Make-up and body care products have been linked to allergic reactions, birth defects, and even cancer. It is a medically recognised fact that our body absorbs significant amounts of what we put on our skin. With certified organic food rapidly becoming the nutrition of choice by the health conscious amongst us, why would we accept any less for our skin?  An environmental health specialist at Stirling University in Scotland, Dr. Baillie-Hamilton details how toxins may be linked to dozens of serious health problems, including immune system diseases, neurological disorders, digestive disorders, hormonal imbalances, cardio-vascular diseases, cancer, hyper-sensitivity, obesity, musculoskeletal disorders and childhood health problems. "These chemicals are simply not going to go away,"  Institute reports "pesticides are a likely cause of immune suppression for millions of people throughout the world" and that 25% of the chemicals in the environment are neurotoxins linked to increased incidence of brain disease.

The Ugly Side of Cosmetics

February 3, 2005 the Food and Drug Administration issued an unprecedented warning to the cosmetics industry stating that the Agency is serious about enforcing the law requiring companies to inform consumers that personal care products have not been safety tested. When risky chemicals are used in cosmetics, the stakes are high. These compounds are not trace contaminants. They are the base ingredients of the product, just as flour is an ingredient in bread. Many of these chemicals are found in percent levels in personal care products, nearly all easily penetrate the skin, and some are ingested directly after they are applied to lips or hands. And increasingly, companies are adding customized, futuristic "penetration enhancers" to drive ingredients even deeper into the skin, like Loreal's new nanoparticle technology — a miniscule, fluid-filled sack designed to burrow deep into the skin to deliver its "active ingredients." No safety testing required. Scientists find common cosmetic ingredients in human tissues, like industrial plasticizers called phthalates in urine, preservatives called parabens in breast tumor tissue, and persistent fragrance components like musk xylene in human fat. Do the levels at which they are found pose risks? Those studies have not been done. They are not required.

Make-up and body care products contain ingredients suspected of causing cancer; potential neuro-, liver-, and immunotoxins; and suspected hormone disruptors that could cause birth defects in any children she might bear in the future. Many consumers may be surprised to learn that the US federal government doesn’t require health studies or pre-market testing on personal care products. Manufacturers are free to put just about anything they want into cosmetics—a far-reaching category used by the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) to include everything from make-up and deodorant to lotions and mouthwashes.

Instead, the safety (or not) of the ingredients in these products is looked into almost exclusively by a manufacturer-controlled safety committee called the Cosmetic Ingredient Review (CIR) panel. Consequently, “89 percent of 10,500 ingredients used in personal care products have not been evaluated for safety by the CIR, the FDA, nor any other publicly accountable institution,” says the nonprofit Environmental Working Group (EWG). “The absence of government oversight for this $35 billion industry leads to companies routinely marketing products with ingredients that are poorly studied, not studied at all, or worse, known to pose potentially serious health risks.”

For example, EWG found ingredients certified by the US government as “known or probable carcinogens” in one of every 120 cosmetic products on the market, including shampoos, lotions, make up foundations, and lip balm. What this adds up to, says the group, is that “one of every 13 women and one of every 23 men are exposed to ingredients that are known or probable human carcinogens every day through their use of personal care products.”

Also of particular concern are the inclusion of phthalates—a group of industrial chemicals linked to birth defects that are used in many cosmetic products, from nail polish to deodorant. Phthalates are not listed as ingredients on product labels; they can only be detected through laboratory analysis. In April of this year, the Campaign for Safe Cosmetics (CSC)—a coalition of environmental, social justice, and consumer groups—learned that the FDA has completed a study on the safety of phthalates in cosmetics but is refusing to release its findings. According to preliminary information uncovered by the CSC, two-thirds of health and beauty products analyzed by the FDA late last year contained phthalates. Two of the most toxic phthalates, DBP and DEHP, have been banned from cosmetics products sold in the European Union (EU) but remain unregulated in the US. In response to the FDA’s refusal to publicly release this information, Friends of the Earth, a founding member of the CSC, has filed a Freedom of Information Act request to obtain the study.

Another class of chemicals that’s gotten some press recently is parabens, short for “para hydroxybenzoate.” These preservatives are widely used in cosmetics, particularly nail polish. Recent studies have implicated parabens as being associated with breast cancer, though more testing is needed.

Though there isn’t always definitive evidence that a given chemical can cause adverse health affects, the fact that so few have been studied for safety is of significant concern. Plus, there’s the effect over time of all these chemicals we’re applying to our bodies to consider. The average person’s morning routine puts him/her into contact with over 100 chemicals before breakfast, according to Aubrey Hampton and Susan Hussey, founder and vice-president of marketing, respectively, of Aubrey Organics. The cumulative effect of all of the chemicals in these products can add up over time, and no one truly knows what the results are.

NBC news video: body pollution

Natural Skin Care from the Rainforest   Recent discoveries of beneficial compounds in Rainforest plants give new hope for fresh young looking skin. Recent discoveries of beneficial compounds in Rainforest plants give new hope for fresh young looking skin. With Lluvia Skin Renewal System you will:

    * Cleanse naturally with no harmful foaming agents
    * Gently polish and refine your skin
    * Refresh and hydrate your skin, and uplift your spirit
    * Diminish the appearance of fine lines and wrinkles
    * Deeply nourish tissue layers for a youthful, radiant glow
    * Balance hydration and lock in moisture 

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Unborn babies soaked in chemicals, survey finds

WASHINGTON, July 14, 2005 (Reuters) - Unborn U.S. babies are soaking in a stew of chemicals, including mercury, gasoline byproducts and pesticides, according to a report to be released on Thursday. The report by the Environmental Working Group is based on tests of 10 samples of umbilical cord blood taken by the American Red Cross. They found an average of 287 contaminants in the blood, including mercury, fire retardants, pesticides and the Teflon chemical PFOA. 

Studies show that pesticides can harm children’s health.  Yet across the country, kids are being exposed to high levels of dangerous chemicals at school. 

From the time we start preparing a room for a new baby, we are making choices about the child's environment. Many people get ready for a new child by painting, papering, and carpeting a baby's room with conventional products. They don’t realize that by doing so they may be creating an environment high in toxic chemicals. Most of us take it for granted that babies should be soothed with petroleum jelly and mineral oil, washed and shampooed with chemical-based cleansers, fed from plastic bottles, swaddled in disposable diapers, surrounded by scented products and put to sleep in pajamas treated with fire-retardant chemicals. But although parents act out of love, they are often unaware that the choices they make may be harmful to their child. There are baby care products by the hundred. How can a parent identify healthy alternatives? more

25 MAR 2008 A  new study by the U.S. Centers for Disease Control (CDC) reveals that 97% of Americans are contaminated with a widely-used sunscreen ingredient called oxybenzone that has been linked to allergies, hormone disruption, and cell damage. A companion study published just one day earlier revealed that this chemical is linked to low birth weight in baby girls whose mothers are exposed during pregnancy. Oxybenzone is also a penetration enhancer, a chemical that helps other chemicals penetrate the skin. Environmental Working Group identified nearly 600 sunscreens sold in the U.S. that contain oxybenzone, including products by Hawaiian Tropic, Coppertone, and Banana Boat (see the full list of 588 sunscreens here) as well as 172 facial moisturizers, 111 lip balms, and 81 different types of lipstick. The Food and Drug Administration has failed miserably in its duty to protect the public from toxic chemicals like oxybenzone in personal care products. At the request of industry lobbyists, including Supreme Court Chief Justice John Roberts, who represented the Cosmetic Toiletry and Fragrance Association, the agency has delayed final sunscreen safety standards for nearly 30 years. FDA issued a new draft of the standards last October under pressure from EWG, but continues to delay finalizing them at the behest of the regulated industry. more

Modern chemistry keeps insects from ravaging crops, lifts stains from carpets, and saves lives. But the ubiquity of chemicals is taking a toll. Many of the compounds absorbed by the body stay there for years—and fears about their health effects are growing. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) released data on 148 substances, from DDT and other pesticides to metals, PCBs, and plastic ingredients, measured in the blood and urine of several thousand people. The Pollution Within

Dr. Steve Nugent, the past president of the American Naturopathic Medical Association, reported recently that "in the typical American home there are more toxins inside the home than outside the home! Your cells actually contain over 400 new toxins that didn't even exist 45 years ago and we are losing the battle against toxins!" It's a fact. There are increasing amounts of toxins and chemical agents in the water we drink, the food we eat and the air we breathe - they all contribute to the breakdown in cellular communication and disease.  Studies have discovered various chemicals from our foods and environment that indicate man contributes 700,000 tons of pollutants into the air every day, ranging from everyday household cleaners to cosmetics and hair dyes. Chemicals and toxins accumulate in fat tissue. The more chemicals and toxins, the more fat the body manufactures.

Toxic Overload: A Doctor's Plan for Combating the Illnesses Caused by Chemicals in Our Foods, Our Homes, and Our Medicine Cabinets    Dr. Baillie-Hamilton 

According to "National Geographic," studies, various chemicals from our foods and environment that indicate man contributes 700,000 tons of pollutants into the air every day, ranging from everyday household cleaners to cosmetics and hair dyes "One new chemical enters industrial use every 20 minutes," says Paula Baillie-Hamilton, MD, only to join many hundreds of thousands of synthetic chemicals already in use. "As a result, the average person living in the developed world is now contaminated with up to 500 industrial toxins, few of which have been properly tested for harmful effects." Indeed, the US has only recently begun long-term research to establish a baseline for toxins in a portion of our population. Five percent of the 1,007 women in one such study had troubling levels of polychlorinated biphenyl (or PCB 188), which has been linked to breast cancer and weight gain. 

"A staggeringly large number of the most common diseases of the developed world [most kinds of cancer, hormonal disorders, and low energy including chronic fatigue syndrome, immune disorders, heart disease, and sexual problems] are related to or can be triggered by these toxins," Dr. Baillie-Hamilton adds. Nowhere does the idea of “natural” or “organic” take a more gratuitous bruising than in the skin care industry. Many labels have long lists of chemical names, some followed by the phrase “derived from …” (some natural substance). This is grossly misleading for consumers who are looking for genuine safe skin care products.

NBC news video: body pollution

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Medicine for the Earth: How to Transform Personal and Environmental Toxins

Based on the conviction that "we can reverse environmental pollution through spiritual methods," Ingerman (A Fall to Grace) coaches readers through inward and outward preparation for performing "transmutation," the channeling of spiritual energy to create positive physical effects. Given the firm belief that it can be done, the inner preparation of spiritual harmony and the creation of sacred space through ceremonial ritual in community with others, Ingerman promises that while pollution should be avoided, it can be dispelled after the fact. Citing the purportedly miraculous cures accomplished with natural water sources allegedly imbued with spiritual energy (e.g. the miracle cures of Lourdes, the parting of the Red Sea and the water that Jesus is said to have turned into wine), Ingerman illustrates her claims with controlled experimentation with water pollution. Her clear, practical exercises call upon a variety of ancient and current resources, including shamanism, to recruit assistance from the spiritual realm in executing her metaphysical prescription for reversing environmental damage: "intention + love + harmony + union + focus + concentration + imagination = transmutation." While Ingerman may not convert skeptics, she is highly regarded in New Age circles for her previous work focusing on personal transformation, soul loss, and recalling higher purpose. Fans of Carolyn Myss and Larry Dossey will appreciate her role in spearheading the movement toward using individual spiritual energies to heal the world around us. Ingerman, a therapist and well-known practitioner of soul retrieval, provides a thorough, thoughtful treatise on personal and planetary healing through the spiritual transmutation of environmental toxins. Motivated by her near-death experiences, she contemplates unconditional love through respect for sacred space, divine power, and nature's elements.

How to Survive on a Toxic Planet
by Dr. Steve Nugent  (also the author of The Missing Nutrients)

Why do people need glyconutrients now at this time in history, and not before? Before food was processed as much as it is now, people were getting at least a low level of these essential nutrients. But, the body's ability to make the missing six biologically active sugars are now seriously compromised by these following factors:

Stress from physical sources, such as accidents, inactivity and  from mental and emotional factors.

Inadequate nutrition due to critically serious mineral depletion in the soil on which foods are grown and to the stripping away of nutrients in the processing of foods.

The common use of foods, chemicals and drugs that interfere with the utilization of nutrients that are in the food.

Toxins: there are 75,000 synthetic chemicals/toxins in our environment (air, food, and water)

All these factors disable your body’s ability to complete the enzymatic processes that should normally convert the common sugars such as glucose to the other missing ones. This is why it is critical to supplement. Without communication between cell to cell, it is impossible to ever be well!  Every cell in your body is surrounded by monosaccharides. There are eight that are essential. These monosaccharides can change their configurations or communication messages thousands of times per seconds. Cells actually touch each other in order to communicate. Dysfunction and disease occur when the components necessary for cell to cell communication are absent or are in short supply.

Nutraceuticals/Glyconutritionals/Saccharides - It's Role in People and Animals' Health and Wellness

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Water Therapy - Detoxification and Hydration for Resplendent Skin

Nicholas V. Perricone MD - "We must drink eight to 10 glasses of pure water a day. Diet sodas and coffee don’t count, though I’m allowing tea (green or black) as part of the 8 to 10 daily glasses. When we decrease inflammation in the body, the brain works better, mood is elevated, skin becomes more radiant, dark circles and puffiness under the eyes resolve, skin becomes more toned, and even fine lines can diminish. We must remember that the skin is a reflection of our internal health. Therefore, if our skin improves, all other vital organs also improve. This decreases our risk of every disease from which we suffer." Nicholas V. Perricone MD, is the author of  “The Wrinkle Cure.

Water therapy (hydrotherapy) has been used for centuries to heal the sick.  Hydro- and hydrothermal therapy are traditional methods of treatment that have been used for the treatment of disease and injury by many cultures, including those of ancient Rome, China, and Japan. Water therapy has been around for centuries. The ancient Greeks took therapeutic baths. Water is an important ingredient in the traditional Chinese and Native American healing systems. more

F. Batmanghelidj, M.D. - "Every function inside the body is regulated by and depends on water. Water must be available to carry vital elements, oxygen, hormones, and chemical messengers to all parts of the body. Without sufficient water to wet all parts equally, some more remote parts of the body will not receive the vital elements that water supplies. Water is also needed to carry toxic waste away from the cells. In fact, there are at least 50 reasons why the body needs sufficient water on a regular, everyday basis. Without sufficient water to constantly wet all parts, your body's drought-management system kicks into action. The histamine-directed chemical messenger systems are activated to arrange a new, lower quota of water for the drought-stricken areas. When histamine and its subordinate "drought managers" come across pain-sensing nerves, they cause pain. This is what I discovered in my research that I mentioned earlier." 

Benefits of Alkaline, Ionized Water, by Dr. Hidemitsu Hayashi, M.D. 
Water has the ability to attract and accumulate bio-energy. It also stores an energy memory of harmful or helpful vibrations to which it was exposed in the past.  Chlorinated tap water is polluted with non-biological chemicals and negative energy imprints. It is also devoid of bio-energy and so may be regarded as being badly polluted as well as 'dead'. Alkaline living water is regarded by a growing number of health care professionals as the best water to drink and is listed as a medical device in Japan for the treatment of degenerative diseases.

Joseph M. Price, MD - "Chlorine is the greatest crippler and killer of modern times. It is an insidious poison."

Albert Schatz, Ph.D - "Fluoridation  is the greatest fraud that has ever been perpetrated and it has been perpetrated on more people than any other fraud has." Professor Albert Schatz, Ph.D. (Microbiology), Discoverer of streptomycin and Nobel Prize Winner

Matthew Silver, MD  - "An associate in her early fifties who had suffered for many years from the toxic effects of chlorine poisoning from inhaling vapors from an over-chlorinated swimming pool. This had resulted in many severe health challenges including extreme chronic fatigue and breathing difficulty that kept her housebound and dependent on oxyn. Even minimal exertion led to extreme shortness of breath. After just three days of drinking glyconutrients, she reported that all of her symptoms improved dramatically and that she was able to leave her house without oxygen and work in her garden, which she had not been able to do in years."  The sugars found on all Glyconutrients (saccharides) also address the workings of the brain and nervous system – from memory and sleep to anxiety and depression.

Safe, toxin-free, Ionized, Energized, Drinking Water helps to naturally flush toxins and acidic waste from the body and is a powerful antioxidant. Ionized Water makes more oxygen available to our cells than distilled, reverse osmosis, filtered only, bottled or tap water and is the best possible drinking water. "Disease and early death is more likely to be seen with the long term drinking of purified water. Avoid it except in special circumstances." Zoltan P. Rona M.D

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Consumers Deserve Strong Organic Standards for Cosmetics

Most 'Organic' Cosmetics Labels Mislead Public - Certified Organic is your only guarantee of synthetic chemical free products which are truly non-toxic.

WASHINGTON, DC -Scores of "natural" cosmetic companies will be in Washington, DC September 5-7 for the Natural Products Expo East, the largest natural products trade show on the East Coast. While most companies that sell increasingly popular "natural" soaps, shampoos and skin creams in natural supermarkets such as Whole Foods and Trader Joes do not claim their products are "organic," an increasing number of these brands, such as Avalon Natural Products, JASON, and Nature's Gate, are misleading consumers into thinking up to 70% of such products are in fact "organic."

The body care companies in question claim that "organic floral waters" are somehow key functional components of their products. However, floral waters, that are also called "hydrosols," did not exist as an ingredient in body care formulations until companies started to use them to make fraudulent, inflated "organic" claims. Not only is the presence of these hydrosols largely inconsequential, their actual organic content is minimal since they are mostly ordinary distilled water. Nonetheless, various so-called "natural" body care manufacturers are using these waters to green-wash their products and make organic label claims, even though their formulations are in fact largely composed of the same conventional synthetic cleansers, conditioners and preservatives found in mainstream products. These companies assert "70% organic ingredients" on their labels and advertising to mislead consumers into thinking that they are buying mostly organic products when they assuredly are not.

Similar to an infusion or tea, which is made by boiling botanical material in water, floral waters are made by steaming plants, and then cooling the steam back to water. Products made with infusions or teas cannot count the water in such teas or infusions as organic in calculating organic content under NOP food standards. However, it has become distressingly common practice to use "Steam Tea" as the main "organic" ingredient in many personal care products by misleadingly counting the ordinary water in such "Steam Teas" as organic. .

The fraudulent practice of counting such water as "organic" in some major companies' body care products has been getting a lot of attention in mainstream press, from The New York Times and Los Angeles Times to Consumer Reports. The OCA has demanded that organic body care standards should mirror the standards for organic food products. This means that:

   1. Certified organic agricultural feed-stocks are utilized exclusively, versus petroleum or conventional vegetable feed-stocks, in the manufacture of the key basic cleansing and conditioning ingredients.
   2. Manufacture of such ingredients is reasonably simple and ecological.
   3. The toxicity of each ingredient is minimal.
   4. Non-agricultural water is not counted in any shape or form as contributing to organic content.

The OCA is a grassroots nonprofit organization concerned with food safety, organic farming, sustainable agriculture, fair trade and genetic engineering.

Health and Wellness in the USA

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How to Survive on a Toxic Planet
Dr. Steve Nugent is an internationally known expert in the therapeutic use of dietary supplements and a leading researcher in the connections between environmental toxins and diseases. He had one of the most successful complementary medicine practices in North America where patients came to see him from around the world. His patient waiting list was rarely less than a year long. During those years he tested more than 6,000 dietary supplements. Thousands of doctors have relied on his advice in this area. Since 1977, he has educated health care professionals and the public in many countries. He is the author of Nugent's Physicians Desk Reference for Applied Clinical Nutrition used by thousands of doctors worldwide. In 1989 his teachings turned exclusively toward the environment and human health. In 1998, he retired from practice to dedicate all his energies to delivering the vitally important message in this book. Through radio, television, tapes, his writings and his lectures, he has reached millions with this message. His exceptional communication skills have made him enormously popular with audiences around the world. This book is Dr. Nugent¿s culmination of years of experience and research. You will learn scientific facts, worldwide statistics, and the latest information on breakthrough dietary supplements. You will also find basic tips that will teach you How to Survive on a Toxic Planet.

Detoxification for Optimum Health   Chemicals and Toxins Are The Primary Cause of Illness, Disease and Obesity
Substances that are toxic to our bodies come at us from all directions: the air we breathe, the food we eat, the water we drink, the cleaning products we use, and the metabolic waste produced inside us. Toxins build-up in the body contribute to premature aging and chronic and degenerative diseases. Studies have discovered various chemicals from our foods and environment that indicate man contributes 700,000 tons of pollutants into the air every day, ranging from everyday household cleaners to cosmetics and hair dyes. Chemicals and toxins accumulate in fat tissue. The more chemicals and toxins, the more fat the body manufactures.  more

Silent Spring, released in 1962, offered the first shattering look at widespread ecological degradation and touched off an environmental awareness that still exists. Rachel Carson's book focused on the poisons from insecticides, weed killers, and other common products as well as the use of sprays in agriculture, a practice that led to dangerous chemicals to the food source. Carson argued that those chemicals were more dangerous than radiation and that for the first time in history, humans were exposed to chemicals that stayed in their systems from birth to death. Presented with thorough documentation, the book opened more than a few eyes about the dangers of the modern world and stands today as a landmark work

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Natural Skin Care ... What does "natural" mean?

As the number of people who are concerned about toxins in our environment grows, more and more skin care companies are jumping on the "natural" and "organic" anti-aging skin care product bandwagon.

But what does "natural" and "organic" mean when we see them on a mainstream manufacturers skin care product label? 

• How do we really know if the skin cream product is really natural?
• How do we really know if herbal skin care products are safe and non-toxic? 
• What are the best natural alternatives to synthetic and mostly toxic chemicals?

Natural skin care - is it really any better for us?

Our skin is the largest eliminatory organ in the body. It is a two-way membrane. Toxins are eliminated through the skin via perspiration and absorbed through the skin into the body’s circulation system, through hair follicles and sebaceous glands, but not through the sweat glands. One square inch of skin contains approximately 65 hairs, 100 sebaceous glands and 650 sweat glands. Every square inch of your skin is like a thousand open mouths, absorbing into the body most of what is put on it.
What skin care products are truly natural and proactive?

Skin care manufacturers are not supposed to claim that their products penetrate the skin. If they did, the products would then be labelled as “drugs” and would be governed by much stricter regulations. However, it is now recognised that the skin does absorb many ingredients in skin care preparations. This is both good and bad. Good, because it means our skin can be nourished from the outside with some wonderful ingredients. Bad, because some skin care manufacturers can use harmful chemical ingredients that would never be allowed to be taken orally, but are still absorbed into our system, through our skin.

SO - WHAT DOES “NATURAL” AND THE UBIQUITOUS “ORGANIC” MEAN ON SKIN CARE PRODUCT LABELS?

Nowhere does the idea of “natural” or “organic” take a more gratuitous bruising than in the skin care industry. If we first take the word "natural" and look it up in the Concise Oxford Dictionary we would find this description of natural thus; “existing in, or caused by nature; not artificial; uncultivated; wild existing in natural state; not disguised or altered”.

It seems pretty clear what "natural" actually means to me! Does it to you? However when vested interests in the skin care industry get hold of the word natural - they put a whole new slant on it. It may seem pretty clear to you and me exactly what we mean by natural but for the marketing men they obviously haven't read the dictionary and start bending the interpretation of natural to suit themselves.

Many labels have long lists of chemical names, some followed by the phrase “derived from …” (some natural substance). This is grossly misleading for consumers who are looking for genuine safe skin care products. 

Synthetic Chemicals are anything but natural!

When chemicals such as Cocamide DEA or Sodium Hydroxysultaine are followed by the words “derived from coconut oil” the consumer is led to believe that these synthetic chemicals must somehow be "natural". While this may be true in some cases where a natural oil or extract is actually used, it is ultimately irrelevant because what you end up with after the chemical solvent extraction and processing is usually anything but natural or pure. It is just another chemical concoction with some rather awful sounding long names to describe the process the original "natural" substance went through
Now what about "organic"?

Again if we look in the dictionary for the word organic it is pretty obvious to us what we expect to find as far as safe natural products in general are concerned. Would you say in the context you are expecting to use or find the term organic that this would be a fair description;
"produced and involving production without the use of pesticides, artificial fertilizers or synthetic chemicals."

To me it seems rather elementary that when describing a product as organic that the above is exactly what the customer would expect. However to the marketing men this is not what they mean by organic. Lets delve a little deeper into this play on words

To create Cocamide DEA, a foaming agent found in some shampoos, requires the addition of a synthetic chemical and known carcinogen, Diethanolamine – DEA, to the coconut oil. It is therefore no longer natural, or safe! If we look at the term “organic” on a label, we usually think it means “grown and cultivated without the use of chemicals” as stated above. That is the conclusion most skin care companies would like us to come to when they use the rather loose term organic.

Unscrupulous skin care companies are cynically using the chemistry definition of “organic” –  which is also defined in the dictionary as "a compound that contains a carbon atom" to confuse consumers. This is known in the trade as confusion advertising so the real picture becomes blurred. Carbon is found in everything that has ever lived. Vested interests - by using this definition of organic, they are saying that a toxic petrochemical preservative called Methyl Paraben is “organic” because it was formed from natural leaves that rotted over thousands of years to become crude oil, which was then used to make this toxic totally un-natural preservative.

How absurd is this when consumers are looking for natural skin care products?

The play on the word organic gets even worse. An increasing number of companies are now claiming to use “organic” herbs in their products. But, what about the rest of the ingredients? Are they safe? Are they "natural" or from an "organic" source?  Surely there must be an authority that governs the use of the term “organic” on labels? The simple answer is NO.
What skin care products are truly natural?

The term “Certified Organic” IS governed by a number of internationally recognised bodies. In Australia the Biological Farmers of Australia (BFA) is the largest. Searching for products with the logo of a certifying body on the label is the only way you can guarantee the organic authenticity and integrity of every ingredient in the product. This can then truly be called a natural skin care product. Without the "Certified Organic" label, the organic claim means nothing, as it cannot be verified and most likely it is a complete hoax perpetrated by the marketing men and their hype.

HOW DO WE KNOW WHAT WE ARE BUYING IS REALLY A “NATURAL” SKIN CARE PRODUCT?

Fortunately, there is a very simple way to differentiate between the hype and truth in skin care and that is to read the ingredient list on the label. It is a legal requirement that all skin care products must be labelled with the ingredients in descending order of their quantity in the product. A good rule of thumb is to divide the ingredient list into thirds: the top third usually contains 90-95% of the product, the middle third usually contains 5-8% and the bottom third, 1-3%.

Here is the ingredient list of a so-called “natural” and “organic” skin moisturizer from a well known “natural” skin care company. (compare to an ingredient list of a Certified Organic natural body moisturiser.)

   APRICOT CREAM

   Natural or Organic ingredients include
1  Water (deionised)
2  Isopropyl Palmitate (Palm Oil Derivative)
3  Apricot Kernel Oil
4  Bis-Digyceryl Caprylate/Caprate/Isosterate/Stearate/ Hydroxysterate Adipate (vegetable Triglyceride)
5  Glyceryl Stearate SE (vegetable derived)
6  Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride (glycerin-derived emollient)
7  Ceteareth - 12 (Organic Emulsifier)
8  Tocopherol Oil (vitamin E)
9  Chamomile Extract
10  Sage Extract
11  Linden Extract (Lime Blossom Extract)
12  Balm Mint Extract
13  Shea Butter (From Karite)
14  Wheat Germ Oil
15  Carrot Oil
16  Cetyl Alcohol (organic Co-emulsifier)
17  Sodium Hydroxide (pH Adjuster)
18  Sorbic Acid (Organic Compound)
19  Tocopherol Acetate (vitamin E Derivative)
20  Methyl Paraben
21  Propyl Paraben
22  Imidazolidinyl Urea (Organic Compound)
23  Fragrance
24  FD and C Yellow No 5, D7C Red No. 33. 

Content: Apricot oil (2.5%)

Take note of the last point that says "Content: Apricot Oil (2.5%). Notice Apricot Oil is No 3 on the list. Because skin care manufacturers are required to list the ingredients in descending order this means everything AFTER Apricot Oil makes up less than 2.5% of the volume.

This effectively means that about 90% of the product is water and Isopropyl Palmitate. Isopropyl Palmitate is derived from Isopropyl Alcohol, synthetic alcohol and Palmatic Acid, a fatty acid from palm oil. It is known to cause skin irritations and dermatitis and has been shown to have comedogenic (acne promoting) properties!

Nos 5 and 5 are all produced by chemical reactions between various fatty acids and glycerol (synthetic glycerine). They are largely synthetic and have been shown to cause allergies and dermatitis! Far from natural!

No 7 is a synthetic emulsifier that may contain dangerous levels of ethylene oxide and dioxane - both are known carcinogens. Again far removed from natural!

Nos. 8 to 15 are natural ingredients used in tiny amounts merely to make the product look good. They may have been grown using toxic organo-phosphates, other pesticides and chemical herbicides and extracted with the use of chemical solvents. Again anything but natural!

No. 16 May be natural or synthetic and has been shown to cause contact dermatitis and eczema.

No. 17 Is otherwise known as caustic soda or lye - a powerful drain cleaner extremely alkaline and corrosive. A known sensitizer for many people with sensitive skin.

No. 18 Sorbic acid was once isolated from the Mountain Ash berry, but is now chemically synthesised and is a toxic preservative. No longer natural!

No. 19 is synthetic Vitamin E.

Nos. 20-22 are toxic and allergenic preservatives which have been linked to increasing oestrogen levels in women and is implicated in the rising incidence of breast cancer

No. 23. Probably synthetic, may contain phthalates that have been linked to birth defects. Phthalates are toxic gender bending chemicals found in virtually everyone tested for them. It is certainly not natural to have phthalates in your body or on your skin I can assure you.

No. 24. Synthetic colours that could be potentially carcinogenic.

NBC news video: body pollution
 

Organic food products and cosmetics

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Make-up and body care products have been linked to allergic reactions, birth defects, and even cancer. It is a medically recognised fact that our body absorbs significant amounts of what we put on our skin. With Certified Organic food rapidly becoming the nutrition of choice by the health conscious amongst us, why would you accept any less for your skin?. 

Here's what you need to know.

Suzanne Anich of Minneapolis, MN, has a morning routine similar to that of many women. She shampoos and conditions her hair with products that contain “natural ingredients,” according to the labels. She brushes her teeth, then washes her face with an upscale facial wash with the word “purity” emblazoned across the jar. Then, she applies an anti-aging moisturizer and what she calls a “low-maintenance” selection of makeup.

Safe Cosmetics Illustration

Suzanne was surprised to find out that nearly all of the personal care products she uses on her face and body contain ingredients suspected of causing cancer; potential neuro-, liver-, and immunotoxins; and suspected hormone disruptors that could cause birth defects in any children she might bear in the future.

“I’m shocked that the US government allows these products to be put on store shelves,” Suzanne says. “I’ll be throwing out most of my make-up and starting over. It’s too bad, because the stuff I used seemed to work well—too bad the people who make them don’t seem to care about their customers’ well-being.”

Fortunately, it’s easier than ever to find products that won’t endanger your health—and companies that do care about their customers’ well-being. Here’s what you need to know about the personal care products you may be using and what your alternatives are.

Regulated or Not?

Like Suzanne, many consumers may be surprised to learn that the US federal government doesn’t require health studies or pre-market testing on personal care products. Manufacturers are free to put just about anything they want into cosmetics—a far-reaching category used by the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) to include everything from make-up and deodorant to lotions and mouthwashes.

Instead, the safety (or not) of the ingredients in these products is looked into almost exclusively by a manufacturer-controlled safety committee called the Cosmetic Ingredient Review (CIR) panel. Consequently, “89 percent of 10,500 ingredients used in personal care products have not been evaluated for safety by the CIR, the FDA, nor any other publicly accountable institution,” says the nonprofit Environmental Working Group (EWG). “The absence of government oversight for this $35 billion industry leads to companies routinely marketing products with ingredients that are poorly studied, not studied at all, or worse, known to pose potentially serious health risks.”

For example, EWG found ingredients certified by the US government as “known or probable carcinogens” in one of every 120 cosmetic products on the market, including shampoos, lotions, make up foundations, and lip balm. What this adds up to, says the group, is that “one of every 13 women
and one of every 23 men are exposed to ingredients that are known or probable human carcinogens every day through their use of personal care products.”

Also of particular concern are the inclusion of phthalates—a group of industrial chemicals linked to birth defects that are used in many cosmetic products, from nail polish to deodorant. Phthalates are not listed as ingredients on product labels; they can only be detected through laboratory analysis. In April of this year, the Campaign for Safe Cosmetics (CSC)—a coalition of environmental, social justice, and consumer groups—learned that the FDA has completed a study on the safety of phthalates in cosmetics but is refusing to release its findings. According to preliminary information uncovered by the CSC, two-thirds of health and beauty products analyzed by the FDA late last year contained phthalates. Two of the most toxic phthalates, DBP and DEHP, have been banned from cosmetics products sold in the European Union (EU) but remain unregulated in the US. In response to the FDA’s refusal to publicly release this information, Friends of the Earth, a founding member of the CSC, has filed a Freedom of Information Act request to obtain the study.

Another class of chemicals that’s gotten some press recently is parabens, short for “para hydroxybenzoate.” These preservatives are widely used in cosmetics, particularly nail polish. Recent studies have implicated parabens as being associated with breast cancer, though more testing is needed.

Though there isn’t always definitive evidence that a given chemical can cause adverse health affects, the fact that so few have been studied for safety is of significant concern. Plus, there’s the effect over time of all these chemicals we’re applying to our bodies to consider. The average person’s morning routine puts him/her into contact with over 100 chemicals before breakfast, according to Aubrey Hampton and Susan Hussey, founder and vice-president of marketing, respectively, of Aubrey Organics. The cumulative effect of all of the chemicals in these products can add up over time, and no one truly knows what the results are. 

There are signs of hope that the cosmetics industry could be poised for a major overhaul, however:

Major Companies Phase Out Phthalates: Under pressure from the CSC, top cosmetics companies L’Oréal, Revlon, and Unilever recently said they have voluntarily removed phthalates DBP and DEHP from products sold in the US. Avon, Procter and Gamble, and Estée Lauder agreed to remove phthalates from their products in 2004.

FDA Gets Tough: By law, companies are required to post a warning label on products that have not been assessed for safety. In the past, most companies haven’t adhered to this law. But last February, the FDA issued an unprecedented warning to the cosmetics industry stating that it will be taking steps to enforce the label law. “Such an enforcement action could ultimately require companies to issue consumer warnings for the more than 99 percent of personal care products on the market that have not been publicly assessed for safety,” says the EWG.

The EU Gets Tougher: This past September, an amendment to the EU’s Cosmetics Directive took hold, which requires companies doing business in Europe to eliminate chemicals in their cosmetics that are known or strongly suspected of being carcinogens, mutagens, or reproductive toxins. Of the thousands of questionable chemicals in these products, the directive targets about 450. (Compare that to the nine chemicals the FDA has banned or restricted in personal care products.)

California Follows the EU’s Lead: Hoping to emulate the EU’s efforts, California state senator Carole Migden (D-San Francisco) has introduced the California Safe Cosmetic Act of 2005. This bill would require manufacturers peddling cosmetic products in California to provide the state Department of Health Services with a list of their products and to identify products that contain chemicals identified as carcinogens or reproductive toxins. And another recent bill (AB 908), introduced by Assemblywoman Judy Chu (D-Monterey Park), would ban phthalates DBP and DEHP from cosmetics sold in the state.

The Campaign for Safe Cosmetics: Thc CSC is calling on all cosmetics companies to phase the chemicals banned from the EU out of products sold in the US. Visit www.safecosmetics.org to help the CSC call on companies to be responsible. “Consumers have real power they’re not exercising,” Janet Nudelman of the CSC told Dragonfly Media. “We need to let cosmetics companies know we’re not going to buy their products unless they make a strong commitment to safety.”

What to Look For - Here’s how to find the safest personal care products for you and your family:

• Be Suspicious of Labels: Though words like “natural” or “hypoallergenic” look reassuring, on some products, they’re basically meaningless. The FDA has no control over these labels. Products labeled “natural,” for example, may contain some natural ingredients, but they may also include synthetic dyes and fragrances. “Hypoallergenic” merely means that the most common irritants are left out, but other potentially problematic chemicals may still be in the mix. “Fragrance-free” means a product has no perceptible odor—synthetic ingredients may still be added to mask odors.

• Scrutinize Ingredients: The EWG recently launched its Skin Deep online database, making it easier than ever to check the safety of over 7,500 personal care products, from OPI nail polish to Aveda shampoo to Johnson’s Baby Oil. Visit www.ewg.org/reports/skindeep. If your product of choice isn’t yet listed on Skin Deep, you can enter suspicious-looking ingredients into Environmental Defense’s chemical database, Scorecard.org. Scorecard lets you know about known and suspected health effects caused by hundreds of chemicals, along with the sources (often government agencies) that have questioned each chemical.

• Cosmetics that contain certified organic ingredients generally contain mainly natural ingredients, including those that have been grown without the use of toxic pesticides. Unfortunately, organic doesn’t necessarily mean problem-free. Even organic companies need to keep their products from rotting away on store shelves, in warehouses, and in your medicine cabinet. Some may turn to synthetic chemicals to keep their products fresh and useful. Be sure to check the ingredients list on your favorite organic products. more

The Compact for Safe Cosmetics: To date, 87 companies have signed the CSC’s “Compact for Safe Cosmetics,” pledging to phase the 450 chemicals banned by the EU out of all of their products. The vast majority of them are organic and natural products companies—including members of Co-op America’s Business Network, who are screened for their commitment to going the extra mile to protect their workers, consumers, communities, and the environment. In addition, cosmetics giants L’Oréal and Revlon say their cosmetics now comply with European law, though they haven’t signed the compact. You can find a list of the companies who have signed at www.safecosmetics.org/companies/signers.cfm.

The very best option is to find a cosmetics company that has signed the CSC’s compact and uses certified organic and natural ingredients. Those companies are listed in the box on this page, and many have products that are readily available at natural products and food stores, as well as online or by mail order.

One such company is EcoColors, which sells “almost all-natural” commercial and home hair dye kits made with organic ingredients. “When I became pregnant with my son in 1990, I was a hairdresser doing five colors a day in the salon and teaching hair color at night,” says Lisa Saul, president of EcoColors. “I started getting rashes on my wrists and having sinus issues, and I thought, ‘If these chemicals are doing this to me, what are they doing to my child?’”

That question led her to found her company, and it also takes her to the lab on a regular basis, where she works on pinpointing problematic hair dye ingredients and making her company’s products as safe as possible.

“I’ve known so many people who’ve gotten hurt by the chemicals in different products,” she says. “So I’m committed to making sure hairdressers and my customers are using things that are healthy for them.”

NBC news video: body pollution
 

Organic food products and cosmetics

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WHAT ARE THE NATURAL ALTERNATIVES TO CHEMICALS?

All skin care products, both synthetic and natural, contain items from the following categories in some combination or other:

EMOLLIENTS

Emollients serve two functions; they prevent dryness and protect the skin, acting as a barrier and healing agent. Water is the best emollient, but because it evaporates quickly it is ineffective. It needs to be held on the skin by emollient oils in what is called an emulsion. Synthetic emollients are occlusive i.e. they coat the skin and do not allow it to respire (much like plastic wrap), which can cause skin irritation. Some synthetic emollients can accumulate in the liver and lymph nodes. They are also non-biodegradable, causing a negative environmental impact. Far from natural!

Natural emollients actually nourish the skin and care for it. They are metabolised by the skin’s own enzymes and absorbed into it. They are readily biodegradable and are of edible quality. Completely natural!
Some Synthetic Un-"Natural" Skin Care Emollients:

PEG compounds (eg PEG- 45 Almond Glyceride) may contain the toxic by-product dioxane Synthetic alcohols (anything that contains the phrase benzyl –, butyl-, cetearyl-, cetyl -, glyceryl-, isopropyl-, myristyl propyl-, propylene-, or stearyl-) eg Isopropyl Palmitate, Diglyceryl Caprylate) have been shown to cause allergies and dermatitis. Hydrocarbons (eg mineral oil, petrolatum, paraffin) contain carcinogenic and mutagenic Polycyclic Aromatic Hydrocarbons (PAHs) and can cause chemically induced acne. Silicone Oils (eg dimethicone, cyclomethicone, copolyol) can clog the skin like plastic wrap and cause tumours when painted on lab animals (according to the Material Safety Data Sheet supplied by the manufacturer).

Some Natural Skin Care Emollients:

Plant Oils (eg. Jojoba, Avocado, Rosehip) Shea, Cocoa and Jojoba Butters

HUMECTANTS

The main purpose of any cream is to keep the skin moist. Many conventional creams form a suffocating film on the skin to prevent moisture loss. Even a natural humectant, glycerin, actually attracts water from the air and surrounding tissue. It keeps the skin moist as long as there is sufficient moisture in the air. In a dry climate it actually draws moisture from the skin. Collagen, elastin and keratin enjoy some popularity as humectants. Whilst they are compatible with the skin and deposit a protective film, they are usually sourced from animals and therefore cannot be termed “cruelty free”. Some skin care companies would like you to believe that your skin can use special animal proteins to rejuvenate and replace aging cells. This is nonsense! The size of the molecules, even when broken down (hydrolysed), are far too large to penetrate the skin. Even if they could get in, they would be immediately rejected as foreign matter and attacked by the immune system.

Natural phospholipids, from lecithin, are fantastic humectants. An important benefit of phospholipids is that they are hygroscopic (attract water from the surrounding air) and hold water where an increased level of hydration is needed. Therefore, phospholipids increase the hydration levels of the skin without being occlusive (forming a film to prevent water loss, and preventing normal cellular function). A recent study proved the value of topically applied phospholipids in skin care. It found that environmental factors (sun, wind, pollution) and the detergents and solvents, found in most skin cleansers, actually stripped the natural phospholipid content from the top layer of skin. This loss resulted in a rough feel and a pitted appearance under a microscope. Importantly, the phospholipids in the uppermost skin layers cannot be replaced by natural cell function, as the top layer of cells no longer metabolise; they serve only as a protective barrier.

Remarkably, the study showed that topically applied plant phospholipids restore the barrier function of the skin, protecting it from substances such as bacteria and harmful chemicals.
Some Synthetic Un-"Natural Humectants

   1. Propylene Glycol – causes irritation and contact dermatitis
   2. Ethylene/Diethylene Glycol – causes irritation
      and contact dermatitis
   3. PEG compounds (eg Polyethylene Glycol) –
      may contain the toxic by-product dioxane

Some natural Humectants

   1. Lecithin
   2. Panthenol (pro-vitamin B5)
   3. Glycerin

EMULSIFIERS

Surface-active-agents are substances capable of dissolving oils and holding dirt in suspension so it can be rinsed away with water. They are used in skin cleansers and shampoos which are often claimed to contain "natural" ingredients

A serious problem with ethoxylated surfactants (those that utilise ethylene or propylene oxide in the chemical reaction) is that they are often contaminated with dioxane, a potent carcinogen. The exact same toxic carcinogen sprayed on the Vietnam jungle during Agent Orange which caused hundreds of thousands of birth defects and cancers in Vietnamese civilians and huge increases in the cancer rates for US and Australian army personnel. Far from NATURAL!

These surfactants are listed on labels as ingredients ending with -eth, (like laureth) or containing the phrase PEG (Poly Ethylene Glycol), or PPG (Poly Propylene Glycol). Another dangerous class of surfactants are amides. These are listed on labels containing the term TEA - TriEthanolAmine, DEA - DiEthanolAmine and MEA MonoEthanolAmine. All compounds containing TEA, DEA, and MEA can undergo nitrosation with other chemicals to form nitrosamines, which are carcinogenic. One study found that over 40% f products containing triethanolamine (TEA) were contaminated with these potent carcinogens.

Would you call this "Skin Care"?

Natural saponins (foaming agents) are a much better choice for shampoos. They gently cleanse the hair skin and scalp without stripping the natural oils.

Some Synthetic Surfactants

   1. Sodium or Ammonium Lauryl or Laureth Sulphate
   2. Sodium Methyl Cocoyl Taurate
   3. Sodium Lauroyl or Cocoyl Sarcosinate
   4. Cocomidopropyl Betaine
   5. TEA compounds
   6. DEA compounds
   7. PEG (Polyethylene Glycol) compounds
   8. Quarternium -7,15,31,60 etc
   9. Lauryl or Cocoyl Sarcosine
  10. Disodium Oleamide or Dioctyl Sulfosuccinate
  11. etc. etc. etc.

Some Natural Surfactants

   1. Castile Soap
   2. Yucca Extract
   3. Soapwort
   4. Quillaja Bark Extract

PRESERVATIVES

The decaying process is natural and happens with or without preservatives. Skin care products do not (and should not) last for ever. Just like food, all natural skin care products will eventually deteriorate and go rancid. The effectiveness, not safety, of synthetic chemical preservatives has only been “proven” by cruel animal testing. Chemical preservatives are generally used because they are much cheaper than, and extend the shelf life of the product more than natural alternatives. Once again so far removed from natural it isn't funny.

You know eating fresh natural produce is far better for you than eating denatured long shelf life food - Don't you? Well the same applies to your skin care products. Safe non-toxic fresh skin care products are far better for your health than the alphabet soup of chemical concoctions the "skin care" companies generally come up with.

Storing natural products in the fridge will help extend their life. Some Synthetic Preservatives:

   1. Imidiazolidinyl Urea (Germall 115) and Diazolidinyl Urea (Germall II) Causes contact dermatitis. Germall 115 releases formaldehyde over 10°C. Un-natural!
   2. DMDM Hydantoin Highly toxic, causes contact dermatitis, contains formaldehyde. Used in shampoos and deodorants. Un-natural!
   3. Methyl, Propyl, Butyl and Ethyl Paraben Toxic, Causes allergic reactions and skin rashes. Used in a huge range of products and is implicated in increasing breast cancer rates when used as a preservative in underarm deodorants. UN-natural!
   4. 2-Bromo-2-Nitro-Propane-1, 3-diol. (Bronopol). Toxic - causes allergic contact dermatitis. Used in face creams, shampoos, mascaras and bath oils.
   5. Benzalkonium Chloride - Highly toxic, primary skin irritant. Used in shampoos, conditioner and deodorants. UN-natural!
   6. Quarternium-15 Toxic, causes skin rashes and allergic reactions. UN-natural!
   7. Chloromethylisothiazolinone and Isothiazolinone - Cause contact dermatitis
   8. Methylisothiazolinone and Methylchloroisothiazolinone- Both cause allergies
   9. Butylated Hydroxytoluene (BHT) and Butylated Hydroxyanisole (BHA) - Both cause allergic contact dermatitis - worse BHT is carcinogenic!

This alphabet soup of unnatural synthetic chemicals which go into making the average skin care product and/or cosmetic is believed to be playing a major part in the enormous increase in cancer rates in the developed countries of the world. Research scientists such as Dr Samuel Epstein have been speaking out strongly for decades trying to warn the public of the dangers of un-natural toxic chemicals in personal and skin care products. We are losing the "winnable war on cancer" due to vested interests totally ignoring the damage that low level exposure to toxins over may years do to our immune systems. Our grandparents were never exposed to this vast array of artificial toxic chemicals.
Some Natural Preservatives

   1. Tea Tree essential oil
   2. Thyme essential oil
   3. Grapefruit Seed Extract
   4. D-Alpha Tocopherol Acetate (Vitamin E)

IS "NATURAL" REALLY BETTER?

Well you make your own mind up! There are some people who really do think that there are "safe" synthetic chemicals which can be applied to the skin and eaten in food without doing any harm. However didn't the cigarette manufacturers maintain for over thirty years that the chemicals in smoke never caused cancer too? Is it natural to breath deadly toxic fumes into your lungs everyday? Is it natural to care for your skin by plastering it in totally un-natural chemicals - the vast majority which have never been tested for long term toxicity?  It is easy to bury your head in the sand and ignore these dangers as we listen to the hollow platitudes of vested interests who are making billions from a gullible public.

If we look at chemicals from a historic point of view we see a pattern of wonderful chemical and drug breakthroughs which are going to change life for the better. They are sold to us on a platform of hype and false promises as the answer to all sorts of problems. Subsequent disastrous side effects and countless deaths have been caused by some of these new wonder chemicals and drugs before they were pulled off the market and banned long after the damage had already been done.

Remember the miracle of DDT? How this was going to revolutionise farming in the world and destroy all the natural insect pests. Now every single living creature on earth today, humans included, carry a burden of DDT stored in their fat cells with who knows what consequences for generations to come. What about thalidomide? Remember the miracle drug to ease women through the "sickness" of bearing a child. How many tens of thousands of children were born with defects from this incredible chemical folly?

How would you feel if by your uninformed use of toxic chemicals it  caused ongoing severe medical problems for your loved ones in the future?

The search for newer, better and safer synthetic chemicals goes on and on - with new chemicals being released at a staggering rate onto the market and the unsuspecting public. When you really think about it, the entire process is so futile and foolish and is only being pursued in the name of corporate profit. Mother Nature has always had the answers for us yet man seems hell-bent on ignoring the most basic rule of all and that is to live in harmony with nature not try to control it. Ultimately nature reduces us back to the earth. For many of us, sadly well before our time is due, we will be struck down by deadly cancer. The rate is already 1 in 3 in the US and is running very close behind in the UK and other developed countries.

We should all avoid toxic synthetic chemicals from all sources. We can do this largely by sourcing organic produce as much as we possibly can and using only certified organic completely natural personal care products and cosmetics.

You may be amazed at the huge difference these simple measures will make to your health.

Informed people make informed choices.

NBC news video: body pollution

Organic food products and cosmetics

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Dr. Bruce Fife - "Every day we are exposed to toxins in one form or another. We encounter them in the air we breath, the food we eat, and the water we drink. The environment is filled with natural and manmade toxins. Even our own bodies produce toxic metabolic waste. While our immune system can detoxify and eliminate many of the toxins we are exposed to each day, it can only do so much. If we are exposed to more toxins than our immune system can process and eliminate, these toxins accumulate in body tissues. As toxins accumulate in our bodies, cells and tissues begin to degenerate. When this happens symptoms arise."

Toxaemia and Internal Cleansing

"Medical science is founded on a false premise. Namely, that disease is caused by extraneous influences"
Dr. Tilden 1926 "Toxemia Explained

"Autogenous self-generated poisoning is what we call Toxaemia."Natural Hygiene holds that the one cause of all disease is the toxic saturation at the cellular level of the bodily tissues, bloodstream, and fluids brought on by the depletion of Nerve Energy reserves through wrong living habits. This state of self-poisioning is alternately termed "Auto-Intoxication," "Toxicosis," and "Toxemia." Every act of every cell in the body produces waste. This waste is poisonous, it is incompatible with the life of the cell..." "The cells throw their waste into the lymph that carries it back to the blood. The blood takes the waste to the excretory organs mentioned above for elimination." "Normal elimination keeps the blood and lymph clean. Toxaemia is hence the aftermath of Enervation. Enervation in brief is the sum total of all our expenditures of nerve energy involved in our day to day living. When the sum of our daily expenditure is greater than we can or than we do recuperate daily, we become enervated. When an enervated individual is saturated with toxins, any additional enervating influence that puts an added check to elimination will cause the toxaemia to be pushed above the point of toleration, and will precipitate a crisis, a process of compensatory elimination through channels whose main work is not elimination, e.g., en mucous membranes (colds, catarrh, inflammation and skin eruptions)." "Natural Hygienists know the cause and they also know how to remove it. Fasting will enable the body to rid itself of toxins and hygienic living will prevent  their recurrence." 

"There is really only one disease of the body. It is called Toxemia. Many doctors of natural hygiene have proven this in their work, but common knowledge of the way the body works, along with common sense, will also support this statement. In his book "Toxemia Explained" Dr. John Tilden explains the definition of Toxemia as natures effort to eliminate toxins from the blood." Paul Nison

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A further look at healing with nature. Nature provides us with a simple, straightforward system for regaining and maintaining superb human health and beauty.
 

Healing with Food: Most human illnesses and diseases are due to a deficiency of vital nutrients. When you supply your body with the proper nutrients, in a form that your body can use, it knows how to repair itself.

Healing with Water: Hydrotherapy has been used for centuries to heal the sick

Healing with the Sea: There is no family of foods more protective against radiation and environmental pollutants than sea vegetables.

Healing with Sunlight: Sunlight helps the body heal wounds and injuries and overcome virtually any illness.

Healing with Earth: Clay is renowned to have many uses in promoting health in plants, animals and humans.

Healing with Plants: Plants have the power to supply the bodies’ life force with the energies it needs to restore and maintain health.

Healing with Urine: One of the most powerful, most researched and most medically proven natural cures ever discovered.

Healing from the Hives: Bee pollen rejuvenates your body, stimulates organs and glands, enhances vitality, and brings about a longer life span. 

Basic Healing Principles: The body has an innate capacity to heal itself. Self-healing can only occur once the cause of the illness has been eliminated. Why elimination of the symptom is NOT the same as elimination of the disease?  Physicians and surgeons palliate symptoms instead of removing causes 

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What Every Parent Should Know BEFORE Their Childen Are Vaccinated! Why are a growing number of parents and health care professionals around the world questioning vaccination? The controversy stems from the thousands of deaths and permanent disabilities attributed to vaccination annually, as well as the many published medical studies, government statistics, congressional testimonies, and other credible sources that directly contradict commonly held assumptions about vaccine safety and effectiveness.
 

More pictures of vaccine damage available to view at the CDC website

 "Bart Classen, a Maryland physician, published data showing that diabetes rates rose significantly in New Zealand following a massive hepatitis B vaccine campaign in young children, and that diabetes rates also went up sharply in Finland after three new childhood vaccines were introduced." Nicholas Regush ABCNEWS.com 

This child (below) died as a result of vaccines (CDC website)

In fall 1997, two influential professional magazines featured articles asking the question: Has the decrease of infectious diseases in childhood through the mass use of vaccines been replaced with an increase in chronic diseases such as diabetes and asthma? The Economist, a prestigious international magazine read by world leaders in government, business and public policy, and Science News, a magazine read by both health care professionals and the general public, explored the reported links between vaccines and chronic diseases in their November 22, 1997 issues. Learn more about vaccine and diabetes connection --- asthma and vaccine connection --- SIDS and autism and vaccine connection --- "Shaken Baby Syndrome": the vaccination link Law suit One hundred years ago, children received 1 vaccine (the smallpox vaccine). Forty years ago, children received 5 vaccines routinely (diphtheria, pertussis, tetanus, polio, and smallpox vaccines) and as many as 8 shots by 2 years of age. Children now receive 52 vaccines, in the form of 15 shots, by the time they are 6 months of age if they receive all the recommend shots, including the Prevnar pediatric pneumonia shot.

Congressman is calling for criminal penalties for any government agency that knew about the dangers of thimerosal in vaccines and did nothing to protect American children. Congressman Dan Burton (R-Indiana) during Congressional Hearing: "You mean to tell me that since 1929, we've been using Thimerosal, and the only  test that you know of is from 1929, and every one of those people had mennigitis, and they all died?" For nearly an hour, Burton repeatedly asked FDA and CDC officials what they knew and when they knew it. (Thimerosal contains a related mercury compound called ethyl mercury. Mercury is a toxic metal that can cause immune, sensory, neurological, motor, and behavioral dysfunctions.)

Please get informed!Enter the vaccine information site 

Homeopathy can be used successfully to prevent and treat smallpox, measles, whooping cough, chickenpox, and other ailments.

Would you allow big brother to enforce vaccinations on your kids? Government Enforced VaccinationsVaccination Tracking Registry - Government programs that limit your choices -and your rights- in health care when it comes to mandatory vaccination. These mandates last for 40 or so years and they're impossible to repeal. Also, learn about Legal Requirements and Exemptions

Are Vaccines Damaging Our Pets?
Routine Vaccination: Is it really safe and effective? Most recently, an article appeared in the Journal of the American Veterinary Medical Association entitled "Are We Vaccinating Too Much?"

Site map
 
 
 

Home: ShirleysWellnessCafe.com (aka: MyWellnessHouse.com) is a free educational site site dedicated to help promote holistic health for you, your family, and your animals.
 
 

NBC news video: body pollution
 

Shirley was once a victim of the never-ending flow of propaganda from the medical establishment who wants to maintain a monopoly on the word "cure" and who wants us to believe that we have no control over our own health and that our only hope to get "well" is with drugs, surgery and radiation.  You can read an account of Shirley's journey into health without drugs, surgery or radiation.
 
 
 

Leaders in Washington are working to restrict your access to dietary supplements - including the safe, effective, and affordable vitamins, minerals, and herbs you depend on for your health. Your hard-won natural health freedoms as guaranteed by the Dietary Supplement Health and Education Act (DSHEA) of 1994 have come under attack by the political allies of pharmaceutical interest groups!" Watch the Whistleblower doctors free videos

Prescription for Disaster  in-depth investigation into the relationships between the pharmaceutical industry, the FDA, lobbyists, lawmakers, medical schools, and researchers, and the impact this has on consumers and their health care. 
 

Tell Your Congressperson to Co Sponsor the Health Freedom Protection Act, H.R. 2117 This bill will stop the FDA & FTC longtime efforts of censorship and restriction to access supplements and educational information.
 

The National Health Federation is an international consumer education, health-freedom organization working to protect individuals' rights to choose to consume healthy food, take supplements, and use alternative therapies without government restrictions. 

The Natural Solutions Foundation (NSF) is a non-profit corporation devoted to protect, preserve and defend our right to make our own health choices based on what we, not the government, believe are the best choices for ourselves.
 
 

The Truth About the Drug Companies : How They Deceive Us and What to Do About It    "The medical establishment works closely with the drug multinationals whose main objective is profits, and whose worst nightmare would be an epidemic of good health. Lots of drugs MUST be sold. In order to achieve this, anything goes: lies, fraud, and kickbacks. Doctors are the principal salespeople of the drug companies. " Guylaine Lanctot, M.D. 
 
 
 
 

Dr. Lorraine Day, M.D. - "How One Wicked Nation Can Kill Billions Around the World With One Lie" Learn the "truth" behind the so-called bird flu pandemic! 
 
 

How did chemical toxins  invade YOUR body?

Chemicals and Toxins Are The Primary Cause of Illness, Disease and Obesity. Detoxification comes in many forms and refers to many different programs that cleanse the body of toxins.  Detoxification for Optimum Health
 
 

Pollution Rankings American citizens have a right to know what toxic chemicals are being released into their communities. Scorecard ranks geographic areas or pollution sources by health risks, pollutant exposures or toxic chemical releases
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

Teas Are One of The Most Effective Ways to Benefit from Nature's Healing Herbs
Teas can help fight depression and anxiety, heal skin conditions and gastrointestinal disorders, regulate hormone imbalances, improve your sex life, prevent illness, and  help you heal faster.  Many diseases and conditions for which we turn to modern medicine can also be treated naturally with healing herbs. These treatments can be safer, less expensive and possibly even more effective than traditional methods. Dr. Myklebust, MD: "Teas are rich in antioxidants called polyphenols which are plant chemicals that may help prevent cancer, heart disease, and other diseases" More
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

Chia Seeds: The "Aztec" Wonder Food with Healing Power. The ancient Aztec civilization used Chia seed to provide them with radiant health, endurance, and boundless energy.
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

Dr. Paula Baillie-Hamilton, M.D., Ph.D. reveals the evidence linking diseases and obesity to health damaging chemicals which can upset the balance that helps maintain healthy body weight. Learn about simple, natural, inexpensive and effective approach to cleansing and weight loss programs.
 
 

More at Shirley's Wellness Cafe:

Holistic Animal Health and Optimum Pet Nutrition
Natural Health for Children
Natural Health for Women
Natural Health for Men
Steroids' Side Effects - Anti-Inflammatory Diet and Natural Remedies 
The acid-alkaline balance's impact on health
Arthritis Conditions - Natural Treatment
Eyesight Conditions - Natural Solutions
Diabetes Alternative Medicine 
Health Issues: Consumer Alert!
Alternative Cancer Therapies
Chia Seeds: The Wonder Food with Healing Power
Antibiotic Resistance and Side Effects
Natural Herbal antibiotics
The New Healing Science of Glyconutrients
What is Homeopathy?
Urine therapy: medically proven natural cure
Toxic Environment - Toxic Cosmetics
Detoxification for Optimum Health: Chemicals and toxins are the primary cause of disease and obesity
Tonic Herbs for Longevity, Rejuvenation, Immunity
Raw Food and Juice Therapy
Therapeutic Fasting
Healing with Herbs and Other Natural Remedies
Water: the great healer
Clay Therapy - Our Earth, Our Cure
Bee Pollen: healing from the hives
Magnesium Medical Miracles
Marine plants to enhance health
Profound Life-Giving Properties of Marine Phytoplankton 
Guide to natural treatments for Fibromyalgia
Immune system: the body's defense department
Sunlight to restore health
Cayenne Pepper: the great healer
Wheatgrass juice: nectar of health and rejuvenation
Healing Earth: Fulvic Acid and Shilajit
Stem Cell Physiology -  Supporting Bone Marrow Adult Stem Cell Release Naturally
A healing crisis: what is it?
Transfer Factor for people and animals
Emotional Freedom: overcoming stress naturally
Overcoming The Sugar Blues and Getting Off Prozac
Healing shingles/herpes zoster naturally and rapidly
Flaxseed Oil The Wonder Healer
Cholesterol Myth - Fats that Heal, Fats that Kill!
Salt Deficiency: the cause of many serious disease
Radiant, healthy skin: the natural way
Words Of Wisdom Follow Your Dreams!
Dangers of Modern Medicine: Iatrogenic Diseases
Healing asthma: a drugless approach
Alzheimer's Disease: There is Hope! 
Healing eczema: a drugless approach
Healing psoriasis: a drugless approach
Parasites Infections: Symptoms and Natural Treatment (humans and  pets)
Basic Healing Principles
AIDS/HIV/AZT: truth behind the propaganda
The bitter truth about nutrasweet
Canola oil: how toxic is it?
Bovine Growth Hormones in your milk
Beware of Genetically Engeneered Foods
Radiation Emergencies: Protecting The Thyroid Gland
Weight Loss: natural and healthy solutions
West Nile Virus - what the media won't tell you
Most Popular Natural Health Products Safe and Effective Remedies  for People and Pets
About the author of this website

most popular health products
 

Free Google Videos. Doctors and parents expose how vaccines are crippling our children. 
Dr. David Ayoub, M.D. lectures on Vaccines, Mercury, Autism and other disease

Vaccines: deception and tragedy
Vaccines and Sudden Infant Death Syndrome (SIDS)
Shaken Baby Syndrome or Vaccine-Induced Encephalitis?
Misdiagnosed Shaken Baby Syndrome: A Criminal Consequence of Vaccine Injury
AUTISM: is there a vaccine connection?
Criminal Consequence of Vaccine Injury
Anthrax Vaccine Facts and Gulf War Syndrome
Government Enforced Vaccinations: Vaccination Tracking Registry
How To Legally Avoid Unwanted Immunizations Of All Kinds
Vaccine Support Groups and Organizations
Animals: chronic dis-ease caused by vaccines
Nosodes: alternative to conventional vaccines
Library: Vaccine Controversy books
 

Holistic Children's Health :
Holistic Pediatrics (general)
Nutrition for Babies and Children
Attachment Parenting
Ear infections: alternative to tubes and antibiotics
Pshychiatry - betraying and drugging children for profit
Childhood vaccinations: are they really safe and effective?
Sudden Infant Death Syndrome: astonishing facts
Autism: is there a vaccine connection?
The Circumcision Decision: what I wish I had known...
Understanding your baby's needs
Natural Birth and Home Birth
Ritalin Free Kids: Helping Children, Not Drugging Them
Homeopathy for Children and Infants
Forced Drugging of Children Parents  facing jail over compulsory drug orders.
No longer blind: the story of Shirley's baby born blind and brain-injured
 

Holistic Animal health
Do You Really Know What's In Your Pet's Food? by Dr. Jane Bicks DVM
Why RAW food?
Food Unfit For Pets
All Natural Healthy Pet Food
Animal Nutritional Therapy
Natural Animal  Health
Homeopathy for animals
Pet Allergies, skin problems, obsessive biting self, chewing paws
Rearing healthy pups and kittens
Saving Shasta's life: a holistic approach
Sample RAW pet food recipes
Toxic environment and your pet's illness
Alternative to antibiotics
Testimonials of amazing animal healing.
Preventing and Healing Animal Cancer without drugs or surgery
Holistic Health for Horses
Feline Holistic Health
Natural diet for pet birds
Vaccinosis: chronic dis-ease caused by vaccines
Nosodes: alternative to conventional vaccines
List of holisitic veterinarians
Managing flea bites and hotspots naturally
Improving your animal's health with kelp
Books and video: holistic animal health
Training Shasta for personal protection
Non-toxic health products and supplies for your pets
 

Dr. Jerry Tennant, M.D. says that marine phytoplankton contains almost everything one needs to sustain life and to restore health by providing the raw materials to make new cells that function normally. These nutrients improve mental function, and memory. They reduce depression, harmful effects of stress, and mood swings. Profound Life-Giving Properties of Marine Phytoplankton
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

The acid-alkaline balance of the body has an enormous impact on a person’s health. When the pH of the body gets out of balance (too acidic), we may experience low energy, fatigue, excess weight, poor digestion, aches and pains, and even more serious disorders. When the body is excessively acidic, vital organs and individual cells are subject to damage or destruction. This condition, known as acidosis, can be a cause, an effect, or even a symptom of almost any health condition. By balancing the body's acidity levels, this simple plan can help toward curing various medical conditions, including arthritis, hepatitis, insomnia, alcoholism, and kidney disease.
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

The Native Americans call it "Ee-Wah-Kee" meaning  "The-Mud-That-Heals". In addition to the role it plays as a potent detoxifier, therapeutic clay has also been used extensively in the treatment of pain, open wounds, colitis, diarrhea, hemorrhoids, stomach ulcers, intestinal problems, acne, anemia, and a variety of other health issues. more
 
 
 
 
 
 

The Healing Power of Original Himalayan Crystal Salt  For centuries, the energy/information content, in the form of  vital mineral elements locked away within these perfectly formed crystals of mineral rich salt, were utilized by doctors for treating most every disorder known to humans, and with unfailing success. Recently. this ancient knowledge was once again uncovered by biophysicists and brought to light in the acclaimed book, Water and Salt, The Essence of Life , by Dr. Barbara Hendel and biophysicist Peter Ferreira
 
 

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Raising Public Awareness
Most modern maladies are caused by prolonged exposure to a combination of negative lifestyles and toxic environmental factors, including junk food and malnutrition, pesticides, antibiotics, microwaves, chemical pollution of food, water and air, lack of exercise and chronic stress. These factors are further aggravated by the failure of modern medicine to recognize them as agents of dis-"ease" and death and the consequent failure to take preventative measures against them. more
 
 
 
 

Possible Causes of Mysterious, Massive Death of Bees

Albert Einstein said:  "If the bee disappeared off the surface of the globe, then man would only have four years left to live."
 
 
 
 

Tell the FCC: Use Public Airwaves for the Public Good  The future of the Internet is up for grabs. Large and powerful corporations are lobbying Washington to turn the World Wide Web into what critics call a "toll road," threatening the equitability that has come to define global democracy's newest forum. "The genius of the Internet was that it made the First Amendment a living document again for millions of Americans," says Robert McChesney, a media scholar and activist and co-author of OUR MEDIA, NOT THEIRS. "The decisions that we're going be making ... are probably going to set our entire communication system, and, really, our entire society, on a course that it won't be able to change for generations." learn more on PBS: The Net at Risk

Urge your representative to support the "Internet Freedom Preservation Act."
Tell the FCC to save our airwaves for an open internet
Conference for Media Reform Video Minneapolis, June 7, 2008. 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

A growing number of holistic doctors, pediatricians and veterinarians use transfer factors  as an alternative to, or in conjunction with conventional medicine for their acute and chronic cases, including cancer and other serious health conditions, with excellent outcome. 
Dr. Rob Robertson, MD  - "There is no other product in a nutritional substance, nor a drug, that has this kind of power and ability to affect our immune system. With the increase of killer viruses, mutated germs, super-resistant germs, and food contaminations, our only hope and defense, must lie within our own immune system."   Transfer factors and the immune sytem
 
 
 
 
 
 

Subscribe to Dr. Mercola's Free Natural Health Newsletter for the latest natural health news and one of the best natural health solutions! 
 

Shirley's newsletter archive
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

At India Herbs, you will find the highest quality natural medicine based upon 5,000 Year Old Ayurveda Medicine and formulated by a team of doctors with extensive clinical experience to help with a wide range of health conditions. 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

Alternative to Ear Tubes Stop Your Child's Ear Infections Naturally Without Antibiotics
 
 
 
 
 
 

Natural Skin Care from the Rainforest
Recent discoveries of beneficial compounds in Rainforest plants give new hope for fresh young looking skin. 

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

Natural herbal remedies  for a Healthy Heart  -  Hypertention -  High Cholesterol
 
 
 
 

Natural Remedies for Headaches
 
 
 
 

Natural Remedies for Sleeplessness
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

Shirley's Wellness Cafe's recommended natural health products.
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

Home-base Income opportunity
Share with others nature's gifts that assists us on our journey to optimal health and wellness.
 

• Do You Really Know What's In Your Pet's Food?
• Healing animals without drugs.
• Vaccinations adverse effects.
• Flea Control: Safe Solutions.
• Cancer: protecting and healing your animals.
• List of holistic veterinarians

Holistic Health for Horses, for dogs, for Pet Birds, for