Sometimes it’s hard to hear about all the things that are bad for our health. Many times people feel overwhelmed and the information is then ignored and unhealthy habits are continued.

I recently wrote about the dangers processed meat poses to your health. If you are one of the many people who rely on processed meat, especially deli meat, to provide a quick and easy meal for your kids, you may have thought deli meat is too hard to give up. What on earth would you use instead for a quick and easy meal for kids; especially for school?

I want to share with you our family’s idea for quick, healthier sandwich meat: simple, cooked chicken.

The Purchase

We buy a package of organic chicken thighs at Costco; you could also use chicken breasts, or an entire chicken. I think there is almost four pounds of meat total in the package.

The Process

I cut it up into serving-size pieces (which are smaller than what you may think a serving of meat is) and place it all in a glass Pyrex 9×13 baking pan. (If it doesn’t fit, I put the rest of the meat in an additional 8×8 pan.) I sprinkle it with a variety of spices. We use organic spices; here are some of the usual ones I use (obviously you can use whatever you like):

• Turmeric
• Black pepper
• All-seasons salt
• Garlic powder
• Onion powder
• Dill weed

I cook the meat at 375° F for 25 minutes. Here is what it looks like when it is done.

The Storage

When the chicken has cooled for a few minutes, I transfer it into a large container that I put in our freezer. Whenever we need some chicken, it’s easy to take out a few pieces and let them thaw or warm them up quickly in a small pan on the stove with some water. (We don’t use a microwave for anything and I don’t recommend you use one either.)

Bonus Idea for Frugal Folks

Once the chicken has been removed from the pan, I put the juice that remains in a glass Pyrex storage container. This is now chicken broth! I label it and then put it in the freezer. It comes in handy next time I need chicken broth for any meals or recipes. You might need to save up a few containers to have enough broth, though.

What Can You Use This Chicken For?

We use this chicken for a variety of meals:

• Cut into chunks or strips and put on a tortilla, along with other fixings, for a nice wrap sandwich
• Chop into small pieces, add olives and mayo, and use to make a chicken salad sandwich
• Slice thin and put on sandwich with other fixings
• Cut into chunks and put on top of your salad
• Cut into strips and use your favorite salad dressing for dip
• For any meal that we may not have purchased separate meat for (sometimes for a quick meal we make spaghetti and it’s nice to know we have pre-cooked chicken waiting for us to use)

I hope you will all ditch the deli meat and try simple, cooked chicken for your sandwiches. Let me know what you think!

Read all the posts in the Healthy Living series by clicking on the icon on the left.

Health Concerns Regarding Artificial Colorings

Listed on Mercola.com as one of the 12 food additives to avoid, artificial colors have been linked to many health issues:

• Cancer and brain tumors: In fact, more than one artificial color has been banned and pulled off the market over the last several decades because it was ultimately found to cause cancer. The safety of those still allowed on the market is highly questionable.
• Allergies, asthma, rashes: As long ago as 1985 some of the artificial colorings, especially Yellow 5, were associated with side effects such as allergies, asthma, and urticaria (hives). The connection between Yellow 5 and asthma was the reason the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) first required it to be listed by name on ingredient labels. Even today some medications for asthma actually contain these colorings and other chemicals known to cause bronco-constriction.
• ADHD, hyperactivity, and other disruptive behaviors: The effects of these artificial colorings may be more pronounced in children since they are still growing and developing and their systems may be more sensitive to the effects.

The FDA still considers these artificial colorings acceptable in food. Maybe that’s because the FDA receives compensation from the manufacturer for every pound of food dye it certifies (not inspects). (Details are in 21 CFR part 80.) This sounds like a conflict of interest in regard to the safety of these dyes.

Some groups, including the Center for Science in the Public Interest (CSPI), insist artificial food colorings aren’t safe and want them banned. In 2008, the CSPI petitioned the FDA to ban artificial food dyes linked to behavior problems.

Behavior Controversy

The issue of whether or not artificial colors contribute to behavioral problems in children has been disputed for many years. In the 1970s Dr. Ben Feingold, a San Francisco allergist, reported that his patients improved when their diets were changed (by removing syntheic dyes, artificial flavors, and several preservatives). He also noticed a marked increase in the ADD/ADHD classification after the mass introduction of food colorings into our society. Many people, including the processed-food industry, reacted to Feingold’s claim with skepticism, saying the reported successes of his diet could be due to something else, and not necessarily to the absence of certain chemicals in the food.

Newer Study Shows Link

However, a 2007 study published in the British medical journal The Lancet concluded that a variety of common artificial food colorings, as well as the preservative sodium benzoate, do cause some increased hyperactivity and decreased attention span in a wide range of children, not just those for whom over-activity has been diagnosed as a learning problem.

That study also indicated that artificial food colorings do as much damage to children’s brains as lead in gasoline, resulting in a significant reduction in IQ.

As a result of the study’s findings, the British Food Standards Agency (FSA) issued an immediate advisory to parents, warning them to limit their children’s intake of additives. Also, artificial food colorings were set to be removed from hundreds of products in the UK, as reported in 2008 in the British magazine The Independent. Not surprisingly, the U.S. has not issued any similar warnings.

What is in Artificial Food Coloring?

• They are made from petroleum (derivatives of coal tar and petrochemicals). These chemicals are in no way made to be ingested by humans or any other animal.
• They contain heavy metals such as lead, arsenic, and mercury. Scientists agree that there is no safe level of exposure to lead. Lead accumulates in the body from multiple exposures over time and from multiple sources. You can also view the lists for each coloring on the FDA’s website. (Just click on the numbered link to the left of the color name.)

According to toxicologist Barbara G. Callahan, PhD, DABT, of the University of Massachusetts Amherst, “Lead exposure among children is a particular concern because their developing bodies absorb lead at a higher rate and because children are particularly sensitive to lead’s toxic effects, including decreased I.Q.” Lead exposure also represents a heightened risk among pregnant and nursing women because lead passes from the mother to the developing fetus or infant.

Why is Artificial Food Coloring Used?

Artificial food colorings provide no nutrition or benefits to the consumer; only benefits to the manufacturer.

• They are cheaper than natural colorings and have a longer shelf life.
• They make food brighter which makes us want to buy it.
• They provide identity to foods.
• They mask natural variations in color.
• They offsett color loss due to light, air, extremes of temperature, moisture, and storage conditions.
• They are used for decorative or artistic purposes.

Where Are Artificial Food Colorings?

They are everywhere! If you buy packaged food at mainstream grocery stores, there is a good chance there are food colorings in much of the food. They are in obvious places like candies, sodas, and many bright foods. But they are also in places you might not think about, like blueberry bagels, vitamins, and salmon.

What Should I Look For?

There are nine certified color additives approved for food use in the United States; seven for general use in food, two for exteriors of food. They are either dyes or lakes; dyes are water soluble and lakes are the water insoluble form of the dye. They will be listed on an ingredient label as follows:

• with ‘FD&C’ preceding the color (FD&C stands for Food, Drug, and Cosmetic)
• abbreviated, with just the color
• the color followed by ‘Lake’ (if the lake form is used)

For example, you might see FD&C Blue #1, or just Blue 1, or Blue 1 Lake.

Here is a list of the seven current artificial food colorings as well as common places they may be found and some related health concerns :

• Blue 1: Found in pet food, beverages, candy, baked goods, icings, and syrups. Linked to tumors, cancer, and ADHD in children. Banned in Finland and France.
• Blue 2: Found in pet food, beverages, candy, and baked goods and linked to cancer in mice.
• Green 3: Added to candy and beverages, this coloring has been linked to bladder cancer.
• Red 3: Used to dye cherries, fruit cocktail, candy, and baked goods and has been shown to cause thyroid tumors in rats. Also used as a pesticide to kill flies’ eggs (maggots) in manure piles (source: US EPA).
• Red 40: The most widely used food color; used in sweets, drinks, and condiments. Connected to cancer in mice. Banned in Denmark, Belgium, France, Germany, Switzerland, Sweden, Austria, and Norway.
• Yellow 5: Used in snacks, cereals, jams, instant noodle, cake mixes, and candy and causes allergic reactions, asthma attacks, migraines, blurred vision, anxiety, and behavioral problems (worsening of hyperactivity and attention-deficit) in children.
• Yellow 6: Found in beverages, sausage, baked goods, candy, gelatin and linked to tumors of the adrenal gland and kidney. This color is banned in Norway and Sweden.

Here are the two artificial colors approved for use on the exterior of food:

• Orange B: Used in casings or surfaces of frankfurters and sausages.
• Citrus Red 2: Used on skins of oranges not intended for processing.

Also, watch out for carmine. Cochineal, also known as carmine, is made from dried, ground up red beetles and is used as a coloring ingredient in yogurt, ice cream, juice drinks, and many other grocery products. Obviously, it is neither vegan nor vegetarian. It has also been known to cause severe, even life-threatening, allergic reactions in rare cases. You can read government discussion about labeling foods containing carmine.

Other Products Containing Artificial Coloring:

Artificial colors aren’t just in soda and junk food. Here are a few other places to be on the lookout for artificial colorings:

• Medications: D&C colors are permitted only in cosmetics and in medications (and given to sick children) and are often allowed to have twice the amount of lead contaminant as colorings allowed in food. Tylenol Infants’ Concentrated Drops (grape) contain D&C Red #33 and FD&C Blue #1.
• Vitamins: Many vitamins, especially children’s vitamins, contain artificial colorings. For example, Flintstones vitamins contain Red 40, Yellow 6, and Blue 2. (They also contain aspartame.)
• Salmon: Some farmers add red food dye to their salmon to make them appear more appetizing.
• Cosmetic items: Shampoo, lotion, soap, chapstick, toothpaste etc. can all contain artificial colorings. For example, Johnson&Johnson Baby Shampoo contains D&C Yellow 10 and D&C Orange 4.
• Oranges: Some manufacturers dip oranges in Citrus Red No. 2 in order to give them a brighter orange look. This is not used on oranges that are processed for juice, but on those we sit down to eat.
• Sports drinks / Rehydration drinks: Sports drinks (like Gatorade and Powerade) are loaded with artificial colors and they have no purpose other than to make the product look more appealing. The same is true for re-hydration solutions like Pedialyte.
• Fruit juice cocktails: Fruit punch, cocktails, and other mixture juices can have artificial colorings added. For example, Sunny Delight contains Yellow 5 and 6.
• Cheese: Some companies add coloring to their cheese to make it brighter.

Surprise! Artificial Coloring in Foods You Wouldn’t Expect

Here are more foods that you might not think have artificial food colorings in them just by looking at them. This shows how much you really have to read the ingredient labels on everything you buy:

• Kraft’s Guacamole Dip gets its greenish color not from avocados (there are almost none) but from Yellow 5, Yellow 6, and Blue 1. (It also contains MSG, partially hydrogenated oils, and sodium benzoate, among others.)
• Kraft Macaroni and Cheese contains Yellow 5 and Yellow 6.
• The blue bits in Aunt Jemima Blueberry Waffles are blue thanks to Red 40 and Blue 2, not real blueberries.
• Girl Scout Cookies don’t outwardly seem like they would have artificial colorings in them, but several of the cookies do indeed contain artificial colorings. Caramel deLites and Peanut Butter Patties each contain Red 40, Yellow 5, Blue 1, and Blue 2.

Gone From the U.K. But Good for the U.S.?

The CSPI reports that many big companies sell different versions of foods in the United Kingdom with natural food colorings, while in the United States they contain artificial coloring. For example:

• Mars has eliminated some or all of the dyes from its Starburst Chews, Skittles, and M&M’S candies in Britain, but not in the United States.
• In the UK, McDonald’s strawberry sauce for sundaes are colored with actual strawberries; however in the United States, the same strawberry sauce is colored with Red 40.

My Thoughts

Some children have strong reactions to artificial colorings and others not at all, indicating there are individual differences in how well your body can tolerate the assault of artificial additives. One theory is that the additives may trigger a release of histamines in certain sensitive kids.

Regardless, I believe that artificial colorings (as well as other food additives such as preservatives and sweeteners) should be avoided as much as possible, especially with children, regardless of whether they have an obvious effect or not. They have no nutritional value and can carry long-term health risks. Really, it’s an easy step to take. It may mean a bit more effort on your part to shop for better options, but isn’t your health worth it?

Even if you think a little can’t hurt, what are the possibilities for exposure in any given day? For example, is your child drinking a sports drink or a fruit juice with coloring? Does their antibiotic contain coloring? What about the macaroni and cheese you made for dinner last night? What are the cumulative effects of this exposure? Are you willing to take that risk?

What Now?

So start reading the ingredients labels on everything you buy, and start saying NO to anything with artificial colorings. Soon I will have a follow-up article showing you how to avoid products with artificial coloring, alternatives for different items and events, where to buy natural food coloring, and even how to make your own!

As always, let me know if you have any comments or questions!

More Information:

• Tartrazine FD&C Yellow #5 on Feingold.org
• FD&C Coloring Research Information on Feingold.org
• Research on Food Dyes and Flavorings on Feingold.org
• Artificial Food and Cosmetic Coloring – A Hidden Source of Toxic Metals on bluedominoes.com
• The Unhealthy Truth: One Mother’s Shocking Investigation into the Dangers of America’s Food Supply–and What Every Family Can Do to Protect Itself by Robyn O’Brien

Read all the posts in the Healthy Living series by clicking on the icon on the left.

Thanks to the work of the Environmental Working Group (EWG), this information is starting to reach more people. They just released their 2010 Sunscreen Guide, which shares their top-rated sunscreens along with sun safety tips, a list of Nine Surprising Truths About Sunscreen, and a Hall of Shame (highlighting what’s wrong with the sunscreen industry).

Most Important Ingredients to Avoid:

• Oxybenzone: Oxybenzone is a synthetic estrogen that absorbs through the skin. It is an endocrine disruptor which can affect the nervous system, has been linked to cancer in some laboratory studies, and creates free-radicals when exposed to the sun which are harmful. Scientists have called for parents to avoid using oxybenzone on children due to penetration and toxicity concerns.

• Vitamin A: Sometimes listed as ‘retinyl palmitate’ on the label, this additive may hasten the development of skin damage and tumors on sun-exposed skin.

Other things to be aware of:

• No Sprays or Powders: Sprays and powders can leave tiny particles of sunscreen in the air that may not be safe to breathe.
• SPF over 50: The FDA says SPFs higher than 50+ are misleading. EWG advises sticking to SPF 15-50+ and choose based on your own skin, time planned outside, shade, and cloud cover.

Other Ingredients to Avoid

Here is a list of other ingredients that are common in sunscreens (and other products) and should be avoided:

• Parabens: There are many types of parabens: methylparaben, butylparaben, propylparaben, etc. Parabens have have hormone-disrupting effects. Topical parabens have been detected in human breast tumors. This is concerning because parabens have been shown to mimic the action of the female hormone estrogen, which can encourage the growth of human breast tumors.

• Fragrance: Synthetic fragrances often contain phthalates, which are endocrine disrupters that mimic hormones and may alter genital development. Avoid products that list ‘fragrance‘ as an ingredient unless the label states that it’s derived from essentials oils, or look for a phthalate-free label on the packaging.

• Polyethylene Glycol (PEG): Usually seen on an ingredient label as PEG followed by a number (e.g. PEG-8), PEGs are thought to increase cancer risk, including women’s risk of breast cancer. They are also contaminated with 1,4-dioxane, a known carcinogen.

• 1,4-Dioxane: 1,4-Dioxane is considered a chemical “known to the State of California to cause cancer”, yet you won’t see it listed on an ingredient label on a product; it is considered a ‘contaminant’ or ‘by-product’ of the ethoxylation process, rather than an ingredient. Avoid synthetic ethoxylated ingredients, including those with myreth, oleth, laureth, ceteareth, any other “eth,” PEG, polyethylene, polyethylene glycol, polyoxyethylene, or oxynol, in their names.

What Should I Buy? Make it Easy, Please!

For those of you with little time to research this information yourself, here are some resources that neatly summarize safer sunscreens:

• EWG lists 39 sunscreens (out of nearly 500) that earned their best rating. Their top-rated sunscreens are the right choice for people who are looking for the best UVA protection without any sunscreen chemical considered to be a potential hormone disruptor. None of the products contain oxybenzone or vitamin A and none are sprayed or powdered.
• SafeMama, a fabulous website with lots of information on non-toxic and safe items, came out with a 2010 Safer Sunscreen Cheat Sheet earlier this spring. It lists the top safer sunscreens as well as information on ingredients to avoid.

What Would I Buy?

We currently use Aubrey Organics sunscreen and while it is a good sunscreen, I see that there are even better choices. Some of the sunscreens in those great lists still contain lots of “chemical” sounding ingredients, things I am leery about. Looking at their lists, here are a few of the top sunscreens that I would personally choose for myself and my family:

• Soleo Organics: Water resistant and biodegradable.
• Kabana Skin Care Green Screen: Made with only EIGHT organic (86% certified organic!) and natural ingredients.
• Badger: They also have a lip balm and face stick.
• Loving Naturals: They also have a vegan sunscreen.
• Trukid Sunny Days Face Stick: Nice option for those who don’t want a liquid.
• Caribbean Solutions: It’s also biodegradable.
• Purple Prairie Botanicals SunStuff: 100% natural and 85% organic ingredients, cruelty free, and meets the rigid standards for sunscreen allowed in the protected coral reef lagoons of Mexico. It’s also made in my husband’s home state of Minnesota!

You can easily shop for these items and more in my newly opened Amazon store!

Some Sun is Good!

The sun’s ultraviolet rays do cause skin cancer, but some sun exposure is good for you – it creates Vitamin D, which actually has been shown to prevent cancer and other diseases such as Multiple Sclerosis (MS). Low vitamin D levels have been associated with increases in cardiovascular mortality, colon cancer mortality and breast cancer risk, and tentatively linked to skin cancer, metabolic disease, hypertension and obesity.

Over the last two decades, vitamin D levels in the U.S. population have been decreasing steadily, creating a growing epidemic of vitamin D insufficiency. Sunscreen use combined with too little outdoor time contributes to vitamin D deficiencies.

• Your best defenses against harmful UV radiation are protective clothes, shade, and timing.
• Before you automatically cover your body with sunscreen, it’s OK to spend a few minutes soaking up some sun exposure and Vitamin D. You do not want to burn, though.
• When using sunscreen, be sure to consult EWG’s list of top-rated sunscreens to choose a safer one.
• Kids are more vulnerable to sun damage; the best sunscreen is a hat and shirt.

Still Have Questions?

Environmental Working Group is hosting a live chat on Wednesday June 2 from 2pm-3pm EST. They will have a Q&A session regarding their 2010 sunscreen report. Join them to learn more!

Wendy – ParentingTips365.com

Read all the posts in the Healthy Living series by clicking on the icon on the left.

(Sun image courtesy of ba1969)

Whatever we put on our skin is readily absorbed into our bloodstream where it can potentially cause some serious damage to our bodies. We all know how important it is to wash our hands, but does anyone ever really think about soap ingredients? Or think that they could be dangerous to our health? Doesn’t it make sense to use only the purest soap, especially for children? I’ve pulled some information together to make it easier for you to learn about the toxic ingredients in common hand soaps and hand sanitizers, and to learn some safer alternatives.

Don’t Use Antibacterial Soap

People have been told that regular soap isn’t good enough and that antibacterial soap is necessary to lower the risk of infection. Thus, antibacterial soaps have become so prevalent in households; it is estimated that 72% of liquid soap sold in the United States contains antibacterial ingredients. And it’s not just soap; it’s in toothpastes, laundry detergents, and dish soaps, too.

While it is very important to wash our hands regularly, chemical-free natural soap and water works just fine. In fact, the use of antibacterial soap is not only unnecessary but may cause more harm than good:

• Overuse of antibacterial soaps could promote the growth of drug-resistant “superbugs” that might otherwise be kept in check with little more than a vigorous scrub
• Triclosan, active ingredient in most antibacterial soap, not only kills bacteria, it has also been shown to kill human cells.
• When common bacteria are wiped out by antibacterial soap, children aren’t exposed to them and some exposure to bacteria in early childhood can strengthen their immune systems. Without exposure, children may be prone to allergies and asthma.

Chemicals to Avoid in Hand Soaps and Hand Sanitizers

The following is a list of some toxic ingredients common in hand soap, hand sanitizer, and other personal care products. This is not a complete list of all toxic ingredients, but will give you a start when you look at ingredient labels.

1. Triclosan

Here are a few more reasons to avoid products containing triclosan:

• When triclosan comes in contact with your skin, it stays there for many hours.
• Triclosan is similar to the pesticide Agent Orange and can cause decreased fertility, birth defects, and damage to major body organs.
• Triclosan can act as an endocrine disruptor, upsetting the delicate hormone balance of animals.
• Triclosan has been shown to bioaccumulate in fish and can be detected in human breast milk.
• Triclosan can combine with chlorine in our tap water to make chloroform gas. The EPA classifies this gas as a probable human carcinogen.

2. Sodium Lauryl Sulfate, Sodium Laureth Sulfate

Sodium Lauryl Sulfate (SLS) is a common ingredient in shampoos, liquid soaps, and toothpaste; it is in approximately 90% of personal care products that foam.

• SLS is the active ingredient in garage floor cleaners, engine degreasers, and industrial strength soaps.
• It can damage cell membranes and possibly cause hair loss.

3. Parabens

Parabens are in so many skin care products; they preserve other ingredients and extend a product’s shelf life. There are many types of parabens: methylparaben, butylparaben, propylparaben, etc. They are also dangerous and something I avoid completely:

• Parabens have have hormone-disrupting effects.
• Parabens can cause diminished muscle mass and extra fat storing.
• Topical parabens have been detected in human breast tumors. This is concerning because parabens have been shown to mimic the action of the female hormone estrogen, which can encourage the growth of human breast tumors.

4. Ureas

Formerly known as Diazolidinyl Urea, Imidazolidinyl, DMDM hydantoin, sodium hydroxymethylglycinate, these chemicals are hard to pronounce and have several concerns associated with them:

• Ureas can release formaldehyde and cause joint pain, heart irregularities, and a weakened immune system.
• Ureas are a primary cause of contact dermatitis.

5. Synthetic Colors

Synthetic colors are made from coal tar. They contain heavy metal salts that may deposit toxins onto the skin, causing skin sensitivity and irritation. Animal studies have shown almost all of them to be carcinogenic. They will be labeled as FD&C or D&C, followed by a color and a number.

6. Diethanolamine (DEA)

Diethanolamine (DEA) is used as a wetting agent in shampoos, lotions, creams, bubble bath, and other cosmetics. It is linked to cancer, developmental/reproductive toxicity, allergies/immunotoxicity, and organ system toxicity.

7. Propylene Glycol, Propylene Oxide, Polyethylene Glycol

Propylene glycol is the main ingredient in anti freeze and is listed on the FDA government website as a known carcinogen.

• It is found in hand sanitizers, moisturizers, shaving creams, deodorants, and baby products.
• Propylene glycol weakens skin cells.
• It is linked to cancer, developmental/reproductive toxicity, allergies/immunotoxicity, and organ system toxicity.

8. Synthetic Fragrance

Synthetic fragrances often contain phthalates, which are endocrine disrupters that mimic hormones and may alter genital development. Avoid products that list ‘fragrance‘ as an ingredient unless the label states that it’s derived from essentials oils, or look for a phthalate-free label on the packaging.

9. 1,4-Dioxane

1,4-Dioxane is considered a chemical “known to the State of California to cause cancer”, yet you won’t see it listed on an ingredient label on a product.

• It is considered a ‘contaminant’ or ‘by-product’ of the ethoxylation process, rather than an ingredient.
• Avoid synthetic ethoxylated ingredients, including those with myreth, oleth, laureth, ceteareth, any other “eth,” PEG, polyethylene, polyethylene glycol, polyoxyethylene, or oxynol, in their names.

10. Ethyl Alcohol (Ethanol)

Ethyl alcohol is a common ingredient in hand sanitizer. It is linked to cancer, birth defects, developmental/reproductive toxicity, and organ system toxicity.

11. Benzalkonium Chloride (BAC)

BAC is used in hand sanitizers and belongs to a group of germicides knows as “quats“. It is linked to cancer, allergies/immunotoxicity, and organ system toxicity.

Always Read Labels – Even For ‘Natural’ or ‘Organic’ Products

After reading about all those toxic ingredients, you may decide to switch to a product labeled “natural” or “organic”. But you need to be aware that many toxic ingredients are still in products mislabeled natural or organic. The Organic Consumers Association (OCA) released a study of personal care products claiming to be “natural” or “organic” and some of the leading brands were found to contain 1,4-dioxane. Products certified under the USDA National Organic Program did not contain this toxin.

No matter what brand you buy, you need to read the ingredient labels. Just because a product is “more natural” or “better” doesn’t mean it’s safe.

Environmental Working Group’s Skin Deep Cosmetic Safety Database

The Environmental Working Group (EWG) creating a huge database of cosmetics chemicals and ranked them, giving them a hazard score. On their site, you can:

• Enter specific chemical names to find information.
• Look up a specific product and see its ingredients.

So go grab your bottles of soap and hand sanitizers – and any other personal care items you have. Then go to the cosmetics database website and look up the ingredients and see for yourself their hazard score. It’s especially scary to read the ingredient labels for some of the children’s soap.

So What Products Can I Use?

After you’ve looked at the ingredients in your soaps and sanitizers, you are probably feeling hopeless. Those toxic chemicals are everywhere! But there are safer options for cleaning your hands. Here are a few things we use:

• Hand Sanitizer: We like the CleanWell hand sanitizer. The active ingredient is thyme oil, a natural antimicrobial. Having a small child, it was especially important to us that we find a hand sanitizer safe for kids; it is free of toxic chemicals like triclosan, alcohol, and Benzalkonium Chloride.
• Hand Soap: The best liquid hand soap I can find is Dr. Bronner’s. We pour their Organic Fair Trade Shikakai Soap into our “fancy” soap dispenser. For the rest of our house, we pour their liquid castile soap into self-foaming dispensers and add some water. Dr. Bronner’s also makes bar soap.

Where Do I Start?

This week, take the time to read the ingredient labels on your soaps and hand sanitizers. Look up their information in EWG’s Cosmetics Database. And then consider finding safer, non-toxic ways to clean your family’s hands. Come back and share with us what you do by leaving a comment!

Wendy – ParentingTips365.com

Read all the posts in the Healthy Living series by clicking on the icon on the left.

(Two hands photo courtesy of demordian.)

You’ve heard of the three Rs – Reduce, Reuse, Recycle. Let’s sum it up in one word – RESPECT. Let’s show some respect for our Earth home.

The 40th anniversary of Earth Day is April 22. If you want to show respect but don’t know where to start, I’ve made it easy for you. I’ve come up with a little list of things you can do THIS WEEK to help the environment. I know there are many, many, MANY more things we can all do, but if you need an easy way to start, or want something you can do NOW, here is what I came up with.

Simply put, the less we consume the less we need to reuse or recycle.

1. Buy Less Stuff

The world today seems to be a throw away society. Before making a purchase, stop to think how long you might own that item. Is it really something you need? (And you all remember the difference between “wants” and “needs”, right?) I bet we could all do just fine without so much STUFF!

2. Avoid Overly Packaged Goods

When you do make a purchase, try to buy products that come without boxes or excess packaging.

• Consider buying items in bulk from the grocery store to save packaging. Many grocery stores have a “bulk food aisle” containing everything from sugar, flour, and rice, to popcorn and snacks.
• Do not buy “snack pack” sizes of food and drinks (pretzels, raisins, chips, carrots, apple slices, juice boxes, etc.) since that leaves so many packages that go to waste. Instead, buy bigger packages of the item and put small serving sizes into reusable containers. Stores like Costco provide many household items in bigger containers.

3. Conserve Water

In addition to saving money on your utility bill, water conservation helps prevent water pollution in nearby lakes, rivers, and watersheds. There are many ways you can conserve water around the house; here are just a few:

• Take shorter showers
• Install slow-flow shower heads
• Don’t use the toilet as a waste basket
• Install float booster, or other safe device, in toilet to reduce flow rate
• Wear clothes several times between washings
• Turn water off while washing dishes or brushing teeth
• Use a broom, not a hose, to sweep leaves or grass off driveways and sidewalks
• Water your lawn during the early (cooler) part of the day and do not water on windy days
• Position your sprinklers so water lands on the lawn or garden, not on paved areas

4. Avoid Disposable Items

Do you ever stop to think about the lifespan of items we use everyday? Things like coffee cups and their wrappers at your favorite coffee joint are meant to be used for 15 minutes or so, then they are usually tossed. If you regularly use disposable items during your day, find a way to provide a reusable option instead.

*Today only (April 15, 2010) bring a reusable travel mug into your local Starbucks and get FREE brewed coffee. According to their website, Starbucks is encouraging everyone to switch from paper cups to reusable travel mugs.*

5. Drive Less

Another way to save money and the environment is to drive less. Consider combining errands into one trip or one area, take public transportation, share rides with friends, or just stay at home if you don’t really have anything to do; no need to go on “Sunday drives”. Ask if your employer would allow you to telecommute a few days a week; it could save billions.

6. Take Advantage of Libraries

Save paper and petroleum by borrowing books instead of buying them. This is another option that’s good for your wallet as well as the environment.

7. Stop Receiving Paper Catalogs in the Mail

Contact the companies that send you paper catalogs in the mail and ask to be removed from their mailing list. Perhaps sign up for their email list instead. There are free services that will contact all your catalog companies on your behalf and ask them to stop sending you catalogs. Check out CatalogChoice.org.

8. Turn off Your Computer at Night

Turning off your computers, and other electronics, at night will not harm them and will save energy, thus lowering your electric bill.

Reusing items avoids the production of new items as well as cuts down on the waste that would be sent to a landfill or incinerated.

9. Get Reusable Shopping Bags – and Use Them!

More and more stores have reusable shopping bags to purchase, usually for around $1. And more stores are offering a discount, usually $0.05 – $0.10 per bag, for using them. To make it easy to remember to use them keep some reusable bags in your car so you always have them with you, even on unplanned shopping trips.

10. Reuse Items Around House

There are many ways to reuse items around the house:

• Cut used paper, with blank back sides, into scrap paper for lists, notes, and message instead of buying cutesy notepads.
• Reuse old clothing by donating it to a local charity or selling it, either to a used clothing store or in a garage sale.
• Old towels or t-shirts can become rags.
• Reuse glass containers with lids for storing rice, pasta, sugar, or flour.
• Save gift bags you receive for future gifts you may give.
• Reuse coffee grinds by keeping them aside and putting them into your garden or soil.
• Reuse packing peanuts, air pillows, bubble wrap, and boxes for your own shipping, or bring them to the local post office or recycling center for others to use.

11. Use Grocery Sacks in Garbage Cans

Even if you use reusable shopping bags, you are bound to collect a few plastic bags here and there. Instead of throwing them away, you can use them in your small garbage cans around the house, thus eliminating the need to purchase garbage bags.

12. Freecycle or Freeshare Usable Items

Many communities have turned to online swapping sites such as freecycle.org and freesharing.org. These organizations allow members to post items they want to give away so that other members can ask for the items they would like, from paint to furniture to baby items. Yes it’s that simple; people giving and getting stuff for free in their own towns and in the process saving many usable items from landfills.

13. Recycle as Much as You Can

The American Forest and Paper Association (AF&PA) states that 87 percent of the U.S. population, or 268 million people, have access to curbside or drop-off recycling programs. For many people, knowing exactly what goes in the recycling bin, and what to do with stuff that doesn’t, is the challenge.

The top 10 items to recycle:

1. Aluminum
2. PET Plastic Bottles
3. Newspaper
4. Corrugated Cardboard
5. Steel Cans
6. HDPE Plastic Bottles
7. Glass Containers
8. Magazines
9. Mixed Paper
10. Computers

14. Learn What Can Be Recycled in Your Area

Use the Earth911.com Recycling Search to find recycling locations near you. Find recycling resources by state. Read up on the recycling rules for your area and make sure you don’t send anything in that can’t be processed. Each city has its own specifics, so try to follow those guidelines as best you can.

15. Make it Easy to Recycle

Set yourself up for success. Keep the recycling containers in a convenient location, probably in your kitchen. We keep a small bag or box in our pantry so we can put items into it easily. Once it gets full, we dump the contents into our bigger container outside.

16. Donate or Sell Gently-Used Clothing, Household Items, and Toys – and Purchase Used, Too!

Did you know that it takes over 400 gallons of water to grow the cotton for an ordinary cotton shirt and 1,800 gallons of water for one pair of jeans? When you are done with your gently-used clothing, donate it to a charity, give or loan to friends who can use it, sell at a garage sale, or sell to a resale or consignment store.

Buying gently-used clothing saves natural resources in creating the material, processing it, and transporting it. Here are a few clothing resale stores; check for these and others in your area by doing an online search:

• Kid to Kid: This is my favorite place to shop for clothes and toys for my son.
• Once Upon a Child: Another children’s resale shop.
• Plato’s Closet: Resale store for brand name teen and twenty-something fashion.

Usable household items can also be sold on Craigslist or eBay. I saved a bundle buying gently-used baby items for our son; a swing, stroller, toys, etc. I just made sure it was safe and in good working order.

17. Donate Shoes

We love to support Soles4Souls, a Nashville-based charity that donates new and gently-used shoes to those in need around the world. According to their website, last year alone Americans discarded more than 300 million pairs of shoes. When these shoes break down in our landfills, the toxic glue that holds the shoes together can leak into our water supply and atmosphere. Since its inception following the Asian tsunami, Soles4Souls has distributed over 7 million pairs to people in 125 countries.

Another option is to donate your shoes to Nike’s shoe recycling program. Donated shoes are ground up into materials that are used to make track surfaces, playground surfaces, interlocking gym flooring tiles, cushion for outdoor basketball and tennis courts, and new Nike products.

18. Purchase Items Made from Recycled Materials

To close the recycling loop, don’t forget to purchase items made from recycled materials. An easy first step is to purchase paper products such as toilet paper and paper towels that are made from recycled paper. We buy Marcal Small Steps, but there are other brands, such as Seventh Generation, Green Forest, and Earth Friendly Products.

More Information

• 50 Things You Can Reuse
• The Story of Stuff
• Recycling Facts
• How Many Gallons of Water Does it Take to Make…
• A to Z Steps to Take (living more sustainably)
• Water Footprint Calculator
• Recycling 101
• Recycling – The Basics
• Top 10 Reasons to Recycle

If you can think of more things people can do THIS WEEK, please leave a comment and share!

Wendy – ParentingTips365.com

Read all the posts in the Healthy Living series by clicking on the icon on the left.

Also, throughout the month of March I will be sharing our favorite healthy recipes. As you know, the Healthy Living series I started earlier this year is well under way and future articles will share even more information about living a healthy lifestyle, including more information about why we made these changes – and how you can too.

10 Years Ago

Ten years ago we didn’t eat as healthy as we eat now, but of course we thought what we ate was fine. (Don’t most people think they eat healthy when asked?) I am trying to remember what we ate then, and here is what I came up with:

• Breakfast: Cold (boxed) cereal with milk
• Lunch: Deli meat sandwich
• Dinner: Various things, but vegetables played a minor role on our plate

I specifically remember a time when we ordered pizza almost every week and I drank Mountain Dew with it. And I remember going to fast food restaurants and not thinking anything of it. We used our microwave a lot, too, even for cooking frozen vegetables (which seems so odd to me now). I am pretty sure I sometimes ate cookies for breakfast, too, because I was an adult and COULD do it – HA!

I also remember that being a time when I had my percentage body fat measured and was surprised to find it rather high. I also got sick a lot (colds) and went immediately to the doctor where I was given some useless drug, which I happily took.

Slow Changes

I don’t remember exactly how we got started with our healthy eating overhaul; perhaps it was the conversations my husband had with our chiropractor that gave us the spark. The information he gave us was interesting, and we followed it up with some research. Slowly, we decided to change the way we ate.

While we were doing our initial change, I remember eating some interesting things, for breakfast especially. We were following a cookbook called Back to the House of Health and eating the “Zippy Breakfast”, which was a bowl of brown rice with lemon juice, olive oil, liquid aminos, avocado, and tomato. Or alternately we would make a big salad (yes, green salad for breakfast)! We would pile it with various greens including sprouts and top it with our homemade salad dressing.

We started shopping at Whole Foods Market, a natural and organic grocery store. We looked for new recipes and kept with it.

We increased our veggie portions on our plate and added more fresh vegetables. We started eating hot rice cereal for breakfast, as well as eggs. We increased our healthy fats by including olive oil, avocados, nuts, seeds, and coconut oil into our diets. We switched to deli meats from Whole Foods (without nitrites and other preservatives) and then eventually switched to cooking regular chicken breasts and cutting them up for sandwiches.

We did feel completely tired as our body started cleansing, and this was good. Out with the toxins and in with the real food and nutrition.

What We Do Now

I won’t go through all the changes we made, because there were many and it covered the span of YEARS. My biggest advice if you want to really make a lifestyle change is to make health a hobby. Put time into research. Ask questions. Try new recipes. Change one thing at a time. Always yearn to grow and change and learn more.

Trying to compare and contrast what we do now compared to how we used to eat, here are just a few snippets:

• Breakfast: We eat oatmeal with ground flax seed, coconut oil, and fruit. We also sprinkle cinnamon on top; my husband adds turmeric, too. We eat eggs almost every morning, too.
• Lunch: I cook a bunch of organic chicken (usually thighs, but sometime breasts) in a glass pan, with plenty of organic seasonings. I cut into serving portions (which are smaller than they used to be) and freeze all in a big container. Each day for lunch, I pull out some chicken and warm it up in a saucepan on the stove top. We put it on a sprouted grain wrap with various veggies.
• Dinner: Various meals but with organic and better ingredients. Vegetables now take up half or more of our plate.

Here are a few other things we do now:

• Eat real foods
• Eat organic (fruits, vegetables, meat, eggs, butter, etc.)
• Low dairy (no more milk)
• Eat 75% vegetarian
• The meat we do eat is mainly chicken, turkey, bison, or whatever game my dad gives us. We eat very little beef; we do not eat any pork at all.
• Low processed foods/snacks and what we do buy is natural or organic
• Absolutely none of these ingredients in food: hydrogenated oils, MSG (in any name/form), food colorings, high fructose corn syrup, artificial sweeteners, artificial preservatives, hormones
• Low/no sugar
• We only drink filtered water; no juice, soda, etc. (we installed a reverse osmosis unit under our sink, which makes it SO easy)
• Absolutely no fast food, and reduced our restaurant visits to those that have better ingredients (we love Jason’s Deli)
• We do not use our microwave at all; food is cooked or reheated on the stove top or in the oven.
• We only cook with stainless steel or glass; no aluminum or plastic. Same with food storage.

my son helping me pick out organic fruits and veggies (after this photo was taken, he said "now we need to get more avocados")

Resources

Here are a few places we learned about nutrition:

• We talked to our chiropractor, who also was a clinical nutritionist. You can search out healthy professionals in your own life. Information can be varied and contradicting, though, so listen smartly.
• Mercola.com
• Dr. Mercola’s Total Health Cookbook & Program
• NaturalNews.com
• Weston A. Price

What Can You Do?

When you decide to eat healthier, all the information can be overwhelming. My advice is to make changes slowly; change one thing at a time. Incorporate that change into your life until it becomes a habit. Then change something else – and keep going. Like anything, if you try to do everything at once, it may be too hard to maintain, and  you end up not changing anything!

A good start is to follow my blog, or other health blogs, to learn about healthy options. Find the people who are the most vibrant and see what they do.

Wendy – ParentingTips365.com

Read all the posts in the Healthy Living series by clicking on the icon on the left.

Learning eco-friendly, non-toxic ways to clean your bathroom is so important. Mainstream surface cleaners, scouring powders, and toilet cleaners come packed with an arsenal of toxic and corrosive chemicals that are dangerous to our health and to the environment.

Health Concerns

• Ingredients with high acute toxicity include chlorine bleach and ammonia, which produce fumes that are highly irritating to eyes, nose, throat and lungs, and should not be used by people with asthma or lung or heart problems. These two chemicals pose an added threat in that they can react with each other or other chemicals to form lung-damaging gases.
• Triclosan is a common ingredient used in antibacterial and antimicrobial cleaners and it contributes to the increasing problem of drug-resistant bacteria. Triclosan is similar to the pesticide Agent Orange and can cause infertility, birth defects, and damage to major body organs. Also, studies have shown that triclosan can combine with chlorine in our tap water to make chloroform gas. 
• Isopropanol, also known as rubbing alcohol, is a nervous system depressant.
• d-Limonene is a high-odor volatile organic compound that irritates skin and eyes.
• Pine oil is irritating to mucus membranes and harmful or even fatal when ingested.

Environmental Concerns

• Some chemical ingredients do not break down into harmless substances in the environment, and thus threaten water quality or fish and other wildlife.
• Many use chemicals that are petroleum-based, contributing to the depletion of this non-renewable resource and increasing our nation’s dependence on imported oil.
• The plastic bottles used to package cleaning products contribute to the mounds of solid waste that must be put in a landfill, incinerated, or, in not enough cases, recycled.

As I show you how to clean your bathroom with homemade, non-toxic ingredients, you will notice that we are using many of the same ingredients and solutions as we did for cleaning the kitchen; see how easy it can be to make your own cleaning solutions!

Disclaimer: These natural cleaning ideas and solutions are offered as a way to minimize the use of toxic substances in your home and reduce environmental harm. Results may vary and are not guaranteed. Always test in small, hidden areas before applying any cleaning solution. Always use caution and keep the products and homemade solutions well-labeled and out of the reach of children.

Bathroom Mold in Shower

Mold in bathroom tile grout is a common problem and can be a health concern. Here are several options for a natural mold remover:

• Mix one part hydrogen peroxide (3%) with two parts water in a spray bottle. Spray on areas with mold. Wait at least one hour before rinsing or using shower.
• Pour some white distilled vinegar straight into a spray bottle, spray on the moldy area, and let set without rinsing. The smell will dissipate in a few hours. Vinegar kills 82 percent of mold.
• Mix 2 cups water and 2 teaspoons tea tree oil. Combine in a spray bottle, shake to blend, and spray on problem areas. Do not rinse. The smell of tea tree oil is very strong, but it will dissipate in a few days. Recipe found here.
• A half a lemon dipped in Borax will also scour the mildew out of the cracks in your tub and tile.

Remember that vinegar can break down tile grout, so use sparingly. Also, use Borax with care around children and pets, as it can be toxic if swallowed.

Bathtub

For a natural soap scum remover, apply baking soda (it is non abrasive) and then sprinkle with water or vinegar. Scrub with a damp cloth or sponge; for tough-to-remove soap scum, use a bristle brush.

Drain

Chemical drain cleaners are one of the most toxic cleaning products. These caustic mixtures commonly contain lye, bleach, or sulfuric acid and can cause damage to skin, lungs, and eyes. Instead of messing with chemicals, all you need is baking soda and apple cider vinegar.

For a natural drain cleaner, pour 1/2 cup to 1 cup baking soda down the drain and then add apple cider vinegar. Let it bubble for 15 minutes and then rinse with hot water.

Sink

For a natural sink cleaner, simply scrub with baking soda and water.

Countertops

For a natural countertop cleaner, add water and vinegar to a spray bottle (in a 1:1 ratio) and spray. You could even add a few drops of liquid castile soap. However, do not use vinegar on marble, granite, or other stone countertops as it may etch the stone surface. Another option is to simply add some liquid castile soap to some water. Imagine that, soap and water!

Another option is to use an E-cloth. You only need to use water with this wonder cloth and it can clean many surfaces: stainless steel, tiles, chrome, glass, marble, or plastics. It can be washed and used over and over.

Glass and Windows

Commercial window cleaners contain many toxic ingredients such as ammonia and butyl cellosolve (a toxic ingredient that is not listed on the labels). Also, by buying commercial glass cleaners, you are going through many, many bottles, not to mention paying a high price for a product that is 95% water!

To clean mirrors, create your own natural glass cleaner with vinegar and water; it is much safer. Combine equal parts water and white vinegar in a spray bottle and shake well. Spray and wipe, using a micro fiber cloth. Do not use newspaper, which contains toxic dyes, or paper towels, which contribute to waste.

Toilet

Most toilet bowl cleaners are highly acidic and can irritate lungs and burn eyes. For a natural toilet cleaner, spray vinegar around the bowl, sprinkle with baking soda, and scrub it with a toilet brush. This solution will clean and deodorize.

Another option is to use Borax, a naturally occurring alkaline mineral that is a powerful disinfectant and deodorizer.  Toss 1/2 cup in your bowl, wait a half an hour, then scrub.

Wendy – ParentingTips365.com

Read all the posts in the Healthy Living series by clicking on the icon on the left.

Typical Toxic Laundry Detergent

Commercial laundry detergents contain many toxic chemicals that are washed down the drain and then wreak havoc on the ecosystems. These toxic chemicals also leave residues on your clothing that could be absorbed by your skin or breathed in. These toxins can build up in your system and cause unknown effects. These toxic ingredients include:

• Petroleum distillates (aka napthas): Linked to cancer
• Phenols: Can cause toxicity throughout the entire body
• Artificial fragrances: Linked to various toxic effects on fish and mammal, as well as allergies and skin and eye irritation in humans
• Phosphates: Stimulate the growth of certain marine plants when they’re released into the environment and contribute to unbalanced ecosystems
• Optical brighteners: Can be toxic to fish and can cause bacterial mutations and allergic reactions. (Makes laundered clothes appear whiter (although does not actually affect the cleanliness of the clothing.)

If you want more information, the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has a website that lists the key characteristics of laundry detergent ingredients such as surfactants, bleaches, colorants, optical brighteners, and solvents and the areas of concern with each.

Non-Toxic and Eco-Friendly Laundry Detergent Options

For starters, look for laundry detergents that are frangrance-free or hypo-allergenic to avoid triggering allergic reactions. You also want to avoid those toxic ingredients listed above. If you are looking for a typical liquid- or powder-type detergent, you can check out these more natural brands:

• Biokleen
• Seventh Generation
• Sun & Earth
• Charlie’s Soap
• Earth Friendly Products
• Ecover
• Maggie’s Soap Nuts Laundry Liquid

Also Consider Soap Nuts

I wrote about our initial experience using soap nuts in December of 2008, and I am happy to say it’s still our laundry cleaner of choice!

Soap nuts grow on the Chinese Soapberry tree and have been used for thousands of years. When they fall from the tree the inner fruit is removed from the shell and the shell then dried in the sun, using no chemical processing. That outer shell contains saponins which act as water surfactants.

To use, simply put 2-3 soap nuts into a small cloth bag and toss in your wash. The nuts release their saponins which reduces the surface tension of the water and frees dirt, grime, and oils from clothing. When washed downstream the saponins remain harmless to the environment. There are no synthetic chemicals, no fragrance chemicals, no foaming agents or other toxins; just nut shells grown by nature.

I'm holding three soap nuts which, when put in the little cloth bag, will wash 2-3 loads of laundry (on warm setting) or 1 load (on hot)

I admit that soap nuts can seem a bit odd when first presented as a clothes-cleaning option, but after reading how non-toxic they are and seeing results, I feel this is the best option for non-toxic, eco-friendly clothes cleaning. Be prepared, there are no suds. Suds are actually not needed to clean clothes; commercial detergents add sudsing agents to give the impression of more cleaning power.

But have no fear, these nuts do work well; they even passed our “smell test”! If our stinky work-out clothes can become odor free, they are a keeper! There is no smell to the clothes – no stink and no perfume – that means they are clean!

bag of soap nuts, which came with the smaller bag to toss in the wash

And soap nuts are cost effective as well, at about 15 cents per load! We just finished that initial bag of soap nuts; it took us 15 months to go through it. We just purchased a new brand for us, Maggie’s Soap Nuts. And if using the actual nuts just doesn’t appeal to you, they make a liquid detergent, as well (Maggie’s Soap Nuts Laundry Liquid).

Because of their pure and simple nature, soap nuts would be a great option for anyone with sensitive skin, especially babies.

Natural Laundry Booster

Borax is a good natural laundry booster and cleaner (it can even remove mold) and is safe and non-toxic. Borax will make your laundry detergent work harder for you.

Baking soda can also be used as a laundry booster. By adding 1/2 cup of baking soda to each laundry load, detergents can work more effectively and reduce bacteria.

Use vinegar in the wash cycle to prevent fabrics from fading.

Natural Fabric Softener

Baking soda can be used as a natural fabric softener in your laundry. Adding 1/4 cup of baking soda to each rinse cycle acts as a balance to suspend detergent or mineral deposits that can make clothing feel stiff.

Vinegar can also be used as a fabric softener, and it’s great for reducing static cling. Just add a cup of white vinegar to the final rinse.

Non-Toxic Stain Removers

I use Earth Friendly Products Oxo-Brite to soak any clothes that have stains. After a good soaking (several hours+) I wash normally with other clothes. If you want more information, here is the spec sheet.

Biokleen makes several kinds of stain and odor eliminators that get good reviews.

Sun & Earth makes a stain remover pen for those needing something for “on the go”.

Also, you can pre-treat stains with a mixture of half water and half vinegar; it can do the trick with  many common stains on clothing. Keep a spray bottle of this solution in your laundry room and spray mixture on stains before washing.

Here is a recipe for a homemade stain remover:

• 2 parts hot water
• 1 part baking soda
• 1 part hydrogen peroxide

Spot treat stains and soak overnight. Mix only as much as you need for immediate use because it won’t store well over long periods of time.

Alternatives for Dryer Sheets

Never use dryer sheets, they are toxic and do not biodegrade in landfills. The fragrance in the dryer sheets rubs off onto clothes, and can be absorbed by your skin. An examination of the toxic chemicals used in artificial fragrance showed as many as twenty-three identifiable carcinogenic compounds.

For softer clothes, follow the recommendations above in the Fabric Softener section.

Another way to get around using dryer sheets is to stop using the dryer! Speaking of that…

Air-Dry Clothes to Save Money and Resources

One of the biggest environmental burdens in your laundry room is your clothes dryer. Clothes dryers emit carbon dioxide and waste electricity, not to mention create extra wear-and-tear on your clothing. Drying clothes on a clothesline can help reduce the burden caused by a clothes dryer. Sunlight is a natural disinfectant and it is also an excellent bleaching agent. There are many different types of outdoor clotheslines available, ranging in price from $10-$55.

If you do not have a yard for an outdoor clothesline, consider several options for drying clothes inside. My mom always used her outdoor clothesline in the summer and used several folding racks inside during the winter. I guess that habit followed as that’s the only way I dry clothes. (I only use our dryer to dry towels.)

There are many types of clotheslines and drying racks available, from the basic clothesline to ceiling-mounted indoor laundry racks. They exist in every shape, size, and type to match your needs.

• Here are some options for retractable indoor clothelines. They are priced starting about $8 and go up from there.
• Here are many options for drying racks. Ones similar to mine cost around $20.

Check out this picture of our drying racks in use:

Our two clothes racks holding one load of laundry

Wear Clothes More Than Once

Besides the rule to always wear clean underwear, most of us can wear garments more than once. The exception to that might be kids; my son’s clothes get dirty daily! The most effective way to save money, energy, and resources in your laundry room is to just do less of it. Wearing your clothes more than once before tossing them in the dirty pile is the first step.

Wendy – ParentingTips365.com

Read all the posts in the Healthy Living series by clicking on the icon on the left.

About These Ingredients

Once you know what these ingredients can do, you can start to see all the ways they can be used around the house:

• Baking soda: Cleans, deodorizes, softens water, scours. We buy it in bulk at Costco.
• White vinegar: Cuts grease, removes mildew, odors, some stains, and wax build-up. The acid in vinegar can kill 99 percent of bacteria, 82 percent of mold, and 80 percent of germs in one application.
• Hydrogen peroxide: Disinfectant, safer to use than chlorine bleach for disinfecting and whitening.
• Liquid castile soaps: Found in health food stores and are safer than commercial liquid cleaning products. If you can’t find any in your area, you can always find some on Amazon.com. We have used the Dr. Bronner’s brand.

Disclaimer: These natural cleaning ideas and solutions are offered as a way to minimize the use of toxic substances in your home and reduce environmental harm. Results may vary and are not guaranteed. Always test in small, hidden areas before applying any cleaning solution. Always use caution and keep the products and homemade solutions well-labeled and out of the reach of children.

Oven Cleaner

Oven cleaner is one of the most toxic cleaning products. Thankfully, there is a super simple, inexpensive way to make your own natural oven cleaner. Just sprinkle a cup or more of baking soda over the bottom of your oven and spray with enough water to make a paste. For dirt on the sides of the oven, create a baking soda and water paste and then apply. Let the mixture set overnight, spraying it a few times to keep it wet. Then just wipe it up. When you have cleaned up the worst of the mess, dab a bit of liquid castile soap on a cloth or sponge to wash the remaining residue from the oven. The first time I tried this I was amazed at how well it worked! Watch the following video I made and see for yourself how easy it is! (Just please don’t judge me for my dirty oven!)

Countertops

Vinegar is the best all-purpose household cleaner and can clean almost anything. For a natural countertop cleaner, add water and vinegar to a spray bottle (in a 1:1 ratio) and spray on countertops, windows, and walls. If you don’t like the smell of vinegar, you can add a few drops of either liquid castile soap, essential oil, or lemon juice to the mix as well.

Another option, especially for those with granite or concrete countertops, is to sprinkle baking soda on the surfaces and scrub. You can add a few drops of your favorite essential oil to this. Lavender and tea tree oil have anti-bacterial qualities. I will say that this method does tend to leave a residue that requires more and more rounds of wiping the counter down.

Another option for stone or concrete countertops is to mix five parts water and one part liquid castile soap. This is what I do; I like keeping it simple and using just soap and water!

Notes:

• Do not use vinegar on marble, granite, or other stone countertops as it may etch the stone surface.
• Never use undiluted vinegar on grout.
• Essential oils are NOT the same as fragrance oils, which are artificially created and often contain synthetic chemicals. Make sure the essential oil you use is of the highest quality and 100 percent pure.

Disinfectant and Sanitizer

Vinegar and hydrogen peroxide are great for disinfecting and sanitizing. For a natural disinfectant and natural sanitizer, put undiluted vinegar in one spray bottle and three percent hydrogen peroxide in another spray bottle. DO NOT MIX THEM TOGETHER IN ONE BOTTLE! Disinfect surfaces with alternating sprays of each. (It does not matter which is first.) Research shows this method kills virtually all bacteria like E. coli and Salmonella.

Another option for a disinfectant and all-purpose cleaner is to mix a few drops of liquid castile soap, 2 cups water, and 15 drops each of tea tree and lavender essential oil (or just one oil, but 30 drops). You can spray this on all surfaces, like cutting boards, counters, toilets, walls. It will streak glass, though.

Remember to disinfect countertops, cutting boards, sinks, faucets, and refrigerator handles regularly.

Stainless Steel

For a natural stainless steel cleaner to clean fingerprints and other streaky stains on appliances, simply put some olive oil on a clean, soft cloth and wipe. Olive oil also works on sink stains, too.

To get rid of water spots on stainless steel utensils and cutlery, dip a cloth in vinegar and rub on the utensils. It’s a great way to polish and sanitize them.

Club soda works well for removing stains from stainless steel cookware.

Remember, never use abrasives or steel wool on stainless steel.

Garbage Disposal

To get rid of foul smells, add vinegar to water and make ice cubes. Let a few of them get chopped by your disposal. You can also grind up lemon or orange peel.

As a natural drain cleaner, put 1/2 cup to 1 cup baking soda down the disposal and then add apple cider vinegar. Let it bubble for 15 minutes and then rinse with hot water.

Sink

A simple and natural sink cleaner is to scrub with baking soda and water.

Another option is to combine three drops of essential oil, 1/4 cup baking soda, and 1/2 cup white vinegar. Mix until well blended and then scrub over all sink surfaces. Rinse with hot water.

Dishwasher Detergent

For a natural dishwasher detergent, mix 1 cup borax, 1 cup baking soda, and 1/4 cup citric acid (found at nutrition store). Mix and then grind to fine powder. (Recipe found here.) Transfer to an airtight container to store. (Recycled glass jars work well.) Use 1 tablespoon of mixture per load. Use vinegar as a rinse agent.

Liquid Dish Soap

For a natural and homemade dish soap, combine 2 cups of liquid castile soap, 1/2 cup warm water, and a few drops of essential oils for scent (optional, especially if using scented castile soap). Shake or mix well and place in container of your choice. (Recycled dish soap squeeze bottle is one idea.) Shake well before using.

Flat Cooktop

For a natural cook top cleaner, use a baking soda paste to scrub away stains. When done, wipe it down with a vinegar/water mix to remove cloudy residue.

Floor

First, sweep or vacuum to remove bigger pieces of dirt. Here are some options for a natural floor cleaner:

• Vinyl or linoleum: Mix one cup white vinegar in 1 gallon water. Rinse with clear water.
• Tile or wood: Create a solution of a few drops liquid castile soap and warm water. Put in a spray bottle, then spray on a cotton rag or towel until lightly damp. Continue to damp mop the floor. Do not use vinegar on wood or tile (grout).

Silver Polish

For a natural and non-toxic silver polish, place a sheet of aluminum foil in your kitchen sink or a bucket and add tarnished silver. Pour in hot water, baking soda, and a dash of salt. Let sit for a few minutes. The tarnish will transfer from the silver to the foil. Wipe any remaining tarnish with a clean cloth.

Rust Remover

For a natural rust remover, sprinkle a little bit of salt on the rust, squeeze a lime over the salt until it is nicely soaked. Leave the mixture on for two or three hours. Use the leftover rind to scrub residue.

What other natural, eco-friendly, and non-toxic ways do you keep your kitchen clean? Leave a comment and share!

Wendy – ParentingTips365.com

Read all the posts in the Healthy Living series by clicking on the icon on the left.

The typical American home contains 3-10 GALLONS of toxic materials, and uses and stores more than 60 hazardous household products; everything from glass and bathroom cleaners to garden pesticides and fertilizers.

Why Should You Care?

Chemicals in common household cleaning products pollute the air inside your home and have serious health effects, including:

• Respiratory problems
• Eye irritation
• Skin irritation
• Cancer
• Birth defects
• Disruption of the endocrine system

Another scary fact is that between 5-10 million household poisonings are reported each year and many of these are fatal and involve children.

The most vulnerable period of a child’s development is while they are in the womb, and it is essential to minimize exposure to any possible toxins. If you are pregnant, it is especially important for you to understand the risks of these household toxins to your children and to find natural, eco-friendly, and safe alternatives for cleaning.

In addition to these health concerns, there are environmental concerns regarding toxic household cleaning products as well:

• Creation of hazardous waste.
• Contamination of soil and water, including aquifers, lakes, rivers, streams, and oceans,
• Ecosystem imbalances, including loss of biodiversity and reductions in natural animal habitats
• Phosphates promote excessive growth of algae, which robs the water of oxygen, which negatively affects fish and other aquatic wildlife
• Some chemicals “bio-accumulate” up the food chain.

Dangerous Chemicals

Some of the dangerous ingredients to look for include:

• Phosphates: cause algae proliferation in bodies of water, killing marine life
• Nonylphenol ethoxylates (NPE’s): cause reproductive defects, liver and kidney damage
• Phthalates: cause sperm damage and reproductive defects in boys
• Volatile organic compounds (VOC’s) (including 1,4-dichlorobenzene): cause nose and throat irritation, dizziness, asthma
• Petroleum distillates such as benzene, or 1,4 dioxane, both of which can cause cancer.
• Sodium laurel sulfate and alcohol ethoxylate: both release 1-4, dioxane.
• Ethoxylates
• Sulfates
• Parabens
• Glycol ethers
• Ammonia
• Chlorine
• Ethanolamines
• Dyes
• Fragrances

Natural chemicals that can cause allergic reactions, and should also be avoided, include:

• Limonene (a citrus-based oil)
• Pine oil
• Coconut diethanolamide

What Are Your Options For Eco-Friendly Safe Cleaning?

You can reduce your chemical exposure by eliminating chemicals in your home and using only natural cleaning products that are plant based.

1. Buy Natural Household Cleaners

As more people become aware of the dangers of common household cleaners,  more “green”, environmentally friendly options have have appeared with a growing number of companies offering their own versions of eco-friendly cleaners.

Unfortunately, the terms “green” and “natural” are nothing more than marketing terms; they’re not absolute terms of science, and they do not automatically equal safety. Therefore, you need to be aware of the dangerous chemicals to avoid, read all ingredients labels, and look for third-party verification of a product’s green claims.

Some safer cleaning products are Biokleen, Ecover, Mrs. Meyer’s, Seventh Generation,Sun & Earth, and Earth Friendly Products Orange Plus. They are more expensive but more concentrated, and a bit safer.

What to look for in natural household cleaning products:

• Biodegrade rapidly in the environment
• Made with plant-based ingredients
• Contain few additives and little, if any, fragrance
• Cruelty-free

2. Make Your Own Natural Cleaning Products

Some natural cleaners still contain petroleum distillates as well as other less-than-perfect ingredients. Also, cleaning product manufacturers (green or otherwise) are not required by law to disclose all of their ingredients on their labels. That makes it difficult to tell exactly what you are getting.

After researching this topic years ago, we initially purchased some natural cleaning products but now we have switched to making our own cleaning solutions. I’m pretty picky about ingredients and am not thrilled with pretty much any of the commercial green cleaning products, including those listed above. Thankfully it’s SO easy to clean your house with the natural ingredients listed below – you can’t get much more simple and pure than that! Not only is it easy, it’s inexpensive, too!

What You Need to Clean Naturally

The things you will need you most likely already have around the house. To clean your house naturally, all you need is:

• Baking soda
• Vinegar
• Borax
• Hydrogen peroxide
• Liquid castile soap
• Lemon juice
• Organic essential oils (optional)
• Mixing bowls
• Spray bottles
• Microfiber cloths

Benefits of Homemade Cleaners

• Less packaging waste because you are not buying new bottles again and again.
• Less expensive, especially if you can buy ingredients in bulk.
• Less harmful (often not harmful at all) to humans, animals, and the earth.

What Next?

Over the next few days, weeks, and throughout this Healthy Living series, I will share specific cleaning recipes and ideas for safely cleaning each area of your house.

Until then, look at your current cleaning products and consider switching to something better for you and the environment. If you don’t already have the basic cleaning ingredients listed above, go out and get them.

But before you just toss out your current supply of cleaning products, read about how to safely dispose of toxic cleaners. There is a proper and safe way to do this.

Wendy – ParentingTips365.com

Read all the posts in the Healthy Living series by clicking on the icon on the left.