bioplastic? The most notable companies have zero waste facilities.

Now, think about what the production process is giving back to the environment. Does it include a lot of wasted scrap materials or pollution, like greenhouse gases or particulate matter? Are there harmful chemicals being released from factory smoke stacks into the atmosphere, like in plastic production? Consider the carbon emissions created in the shipping required for parts, packaging or distribution. Companies who support local vendors reduce their overall footprint.

How Safe Is the Product?

The product, including its parts or ingredients, should not create a health risk for you or your family. Be careful of products such as new carpet, pesticides, or air fresheners which could compromise your indoor air quality. Check the ingredients on products that come in direct contact with your skin, such as lip balm or deodorant. And be sure to keep an eye out for hazards such as VOCs and other chemicals.

The product should also be safe for the environment. Choosing products, like non-chlorine or other green cleaners, made from eco friendly or biodegradable materials will prevent harmful chemicals from getting into our drinking water or contaminating our soils.

How Efficient Is the Product?

If you decide to purchase this product, how efficiently does it work? The market is now full of more energy efficient choices, such as energy efficient appliances and LEDs that will help you to reduce your energy consumption. However, there is the tradeoff of replacement waste for energy reduction.

Also consider the water efficiency of a product. Does the product help you to conserve water, like a low flow showerhead or a recirculating pump?

How Much Waste Does Your Product Create?

The first thing that you generally do when you bring home a product is remove the packaging. Is it individually packaged, like tuna meals or yogurt cups? Or is this a product that you generally keep on hand and can buy in bulk? Look for packaging that consists of recycled materials that can be recycled again to promote closed loop recycling.

Buy it once, or at least as few times as possible. Whenever you can, buy a quality product. You will reduce the number of multiple replacements that would eventually end up filling our landfills.

When the usability of the item finally wears out, consider what options it may have. Did you buy reusable rather than disposable items? Could you repurpose it, like creative folk who convert old toilets into flower pots? Is it a refillable version, like ink cartridges, that help to reduce waste? And if all else fails, is it recyclable?

Help in Finding Eco Friendly Products

It may seem like an overwhelming feat to evaluate the entire ecological impact in order to determine how eco friendly a product really is. Luckily, there are a number of ecolabeling organizations that have certifications to help us in our search.

Organizations like the Rainforest Alliance and Green Seal examine products for their overall eco friendliness. The American Humane Association (AHA) helps you find food products that were created with animal welfare in mind. The USDA Organic certification helps to quickly locate foods grown without harmful chemicals. Organizations such as the Forest Stewardship Council and Ancient Forest International help you identify products that reduce deforestation. ENERGY STAR helps you identify energy efficient appliances.

These organizations send products through an evaluation to help the consumer decipher which products are truly eco friendly and which are merely utilizing greenwashing tactics.

How to Shed Belly Fat Naturally

How to shed belly fat naturally by Interviews by Jonathan Hoover Aug. 26, 2011

Whether it’s fat found just beneath the skin (subcutaneous) or between inner organs (visceral), extra weight around the middle has serious health implications. Visceral fat is particularly dangerous, causing inflammation related to diabetes, cancer, and cardiovascular disease. Here, three experts offer tips on how to shed inches off your waistline for long-term health.

Fitness Expert

Tailor workouts to belly fat. Burn visceral fat with interval training. Spend between 10 percent and 20 percent of cardio time doing high-intensity bursts. After a warm-up walk, accelerate to a speed you perceive as “eight” or “nine” (on a scale of one to ten) for about 90 seconds. Slow down to “six” until you have recovered; then do another burst. Start with four bursts and build up to eight.

Strengthen core. Muscles between your ribs and pelvis support the abdomen, keep you upright, and maintain a flat stomach. These muscles weaken with age; as ribs sink toward the pelvis, the belly pushes out. Try variations of crunches, like lying on your back and pedaling an imaginary bicycle. Also try the plank exercise: Facing the floor, prop up on toes and elbows while keeping legs and back straight. Focus on pulling your navel to your spine.

Stay regular. Studies show constipation prevents abdominal muscles from properly receiving electrical impulses, decreasing exercise’s effectiveness. To encourage regular elimination, eat foods rich in soluble fiber such as beans and oatmeal. -Kathy Smith, instructor, Ageless with Kathy Smith (Acacia, 2011)

Nutritionist

Balance metabolism with diet. Processed foods cause improper metabolism: They increase blood sugar and insulin levels, raising diabetes risk. Eat five or six small, whole-food meals a day, with no more than four hours between eating. Skipping meals sends your body into “starvation mode”—when metabolism slows and fat-cell production increases. Avoid more than two alcoholic beverages per week.

Focus on portions. Soluble fiber–rich foods, like beans, oatmeal, bananas, and citrus, tend to absorb water, making you less likely to overeat. Fiber also helps absorb toxins. Portion properly: Half your plate should contain nonstarchy vegetables like broccoli or green beans, one-fourth lean protein, and the other fourth a complex carbohydrate like quinoa, brown rice, or sweet potato.

Choose helpful supplements. Taking a B-100 complex (50–100 mg) daily encourages your body to break down carbs and proteins. Nettle tea has diuretic properties and supports metabolism, as do digestive enzymes. Add metabolism-boosting chlorella to smoothies. -Keren Gilbert, RD, founder and president, Decision Nutrition

Naturopathic Doctor

Support hormones. Sixteen hormones affect weight gain. To balance hormones, avoid artificial sweeteners and hydrogenated oils; eat protein, fiber, and healthy fats. Exercise, but don’t lift weights excessively, which can increase production of cortisol, the stress hormone that fosters belly fat.

Sleep tight. Deep slumber boosts melatonin and stimulates growth hormones, which help skin, bone, and muscle regeneration and cut down belly fat. Sleep no fewer than seven hours nightly in a pitch-black room between 68 to 70 degrees, which allows for optimal production of recuperative hormones. Enough sleep also lowers cortisol levels. GABA, magnesium, and melatonin supplements can help.

Listen to your liver. Excess estrogen can cause belly fat in men and women. Manage estrogen levels by optimizing liver function. Turmeric, calcium D-glucarate, magnesium, and B vitamins aid in estrogen detox. Fiber binds to and eliminates excess estrogen. Aim for 35– 40 grams daily from ground flaxseed, chia seeds, or oat bran. -Natasha Turner, ND, author, The Hormone Diet (Random House Canada, 2009)

Shaklee has most of the supplements mentioned in this article.  The best thing: they are all 100% natural and safe.  Shaklee-ize your life! Here's to Healthy Living!!!

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What's in your water?

What's in your water? - 10 Common Groundwater Contaminants http://t.co/boFVVQzT

Shaklee has the perfect solution for this.
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Clifton E. Gregory, M. Ed.
Independent Distributor - Shaklee Corporation cegregory1@gmail.com
ID# -- ZS23417

http://www.shaklee.com/shop.shtml

Heart-Friendly Foods --- Grapefruit

Looking for other heart-friendly foods? Check out grapefruit! http://t.co/pUMvXDPg

Infant Tylenol Recall

Johnson & Johnson's McNeil Consumer Healthcare division is voluntarily recalling all one-ounce bottles of grape-flavored liquid infant TYLENOL® medicine because parents have had problems with the newly designed TYLENOL® SimpleMeasure™ dosing system. Parents have reported that a protective cover on the top of the bottles meant to limit how much liquid medicine could be drawn into a plastic syringe didn't work correctly. No adverse events associated with the problem have occurred and the risk of a serious adverse medical event is remote. Consumers can continue to use their Infants' TYLENOL® provided the protective cover at the top of the bottle remains in place.

Consumers can request a refund by visiting www.tylenol.com  or contacting McNeil at 1-888-222-6036. Parents and caregivers with any health questions or concerns should contact their healthcare provider.

Liver/Gall Bladder Cleanse

Did you know that the liver is the most used muscle/organ in the human body?  Did you know that the gall bladder holds many of the toxins that the liver tried to syphon out of the body?  Imagine the years of use and abuse the liver and gall bladder take.  How can you remedy the situation?  The Liver/ Gall Bladder Cleanse.  Check this book out, and reclaim your health!

Financial Health Matters

If you are a health conscious person, than you know that you must approach your health in a wholistic manner (whole - istic meaning encompassing every aspect of well-being).

Financial health can affect every other aspect of your life.  Take control of your financial health today.  Earn 100% commissions for everything you do online.

How do you do this?  Network Marketing VT.  Why struggle to make ends meet with your 9-5, when your residual income can match or even be greater than your 9-5. Check out this website and sign up today.

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 Check out this comprehensive list of Shaklee products and compare it with what you currently use. The savings and health benefits will speak for themselves.  Remember Shaklee products are 100% natural and safe!  There is no comparison.  Be healthy, and stay wealthy and wise!


http://images.shaklee.com/shaklee/fc/Shaklee-izeYourLife.pdf

Clifton E. Gregory, M. Ed.
Independent Distributor - Shaklee Corporation
cegregory1@gmail.com
ID# -- ZS23417

http://www.shaklee.com/shop.shtml

Shaklee Videos: Why Supplement?

Shaklee Videos: Why Supplement?

Be proactive with your health! Contact me today for more information!!!!

Why Shaklee?

Are you interested in Natural, Safe, Environmentally Friendly and Family-Safe Health, Beauty, and Household Products?

Interested in your own Natural Nutrition and Health business with the Shaklee Corporation? Ready to see the difference that high quality supplements and natural, non-toxic cleaners in your home can make?

Contact me! You can shop at Shaklee.com and when you join or check out, just put in my ID# - ZS23417 - and I'll set you up!

Please share with your friends and contacts if you think they will be interested! Thanks!!

Clifton E. Gregory, M. Ed.
Independent Distributor - Shaklee Corporation
cegregory1@gmail.com
ID# -- ZS23417

http://www.shaklee.com/shop.shtml