Hyvin
A Natural Health and Wellness Blog

My local newspaper reported that FDA-required warnings on pain pills will now include the sometimes deadly risks. Recommended doses of aspirin, ibuprofen and other nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs carry a risk of gastrointestinal bleeding and kidney injury, which are also linked to cases of death. Wow! Another eye-opener.

The FDA does continue to say these over-the-counter pain pills are safe and effective when used as directed, with the serious risks being rare. But it makes much more sense to me to use natural pain relief options if possible!

I just saw the news report that New York City has banned the use of trans fats in its restaurants! Wow – that is huge!! Apparently, a number of chains have already been experimenting with alternative oil sources. Maybe if the New York City fast food places have to use non-trans fats, the other fast food retailers around the country will follow their lead. I’d certainly like to see healthier fast food options! The move is applauded by most health groups (trans fats being linked to heart disease).

Have you seen the October 2006 edition of National Geographic? It highlights the prevalence of every-day chemicals in our blood streams! PBDEs, phthalates, pesticides, PFAs, dioxins, bisphenols, metals and PCBs…this is not alphabet soup, but a toxic brew of chemicals, some well-known and some newer ones with unknown effects, that are building up in our bodies. The author of the article, “The Chemicals Within Us” on pages 116 – 135, had a battery of tests done on himself to identify his own toxic load and describes his findings as “unsettling”. You can visit an online interactive graphic of our Toxic Homes from National Geographic here.

Maybe big business can be blamed for some of the “pollution within”, but many of these substances are in the products we willingly bring into our homes every day. Whenever possible, avoiding products that contain these substances has been part of my wellness routine. I was very happy to learn that there ARE alternatives out there – personal care products, household cleaners, air quality and water quality products that work and do not contain these harmful ingredients.

There was a day when I never would have thought that my household cleaning products could be making me sick. That day, fortunately, was enlightened by an allergy clinic. I discovered that my cleaners WERE making me sick (and I thought I just didn’t like to clean!) Since then, I have learned a great deal about these commonly used products and their effects on our health.

Health Day News recently issued a health tip reminding consumers that bleach-based cleaning products can cause lung damage.

According to a May 2006 study by researchers at the Univ. of California Berkeley and Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory, many common household cleaners emit toxins at levels that may lead to health risks.

To date, according to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, more than 75,000 synthetic chemicals are registered. Only a fraction of them have been tested for human health concerns. We’re beginning to learn just how harmful exposure can be. One recent study, for example, conducted over 15 years, found that women who work at home have a 54% higher death rate from cancer than those who work outside the home. Scientists concluded this was a direct result of increased exposure to toxic chemicals, many of which are found in common household products.

And if these toxic chemicals are having this affect on adults, just think of the consequences to children! In fact, many household toxins have been linked to mental and physical developmental problems in children.

Scientists at the National Toxicology Program found 150 chemicals present in the home are associated with allergies, birth defects, cancer, and psychological disorders. Some of these chemicals may be in common household cleaners. They include:

* Ammonia: Glass Cleaners may contain ammonia. The fumes from ammonia can irritate the skin, eyes and respiratory system.
* Aromatic hydrocarbons (naphthalene, organic solvents, trichloroethane): Used in degreasers, deodorizers, air fresheners, all-purpose cleaners, liquid laundry detergent and pesticides. Many are likely human carcinogens.
* Alkyphenols: Found in multisurface cleaners, liquid laundry detergent. May have hormone-disrupting effects.
* Butyl cellosolve: Found in metal polishes and grease removers, a petroleum-based solvent that can irritate nasal passages and cause liver and kidney damage.
* Phthalates: Found in air fresheners, multipurpose cleaners. May cause birth defects and reproductive disorders.
* Petroleum distillates: Found in floor waxes, furniture polishes, degreasers, all-purpose cleaners. Can damage lung tissues and dissolve fatty tissue around nerve cells.
* Chlorine: Found in sanitizing and bleaching agents, tub and tile cleaners, and pesticides. Ranks high in the causes of child poisonings in the U.S. and may cause reproductive, endocrine and immune disorders.

I cringe when I smell these chemicals in the homes or on the bodies and clothes of friends or their children! I am SO grateful to have found really effective, economical, safe cleaning products that are non-toxic. They are a huge part of my quest to be hyvin (well).

The New York Times has reported on a couple of health hazards in the everyday environment. There was a lengthy article on the use of phthalates (a family of industrial chemicals) in all kinds of skin care products, nail polish, cosmetics, and various personal care products (even things like shampoos, hair sprays, deodorants).

Health Care Without Harm, a coalition of health, religious, labor, and environmental groups, has been lobbying against phthalates for years. It cites tests that show the chemicals can cause defects in animals. They say these products could potentially hurt both developing fetuses and nursing infants. The group commissioned a test of 72 products. Fifty-two were found to contain phthalates, but only one listed phthalates on the label!

Thankfully for us, there is a line of personal care products that perform beautifully without these harmful substances!

A second hazard are flame retardants known as PBDE’s (Polybrominated diphenyl ethers), common in indoor air through the normal wear and tear of fabrics, cushions, and other treated household products.

For more information on how to drastically reduce airborne gases and odors, particles such as pollen and smoke, and microbes such as molds and bacteria, check this out.

An antibiotic specifically designed for mild to moderate respiratory tract infections, has been linked to a growing number of reports of liver failure, including four deaths! You can read the full report here.

While the implications of this happening despite FDA oversight are troubling, what really hits home for me is the importance of individual responsibility for health. Are there times when antibiotics are needed? Of course. But many of us rely on antibiotics at the first sign of infection. It seems to me that we would be better served by trying to support our body’s own fight of infectious invaders…with a variety of natural health and wellness measures. Not only do we then avoid the potentially serious side-effects of antibiotics, but we allow our bodies to develop its own natural immunity to the bacteria at issue.

The FDA recently identified five grocery-store beverages that contained high levels of cancer-causing benzene in specific production lots of the drinks. According to the Associated Press account of this public health concern, “The companies that make the drinks have been alerted and either have reformulated their products or plan to do so, the FDA said.” The five drinks listed by the government were Safeway Select Diet Orange, Crush Pineapple, AquaCal Strawberry Flavored Water Beverage, Crystal Light Sunrise Classic Orange and Giant Light Cranberry Juice Cocktail.

It makes me wonder what we really do to ourselves, many times unwittingly, when we consume these so-called “drinks”. Seems to me a more apt name might be chemical cocktails.