The Story of STUFF

Written by admin on June 3rd, 2011. Posted in Healthy Home, Rants

This is a FANTASTIC and necessary eye opener that all should enjoy watching. The consumerism conveyor-belt that we have been duped by governments and corporation into believing will deliver everlasting happiness is the fuel that drives the worldwide economy that is obliterating our planet.

THE STORY OF STUFF

http://www.storyofstuff.com/

If we stand up from the fog and realise the food we are eating along with the pointless goods we are ‘consuming’  hoping to fill our lives with will never satisfy our needs: either emotional, physical or spiritual, we will reclaim the ultimate freedom. The freedom we were born with and is our birthright. Balance and harmony within our world, our ecosystems and our fellow creatures of this planet.

Current ACCC Recall Notices

Written by admin on April 17th, 2011. Posted in Healthy Home

Make checking this site a regular habit

Keep up to speed with safety recall notices from the ACCC. Have you got any of these in your home?

Tip #4 – Deodorant with No Aluminum Chlorohydrate!

Written by admin on March 4th, 2011. Posted in Healthy Home, Yummy Mummy Secrets

HAVE YOU EVER THOUGHT gee I wonder if this crap is bad for me while you spray yourself over with your current deodorant filled with Aluminum Chlorohydrate?

One thing I really wanted to avoid during pregnancy and still now is anti-perspirant/ deodorant with Aluminum Chlorohydrate. During pregnancy I simply went without because I couldn’t find one that didn’t have it. (I challenge you to visit your supermarket and scan the back of your favourite deo and those of all the others on the shelf, even the roll on’s, and find one that doesn’t have Aluminum Chlorohydrate). Better yet, visit this site Cosmetics Database and type the name of your current deodorant into the search bar. You’ll see a summary of all the ingredients used in your product and a rating out of 10 for the toxicity of that ingredient including it’s health risks and an overall score out of 10. 10 being the worst. If your label deodorant isn’t in that database (as there’s mostly American brands) look on the back of your bottle and type in the ingredient one by one to find out exactly what you’re spraying on yourself. Your jaw will drop. Alternatively, Google it.

Here’s a few links to examples:

4 out of 10 doesn’t sound bad but when you look at the ingredients and the potential impacts to your health, you really start thinking “I need to find a zero product!” You can  access this database using the toolbar at the top to search for Makeup; Skin; Hair; Eyes; Nails; Babies, Oral Care & Sun Protection to find products with the lowest ratings and buy those. It lists least toxic to most toxic. I stopped using Loreal Revitalift Day & Night Cream after visiting this site for the first time!

Now why is Aluminum Chlorohydrate a problem? Well it’s one of many. There’s a plethora of ingredients with nasty sounding names in deodorant (BENZYL SALICYLATE, TRICLOSAN, PEG-12 DIMETHICONE etc). Many people don’t realize that the chemicals and ingredients in many beauty products and hygiene products do pose a risk. Hmmm. I was preparing to launch into a lot of research on these ingredients but I don’t think I will. Suffice to say, you’re spraying these substances on your body and there’s concern that they pose a health risk (neurological toxicity, reproductive toxicity, organ system toxicity, irritation, cancer) …so why do it?

Why when there’s a healthy alternative?

Naturally occuring Potassium Alum

Crystal Spray Deodorant contains Potassium Alum and purified water. That’s it! ZERO on the Cosmetics Database. “Potassium alum is a naturally occurring sulfate mineral which typically occurs as encrustations on rocks in areas of weathering and oxidation of sulfide minerals and potassium-bearing minerals….Potassium alum is an astringent/styptic and antiseptic. For this reason, it can be used as a natural deodorant by inhibiting the growth of the bacteria responsible for body odor. Use of mineral salts in such a fashion does not prevent perspiration. Its astringent/styptic properties are often employed after shaving and to reduce bleeding in minor cuts and abrasions, nosebleeds, and hemorrhoids.” Wikipedia

Crystal Body Spray - No Aluminium Chlorohydrate!

I cannot tell you how amazing this product is, you just have to go and try it for yourself. It smells devine, it doesn’t leave white marks on your shirt, it stings a tiny bit after you’ve shaved but barely noticeable. Myself and my hubby use the liquid Crystal Body Spray with Chamomile & Green Tea bought from our local chemist, Giant. During my pregnancy (and since) my body odour definitely changed for the worse and now it’s non-existent! You HAVE to try it. But like it says above, it doesn’t stop you from sweating but the pongy smell is totally gone!

I originally tried the Crystal Body Deodorant Wide Stick which is nowhere near as good at the aforementioned spray. The stone crumbled apart after some use. Go with the spray.

If you try it and don’t like the Crystal Body Spray (which would be surprising) look for labels that state the lack of things like aluminum, ethylene glycol, propylene glycol, triclosan, hydroquinone and anything with a name that contains benzene, methyl, ethyl or paraben. These are the elements that worry most researchers who fear the products could be  hazardous.

At the end of the day, we’re built to sweat. We’ve evolved this way over tens of thousands of years! Sweat serves a purpose to expel toxins from our bodies. Stop it and there could be serious health consequences. It doesn’t surprise me there are suspicions it leads to breast cancer as blocking the sweat glands directly affects the lymph nodes in your armpit. Especially women who apply antiperspirant to open pores directly after shaving. Breastfeeding mothers should also consider the aluminum chlorohydrate and other chemicals so close to their little baby’s face a hazard.

Read the labels on your personal hygiene and makeup products and make some healthy changes for the better. Keep a watchful eye on your baby’s products too. Even if a product touts ‘natural’ or ‘organic’ always make it a habit to be aware of each ingredient.

Your Baby’s Nursery – The health impacts of ‘Keeping Up With The Joneses’

Written by admin on March 1st, 2011. Posted in Healthy Home, Toxic Nursery

For many people’s pregnancy journey part of the fun is preparing the nursery to welcome their new baby home. This often involves a “fresh” coat of paint, new curtains, some “nice” new furniture (cot, change table, rocking chair, toy box, bookcase and maybe even new carpet and colourful rugs). The problem is these purchases are anything but fresh or nice.  Your nursery will be a toxic hotpot during this time. All of these items are certain to release toxic chemicals from their glues, wood, fabric treatment, particleboard, paints, wood stains etc and it can take 12 months (and more) for off-gassing to reach safe levels inside that room. (See article “Your House is a Toxic Soup“) It is imperative not to furnish your baby’s nursery in this fashion or if necessary buy everything well in advance of baby’s arrival (9 months at least and let all the purchases air in a well ventilated room or clean garage).

For baby’s health all the room really needs is to be clean – free of dust, mould and mildew. Walls can often be freshened up with a good wash down with sugar soap (available from hardware stores and supermarkets), curtains washed and the carpet steam-cleaned (well ahead of time as this has it’s own hazards). If the nursery must be painted, try to have it done asap in the pregnancy (and not by the pregnant mother!) with Low VOC paint and kept well ventilated till baby arrives.

If you can lay your hands on good second-hand furniture they are GOLD purchases. There’s definitely a stigma around using another child’s cot for your own. Parents want to buy “the best” for their baby but don’t realise they really aren’t buying ‘best’ for their baby by purchasing all new highly toxic items. Second hand furniture has had time to off-gas noxious and dangerous chemicals and are ideal for a nursery. Always check the ACCC product safety requirements to make sure what you are considering purchasing doesn’t pose a danger to your baby’s safety. The “best” for your baby is to buy second hand items in top condition with no structural or operational damage and ensure there has been no recall advice for the item you’re considering. Visit the above link to learn more.

The biggest hurdle is resisting the temptation to renovate old furniture with a new stain or coat of paint as it negates the benefits of buying Pre-Loved furniture – the reduction of toxic chemicals. If the furniture or flooring must be bought brand new try to have it all completed early in the pregnancy or ensure the baby sleeps elsewhere for the first few months while the paint/lacquers/particleboard/glues all offgas. The Nursery will definitely be a toxic hotpot for at least a year and if it’s winter and the windows stay closed it will have severe health impacts on your baby and yourself. Moreso your baby due to their size. See article “Your House is a Toxic Soup” referring to Clause 6.4 “The higher risk to children is a result of their higher metabolic rate, higher intake of airborne pollutants and lower resilience, resulting in a two to four times higher absorption rate (Gilbert and Black 2000)”

Your baby’s cot mattress should also be bought as early as possible and left in a spare room with the windows open or in a clean garage to off-gas for as long as possible before use. When pregnant I took our babies’ mattresses outside and unzipped them every day to air and brought them in at night. Even though we avoided mattresses with latex, foam or PVC components I still felt more comfortable doing this than not. We bought Airflow Innerspring mattresses for our twins. As it is not a dense mattress filled with layers of foam and latex (which was the point of buying it) it allows cool air within it so should be lined with a number of cotton blankets and a woolen underlay to ensure that baby doesn’t catch a chill in winter (and even in summer I believe it should have a cellular cotton blanket put down beneath the sheet). If you’ve ever been soft camping or stayed on a friend’s floor on an air bed you’ll know that when you sleep on cold air with no insulation beneath you no matter how many blankets you put on top of you, you’ll wake with the sorest bones of your life! Not to mention a sniffle. Babies need to be even better protected as their internal heating system is not fully functioning yet. (I have a story about a baby in a pram suffering from a parent’s neglect to notice their baby shivering on a hot day. See “The Weather – Baby Needs Your Attention to Detail“) So make sure your bub has adequate insulation under them if you buy an innerspring mattress.

In our babies’ room I didn’t paint the walls (we had them steam cleaned to remove any grime or dust particles), nor did I install new window dressings, adhere anything (decals or stickers) to the walls, put down any rugs, nor buy any brand new furniture. We thankfully have two wonderful friends who had twin girls themselves 6 years ago and still had a cot, change table and clothes to gift to us. (Thank you beautiful friends Dean & Amanda!) And we bought a second cot from ebay. But when it came to considering painting and ‘tarting’ up the room I decided against it (aside from some beautiful printed images as a visual stimulant for them, and now the girls’ vegetable paint canvas paintings and drawings). I am happy to say that not one plastic toy resides in their sleeping environment. They are all downstairs in the lounge area that I keep well ventilated every day. Some people may think “What a bore! No decorations in the baby’s room?” To me making sure their health is protected is my priority, not spec’ing it up with modern, fancy accessories and keeping up with the Joneses. That concept is absolutely ridiculous to me. I’m in no way a ‘hippy’ but I certainly care more about my kids than our image. There’s no point having a child’s room look ‘cool’ or ‘chic’ only to develop a cancer or condition of some sort early in life due to the copious amounts of air toxics in their home environment.

The insanity of keeping up with the Joneses - A toxic hotpot

I have gleaned excerpts from the Australian Government website and article Air Toxics and Indoor Air Quality highlighting 28 Priority Air Toxics found in the home but urge you to read the full factsheets or if time-poor, read 3 areas ‘Common Uses’, ‘Consumer Products that may contain X’ and ‘Health Effects’ or visit my full article at Your House is Toxic Soup.

For your ease of reference I compiled information from the factsheets of the Australian Government’s 28 Priority Air Toxics found in the home in relation to common consumer goods found in a baby’s nursery.

Formaldehyde in furniture and carpets (Irritates eyes, nose and throat, causes skin & lung allergies, throat spasms, fluid on the lungs, eye & skin burns, asthma-like allergies, and repeated exposure causes bronchitis. Known Human Carcinogen);
Lead used in the manufacture of plastics, rubbers & metals, it is in pigments, dyes, paints and coatings and is a flame retardants for plastics (Bad news for everyone. Damage to brain, kidneys, reproductive organs, mood changes, disturbed sleep, premature birth weight and miscarriages, decreased intelligence scores, slow growth, learning difficulties and defective hearing. Known Human Carcinogen);
Methyl ethyl ketone in paint primers and undercoats (affects the nervous system & the brain);
Phthalates or DEHP in PVC products such as toys, mattress protectors, vinyl upholsery, adhesives and coatings (possible Endocrine disrupter);
Styrene in the backing of carpets (affects the central nervous system causing depression, concentration problems, muscle weakness, fatigue, unsteadiness, nauseous. It also affects the respiratory system and is an ear/nose/throat irritant. Possible Human Carcinogen);
Toluene in paints, inks, dye, household painting and lacquer removal, coatings, particleboards, solvent thinned products (ie primers, interior stains, clear finish, wood office furniture and vinyl flooring)
Toluene-2,4-diisocyanate from polyurethane coatings and polyurethane cushions and pads. Possible Human Carcinogen)
VOCs are emitted from some fabrics, carpets, fibreboard, plastic products, glues and solvents, some spray packs and some printed material, paints, varnishes and wax. The rate of emission may decrease over time as the volatile components are depleted. General effects of lower concentrations include eye, nose and throat irritation; headaches; loss of coordination; nausea; and damage to the liver, kidneys and central nervous system. Some VOCs can cause cancer in animals; some are suspected or known to cause cancer in humans. Build-ups of VOCs in indoor environments have been associated with ‘sick building syndrome’.)

Australian Government website – Indoor Air Quality in the Home, School, Office and other areas

As you’ve no doubt gathered I’m pretty passionate about this subject and willing to spend time to help other parents become aware of the dangers of everyday consumer goods affecting their family’s health. Please if this subject interests you, do some more research and make changes in your life to exclude as many things as possible that are harming your kids every second of every day they breathe the air in your home.

Your House is a Toxic Soup

Written by admin on February 11th, 2011. Posted in Healthy Home, Toxic Nursery

Unless you live out in the wilderness with not a scrap of production line man-made furniture, carpet, paint, curtains/blinds, soft furnishings or you live in an eco-designed and diligently sourced organically furnished and finished house, you’re living in a silent toxic soup. Even the clothes on your back and the food on your plate are impacting your health.

The community at large scratch their heads and wonder but more hopefully, suspiciously question, why the cancer (and to a lesser extent, asthma) rates are so high in this day and age. Some say that incidences of cancer have always been like this, it’s just that we have better testing for it now. Open your eyes! The Australian Government website has an extensive “State of Knowledge Report” on Air Toxics and Indoor Quality in Australia which is extensive in it’s information. I have gleaned some areas that I think should be highlighted, especially for indoor air quality with regard to infant and children’s health and safety. Not to mention your own.

There are 28 priority air toxic pollutants in our homes today. Not out in the atmosphere over industrial plants or in the ‘big cities’. IN OUR HOMES. 28 acknowledged air toxic pollutants listed by the Government as priority safety concerns. (Definition: The NHMRC defines indoor air as any non-industrial indoor space where a person spends a period of an hour or more in any day. This can include the office, classroom, motor vehicle, shopping centre, hospital and home.) Here is the “28 Most Un-Wanted” list at paragraph 5.3 Priority Air Toxic Pollutants – recommended list. Now, this roll call of slightly familiar sounding words is meaningless unless you know their health effects. Read their Factsheets outlining  common uses, likely sources, and health & environmental effects. Also paragraph 1.1 Community concerns (excerpt “Exposure to air toxics can affect health, with effects ranging from none, through mild and immediate (eg watery eyes), to more extreme (eg lung damage, nervous system damage or even birth defects and cancer). The extent to which these adverse effects present themselves depends on a number of factors such as the type of air toxic to which a person is exposed and the length and severity of the exposure.“)

Formaldehyde was predominantly the reason for my research. I was already very aware of pressed wood products such as couches (framework, but also fabric), dining tables & chairs, bookshelves, kitchen cabinets and benchtops and a swathe of other household furniture containing glue with Formaldehyde, a known human carcinogen. Mainly because I hated the smells I experienced walking through ‘cheap’ furniture stores I sought to find out what it was. You need not Google too far to find that there are a lot of complaints out there regarding eye, nose, throat, chest and breathing difficulties after buying a new piece of ‘cheap’ furniture. Here’s one example of a man’s new purchase of a simple, unassuming bookshelf from a major retailer going horribly wrong. I’m guessing his story is similar to a lot of experiences in Australia and around the world but most don’t dedicate a website to finding out more and reaching out to others who have had similar experiences.

In his extensive correspondence with the ‘retailer’ he very correctly summarises the very real concerns for babies sleeping in a nursery filled with brand new furniture for their arrival. “Formaldehyde can cause serious health problems, particularly in those too young to complain, e.g. babies who might have such furniture in their bedrooms and yet sleep there night after night, being unable to communicate that they feel ill.

Excerpt “We can better understand ageing if we realise that the formaldehyde emission is typically due to two processes, with both of those processes declining as the sample ages. Initially, much of the formaldehyde emission is due to the release of trapped formaldehyde – that emission falls as the trapped formaldehyde is used up. When the trapped formaldehyde has gone, emission of formaldehyde that is produced by chemical reactions continues – that process declines more slowly. The net effect is that as the product ages, the formaldehyde emission falls initially comparatively rapidly, then later more slowly, but never quite reaches zero. The timescale involved is typically a matter of months or years.” This is my primary reason for stating in article Hand me Downs “Old is Gold!” Buy second hand and the majority of outgassing will have already taken place.

Unfortunately formaldehyde is not just in our furniture, it’s used in darn near everything. We are exposed in nearly every facet of our daily lives from the treatment of seeds of the plants we eat, chicken and cattle for parasites to the glue in our furniture (particleboard in our couches, desks, tables, tv cabinets, bookshelves etc) and surface coatings, to the petrol in our cars, to the dyes in our clothes and permanent press items, skin disinfectants, mouth washes, spermicides…the list really goes ON and ON and ON. I have included it below for your ease of reference. I’m floored by the extensive areas Formaldehyde is utilised intentionally in our society. It’s absolute insanity.

The factsheet for Formaldehyde shows why it the most recognised of all human carcinogens littered throughout our everyday lives. It’s everywhere. It’s common uses, method of exposure, effects on our health, the environment and it’s animals is extracted below. I urge your to read it and view your world ‘wide-eyed’ when you next head out shopping for that new couch that’s soooo affordable you just HAVE to have it.

Or even more concerning, plan to paint your new baby’s nursery walls, buy a brand new cot, change table, chest of drawers, toy chest, put up new curtains, lay new carpet, buy a new rug and a swathe of ‘flame retardant/low fire danger’ PBDE doused clothing for the arrival of your precious baby. Think twice about everything you put in your baby’s room and on their bodies! Buy organic clothing for them the first 6 months of life. They aren’t even crawling till that age so fancy coloured clothing and shoes are really unnecessary till later on.

Clause 6.4 Sensitive Sections in the Community (excerpt “Significant proportions of the population have a greater sensitivity to pollutants. These commonly include newborns, young children, the elderly, heart patients, those with bronchitis, asthma, hayfever or emphysema, and smokers. These population sectors will be at greatest risk from pollutant exposures and, according to the Allergy, Sensitivity, Environmental Health Association (1998), deserve ‘special consideration’. The higher risk to children is a result of their higher metabolic rate, higher intake of airborne pollutants and lower resilience, resulting in a two to four times higher absorption rate (Gilbert and Black 2000)…. Exposure to environmental toxics (not necessarily airborne) has been suggested as one of a number of factors which may be associated with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder, attention deficit disorder and, to a lesser extent, chronic fatigue syndrome. However, the causes of these disorders are poorly understood, and it is not currently possible to make any definitive statements about their possible links to airborne pollutants.

If you are unable to attain ‘source emission control’ (ie. avoiding cheap products such as pressed wood furniture; couches, tables, chairs, kitchen kits, carpets and rugs etc) thereby sourcing healthier materials/purchases for your household, then at the very, very least you can take steps to improve your indoor air quality.The simpliest thing you can do to ‘improve’ your indoor air quality is ensure your home is well ventilated every single day. If you have air conditioning and the weather is hot, it’s tempting not to. But even for an hour or two, open the doors and windows completely and let fresh air and in condensed old air out. Remember that while your house is shut up through the night you and your children are breathing these toxic air pollutants listed by the Australian Government. Minimise your purchase of new furniture by buying 2nd hand goods from Ebay and the like. Definitely avoid brand new purchases for your baby’s nursery and if you can’t afford organic or human & environmentally friendly purchases “Old is Gold“.

Introduction para 6.1Despite the long periods we spend indoors, relatively little research has been done on the quality of air in our homes, schools, recreational buildings, restaurants, public buildings and offices or inside cars. In recent years, comparative risk studies performed by the US EPA and its Science Advisory Board have consistently ranked indoor air pollution among the top five environmental risks to public health.

At clause 6.2 Indoor Air Pollutants there is also the much bigger list capturing things like dust mites, tobacco smoke, acetone, ethyl acetate etc and clause 6.3 Health effects as a result of exposure to pollutants (Excerpt “The occupants of buildings with poor indoor air quality can suffer from severe effects (asthma, allergic response, cancer risk) to mild and generally non-specific symptoms. Some health effects may show up years after exposure has occurred or only after long or repeated periods of exposure, and thus can be characterised as long-term health effects. These effects, which include respiratory diseases and cancer, can be severely debilitating or fatal. Long-term health effects are associated with indoor air pollutants such as radon, asbestos, and environmental tobacco smoke.“.

In addition to the Priority Air Toxic Pollutants, Clause 7.1 Broad Categories and Sources for Indoor Air Pollutants.Sources of indoor air pollutants include building operations and construction materials, household products, external factors and various human indoor activities.

Broad Categories and Sources of Indoor Air Pollutants Clause 7.2 Criteria pollutants in the indoor environment (Excerpt “Table 7.2 summarises the main indoor air pollutants, their important sources and typical concentration ranges, as well as some possible responses.“) It then goes on at 7.2.1 to list all of the air pollutants such as Nitrogen Dioxide, Lead, Radon, VOC’s and Formaldehyde.

I’m no expert. I’m still learning every day about pollutants in the furniture we buy, the consumer products we use and the food we eat. But I’m searching for knowledge. For the sake of you and your family, I hope you do too.

In my research travels I’ve come across some interesting articles on this topic of toxic exposure in our homes, food, environment, our bodies and ultimately what should be most sacred and protected of all…our breastmilk. I’ll comment on these as I find the time. I’m currently enjoying the challenge of raising two very beautiful, very active (and slightly whingey!) 19 month old girls. Please join my site to join in the conversation and share your own experiences!

The Age: Furnishings Key to Infertility?

7:30 Report: Tests Confirm Alarming Contaminant Levels in Food

Slow Death by Rubber Duck

The Story of Stuff

3 Plastics to Avoid: #3, #6, #7, and Why…

Written by admin on February 6th, 2011. Posted in Boobs & Bottles, Healthy Home

Article from Suite 101.com

How to Avoid Unsafe Plastics
All plastics are rated using a number system. Understanding what those numbers mean can help people do more than recycle, it can help them avoid dangerous chemicals.

More than ever people are concerned about the products in their lives, especially when it comes to plastic. There are concerns over the safety of some of the ingredients used in plastics, particularly bisphenol A. Fortunately there are codes on the bottom of all plastics which can help the health conscientious consumer stay informed. Here is what the codes mean and a guide to which plastics should be avoided due to potential toxicity.

Number 1- Polyethylene Terephthalate (PET or PETE)
This is found in many single-use products such as soft drinks, mouthwashes, salad dressing and other similar items. It is lightweight, inexpensive and fairly easy to recycle. Number one plastics are considered safe and are not known to leach chemicals, but they are not safe for reuse so never refill any container made from this plastic. Also, never heat foods in number one plastic containers either.

Number 2 – High density polyethylene (HDPE)
This plastic is used for items like milk jugs, trash bags, margarine tubs and packaging products. It is inexpensive, versatile and quite durable. It is also easily recyclable, with recycling programs available in most communities. Number two plastic is considered safe and isn’t known to leach chemicals. But, like most plastics, it’s wise to never heat food or liquid products in them.

Number 3 – Polyvinyl chloride (V or PVC)
This plastic is used to make bottles for cleaning agents, shower curtains, industry plastics and the cling wraps used to wrap deli meat and cheeses. It isn’t generally recycled but some programs will accept it. Number three plastic is not safe due to a chemical used to keep it so flexible which can leach out into food products. This plastic has di-2-ethylhexyl phthalate in it, which is a carcinogen. It also contains chlorine and will release dangerous toxins if burned.

Number 4 – Low-density polyethylene (LDPE)
This plastic can be found in things like frozen food bags, squeezable bottles, grocery bags and some clothing, carpeting and furniture upholstery. It is flexible, durable and has many applications in industry. Number four plastic isn’t known to be dangerous or leach any chemicals into consumer products. It is not widely recycled but a handful of community programs will accept it.

Number 5 – Polypropylene (PP)
This plastic can be found in items like ketchup bottles, straws, medication bottles, some carpet and most bottle caps. It has a high melting point so it is also used for containers that will hold hot liquid. Number five plastic is hazardous during production but once made, it isn’t known to leach chemicals. It is typically used in items that aren’t reused and has a high melting point, which might contribute to it’s sturdiness and reduced risk of leaching. Not every community can recycle number five plastic.

Number 6 – Polystyrene (PS)
This plastic is used for items that must be hard and retain their shape, like cups, opaque plastic utensils, some toys, carry-out containers and compact disc cases. It is also used for foam insulation. Number six plastic isn’t generally recycled and is not considered safe by most experts. Benzene, a known carcinogen, is used during its production and the final product contains butadiene and styrene, both suspected carcinogens. It takes a lot of energy to produce and should be avoided, so watch out for take out food containers made from it.

Number 7 – Other
Number seven is a catch-all category for any number of plastics but often contains polycarbonate. It is often found in baby bottles, five-gallon water jugs, microwave containers, liners for metal cans, and plastic eating utensils. Very few recycling programs exist for this type of plastic. Number seven plastic is widely regarded as unsafe since it has bisphenol A, a hormone disruptor which mimics estrogen and is linked to breast cancer. This plastic is known to readily leach this chemical out into food. Infant formula and canned food has tested positive for biphenyl-A after being placed in metal cans lined with number seven plastic. It’s a good idea try to always avoid number seven plastic.

Read more at Suite101: How to Avoid Unsafe Plastics: An Easy to Use Consumer Guide to Plastic Codes

Plastic NOT Fantastic: BPA – The silent poison. Hormone Disrupter.

Written by admin on February 6th, 2011. Posted in Boobs & Bottles, Healthy Home, Toxic Nursery

In this modern world of ours the convenience of plastic and the silent price we pay is really something that goes unthought of. Plastics are practically unavoidable in our everyday lives but when it comes to what we choose to allow into our newborn baby’s mouth and stomach (and yours while you’re pregnant), we should pause and consider what some plastics actually contain. When you consider the amount of contact our babies have with plastic on a daily basis (bottles, teethers, sippy cups, feeding bowls, storage containers for food purees, etc) this is a serious issue that every mum & dad should be well informed on. There is a plethora of discussions about BPA and if you Google it you’re sure to find conflicting information on whether or not there is any danger. The fact that some major companies are removing BPA from all their baby products suggests that there is some merit in the health concerns and moving away from it is just the smart, socially and ethically responsible thing to do. Here is one article from Medical News Today, NY Times.

“The substance of concern is bisphenol-a, or BPA, an industrial chemical widely used as the starting material in the making of the hard, clear and nearly unbreakable plastic called polycarbonate. Studies and tests show that trace amounts of BPA are leaching from polycarbonate containers into foods and liquids.

While most of the focus is on products for children, including clear plastic bottles and canned infant formula, the chemical is also used in food-storage containers, some clear plastic pitchers used for filtered water, refillable water bottles and the lining of soft-drink and food cans.

While there is debate about how much of a health worry BPA really is, retailers in the US including Wal-Mart have said they are withdrawing baby products made with it. Nalgene, the maker of a popular sports bottle, and the baby-products maker Playtex have announced they will stop using it.

Several studies have shown that BPA disrupts hormones in animals, leading to early sexual maturity, changes in development and organization of tissue in mammary glands and reduction in sperm in the affected organism’s offspring. The early stages of fetal development are thought to be the most vulnerable to harm from BPA, said the authors in a prepared statement.

Michels said that:

“We found that drinking cold liquids from polycarbonate bottles for just one week increased urinary BPA levels by more than two-thirds.”

“If you heat those bottles, as is the case with baby bottles, we would expect the levels to be considerably higher,” she added, explaining that is worrying because “infants may be particularly susceptible to BPA’s endocrine-disrupting potential”

How do I know if the plastic containers in my home contain BPA?
Any product made of hard, plastic is probably made from polycarbonate unless the manufacturer specifically states that it’s BPA-free. One way to check is to look for the triangle stamp on or near the bottom: polycarbonate plastics should have the numeral 7 in the triangle, sometimes with the letters PC
..

(Unfortunately, 7 is a catchall “other” category for a variety of plastics. In my own kitchen, I found our Happy Baby food bowls’ lids were #7 while the bowl component was a #5 (#5 is a plastic that is considered ‘should’ be safe). I would never, ever, heat or reheat food in the microwave for baby in a plastic container WHATEVER the number. Toddle off to KMart and buy yourself a couple of Pyrex containers. They have plastic lids but you won’t be putting those into the microwave. We found these really useful for taking out on shopping trips and heating the twins’ meals….lids off. JK)

How do I lower my exposure?
Switch to frozen or fresh vegetables. Use glass, porcelain and stainless-steel containers, particularly for hot foods and liquids. If you don’t want to use a glass baby bottle, several companies, including the popular brand Born Free (in the US, sold online or through Target), now sell BPA-free baby bottles and sippy cups. For formula-fed babies, you can switch to powdered formula rather than liquid.

Although many plastic products claim to be microwave safe, some scientists warn against putting any plastic in the microwave. “There is such a wide variety now, from disposable containers to actual Tupperware,” says Dr. Anila Jacob, a senior scientist for the Environmental Working Group, a Washington-based advocacy group. “I don’t know of anyone who has done definitive testing of all these different types of plastic containers to see what is leaching into food.”

Ref:    Medical News Today
NY Times

Here’s what the Australian Food Standards have to say (19 January 2010):

What is BPA?
BPA is an industrial chemical used as the starting material for the production of polycarbonate plastics and synthetic resins. BPA is found in items or containers that come into contact with foodstuffs such as drinking vessels, baby bottles, plastic tableware and the internal coating on tins for tinned-food.   In some circumstances, chemicals in food packaging can migrate into the food product, and vice versa, depending on the nature of the packaging and the food contained within.

What are the health effects of BPA?
Bisphenol A does not cause cancer. BPA belongs to a group of substances which can act in a similar way to some hormones and, as such, are sometimes called ‘endocrine disruptors’. Some studies in laboratory animals suggest that low levels of (consumed) BPA may have an effect on the reproductive system.   Similar consequences in consumers at these low concentrations are considered unlikely because BPA is rapidly inactivated and then excreted in the urine.

Are very low levels of BPA in food of a concern?
FSANZ has evaluated the safety of BPA and plasticisers in food, including that consumed by infants from baby bottles and concluded that levels of intake of BPA or plasticisers are very low and do not pose a risk to public health for any age group. For example, a 5kg baby would need to consume around 80 large (240 mL) baby bottles full of infant formula a day, every day over a lifetime, before reaching the daily safety limit for Bisphenol A of 50 micrograms/kilogram body weight per day. This would be around fifteen to twenty times more than a baby would eat. (NOTE: This comment refers to prepackaged ‘liquid’ baby formula not powdered OR the risk of heating powdered milk formula in plastic bottles. JK)
However, FSANZ is liaising closely with national and international regulators and Australian industry on this issue in order to assess the new evidence and exposure levels in Australia.

Is there anything I can do as a consumer?
Regulators around the world have concluded that exposure to low levels of BPA is safe.
However, when using baby bottles, always follow the instructions on the infant formula for preparation and use. The following advice applies to all baby bottles or cups, whatever type of plastic they are made from:

  • Discard any scratched bottles or feeding cups as they may harbour germs
  • Do not put boiling or very hot water, infant formula, or other liquids into bottles while preparing them for your child
  • Before mixing water with powdered infant formula, boil the water and cool it to lukewarm
  • Always remember:  do not heat baby bottles of any kind in the microwave – the liquid may heat unevenly and burn your baby
  • Sterilize and clean bottles according to instructions on infant formula labels and they should be left to cool to room temperature before adding infant formula.

While agreeing with their recommendations for reducing the safety risks, forgive me for not swallowing their “very low levels of BPA are safe” promise. It springs to mind many different promises by government bodies touting things safe when history later shows they were anything but! (‘Back in the day’ campaigns touting cigarette safe and actually GOOD for you!) With many companies deciding to take plastic bottles containing BPA off their shelves it’s a move that acknowledges and reflects parents’, researchers’, retailers’ and manufacturers’ sincere concern worldwide. Sydney Morning Herald article We’re talking about our most vulnerable members of society, our babies, that are being exposed at every turn in our households to plastics that contain dangerous chemical substances, regardless of the so called “safe” and “acceptable” quantity levels.

Our twins were four months of age when I wised up to the risks of BPA in plastic bottles and I’m sorry to say that in the wee hours of the morning I put the bottles into a container of boiled water to re-warm the milk inside (if I’d mucked up making the bottles when the girls weren’t quite ready for them). To this day I can’t fathom why I thought that was a good idea as I would never heat plastic in the microwave but did not make the connection with sitting it in 100 degree Celsius boiled water. (It’s amazing what sleep deprivation does to your mind!) So take the time now, if you’re pre-pregnancy, pregnant or mum/dad to a newborn, toddler or child to avail yourself to the information and alternatives. Our girls are now 19 months old and starting to show breast ‘buds’ (they came and went when they were younger too) which is of HUGE concern for me and a source of excruciating guilt for not doing the research on plastic bottles before they were born. It remains to be seen what the consequence of my lack of action/knowledge will bring.

Check ALL of the plastics in your cupboards (especially those for baby) and make sure that none of them have the numbers 3, 6 or 7 printed on the bottom (The reasons why are in the article “3 Plastics To Avoid: #3, #6, #7….and Why”). If they do, do your family a favour. Collect them all up, walk yourself out to your recycling bin, open the lid and toss. It’s empowering and you’ll feel better for it!

Next find yourself a supplier of “BPA FREE” bottles and tupperware (and buy silicone teets as rubber ones can set off allergic reactions in some babies). There’s also the ever reliable and safe glass baby bottles and pyrex containers. One internet supplier I’ve found is www.biome.com.au with cheap postage deals. After looking at all the BPA free baby bottles we decided to buy glass bottles with the silicone protective sleeves. Why? Because at the end of the day glass has zero risk of leaching any nasty chemicals. Just double check the bottle if you ever knock it about. I take the sleeve off, run my finger around the inside edge of the neck and carefully look over the entire body. When our twins were 12 months old they unceremoniously tossed the bottle aside after finishing it but as we fed them laying on the carpet floor, coupled with the silicone sleeve, we’ve never had cause for concern. Now they’re 19 months old they get up and bring the bottle to me wherever I am and say “tankyou”. *Awwww* We have bought BPA-free water sippy cups from I think KMart, but I made sure I washed it several times before giving it to the girls (by hand, not in the dishwasher) and taste tested the water after it had been in there an hour or two. My routine every day is to fill fresh when they wake (6:30am), empty it and refresh again at morning tea (around 9:30am) and again at lunch (11:30am) and again when they wake from their midday nap around 3:00pm and again for dinner at 5:00pm. Even though it’s a BPA-free bottle it still tastes funny to me so I continue this routine every single day and even do taste tests in between. I can’t bear to double the regret I still feel about their milk bottle feeds those first four months!

I hope to reach many mothers and help generate a lightbulb moment so they Google to learn more, throw out their baby’s current plastic bottles and go shopping for BPA-free or glass bottles.

Lighten the chemical load. Your recycling bin awaits!

Nursery Furniture: Hand Me Downs – Old is Gold!

Written by admin on February 2nd, 2011. Posted in Healthy Home, Toxic Nursery

Nursery Furniture
“Old is Gold” when it comes to nursery furniture. Pre-Loved or Hand Me Down items I believe are the healthiest for your home but be sure they still meet the current Australian Safety Standards. I’m not talking ollllllld here but getting your hands on furniture that is 2, 3 or 4 years old IS gold. Cots, rocking chairs, change tables, bookcases, toy chests etc have had a chance to off-gas toxic chemicals (like Formaldehyde in the particleboard: “What effect might formaldehyde have on my health? Exposure to formaldehyde irritates the eyes, nose, and throat, and can cause skin and lung allergies. Higher levels can cause throat spasms and a build-up of fluid in the lungs, leading to death. Contact can cause severe eye and skin burns, leading to permanent damage. These may appear hours after exposure, even if no pain is felt. Formaldehyde can cause an asthma-like allergy. Future exposures can cause asthma attacks, with shortness of breath, wheezing, cough, and/or chest tightness. Repeated exposures may cause bronchitis, with symptoms of cough and shortness of breath. Formaldehyde is classified by the NOHSC as a Category 2 carcinogen (substance that should be regarded as if it is carcinogenic to humans)”.

Buying clean second hand furniture is better for the health of the air in your baby’s room, and therefore baby’s lungs. Source items that only have superficial damage to resist the temptation of sanding it back and repainting as you’ll be nullifying the benefits of aged off-gassed furniture. Excited new parents wanting the ‘best’ for their baby make the common mistake of heading out and buying all brand new shiny furniture usually straight from China, slapping new paint on the walls and laying new carpet full of carcinogenic glues and backing in baby’s room. This in itself is a bad scenario but it is usually exacerbated by this room staying shut up until baby is born condensing the issue and creating a toxic pit of gasses. Continuous off-gassing will usually persist for a couple of years with it’s most intense off-gassing in the first year. This makes for an extremely toxic environment for your newborn baby’s tiny lungs and they don’t have the capacity to tell you they’re in pain with symptoms of exposure to these air pollutants like Formaldehyde. See more info in “Your House is a Toxic Soup”. Ask your friends if they have items to lend or sell and if that fails search Ebay or your local Trading Post for sturdy, well maintained items you won’t need to repaint. They rarely have too much wear and tear as nursery furniture isn’t exposed to high traffic like a dining table or couch. Or if you must purchase brand new do it as early as possible and put it in an area that is well ventilated so it has at least 9 months to off-gas. Paint baby’s room with ‘Low VOC’ paint (becoming readily available at hardware stores) as soon as possible and lay natural fibre carpet. Sisal, wool, coir, woven paper. Here’s one good website I’ve found www.naturalfloor.com.au but just Google “natural carpet” and nosey around to learn more. I might also write an article dedicated to safe flooring in the home. Stay tuned.

Remember when buying brand new that cheap is cheap for a reason. Somewhere down the production line someone always pays, and it’s not always financial, it’s with their health. (The Story of Stuff) Even expensive furniture can have cheap materials incorporated into the finished product to improve profit margins.

Research well, prepare early and feel at ease with your choices for your baby’s room.

No-to-Low Chemical Cleaning

Written by admin on January 20th, 2011. Posted in Healthy Home

The shelves and shelves of chemical cleaners in our supermarkets are there to make our job faster with less elbow grease. Normally this sounds fantastic. Perfect! Just what I need! Hit the chemical cleaners and be done in 5 minutes. I bet if you went through your kitchen cupboard you’d find at least four or five different chemical cleaners. One for tabletops, one for mirrors and windows, one for the fridge, one for the floor and so on. And maybe more than one for each of those surfaces. Money, money, money. Toxic, Toxic, Toxic. Somewhere along the way householders got sucked into a vortex of commercial “germ killing” that’s on par with hospital grade sanitisation.

It’s really simple. You need an active antimicrobial ingredient. That’s it! No spectacularly packaged, orange scented, intense foaming action, clings to surfaces with 99.9% germ killing POWER!!!! Marketing spin. Fabulous stuff. And effective! It’s about here I have to put my hand up. I am a chronic compulsive hand washer. I’d put a guess that I wash my hands around 70-80 times a day. Sometimes 3 times within 10 minutes. I have the antibacterial hand wash in the kitchen, bathroom and laundry. Sadly this leaves my hands very dry but mentally I’m content so, so be it. This compulsive need only affects me which is why I am happy to continue it. (Luckily my partner has the same compulsion!)

However, chemical cleaners sprayed all over your home not only affect your lungs and are absorbed through your skin but they affect every single member of your family living in your home. They accumulate in soft furnishings and carpets and are not removed by normal vacuuming. Now consider how much time your kids spend sprawled out playing on the carpet…This is where I started thinking twice about living in a ‘sanitary’ chemically cleaned environment. I searched the web and found to ‘kill germs’ you just need an antimicrobial ingredient. My favourite is Eucalyptus Oil. It smells nicer than all the store bought ‘germ killers’ and it’s safer for my family. Here’s how you make it into an all purpose surface cleaner.

In a brand new empty spray bottle you can purchase from Kmart, Target or the like, mix the following: 50% Water, 50% White Vinegar, 5 drops Eucalyptus Oil and 15 drops of dishwashing liquid. Shake and spray (or soak a cloth), wiping down pretty much any surface mentioned in the first paragraph above. It smells fresh and is so much better for your family than the harsh web of supermarket chemicals. The Eucalyptus Oil kills microorganisms so there’s no need to worry about your kitchen benchtops, bin lids, fridge, floor or other surfaces harbouring any germs.

This homemade All Purpose Surface Cleaner is great for benchtops, glass table tops and cook tops, streak-free mirrors, fridges, floors and bathroom sinks. Try it out and see if you like it. Wander around the WWW and look for other home made cleaning recipes. There are other essential oils with antimicrobial properties too. Our older generation utilised these wonderful low cost solutions and they didn’t die from germs!

If you like the sound of this but still aren’t 100% confident you can spray down your surfaces just once a month with a diluted bleach and water spray for a monthly heavy duty clean. A 1-to-20 solution in water is effective simply by being wiped on and left to dry. The user should wear rubber gloves and, in tight airless spaces, goggles. I always make sure our kids are in a different part of the house to where I’m cleaning when the bleach comes out.

When I was pregnant I talked with my partner and he agreed I should not be using any commercial cleaners while pregnant and I feel we did the right thing. He scrubbed the bathroom for me when time came and we used the Eucalyptus Oil/Vinegar homemade solution for everything else.

NOTE: If pregnant always wear gloves when handling essential oils (or any other cleaners for that matter). It should not come into direct undiluted or ‘neat’ contact with your skin. Some essential oils should also be avoided during pregnancy so research carefully what these are and follow recommendations.

Excerpts from Wikipedia
Vinegar – Cleaning uses
White vinegar is often used as a household cleaning agent. Because it is acidic, it can dissolve mineral deposits from glass, coffee makers, and other smooth surfaces. For most uses dilution with water is recommended for safety and to avoid damaging the surfaces being cleaned.

Vinegar is an excellent solvent for cleaning epoxy resin and hardener, even after the epoxy has begun to harden. Malt vinegar sprinkled onto crumpled newspaper is a traditional, and still-popular, method of cleaning grease-smeared windows and mirrors in the UK. Vinegar can be used for polishing brass or bronze. Recently, vinegar has been marketed as a green solution for many household cleaning problems. For example, vinegar has been cited recently as an eco-friendly urine cleaner for pets and as a weed killer.

Essential oils
The antimicrobial properties of 21 plant essential oils and two essences were investigated against five food-borne pathogens, Campylobacter jejuni, Salmonella enteriditis, Escherichia coli, Staphylococus aureus and Listeria monocytogenes. The oils of bay, cinnamon, clove and thyme were the most inhibitory, each having a bacteriostatic concentration of 0.075% or less against all five pathogens. ( A. Smith-Palmer, J. Stewart and L. Fyfe. Antimicrobial properties of plant essential oils and essences against five important food-borne pathogens. Letters in Applied Microbiology 1998. 26. 118-122)

Many essential oils are included in pharmacopoeias as having antimicrobial activity, including:

  • Sideritis or Greek Mountain Tea
  • Oregano oil
  • Tea tree oil – in cosmetics, medicine
  • Mint oil – in medicine, cosmetics (tooth paste etc.)
  • Sandalwood oil – in cosmetics
  • Clove oil – stomatology etc.
  • Nigella sativa (Black cumin) oil
  • Onion oil (Allium cepe) – phytoncides, in phytotherapy
  • Leleshwa oil
  • Lavender oil
  • Lemon oil
  • Lemon myrtle oil
  • Neem oil
  • Garlic
  • Eucalyptus oil
  • Peppermint oil
  • Cinnamon oil
  • Thyme oil