Pregnancy stretch marks?

I have finally after 7 months of searching found a lotion that helps with stretch marks during pregnancy AND which is completely without chemicals or perfume - completely natural. I stumbled across Mothers Special Blend and I tried it for the first time this morning (use it right after your bath) and it is wonderful to apply as it allows you to massage it in gently and then it absorbs quickly. I imagine it will be perfect also for my husband to get some belly massaging done (on me that is). More good news - it is not even expensive.

Click here for more info: Mothers Special Blend

Fragrance free creams – a review

Fragrance free creams and cleaning products can be hard to find, of cause I hereby also mean without chemicals, parabenes and unhealthy ingredients. Here is a review of the ones I have found. I rated with stars and 5 star would be best.

Wholefoods 365 Shampoo and conditioner, Fragrance free $2.99 - 5 star
It leaves my hair bouncy,  soft and clean for a very long time. I love this shampoo  and conditioner and I sure love the price ($2.99)

Wholefoods 365 Shower Gel Fragrance free – 5 star
Not luxurious but a big container meaning less packaging waste. Works the way it should no complaints there.

Rainbow Shampoo for Kids – Fragrance free – 4 Star
It does not work super well for my long thick hair, becomes static, but it works well as a first rinse and then followed by a different shampoo. Price is good! Buy at Wholefoods or online

J/A/S/O/N Fragrance free Hand & body Lotion – 4 Star
Good price, leaves skin soft and moisturised. Does not feel waxy as some lotions can do. A bit boring.

J/A/S/O/N Fragrance free Daily Conditioner – 3 Star
Does not work super well with my long hair but I use it anyway for the ends (I have long hair). Leaves hair a bit heavy, could be good for short hair or more frequent washes (I wash every second day).

The whole Lavera Neutral line is fragrance free and is the best I have found when it comes to ingredients. Here is a review of the products I have tried;

Lavera Neutral Cleaning Gel – 1 Star
This comes in way to small a tube compared to environment and price. It smells bad, but that I could live with if it was not for the fact that it does not feel like it works at all. It is so liquid that you loose half on the way to your face and there it just slides off, leaving you feels no bit cleaner.
Unless you have severe skin such as psoriasis or other conditions that requires this gel

Lavera Neutral Facial Fluid $27 – 4 Star
Again way too expensive compared to size but this one is so nice I might even say its worth the price. It is not for very dry skin, I have combination but with very dry cheeks and its perfect for me. Your face feels moistened without being greasy and it even tightens up so well you can feel it

Lavera Neutral Hair & Body Shampoo $17 - 3 Star
Way way wayyyy too small for the prize. I mean if I should shampoo my body and hair with this one it would be empty within a week. Although my hair get lovely soft and shiny I would not spend on this one again. If you feel like splashing out then I do recommend it.

Lavera Neutral Face Cream $27 – 5 star for baby 2 star for adults
This one leaves my face completely greasy, but eventually it does enter the skin. Only for very dry skin, or for baby and children. And the latter can absolutely be recommended. I intend to use this one on my baby’s cheeks and butt, my friend does and loves it.

Lavera Neutral Hand Cram $20 – 3 Star
Pricey and small tube, but super good. Would properly not buy it again, due to the price. 5 Star for effectiveness but marked down to 3 due to price.

Best blender

I can certainly recommend a smoothie for breakfast – find the recipe under Recipies – Ice cream for breakfast anyone?

I have been so lucky to have been given a blender for Christmas and I can truely recommend this one. It is a dream to make a smoothie these days and I actually use less frozen fruits because it blends so well. Its called Oster Proffessionel and right now its on sale for $60 (save $100) and it is truely worth it! Find it here.

It sure makes me happy every morning!

Recycle clothes at home too

It just occurred to me. At my childhood home we used to have rags to clean with. Rags made from cut up old clothes that we no longer needed. Why ever did we stop doing that? I suppose because they are so cheap to buy from new, but nothing shines a shoe better than a piece of old cotton tshirt.

So from now on old rags to clean with is once again installed in my home. I cut up two tshirts that were destined for the bin (not suitable for recycling for charity) and now I have a nice pile of cleaning rags. I just thought of another thing I will use it for, our black gas stove top never gets really shiny but I am sure it will now that I have clean cotton rags to post polish with.

Use it for; Shoe shining, polishing, cleaning windows, spot cleaning, dusting, wiping spills of the floor ect. After just put them in the washing bin (perhaps a seperate one for kitchen towels and rags).

To colour or not to colour

As mentioned in previous post you should never colour your hair when pregnant. Neither really when not. There are so many chemicals in hair colour that can be traced in your body for a long time. It has even been linked to cancer.

Can hair dyes give you cancer?

Never mind that permanent hair dyes with a high chemical composition may stress and dry out your hair.  There is a lot more questions about what hair dyes can do besides causing damaged or destroyed hair follicles.

A large percentage of both American men and women use permanent hair dyes of some sort.  Since the current population of Baby Boomers is aging, the number of people dying or coloring their hair in the US has been increasing steadily.  The US Census Bureau estimated that over 22 million women alone would dye their hair by the year 2003.  

Hair dyes and related products is very big business.  Commercial dye-makers sell over $7 billion dollars worth of hair dyes worldwide every year.

So what else can hair dyes do to you?  If you believe many of the scientific studies that have been done over the past 20 years, hair dyes may be carcinogenic.  Why?  Hair dyes are applied directly to the scalp, nearest the root.  This is where the blood supply is the richest in the entire human body.  It is also where the blood supply may carry any carcinogenic components right into the blood stream.

So can hair dyes cause cancer?  It depends on whom you listen to and what you believe.

Many scientists and natural health care practitioners believe that the chemicals in hair dyes, especially the dark colored permanent dyes, are easily absorbed into the body via the scalp.  Once absorbed into the body they become concentrated in the bladder.  Dark hair dyes are of particular concern because they contain a much higher concentration of chemicals than the lighter dyes.

There is some good news.  Although dark colored strong permanent hair colors may be dangerous to your health,  bleaching agents have not been proven to be carcinogenic. Neither have the non permanent vegetable based dyes or henna of any kind. 

Summary

Does hair dye cause cancer in people who use it? The overall epidemiological studies are mostly reassuring. A large survey by the American Cancer Society found that dye users had a slightly higher rate of fatal cancers than people who didn’t color their hair. With one noticeable exception.
People who used dark hair dye for two decades or more had a four times greater risk of dying from two cancers of the immune system, non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma and multiple myeloma.

Is there a conclusive link between cancer and hair dyes?  The experts seem to disagree and detailed studies are continuing.  For the most part the findings are still inconclusive. 

The most common belief is that hair color professionals and people who use dark colored permanent dyes may be at the highest risk of developing cancer after periods of extended involvement with hair dyes.

Chemist John Bailey, Ph.D., Director of FDA’s colors and cosmetics program, notes “studies raise some questions about the safety of hair dyes,” he says, “but at this point there’s no basis for us to say that hair dyes pose a definitive risk of cancer. In the final analysis, consumers will need to consider the lack of demonstrated safety when they choose to use hair dyes.”

Although the studies seem to only warn against dark colored permanent dye and occupational hazards, Dr. Andrew Weil, the natural health care guru, advises against any use of hair colors or dyes whatsoever.  Dr. Weil believes that the color additives in hair dyes “are energetic molecules that can interact with DNA, potentially causing mutations that lead to cancer”.

Many natural health care experts agree with Dr. Weil and recommend if you must color your hair you do it as naturally and as infrequently as possible.

Consumers, when possible, should look at less toxic options such as all natural coloring agents available at the health food stores or vegetable based colors.

The following came up on Skin Deep as non toxic or very low toxic:

• Pinaud
• Costal
• Light Mountain

But not all of the colours are safe so check it out yourself on Skin Deep (hair colour link).

*I have not tried myself any of the colours as I am trying to be pregnant and therefore do not colour my hair.

Parabene and perfume – what a jungle

Watch out for Ftalater, Parabene and Perfume when pregnant (well always really) here is a list of the most common names for it:
Ftalater:
DEHP
DBP
BBP
DINP
Di-ethylhexyl
Di-isononyl

Parabener:
Methyl
Ethyl
Propyl
Butylparaoxibenzoat
Isopropyl
Sodium methyl
Buthyl
Isobutyl
(Parabene is often portrait as E-numbers: 214-219)

Names of the 26 perfumes that in EU is declarable because they can cause allergy to sensitive people (and babies): 

• Amyl Cinnamal
• Benzyl Alcohol
• Cinnamyl Alcohol
• Citral
• Eugenol
• Hydroxycitronellal
• Isoeugenol
• Amylcinnamyl Alcohol
• Benzyl Salicylate
• Cinnamal
• Coumarin
• Geraniol
• Hydroxyisohexyl 3-Cyclohexene
• Carboxaldehyde
• Anise Alcohol
• Benzyl Cinnamate
• Farnesol
• Butylphenyl Methylpropional
• Linalool
• Benzyl benzoate
• Citronellol
• Hexyl Cinnamal
• Limonene
• Methyl 2-Octynoate
• Alpha-Isomethyl Ionone
• Evernia Prunastri (Oak moss) Extract
• Evernia Furfuracea (Treemoss) Extract

BPA in your bottle

What is BPA?
BPA is a chemical used in the production of certain kinds of plastics, including polycarbonate plastic (like hard, colored water bottles and 5-gallon drinking water coolers) and the lining of most food and beverage cans. BPA can leach from the plastic and into foods and beverages, especially when it’s heated or used for long periods of time. The U.S. Centers for Disease Control found BPA in the bodies of 93 percent of the people they tested, which is especially troubling since the chemical is linked to breast and prostate cancer and neurobehavioral changes in offspring exposed in the womb. It’s a good idea to avoid exposure to BPA whenever possible.

Stuff you drink out of

Polycarbonate bottles: studies show low levels of BPA leach out of polycarbonate bottles (like Nalgene and other hard, colored water bottles) at room temperature. More BPA leaches when the bottles are filled with hot liquid. Generally these bottles will be marked with recycling number seven. Polycarbonate is hard, translucent or clear plastic.These bottles may be marked with the number 7. If you’re going to use a polycarbonate bottle, be aware that it’s likely that higher amounts of BPA leach out of older and damaged bottles. Although recommend that you avoid drinking from polycarbonate bottles, it’s important to note that your potential exposure to BPA through canned food is considerably higher.

Other plastic bottles:Don’t reuse single-use plastic drink bottles (PET, or #1 plastic). It’s a good instinct, but bacteria can build up on the inside, and they may leach chemicals too. Drop them in the recycling instead. Bottles made from flexible, cloudy-colored HDPE #2 are considered a safer option if you must have a plastic bottle.

Water filter pitchers and containers: These hard, clear plastic containers may or may not be made of polycarbonate. Brita has confirmed for that they don’t use (and never have used) polycarbonate plastics. Other filter brands may use polycarbonate plastics; check with them to find out. If your filter does use polycarbonate plastic, you could consider filtering water and storing it in glass bottles.

Metal water bottles:Metal water bottles come in two variations: stainless steel and aluminum. Many aluminum bottles are lined with an epoxy or enamel, which is likely to contain BPA. Sigg, the Swiss company that produces a line of aluminum water bottles, recently produced test data showing that several new and used Sigg bottles did not leach BPA at levels greater than 2 ppb after three days of heating in nearly boiling water — that’s less leaching than polycarbonate bottles under the same condition. Stainless steel bottles, like Klean Kanteen, are not lined, so there’s no risk of BPA exposure there.

Food containers

Canned Foods:No matter what brand you use or where you buy your canned food, the cans are almost certainly lined with an epoxy resin that contains BPA. If they didn’t use it, the cans might rust, or you might end up with metal residues in your food. But because of the high temperatures used in the canning process, your potential exposure to BPA from canned food is much higher than your potential exposure from plastic water bottles.

Only one manufacturerthat I know of uses non-BPA lining on some of their food cans: Eden Organic Beans are packed in lead free tin covered steel cans coated with a baked on oleoresinous c-enamel lining that does not contain bisphenol A (BPA). (Oleoresin is a natural mixture of an oil and a resin extracted from various plants, such as pine or balsam fir). These cans cost 13.77 percent more than the industry standard cans that do contain BPA. This costs Eden $300,000 more a year. To our knowledge Eden is the only U.S. company that uses this custom made BPA-free can.

Eden’s tomato products are still packaged in cans with a BPA-based lining. Have a look at EWG’s report for lots more on BPA in canned foods, including certain canned pastas and soups that contained the most BPA.

 

Reusable food containers: reusable containers may be made of polycarbonate. If not marked with a number 7, these would be very rigid clear or translucent plastic (not cloudy or flexible like yogurt containers). As an extra precaution, avoid putting hot liquids in these or microwaving them. In general it’s best to use safe ceramics or glass containers for microwaving whenever possible.

Plastic wrap:In 1998, it was revealed that some plastic wraps contained chemical plasticizers called phthalates, which can migrate into food. In 2006, the industry group American Chemistry Council reported that phthalates are no longer used in any US plastic wraps. Most plastic wraps are made of LDPE, which has fewer contaminant concerns. Companies aren’t required to list what’s in their plastic wrap, though, so your best bet is to be cautious: Avoid microwaving plastic wrap (use a paper towel instead), and if you must, make sure it’s a microwaveable version. That much, at least, will be listed on the box. But try to avoid plastic wrap altogether – invest instead in a nice set of glass reusable containers, or recycle the ones that previously contained foods (glass only).

More consumer goods

Products for baby:Some basics: Choose bottles made from glass or BPA-free plastic. Use a clear silicone nipple, and if you’re feeding formula use a powdered version mixed with unfluoridated water. As for pacifiers, while the hard plastic part may be made of polycarbonate plastic, that part doesn’t go in baby’s mouth – so get a version with a silicone nipple, and don’t worry too much about the rest.

Fire retardants: Disproportionate risk to small children

Article from ewg.com

We tested 20 mothers and their toddlers for toxic fire retardants and found that the small children typically had three times as much of these hormone-disrupting chemicals in their blood as their mothers – and much higher levels than newborns. Participant Katrina Alcorn responded this way when she learned of her child’s blood levels:

Since we did the study, I’ve become much more aware about what we buy and we’re much more on top of the hand washing before meals. It was bad enough to know our levels were high, but it was a shock when we had our furniture tested and found out that the worst culprit was the glider chair that I’d bought to nurse my daughter in when she was a baby. I can’t believe it was legal to sell furniture that is essentially poisoning you without you knowing it.

Why are kids levels higher? Not surprisingly, these elevated levels are caused by childhood exposures to household items containing PBDEs, a class of fire retardant added to household furniture and electronic items. Yes, the living room couch, that comfy reading chair, and your laptop where the kids watch videos or type their letters. And it all happens through that childhood habit we all know so well: hands and stuff in the mouth. Kids ingest roughly 10 times more PBDEs than adults from hand-to-mouth contact.

Also not surprisingly, levels are higher in the U.S. because other countries don’t require fire retardants and our stringent fire safety standards protect us from potential fires but not from guaranteed chemical toxicity.

Is PBDE exposure a problem? Definitely. PBDEs have been proven to be especially toxic to the developing brain and reproductive system, and the most sensitive periods for adverse effects appear to be late pregnancy and early childhood. Exactly the time their levels are so high. Read more about the risks here.

Is the U.S. doing anything about it? Not so much. There are three types of PBDEs and they are regulated differently. Penta and Octa can no longer be produced in the U.S., but it’s legal to import them on products, so exposure is possible on imported furniture. There are no federal restrictions on Deca. Other countries and some U.S. states have banned some or all three types: the E.U., Germany, Sweden, and the Netherlands have banned all three, and here in the U.S., 11 states have banned the penta and octa types and two states have banned deca and 10 others have proposed a ban. Time for Congress to step up to the plate, don’t you think?

Reducing your exposure. Until PBDEs are no longer allowed in US products, there are several actions you can take to reduce your family’s exposure, mainly avoiding electronics and foam furniture with PBDEs – ask when buying, it’ll protect you and share consumer concern. Read the report’s full recommendations here. You can also take these simple steps:

1. Inspect foam items and replace any with ripped covers or mishapen/breaking down foam.
2. Use a vacuum with a HEPA filter.
3. Don’t reupholster foam furniture.
4. Carefully remove old carpet because the padding may contain PBDEs.
5. Have small children wash their hands frequently so they put clean hands in their mouths!

Organic Foods: Are They Better for Baby?

We’ve all been there, standing in the grocery store, looking at fresh fruits and vegetables, and wondering, “Is organic really better for my family and me? Is it worth the extra cost?”

Organic foods are usually grown with fewer pesticides than other foods. But according to the American Dietetic Association, organic foods may not be healthier or safer than other kinds of foods. We don’t have enough research to know.

Some parents have decided to be cautious and to buy organic foods when they can.

What’s Organic?
If a vegetable or fruit is labeled organic, it meets certain standards set by the U.S. Department of Agriculture. Here are examples of the standards:

• Only approved fertilizers, weed killers and pesticides can be used. Man-made products are discouraged. Organic farmers often use natural fertilizers such as manure and compost. Instead of using weed killers, they rotate crops, till, weed by hand, and mulch.
• Genetic engineering and certain types of radiation cannot be used.

Certain organic standards also apply to animals used to produce milk, eggs and meat. For example, they may not be given hormones to promote growth or antibiotics for any reason. Also, the animals must have access to the outdoors, such as a pasture.

Foods that meet USDA standards can be labeled with the “USDA Organic” seal.

Organic foods usually cost more than non-organic foods. For instance, in May 2008, Newsweek reported that organic red delicious apples cost $1.99 per pound, while non-organic cost only $1.49. Organic eggs cost $3.99 a dozen; non-organic, $1.89.

What Are Natural Foods?
Natural foods are as close as possible to their original state. No artificial ingredients or preservatives are added to them. Examples: brown rice, almonds, certain apple juices. Natural foods may or may not be organic.

What’s a Parent to Do?
First and foremost, it’s important for your child to eat a well-balanced diet. If organic foods are available and you can afford them, great; give them a try. But don’t sacrifice good nutrition for the organic label.

Regardless of whether food is organic or not, handle all food carefully and safely. 

Shopping and Safety Tips

• Buy vegetables and fruits when they’re in season. This will help ensure the best quality. For example, buy apples in the fall and berries and tomatoes in the summer. This also saves on fuel to transport produce from far away.
• Read labels carefully. Organic may not mean healthy. Some organic foods are high in fat, sugar or salt.
• If you worry about pesticides, peel all fruits and vegetables. Trim the outer leaves of leafy vegetables like lettuce and cabbage. But remember, peeling may also reduce  nutritional value. Pesticides are sometimes found in the fatty parts of food. So remove fat from meat and the skin from fish and poultry.

The new sugar you just have to love, although the government does not

If you’ve ever tasted stevia, you know it’s extremely sweet. In fact, this remarkable noncaloric herb, native to Paraguay, has been used as a sweetener and flavor enhancer for centuries. But this innocuous-looking plant has also been a focal point of intrigue in the United States in recent years because of actions by the  U.S. Food and Drug Administration. 

     The subject of searches and seizures, trade complaints and embargoes on importation, stevia has been handled at times by the FDA as if it were an illegal drug. 

     Since the passage of the Dietary Supplement Health and Education Act (DSHEA), stevia can be sold legally in the United States, but only as a “dietary supplement.”  Even so, it can be found in many forms in most health-food stores, and is also incorporated into drinks, teas and other items (all labeled as “dietary supplements”).  It cannot, however, be called a “sweetener” or even referred to as “sweet.”  To do so would render the product “adulterated,” according to the FDA, and make it again subject to seizure.
    Cooking with stevia does require a learning curve, but since the advantages of reducing sugar in your diet (as well as eliminating your consumption of aspartame and other artificial sweeteners) are so important, it’s well worth the effort. 

     The most important thing to remember is not to use too much,  which can result in excessive sweetness and an aftertaste.  Always start with the exact amount called for in a recipe, or even a little less, then taste before you add any more.  Stevia is delicious in almost any recipe using fruit or dairy products, but does present a bit of a challenge when used for baking, since it lacks sugar’s abilities to add texture, help soften batter, caramelize, enhance the browning process, and feed the fermentation of yeast.  On the other hand, one of the excellent facets of stevia is that high temperatures do not affect its sweetening properties. 

Stevia contains no calories (!) and is actually healthy for you!
But on that note, try to avoid sugar and any sugar substitute for at while and you will discover that you do not actually need the sweet taste – fruit and nuts are sweet enough on its own – this of cause would be the ultimate best solution,