In today’s market, “organic” and “natural” just aren’t good enough. A product may have organic ingredients, but still contribute to dry skin. It may have natural ingredients, but cause allergic reactions. It may be organic and natural, and still contain hormone-altering ingredients. So how can you tell what’s safe and what’s not?

Here are a few key things to watch for.

Ingredients used. This is probably the most important thing when it comes to safety in personal care products. What ingredients are used? Are there any that could be potential hormone-disruptors, like phthalates and preservatives? Have any been connected with other health hazards? Are some of them harsh on the skin, like sulfates, or actually drying to the skin, like petroleum products? If you’re looking for products with safe ingredients, take my Ingredients to Avoid list with you when you go shopping. I’ve made it easy for you!

Potential for reactions. Some ingredients, though they may be generally safe, have a higher potential for causing allergic reactions than others. Some essential oils, for example, may actually be harsh on the skin, or cause allergic reactions in some people. Some preservatives, like ureas, are well established as encouraging the development of contact dermatitis, while others, like parabens, are often reported to cause rashes. Sodium lauryl sulfate can cause eye irritations and allergic reactions. Avoiding these ingredients, particularly if you’re sensitive, is key to staying safe.

Type of preservatives used. There’s no doubt that personal care products need some kind of preservatives. Otherwise they become contaminated with microorganisms, and that’s definitely not safe. But what type of preservatives are used? Ureas (which can form formaldehyde), parabens, and some other types have been linked with health problems, but still they’re used in a wide variety of products. Safer options are those approved by organizations that set high standards for safety, like ECOCERT, NaTrue and the Soil Association.

Thoroughness of the testing. Manufacturers of personal care products don’t have to gain FDA approval before they put their products on the market. That means that their safety testing is totally up to them. Do they actually test the product before they sell it? How extensive is that testing? Do they test it in the lab to be sure it remains free of microorganisms and that it remains stable over time? Do they conduct consumer testing to see if the product is satisfactory to users? A program of rigorous testing helps ensure a safe and effective product.

If you’re curious about how “safe” your products are, try these few tips:

• Buy from reputable brands known for their safety, like Kahina Giving Beauty, Jurlique, RMS Beauty, Waleda, Sophyto, Marie Veronique Organics, and others.
• Read labels, always, read labels!
• Organic is a good start, but just because it says organic or natural doesn’t mean it’s safe. Look a little deeper.
• Know yourself—what are you allergic to? Do you have sensitive skin? Use my Ingredients to Avoid list, and be extra cautious with harsh ingredients.
• Check out the website of the company you’re buying from for more information on their policies.
• Check your favorite products against the Safe Cosmetics database.
• Shop at locations known for carrying safer products.

Are you seeking safe personal care products? Do you have suggestions?

Photo courtesy calignosus via Flickr.com.

Health Dangers of Indoor Air Pollution

Indoor air pollution can cause a lot of problems, including exacerbating the severity of asthma symptoms among adults and children, increasing the occurrence and severity of headaches and respiratory symptoms, and causing fatigue and dizziness. Studies by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (USEPA) consistently rank indoor air pollution as among the top five environmental threats to public health. The United Nations Development Program estimated in 1998 that more than two million people die each year due to toxic indoor air.

Opening a window once in awhile, investing in a quality air purifier, dusting and vacuuming often, keeping up with the cleaning, and avoiding pollutants like smoke from candles and cigarettes, can all help improve indoor air quality. When it’s cold outside, however, and difficult to air things out, there are other items that can help reduce the toxins in your household air—houseplants!

The Magic of Houseplants

Researchers from Pennsylvania State University found that common houseplants like the spider plant, snake plant, and golden pothos reduced ozone levels. NASA also conducted a similar study and found that common houseplants can remove several key pollutants associated with indoor air pollution. In fact, NASA was so impressed that they’re going to launch some plants into space as part of the biological life support system aboard  future orbiting space stations.

What Plants Clean Out What Chemicals

According to the NASA study, some of the top plants most effective at cleaning out potentially hazardous chemicals like formaldehyde (found in insulation, particle board, and consumer paper products), benzene (found in inks, oils, paints, plastics, and rubber), and carbon monoxide from the air include the areca palm (also called the butterfly palm), the lady palm, bamboo palm, rubber plant, philodendron, dracaena “Janet Craig,” and the Boston fern.

Alive magazine published a recent article about houseplants and indoor pollution, and the following chart comes from that article, which you may read in depth here. Give it a try—you may find that a few more plants makes your air a lot more pleasant to breathe.

Have you increased the number of houseplants in your home to help clean out the air? Please share your experiences.

Sources:

“It’s Winter: Beware the Indoor Air Pollution,” Public Health News Center, Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, January 26, 2005. http://www.jhsph.edu/publichealthnews/articles/2005/buckley_indoor_air.html.

Johns Hopkins University Bloomberg School of Public Health. “Indoor Air Pollution Increases Asthma Symptoms, Study Suggests.” ScienceDaily, 19 Feb. 2009. Web. 11 Jan. 2012.

Illinois Department of Public Health Guidelines for Indoor Air Quality, Environmental Health Fact Sheet, Illinois Department of Public Health. http://www.idph.state.il.us/envhealth/factsheets/indoorairqualityguide_fs.htm.

American Society for Horticultural Science. “Houseplants Cut Indoor Ozone.” ScienceDaily, 8 Sep. 2009. Web. 11 Jan. 2012.

“NASA Study House Plants Clean Air,” Zone 10, The Plant & Garden Zone for Homeowners. http://www.zone10.com/nasa-study-house-plants-clean-air.html.

Will Richter, “The Best Holiday Houseplants,” Alive, http://www.alive.com/articles/view/23316/the_best_holiday_houseplants.

Greg Seaman, “The Top 10 Plants for Removing Indoor Toxins,” EarthEasy, May 13, 2009. http://eartheasy.com/blog/2009/05/the-top-10-plants-for-removing-indoor-toxins/.

Photo courtesy Chiot’s Run via Flickr.com.

You may have people around you encouraging you to “be positive,” or you may believe you have to squelch any negative emotions you may feel in order to put on a brave face.

In Chapter 4 of my book, When Cancer Hits, I tell you why “being positive” by itself could actually harm you on your way to recovery, and give you some real, practical tools you can use to deal with all the emotions cancer and cancer treatment may create.

Guilt Has No Room in Your Survival Plan

Did you find yourself feeling guilty after your diagnosis? Did you think that maybe if you had only eaten a healthier diet, or exercised more often, or reduced more stress, you wouldn’t have ended up with the disease? I help you face the guilt monster, stare it down, and cast it aside.

Faking Your Emotions Never Works

Do you find yourself trying to smile when you least feel like it? Do you feel pressured by family and friends to “be brave,” and “stay positive?” I felt some of these emotions when I went through Hodgkin’s disease at 16 years old, and I can tell you—squashing your emotions is bad for you. Not only do those emotions stay with you, they can actually reduce your body’s ability to fight off the cancer. (Studies have shown that repressing emotions makes you feel more physical pain and can affect your immune system.) I show you how to approach negative emotions in a healthy way, so you can more easily return to real positive emotions.

Tools to Help Accentuate the Positive

Have you ever made plans to make yourself feel good? If you haven’t, now is the time to start. Making plans to spend time with friends, enjoy a funny movie, get a nice massage, listen to your favorite music, and more are all extremely necessary while you’re going through cancer. You’ll be so busy with doctor appointments and medical records and insurance paperwork and the like that you’ll find things like just enjoying yourself can quickly slip out the window—yet they’re so necessary to your healing process! In Chapter 4, I give you all kinds of ideas for activities that help you process difficult emotions and find your way to feeling even just a little bit better.

Don’t be Afraid to Seek Help

Often we feel we have to be the brave soldiers and go through cancer alone. This decision is bad for your health, however, and dangerous to your recovery. You need support, and not just someone to help clean the house and make the meals. You need someone to talk to, someone who understands, and you need activities that really go to the core of what you’re experiencing. I show you how support groups can actually speed your healing; how music, art, and pet therapy can all be valuable tools in your recovery; and how counseling can be a lifesaver.

Learning the tools and skills you need to process and manage difficult emotions will not only help you navigate your cancer experience, but could be useful to you long after the cancer is in remission. I share with you some quotes from other survivors who learned a lot, emotionally, from their experiences, and help encourage you that with patience, you can get through whatever it is with courage and grace.

(When Cancer Hits is available now—click here.)

Have you experienced difficult emotions because of cancer or cancer treatments? Have you tried some of the tips in my book? Let me know what you think!

Here are my top ten New Year’s resolutions. Let me know what you think, and please share how you plan to improve your life this year!

1. Reduce toxic exposure. In today’s world, this is an ongoing goal for me. I’m always learning about how we’re exposed to chemicals, and making changes to help reduce my overall lifetime exposure. If you’d like to do the same, please review some of my other posts on the issue (“Toxic Talk“), and in general, shop for organic and safe products from companies who are conscious of chemical exposure.
2. Change my thinking to “safe.” Something I realized over the last year is that “natural” doesn’t necessarily mean “safe.” Some products that have synthetic ingredients may be safer than those with natural ingredients, depending on how the product is manufactured and processed, and depending on who is using it. Someone who is allergic to lavender, for example, would not find a “natural” lavender skin lotion to be safe. This year’s resolution: think “safe” when thinking about my health!
3. Watch what I eat. I’ve always been careful with my food choices, as I know what we eat not only affects our health, but the appearance of our skin and hair as well. But this year I realized that we all need to be even more careful. We witnessed many food recalls because of bacterial contamination, and then we had the recent revelation that many apple juices and chicken contain levels of arsenic that could be unsafe. My takeaway? Buy whole foods whenever possible, and shop only from brands I trust.
4. Get enough sleep. Researchers have given us a lot more information this past year on how important sleep is to our health. Those of us who get less than five hours a night are at a much higher risk of diseases and even early death. I tend to be a busy person, so my resolution this year—try to get 8 hours on most nights! Sleep is also tied to feeling emotionally balanced, which leads me to my next resolution…
5. Maintain emotional balance. I’m a very passionate person, which is a good thing when it comes to going after the things I care about, but not so good when it comes to maintaining emotional balance. My goal for this year—take time out each day to breathe, meditate, and process any negative energy so I can maintain an emotional even keel.
6. Let go of the need to be perfect. Many of us women feel we have to be perfect at everything all the time—work, personal lives, health, community service, you name it. This year, I’m going to continue to work at letting go of this need. Some things are just out of my control!
7. Find more ways to be of service. Over the years, I’ve become convinced that when we give back to other people, we ourselves reap many rewards. Even researchers tell us that volunteering or finding ways to give is good for our health. I’m already engaged in various charitable activities, but this year, I’m seeking out more.
8. Have more fun! I think that when you’ve survived cancer, you tend to take on a sort of serious outlook. You realize how short life is, and living your purpose may seem more important than ever. I know it affected me this way, anyway, so my resolution this year is to break up the seriousness a bit and let loose a little more. Having fun is definitely good for your health!
9. Accept life on it’s own terms. The longer I live, the more I realize there are some realities about life we just have to accept. We will always be faced with challenges, for example—life will never be stress-free. We will always have choices to make, and risks to take. We will always experience both happiness and unhappiness, pleasure and pain. I think learning to accept these realities helps us to stop struggling against them, so that we can relax, put things in perspective, and feel more comfortable with life.
10. Do something every day to lift my spirits. I know that taking care of myself helps me to be the best person I can be, so I’m re-committing to doing something every day that will lift my spirits. It may be as simple as finding a new beautiful scent for my aromatherapy, taking a nice hot bath, listening to some of my favorite music, or getting away for the weekend. I urge you to do the same!

What are your New Year’s resolutions for 2012? Please share with our readers.

Photo courtesy Delairen via Flickr.com.

Sugar is Addictive

Jeff O’Connell, editor-in-chief of Bodybuilding.com and the author of Sugar Nation, wrote a guest blog for Kris Carr, author of Crazy, Sexy Diet. In it, he claims that sugar is an addictive substance that “speeds along the same brain pathways as heroin.” Scientific evidence backs his assertion. In 2002 Princeton University psychologists found that such a thing as sugar dependency really exists, and that rats that binged on sugar later exhibited signs of withdrawal.

Neuroscientist Bart Hoebel noted sugar triggers production of the brain’s natural opioids. “We think that is a key to the addiction process,” he said. “The brain is getting addicted to its own opioids as it would to morphine or heroin.” In a later study published in 2008, Hoebel found that after the rats were denied sugar, they worked even harder to get it when it was reintroduced, and ate more than ever before. Hoebel claims this shows that the bingeing behavior forged actual changes in brain function. He also noted that dopamine was released in the brain when the rats drank a sugar solution—a chemical thought to trigger motivation and eventually, addiction.

Cancer Cells Love Sugar

I first became concerned about sugar and health when I went through my first positron emission tomography (PET) scan. This is a type of scan doctors used to take pictures of the inside of the body, in my case, to detect any additional tumors or cancer growths. Before the scan, I received an injection of a radioactive glucose (type of sugar) solution. I asked the nurse about it, and learned that the glucose is taken up immediately by high-glucose-using cells such as brain, kidney, and cancer cells! The radioactive sugar solution helps “light up” the cancer so the doctors can see it on the image.

High Blood Sugar Levels Lead to Disease

Of course, the body regularly converts food into glucose to use as fuel, so this isn’t overly alarming by itself, but I just remember feeling uncomfortable with the fact that cancer cells enjoy glucose so much! I later learned that a U.S. study had found that tumor cells use glucose and fructose differently—using fructose particularly to increase cancer cell proliferation. (Can you say goodbye high fructose corn syrup? I did!)

So I started to do my research, and that’s when I realized that sugar can be addictive, that it’s in a ton of our daily foods, and that eating a lot of it tips our blood sugar levels into the danger zone, which may be part of the reason why so many people are getting diabetes these days. High blood sugar has also been linked to premature aging, the formation of damaging free radicals, kidney failure, cardiovascular disease (hardening of the arteries), stroke, a stunted production of growth hormone (which can accelerate aging), eye problems, gum disease, a higher risk of infections, and much more.

Balance Your Sugar Intake for a Healthier Life

It all comes down to balancing blood sugar levels. Today, most of us aren’t doing a very good job. Even natural foods like watermelons and dates add sugar to the blood. Imagine what all the extra sugar we consume every day is doing to our bodies?

I’m not saying you have to cut sugar completely out of your life like I have (and I feel much better!), but you will definitely experience the health benefits if you cut back. Here are some tips from Kris Carr and myself to help you do just that—just try it and see. Don’t be surprised if you experience some uncomfortable withdrawal symptoms for the first few days. That’s just your body telling you that you’re addicted, and it’s time to make a change!

• Buy organic. Check the labels, but most organic soups, condiments, applesauce, yogurts, etc. have either no sugar or much less sugar than their mainstream counterparts. You don’t need ketchup, bread, or tomato soup with high fructose corn syrup. Buy the brands that don’t have it.
• Focus on a plant-based diet. Plant-based foods naturally lower your blood sugar levels. Eat more veggies, whole grains, nuts, beans, legumes, and fruits.
• Cut out the bad stuff. White sugar, white rice, white bread, pastries, cakes, doughnuts, and all the “junk” are all chocked full of sugar with no nutrients. They spike your blood sugar levels without giving you any health benefits. Cut them out, cold turkey!
• What are you drinking? Soda, juice, and even diet drinks are full of either sugar or artificial sweeteners, which will all feed your addiction. Drink water, tea, and coffee.
• Choose healthy sweeteners. To add a bit of sweet taste to your homemade goodies, try stevia leaf, brown rice syrup, agave syrup or maple syrup in small amounts.
• Plan ahead. If you don’t have something handy to snack on, you’ll fall back on your old habits. Stack your cupboards with healthy snacks like nuts, cut-up fruits and veggies, whole grain crackers and cheese, and the like. Your taste buds will adapt more quickly than you expect!

Do you have tips for cutting back on sugar? Let us know.

Sources

“Sugar on the Brain: Study Shows Sugar Dependence in Rats,” News from Princeton University, June 20, 2002. http://www.princeton.edu/pr/news/02/q2/0620-hoebel.htm.

Princeton University. “Sugar Can Be Addictive: Animal Studies Show Sugar Dependence.” ScienceDaily, 10 Dec. 2008. Web. 29 Nov. 2011.

Maggie Fox, “Cancer Cells Slurp Up Fructose, US Study Finds,” Reuters August 2, 2010. http://www.reuters.com/article/2010/08/02/cancer-fructose-idAFN0210830520100802.

Photo courtesy TarHeel in NJ via Flickr.com.

I also went through a bout of food poisoning several weeks ago—an experience I definitely don’t want to repeat! In fact, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 48 million people get sick every year from eating contaminated food. So in thinking about food safety, and how we can protect ourselves and our families, I’ve put together some tips on how keep your food safe.

1.  Wash your hands with soap and water before and after handling food. It’s the most common-sense advice, but so often we forget, you know? Particularly if we’re in a hurry to prepare dinner or if we’re busy talking over the kitchen counter. Wash wash wash, and be sure to use warm water and soap. It’s the best protection for everyone.

2.  Wash countertops, refrigerator handles, and sinks, but skip the antibacterial. A lot of counter cleansers now contain triclosan to help kill germs, but triclosan may be contaminated with dioxins, and has been found to accumulate in the environment. The FDA reported no evidence that antibacterial products protect any better than regular soap. So wash your countertops and all other areas of the kitchen that you touch when you’re cooking, but use regular dish soap and warm water.

3.  Control temperature. Temperature has a lot to do with food safety. If raw foods aren’t kept cold, bacteria can grow. If cooked food isn’t cooked enough, bacteria may remain. Check your refrigerator thermometer. Bacteria are in suspended animation at 32 degrees, but by 41 they are coming alive, so keep things cool. When cooking meat, check the temperature at the center. At 140 degrees, most bacteria die, but if you want to be sure, go to 165. Just don’t char the surface, as that can increase your exposure to potential cancer-causing toxins.

4.  Store carefully. Always refrigerate foods as soon as you can—to be safe, within one hour. For fresh meats like poultry, fish, ground meats and variety meats, cook within two days of purchase. Beef, veal, lamb, and pork may be okay for 3-5 days—check the label.

5.  Don’t cross-contaminate. Keep raw meat, poultry, fish and their juices away from any other food that you’re preparing. Wash any cutting boards, countertops, and utensils used on raw meats before using them on other foods.

6.  Wash produce. Fruits and vegetables that are to be eaten raw need to be washed well under running water. The concern here is pesticides, so buy organic when you can and wash well. If you can’t get the organic, peel high-risk foods like apples, peaches, potatoes, and sweet bell peppers. (See the safe shopper’s guide for more information.)

7.  Sign up for notifications of recalls. The federal government and some food retailers send out alerts about contaminated foods. See FoodSafety.gov for more information.

8.  Read labels. Reading labels not only helps you avoid bad-for-you ingredients like trans fats, preservatives, high fructose corn syrup, and others, but also helps you to be sure that anyone in your family with food allergies will be protected. Don’t forget that alcoholic drinks can also contain histamines and sulfites, which can trigger allergies.

9.  Keep kids’ lunches safe. Perishable foods like luncheon meats, cheese, condiments, yogurts, and other lunch items may potentially become contaminated during the hours between breakfast and lunch. Send your child’s lunch in a insulated box or bag best for keeping food cold, and consider using freezer gel packs or a frozen juice carton inside.

10. When in doubt, throw it out. If you’re not sure how long a food has been left out of the refrigerator, or if it might be spoiled before the expiration date, throw it out. Trust me—losing a few dollars on a food item is a lot better than spending days with food poisoning!

How do you keep your food safe? Do you have other tips to share?

Photo courtesy Delairen via Flickr.com.

Original packaging. Unlike many intimate products that you want to tuck away in a drawer somewhere, these discreet bottles can sit out in your room or bathroom and they won’t draw undue attention to themselves. “So many of us are worried when it comes to that department,” says Michelle. “This takes a level of uncomfortableness out of the game.”

No bad stuff in intimate places. I talk a lot in this blog about potentially harmful ingredients in personal care products. We don’t often think about the products we use the bedroom, though, and we should. I mean, talk about sensitive skin! Not only that, these products can get inside our bodies. Did you know that other lubricating products like K-Y Jelly and others may contain parabens, phthalates and hormone-disrupting ingredients? This Yes product is chemical- and preservative-free.

Great nourishing ingredients. In addition to what it doesn’t have, we love what this product does have. Two rich organic butters—cocoa butter and shea butter—provide great moisturizing properties, which is why this also doubles as a great massage oil. Organic sweet almond oil and sunflower oil create a silky texture, and the preservatives are natural—vitamin E and organic bees wax.

Safe for those with health concerns. Michelle and I have both spoken to a lot of women who have been affected by cancer, and many of them were particularly worried about the loss of intimacy in their lives. Chemotherapy, medications, and surgeries can all create changes in the body so that it no longer naturally lubricates. Of course these woman are understandably concerned about using regular lubricating products because of the questionable ingredients. This is one product we’re happy to recommend wholeheartedly to women who have been through cancer or who have sensitive skin concerns.

So if you’re looking for a natural, safe, and nourishing oil-based lubricant with many uses, give this product a try, then let us know how you like it!

Have you tried Yes Pure Intimacy? Please share your thoughts.

What Researchers Found

The first is bisphenol A (BPA), that hardening chemical used to make plastics that I’ve talked about in several previous posts. It’s in our water bottles and our canned foods and on shopping receipts and some of our children’s toys and has been linked with certain cancers and developmental problems in children. In the study, the scientists took noncancerous breast cells from high-risk patients, grew them in the lab, then exposed them to BPA. After the exposure, the noncancerous cells started acting like cancer cells. The researchers felt the study provided additional evidence that chemicals that act as estrogen-disruptors (like BPA) may play a role in the development of breast cancer.

Tamoxifen is designed to slow the growth of breast cancer cells and ultimately cause their death, but when it was introduced to the chemical-exposed cells, they were not affected and kept growing.

The same thing happened when the cells were exposed to methylparaben, a type of preservative commonly used in thousands of personal care products. When the non-cancerous cells were exposed to methylparaben, they started acting like cancerous cells, and did not slow down when exposed to Tamoxifen. What was especially disconcerting was that these two hormone-disrupting chemicals were found to be even better at blocking Tamoxifen’s effectiveness than naturally produced estrogen.

Researchers Comment on the Findings

According to Dr. William Goodson, lead author of the study, “Since most breast cancers are driven by the hormone estrogen, the bulk of the drugs used to treat breast cancer are designed to knock down estrogen. BPA and methyparaben not only mimic estrogen’s ability to drive cancer, but appear to be even better than the natural hormone in bypassing the ability of drugs to treat it.”

Dr. Mhel Kavanaugh-Lynch, director of the California Breast Cancer Research Program, added, “We have a lot of information that makes these endocrine disruptors appear to be bad things to be exposed to, but there are very few, if any, studies that show a direct causal link.”

What Women Can Do

The takeaway from this study, as far as I can tell, is to stay away from these two chemicals as much as possible. They’re very widely used, so you may not be able to completely eliminate them from your life, but you can definitely cut down your exposure. Try these tips, and if you’re on Tamoxifen or other treatments for breast cancer, be especially careful!

• Use a stainless steel water bottle and stay away from plastic water bottles.
• Buy frozen, boxed, and glass-stored foods instead of those in cans. Some companies are going “BPA-free,” so check the labels on your favorite canned goods.
• Don’t microwave in plastic containers, especially old ones that have been exposed to high temps several times. Use glass and porcelain containers instead.
• Always wash your hands before eating.
• Take my Ingredients to Avoid list with you when you shop for personal care products, and avoid those that have “paraben” in the ingredient list, whether it’s methylparaben or other types of parabens.

What do you think about this study? Will you be changing your habits?

Sources

William H. Goodson, et al., “Activation of the mTOR Pathway by Low Levels of Xenoestrogens in Breast Epithelial Cells from High-Risk Women,” Carcinogenesis 32(11): 1724-1733 (November 2011). http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3204351/.

Photo courtesy Terra Nova Foundation via Flickr.com.

All this stress affects our health, of course. We may not get enough sleep or exercise, and may eat more unhealthy foods. The result not only affects our insides, but our outsides as well. You can tell by that inconvenient acne eruption or psoriasis flare up, and who wants to look stressed at that work party, family get together, or New Year’s Eve celebration?

How Stress Affects Skin

People with compromised skin conditions like eczema, psoriasis, and rosacea know that stress can trigger uncomfortable and embarrassing flare-ups. But even people without these skin conditions will note the affects of stress on their skin.

Dermatologist Flor A. Mayoral, MD, FAAD, spoke at the American Academy of Dermatology’s SKIN Academy in 2007, and had this to say: “In treating hundreds of patients over the years with skin conditions such as eczema, rosacea, and psoriasis, I have seen firsthand how stress can aggravate the skin and trigger unexpected flare-ups that, in effect, create more stress for patients.”

When you’re dealing with stress, your body releases the stress hormone—cortisol—into your bloodstream. This causes an increase in oil production, which can lead to oily skin, acne, and rashes. A study in the January 2001 Archives of Dermatology found that stress had a negative effect on the barrier of skin, resulting in water loss and a reduced ability for the skin to repair itself. Stress can also increase hair loss and brittle, peeling nails.

Methods to Help You Cope

How can you reduce the effects of stress on your skin? First of all, try to use coping techniques like exercise, meditation, calming music, and more to reduce your stress levels. In addition to that, increase your attention to your skin with these methods to help you reduce your risk of acne, flare-ups, and other issues.

1. Avoid hot showers and baths. They strip your skin of moisture. Use lukewarm instead and moisturize immediately after your shower.
2. Wear sunscreen. Though sun exposure can be helpful for some skin conditions, it can also cause flare-ups and increase the look of aging. Wear sunscreen even in the winter.
3. Eat a healthy diet. Your skin really reflects your diet. During the holidays, do your best to continue to eat healthy foods like leafy greens, fruits and vegetables, whole grains and healthy fats like olive oil.
4. Get enough sleep. Sleep helps recharge your body and make it more resilient to stress. Lack of sleep shows up as those ugly circles under your eyes. Try to stick to a regular bedtime and do something relaxing beforehand like yoga or aromatherapy.
5. Keep your hands away from your face. Bacteria from your hands can stimulate an acne outbreak, especially when you’re stressed.
6. Hydrate. Drink enough water to flush impurities from your body, which can help keep skin clear.
7. Throw away the magnifying mirror. We’re already hard enough on ourselves—we don’t need to be examining our skin up close for flaws. Reduce your stress and put the magnifying mirror away for the holidays!
8. Exfoliate. Getting rid of those dead skin cells helps your newer cells show through, which increases the glow of skin. Try a natural exfoliator like Zia Natural Skin Care Pumpkin Exfoliating Mask.
9. Try an herbal facial. These can perform double duty—relax you and relax your skin. Try some of the natural herbal facials found here.
10. Commit to a daily skin-care regimen. During the holidays it’s easy to forget our regular skin care routine. You feel rushed, or maybe you’re too exhausted at night to put in the time. Just five minutes morning and night to cleanse, tone, and hydrate can make a big difference!

Do you have any tips for fighting the effects of holiday stress on the skin? Let us know.

Sources

American Academy of Dermatology. “Feeling Stressed? How Your Skin, Hair And Nails Can Show It.” ScienceDaily, 9 Nov. 2007. Web. 5 Dec. 2011.

Photo courtesy blue_glasses via Flickr.com.

Though science can’t yet tell us if eating hot dogs increases the risk for cancer, for example, they can tell us that some ingredients in hot dogs may be carcinogenic. Here are my top ten foods to stay away from for that reason alone.

1.  Potato chips and French fries. According to the National Cancer Institute, acrylamide is a chemical used for industrial purposes that is found in many foods, with particularly high levels in some potato chips, French fries, and other foods cooked at high temperatures. (Baking, roasting, and frying can all produce acrylamide.) Based on animal studies, acrylamide is considered a probable human carcinogen. Though the Environmental Protection Agency regulates levels of acrylamide in drinking water, there are currently no guidelines on acrylamide in food itself. Boiled potatoes have been found to be free of acrylamide.

2.  Hot dogs and deli meats. Many of these contain nitrites as preservatives, which during the cooking process, can form carcinogenic N-nitroso compounds. These compounds have been associated with several different cancers. One study published in Cancer Causes & Control, for example, found that children eating more than 12 hot dogs a month had nine times the normal risk of developing childhood leukemia. Any cured meat may contain nitrites, including lunch meats, bacon, ham, and even cured fish. And so far, “organic” and “natural” hot dogs aren’t much better—an article in The New York Times noted they often contain nitrites, too.

3.  Canned foods. Cans used to store foods are often coated in a type of plastic that’s made with bisphenol-A (BPA), a chemical that’s been linked to breast cancer and prostate cancer because of its hormone-altering capabilities. Though not labeled a carcinogen on its own, evidence suggests that it increases cancer susceptibility through changes to DNA. A recent study found that people who ate canned soup for five days straight saw their urinary levels of BPA spike 1,200 percent compared to those who ate fresh soup. Buy foods in boxes, jars, and BPA-free cans.

4.  Chicken and apple juice. Recent studies have found both chicken and apple juice sold in the U.S. can contain small levels of arsenic, which has been linked to skin, lung, and bladder cancer. Some apple juices were found to contain more than the amount deemed safe in drinking water. The good news is that as a result of an FDA study on chicken, the manufacturer of the chicken feed laced with arsenic said it would pull the ingredient off the market. The debate on juice is still ongoing. Carefully research the brands you buy.

5.  Restaurant grilled or pan-fried chicken. A study published in Nutrition and Cancer found that when 100 samples of grilled chicken from seven popular chain restaurants contained PhIP, a known human carcinogen. The restaurants where the samples were obtained included Applebee’s, Burger King, Chick-fil-A, Chili’s, McDonald’s, Outback, and T.G.I. Friday’s—and watch out. Some of the samples tested included the grilled chicken that’s used on salads.

6.  Donuts, rolls, and buns. Most of these are made from white flour, and white flour may contain potassium bromate, a food additive used in the bread-making process that has been found to be carcinogenic in animal studies. The Center for Science in the Public Interest has petitioned the FDA to prohibit the use of potassium bromate, but so far it is not restricted in the U.S. Donuts are also full of sugar and trans fats, so either cut them out completely, or eat sparingly. Look for “potassium bromate” or “bromated flour” on the ingredient label. Brands like Orowheat, Entenmann’s, Pepperidge Farm, and Pillsbury have switched to bromate-free processes. Supermarket chains like Giant, Jewel, Ralph’s, and Von’s also do not use bromate.

Do you have tips for avoiding carcinogens in food? Please share!

Sources

National Cancer Institute Fact Sheet, “Acrylamide in Food and Cancer Risk.” http://www.cancer.gov/cancertopics/factsheet/Risk/acrylamide-in-food.

Peters J, et al ” Processed meats and risk of childhood leukemia (California, USA)” Cancer Causes & Control 5: 195-202, 1994.

William Neuman, “What’s Inside the Bun?” The New York Times, July 1, 2011. http://www.nytimes.com/2011/07/02/business/02hotdog.html.

Ruth A. Keri, et al., “An Evaluation of Evidence for the Carcinogenic Activity of Bisphenol A,” Reprod. Toxicol, 2007; 24(2): 240-252. http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC2442886/.

Jenny L. Carwile, et al. “Canned Soup Consumption and Urinary Bisphenol A: A Randomized Crossover Trial.” The Journal of the American Medical Association, November 23/30, 2011, Vol. 306, No. 20, pp 2187-2283. http://jama.ama-assn.org/content/306/20/2218.2.short.

Kristie M. Sullivan, et al., “Detection of PhIP in Grilled Chicken Entrees at Popular Chain Restaurants Throughout California.” Nutrition and Cancer Volume 60, Issue 5, 2008. http://www.tandfonline.com/doi/abs/10.1080/01635580801956519.

Y Kurokawa, et al., “Toxicity and Carcinogenicity of Potassium Bromate—a New Renal Carcinogen,” Environ Health Perspect. 1990 July; 87: 309-335. http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC1567851/.

Photo courtesy stu_spivack via Flickr.com.

1. Acrylamides. These are chemical compounds that can damage the nervous system and have shown to be carcinogenic in animal studies. The tricky part is that these chemicals don’t show up on the ingredient list. The Swedish National Food Administration has stated that they can be found in baked and fried starchy foods, like potato chips and cookies. Best bet: keep your intake of these foods to a minimum, and purchase from brands dedicated to using healthy ingredients and cooking processes.

2. Artificially colored foods. I’m talking about things like candy, gelatin, and fruit snacks that are colored with artificial chemicals like blue 1 and 2, red 3 and yellow 6. These have been linked in animal studies to cancer.

3. Aspartame. If you think you’re saving your waist line by drinking diet drinks, beware—many have this artificial sweetener, which has been linked to headaches, dizziness, nausea, depression, fatigue, and sleeping problems. Early science has also raised concern about potential brain problems, like memory loss and seizures, resulting from excess aspartame.

4. Bisphenol-A (BPA). I’ve posted about this one before. Used to make plastics, it can seep into food from both plastic and can containers, and it’s linked with hormone disruption.

5. High fructose corn syrup. The real danger of this ingredient is that it’s in absolutely everything, from cookies and cakes to ketchup, yogurt, and bread. Researchers suggest it could have a lot to do with our nation’s expanding waistlines. In addition, some studies suggest that the body metabolizes it differently than regular sugar, leaving us less satisfied and more likely to eat more. Oh, and did I mention it’s often contaminated with mercury?

6. Partially hydrogenated oils. This is where those dangerous trans fats come from. Oils are modified by chemicals to make them stable at room temperature—and to increase shelf-life—which changes their overall chemical makeup, and makes them more likely to clog arteries and lead to heart problems. You’ll see them listed on the ingredient decks of chips, cookies, pastries, and more.

7. Pesticides. These chemicals are designed to kill bugs, but they can also seriously affect our health. Pesticides have been linked with brain and nervous disorders, and research shows that they can cause brain cancers in children. Buy organic produce when you can—one study found that when kids were switched to organic produce, the pesticide levels in their urine dropped overnight and stayed low.

8. Phosphoric acid. Did your mother ever tell you that soda would rot your teeth? If so, she was right, as it comes with this ingredient, which is literally an acid that dissolves the carbon dioxide in the soda. Did you know that it’s also used to clean the rust off of metals?

9. Sodium nitrite. It’s best to stay away from anything with the word “nitrite.” These are carcinogens you’ll find in some lunch meats and other processed meats like bacon, pepperoni, sausage, and hot dogs. Look for the words “nitrite-free” on your processed meats, or better yet, avoid them completely.

10. Sugar. A little sugar won’t hurt you. The problem is that it’s everywhere in our food supply, not just as sugar, but as corn syrup, corn syrup solids, and more. Refined sugar is stripped of all the good stuff and serves no good purpose in the body, but it does contribute to weight gain and may encourage diabetes and mood disorders. Cut back when you can, and choose stevia and agave as more nutritious sweetening options.

Have you changed your shopping habits to avoid toxins in food? Please share your tips.

Photo courtesy jazzijava via Flickr.com.

Then she went to the Philippines on a church mission and went through a life-changing experience. Today Todra is a hardworking advocate for non-toxic cosmetics and the small brands that make them. You can find great recommendations on her website, HealthyBeautySocial.com. We spoke with Todra to find out just what changed her mind about beauty products, and what she feels is important for women’s health today.

Changed by a Child

“I’m not a kid person,” Todra says, “but when I went on a mission to the Philippines with my church, I ended up working at the orphanage.” She laughs and says she tried to fix the mix-up, but there was nothing for it. The orphanage was to be her place of work for the 2-3 weeks she was there.

“I realized really quickly that these children were different,” she says. “I had brought some crackers with me from the airport, and this little girl just kept staring at me, so I gave them to her. Her face lit up and she was like, ‘Are you sure, ma’am?’ I told her of course, to enjoy them, so she got ready to eat them and it was like someone stopped the record. All the children in the courtyard turned and stared at her, like, ‘Look what she’s got!’ I mean, these kids eat rice and bananas every day. The little girl looked around at all their faces, and then she took that small package of crackers—they were like Nutter Butters or something—and broke them all into little pieces and held her hand out so all the other kids could have a taste. I was crying!”

That was just one of the many moving moments Todra experienced on her mission, and when she came back to the United States, she wasn’t the same person anymore. “I was miserable,” she said. “I started thinking about all the people that were really poor and going through so much, and I felt my life was really extravagant, frivolous and silly.”

A Spiritual Journey

Looking for something spiritual and grounding, Todra turned to yoga, and found that her practice gradually broadened her desire for a cleaner, healthier life. “I realized I was consumed with so many things that have very little relevance,” she says. “Bit by bit changes started happening.” Todra took the junk food and sweets out of her diet and started feeling more energy and vitality. “What other natural things can I do?” she asked herself. “What other things are more in line with who I’m becoming?”

Natural Works Just as Well

As a makeup artist, Todra often receives free products from various brands to try in her profession. “Someone sent me a mineral makeup,” she says, “and I remember thinking, ‘What’s the difference?’” Her thoughts turned to the thousands of dollars worth of makeup she had in her professional kits. What was in them? Slowly, she began to separate herself from the flashy marketing, the celebrity glitz, and the design of the products, and began to read the ingredient lists.

“At first I had no idea what I was reading,” she says, but over time she began to research each chemical, even calling cosmetic representatives and researchers. Her blog, which she originally used to update people on her makeup projects, soon became a place to tell readers about safer alternatives. “I found small companies making amazing products, but they were not featured in major magazines like Vogue. I tried them, and realized these were good products—they just weren’t as well known.”

A Better Alternative

Todra became friends with the representatives from the natural cosmetic brands, and soon it was inevitable that she would end up helping them get the word out. Her website, HealthyBeautySocial.com, does just that, providing a forum where women can talk to women—and direct to the manufacturers—about safer alternatives.

Todra and her team screen the brands before allowing them to create pages on the site. Once the brands have established their presence, site visitors may ask questions about products and ingredients, and sometimes even make requests for customized items.

“We wanted the members of Healthy Beauty Social to be able to talk directly to these brand owners,” Todra says. “I love it because I see the heart these manufacturers put into their products,” she says, “and I like their products!”

As for her own journey, Todra says there’s no looking back. Today she continues to be careful what she eats, to use beauty products “without junk” inside them, and to work toward a satisfying exercise program. “I really notice a difference in how I feel,” she says, “and I love it when I tell someone my age and they go, ‘No! Really?’ I think a big part of that is just taking care of myself.”

If you’d like more information on Todra’s recommended products, see her website HealthyBeautySocial.com.

What is the thyroid?

The thyroid gland, located in the front part of the neck, produces hormones that are responsible for regulating metabolism, growth and development, and organ function. If it’s overactive, it releases too much hormone, causing the body to use up energy faster than it should, which may result in irritability, fatigue, difficulty sleeping, and muscle weakness (hyperthyroidism). If it’s underactive, it produces too little hormone, and the body uses energy more slowly, which may result in weight gain and depression (hypothyroidism). Thyroid cancer, though highly survivable, often requires surgery.

The Toxic Chemicals Linked to Thyroid Problems

According to the American Cancer Society (ACS), thyroid cancer is one of the few types of cancer that’s on the rise, with the number of people diagnosed twice what it was in 1990. Though the organization attributes the increase partly to the use of thyroid ultrasound, which can detect small potential tumors, they admit that doesn’t fully explain the increase.

Science is finding that the hormones in the human body are particularly sensitive to toxic chemicals. Just like BPA (a chemical used in the manufacturing of plastics) can alter hormone function, other chemicals have been found to increase risk of thyroid problems.

Pesticides. The American Journal of Epidemiology published a study in 2010 that showed that women married to men who used pesticides in their daily work were at a much higher risk of developing thyroid disease than women in non-agricultural areas. The nonprofit group Beyond Pesticides warns that about 60 percent of pesticides used today may affect the thyroid gland’s production of hormones.

Perchlorate. According to a study published in the Journal of Occupational and Environmental Medicine, babies born with elevated levels of thyroid stimulating hormone—an indicator of thyroid disease—may have been affected by small amounts of perchlorate in the mother’s drinking water. Perchlorate is a chemical used to manufacture rockets, missiles, and fireworks. It may contaminate drinking water, crops irrigated by contaminated water, and milk and milk products from cows that graze on contaminated grasses. In 2004, the Environmental Working Group (EWG) found that levels of perchlorate in milk coming from California cows exceeded safety standards. In 2007, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) notified Congress of study results showing widespread human exposure, higher levels in children, and a connection between urine perchlorate levels and thyroid hormone levels.

Food colorings. Red 3 was recognized in 1990 by the FDA as a thyroid carcinogen in animals—it’s banned in cosmetics and externally applied drugs, but it’s still permitted in ingested drugs and foods.

Teflon. The EWG found that perfluorooctanoic acid (PFOA), a chemical used to make Teflon, food wrappers, and other products, may affect thyroid function even at moderate levels of exposure. A recent study published in Environmental Health Perspectives found that higher concentrations of PFOA are associated with current thyroid disease in the U.S. general adult population.

Phthalates, dioxins, and flame retardants: Though studies are still inconclusive on these chemicals, they have all been linked with thyroid disruption, and according to a study published in the European Journal of Endocrinology, “There is growing evidence that environmental chemicals can disrupt endocrine systems….Even small changes in thyroid homeostatis may adversely affect human health, and especially fetal neurological development may be vulnerable.”

Protect Yourself!

How can you protect yourself? Keep making all the changes we talk about on this blog. Buy organic to reduce your exposure to pesticides, cook in pans not coated by Teflon, avoid food colorings (particularly red), filter your drinking water, and take my Ingredients to Avoid list with you shopping for personal care products. With a little extra care, you can help reduce your toxic exposure and increase your odds of staying healthy and happy.

Do you have some tips for keeping the thyroid healthy? Please share.

Sources

Whitney S. Goldner, et al., “Pesticide Use and Thyroid Disease Among Women in the Agricultural Health Study,” Am. J. Epidemiol. (2010) 171 (4): 455-464. http://aje.oxfordjournals.org/content/171/4/455.abstract.

Journal of Occupational and Environmental Medicine 2000; 42: 777

CDC Congressional Testimony, “Committee on Energy and Commerce Subcommittee on Environment and Hazardous Materials, United States House of Representatives, CDC’s Perchlorate Biomonitoring Activities and Study Results,” April 25, 2007. http://www.cdc.gov/washington/testimony/2007/t20070425a.htm.

Center for Science in the Public Interest (CSPI), “Food Dyes: A Rainbow of Risks.” http://www.cspinet.org/new/pdf/food-dyes-rainbow-of-risks.pdf.

Environmental Working Group, “Major Study of Teflon Chemical in People Suggest Harm to Immune System, Liver, Thyroid,” Press Release May 13, 2008. http://www.ewg.org/release/major-study-teflon-chemical-people-suggests-harm-immune-system-liver-thyroid.

Melzer D., et al., “Association Between Serum Perfluorooctanoic Acid (PFOA) and Thyroid Disease in the U.S. National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey,” Environ Health Perspect. 2010 May; 118(5): 686-92. http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/20089479.

Malene Boas, et al., “Environmental Chemicals and Thyroid Function,” European Journal of Endocrinology (2006) 154: 599-611. http://www.eje.org/content/154/5/599.full.pdf.

Photo courtesy SabrinaSako via Flickr.com.

You’re in luck! I’ve got some great ideas for you. Check out this list of 10 and see if any of them fit what you’re looking for. Then be sure to write in and tell me about how the gift was received!

1. When Cancer Hits. Okay, it’s the obvious one and you knew I had to mention it, so here it is—my book, When Cancer Hits. Seriously, I’ve gotten some great feedback from readers, and those who got it after their cancer treatments were over say they wished they had it during treatment. It’s safe, it’s inexpensive, and it has lots of great tips inside!

2. Spa treatments. Ask anyone living with cancer—or who has survived cancer, for that matter—what really feels good, and they’re likely to say something like a massage, reflexology, or a relaxing facial. Why not get them a gift certificate to the spa? Just make sure you choose one that has people trained in oncology esthetics. Here’s a great list of licensed oncology estheticians near you.

3. Sable’s food bars. These were developed with feedback from actual cancer patients. You can take them with you, and they come in several great flavors. Easily digestible and full of nutrients, Sable’s bars are something your loved one may be able to eat when not much else sounds appetizing.

4. Guided meditations. I don’t know if your friend has tried meditation, but even if he or she hasn’t, the CDs from Belleruth Naparstek’s “Health Journeys” can be extremely relaxing and stress-relieving. My father used them all the time during his cancer battle and I love the general wellness one.

5. Comfy pajamas, robes, and slippers. If you know someone who’s going through chemotherapy or radiation, they will absolutely love these. Look for PJ’s that have elastic waists, and slippers with rubber soles to help prevent falls. For those suffering night sweats, Dry Babe absorbent PJ’s are really helpful.

6. Soft cotton gloves. Those living with cancer are more at risk from exposure to the sun, to toxic chemicals, and to sharp objects. They are also likely to have dry hands. Cotton gloves can be worn at night to seal in moisturizer, and during the day to protect the hands from injury. Gardening gloves shield against the elements, and household gloves protect against excess water—though be cautious with rubber gloves as they can seal in heat, making hand and foot syndrome worse.

7. Argan oil. Cancer patients and survivors suffer from extremely dry skin. Kahina Giving Beauty 100% Organic Argan Oil is the perfect moisturizer. Free of synthetics, it nurtures and repairs without harsh chemicals, yet it has only one ingredient!

8. Alcohol-free mouthwashes and sulfate-free toothpastes. Alcohol is harsh and irritating, especially to mouths that are plagued with sores. Toothpastes with sodium laureth sulfate are known to increase the risk of mouth ulcers. Look for safer brands like Vitacare.

9. Scent-free products. Synthetic fragrances can contain hundreds of chemicals not listed on the label. Some of these may be harsh or irritating to sensitive skin. Those living with cancer may also find some fragrances nauseating. Look for quality fragrance-free personal care products. A basket full of fragrance-free items makes a great gift! Just make sure you read the labels for other potentially harmful chemicals and stay away from my Ingredients to Avoid.

10. Eyebrow stencils. People living with cancer may lose their hair not only on their heads, but over their eyes as well. If you’ve never drawn on eyebrows before, you may find the task really difficult. Anastasia has the perfect eyebrow kit, and Jane Irdale includes shadows, wax and brushes.

Do you have some great safe gift ideas for the holidays? Let us know!

Photo courtesy Pedal Power CT via Flickr.com.

1. A wired or wireless earpiece for their cell phone. If your friend or loved one is still talking directly on his or her cell phone, this makes the perfect gift. Though studies are still inconclusive, there is some evidence that placing the cell phone itself next to your head might slightly increase your risk of rare types of brain cancer. Play it safe by using a device that gets the phone itself away from your head, as that reduces your exposure to electromagnetic radiation.

2. Meditation CDs. I recommend those created by Belleruth Napersteck. She has a lovely voice. I usually get into a nice warm tub and listen to either her lower stress or general wellness CDs because they’re so relaxing. You don’t necessarily have to “meditate” per se while you’re listening—you can use them just to help you de-stress and relax—which helps reduce stress hormones and keep you healthier this season.

3. Beauty Sprinkles Mask. This is so easy and so safe, yet my face just glows after I use it. It rejuvenates, gives radiance to the skin, and refines, and it’s all non-toxic, made with powdered vitamins, flowers, fruits, and plants. All you do is add Greek Yogurt. The perfect pick-me-up!

4. Essence of Vali Sleep Ritual. I underestimated the power of aromatherapy until I tried this sleep ritual. I put a couple drops on the corner of my pillow and immediately I felt the calming effects. If I’m extra stressed out, I’ll take a hot bath before bed with the sleep massage oil. I love these products so much I don’t go anywhere without them!

5. Stainless Steel Water Bottle. Friends don’t let friends drink from plastic bottles, I say! (grin) I love this bottle. It really drives home the message and it’s a great practical gift that reduces exposure to BPA and the other chemicals in plastics. You may also want to get your friend the Brita water filter to help reduce the toxins in tap water like chromium VI.

6. Microcurrent Facial. We may live in a Botox world, but I’ve found something safer with microcurrent facials. I’m currently getting them from the Joanna Vargas salon here in New York City and I can’t believe the results! There are no toxins involved, and nothing injected into your skin. The esthetician simply uses a microcurrent machine that provides gentle electrical stimulation to trigger the body’s natural healing properties. Skin looks younger, smoother, and more toned immediately (continuous treatments are recommended to maintain results). You may also want to try LED/red-light treatments, which are similar in that there are no toxins involved and no side effects. Instead, estheticians use LED light to deliver energy to the skin which is anti-inflammatory and it boosts collagen and elastin production. Great before a big event or a special night out!

7. Safe candles. Toxic substances like astoluene and benzene may be emitted by paraffin-based candles. Other chemicals from candles with synthetic fragrances can also pollute a happy home. Use soybean-based candles with 100% essential oils, or try Neom candles, made with all natural vegetable wax and essential oils. If you’re purchasing for a family with kids, cut down on fire danger with my new obsession, flameless candles.

8. LaVanila Healthy Deodorant. Want to help your friend get away from the aluminum in most antiperspirants? I love LaVanila Healthy deodorant in the vanilla lavender scent—it smells lovely and really works! Best of all it’s made with essential oils and aloe, without parabens, aluminum, or propylene glycol.

9. Bach Flower Remedy. Want to help your loved ones reduce stress this holiday season? This Original RESCUE Remedy really saved my life the last few months while I’ve been working on my book launch and my new skincare line all at the same time! Spray it twice in your tongue if you feel yourself getting worked up—it provides instant relief and you can use it throughout the day. It’s like yoga in a bottle.

10. Safe, Perfume. Perfume can be especially toxic because it’s made with so many unknown chemicals mixed together. This is a great time to encourage your loved ones to make the shift. I love these—A Perfume Organic and Give, both made with herbs, fruits, and pure oils.

11. Crazy, Sexy Diet. Know someone who wants to make a shift into a healthier lifestyle? Maybe they’re ready to learn more about how to reduce the risk of disease, lose weight and feel great? I loved Crazy, Sexy Diet. I read it cover to cover and found it to have extremely practical tips on how to switch to a more natural and raw diet and how to start incorporate juicing. It’s a must for anyone who wants to feel better!

12. Feel the Fear and Do It Anyway. This is one of my favorite books ever (Feel the Fear and Do It Anyway). It’s the first one my dad bought me when I was in my late teens, and I still pick it up when I’m taking on new challenges. Other great books include Are You Tired and Wired (great for friends who are overworked), and my new book, When Cancer Hits (great for anyone who’s lived with cancer, including fighters, survivors, and caregivers), and No More Dirty Looks (great for those learning to reduce toxic exposure).

Finally, whatever you get, try to avoid these dangerous four:

1. Regular perfumes and colognes (full of toxic and harsh chemicals—read more)
2. Baby gifts with BPA (read more here)
3. Clothing full of GMOs, dyes, and pesticides
4. Regular personal care products full of chemicals (read my Ingredients to Avoid)

Do you have recommendations for safe holiday gifts? Please share!

Photos courtesy of their respective brands and annavignet via Flickr.com.

On top of that, you’ve been exposed to chemicals your entire life, probably at a much higher rate than your parents or grandparents were, simply because of the increase in chemicals present in today’s environment. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention have conducted numerous studies on the issue, and have found that Americans have PBDEs (chemicals used to make materials fire resistant), BPA (chemicals used to manufacture plastics), PFCs (used to make heat-resistant products), and more in their blood and urine.

Learning to Reduce Your Toxic Exposure

You may not want to think about all this while going through cancer treaments, but I bring it up in chapter 3 of my book (When Cancer Hits) because it’s during cancer treatments that you’re at your most fragile, which means you need to start being more conscious about the chemicals that could be affecting your health. In addition, you may find yourself more sensitive than ever before to products with chemicals. For example, have you walked down the laundry aisle lately? Find yourself covering your nose?

After my father and I both had cancer, we had a few “aha” moments where we realized some of the stresses we had unwittingly put on our bodies. You may be sensing the same thing, particularly because we tend to be more attuned to the environments around us when we’re not feeling well. Your body needs your help to regain strength and vitality. One thing you can do immediately is start cutting down on the number of toxins it has to process.

In this chapter, you’ll learn how to:

1. Read labels on personal care products. I’ll tell you what to watch out for and how to tell the truth about the products you’re using on your body.
2. Avoid certain ingredients. There are several common ones out there that a lot of manufacturers are using that have shown in studies to be potentially carcinogenic, potentially harmful to your health, or toxic to your skin and hair.
3. Buy organic produce. You may not think it’s worth the bother—I’ll explain why it is!
4. Safeguard your home. I’ll list several potentially harmful products that are probably in your home right now, and what you need to do to ensure your safety.
5. Clean carefully. Some of the products that are most toxic to us we use to clean our homes. I’ll tell you which ones are particularly bad for fragile bodies and how you can find better replacements.

It doesn’t take much to make a few changes in your life and your home to safeguard your health. While battling cancer, you’re more susceptible to infections, rashes, allergic reactions, and toxic buildup than ever before. You need all your strength to get well. Chapter 3 will show you how to keep everything in your personal space as safe and nourishing as possible.

(To buy a copy of When Cancer Hits, click here!)

Do you find yourself more sensitive to chemicals since you started cancer treatments? Have you tried some of the tips in my book? Let me know what you think!

Why Should We Be Concerned About Chemicals in Hair Dyes?

It comes down to accumulated toxic exposure. As I’ve mentioned in previous posts, hair dyes contain quaternium-15, which can release formaldehyde; phenylenediamine (PPD), which may be carcinogenic; and alkylphenol ethoxylates (APEs), potential hormone disruptors. Though studies remain inconclusive overall, many have indicated that some ingredients in hair dyes can cause cancer, particularly for those who are exposed a lot, like hair dressers and stylists.

We also need to be cautious of what we apply to the scalp because it can absorb potentially harmful chemicals and transmit them into the bloodstream. A study published in the American Journal of Epidemiology, for example, states, “Several studies suggest that toxic chemicals in hair products may be absorbed through the scalp in sufficient amounts to increase the risks of adverse health affects in women….”

What’s Safe and What’s Not?

If you talk to a hair stylist about the safest method of hair coloring, most likely he or she would tell you to avoid coloring altogether. To change the color of your hair requires a chemical reaction, so it’s difficult to completely avoid any chemical exposure. There are some more natural brands of hair coloring out there, but the actual chemical difference is slight—perhaps one molecule removed from full-blown ammonia, for example. So all in all, there’s just not a 100% safe hair color out there.

The other issue is that many natural hair dyes have not received the best reviews as far as color matching and consistent results. They may have fewer harmful ingredients, but you may not be as happy with the results. This is where you must make a decision—how much risk are you comfortable taking? If you’re healthy with no auto-immune diseases or chemical sensitivities, you may feel okay about using a regular brand once in awhile. If you’re going through cancer, or if you have sensitive skin, allergies, or chemical sensitivities, you may feel differently.

Some brands may have fewer potentially harmful ingredients than others, however, and may help lower your exposure. The FDA does not regulate hair dye ingredients, so watch labels for things like ammonia, peroxide, PPDs, coal tar (though most dyes don’t contain this anymore), toluene and resorcinol. Some natural dyes to try include Aubrey Organics, pure Henna (though realize you can’t change the color on this one if you don’t like it), and NaturaTint.

Finding a Safe Salon

Once you decide how you want to approach your hair care, the next step is to find a stylist who will work with you. Some have absolutely no experience with less toxic dyes, and others are well educated about them. Tell your stylist you’re concerned about chemicals and that you prefer hair dyes that are ammonia-free, herbal-based, low-PPD, lead-free, toluene-free and coal-tar-free. Discuss how you can reduce the number of times you have to get a complete color, such as choosing highlights or lowlights in between appointments, or going with something that’s closer to your natural shade or a lighter shade (as dark hair dyes are the most toxic) and perhaps consider embracing your gray hair.

As for some specific salons that cater to chemical-conscious customers, try Aveda salons (their dyes are more natural but do still contain ammonia). Planet Thrive has some other great less toxic hair salon suggestions for different states around the nation.

Do you have some tips for cutting back on hair chemicals? Please share.

Sources

Cheryl Blackmore-Prince, et al., “Chemical Hair Treatments and Adverse Pregnancy Outcome Among Black Women in Central North Carolina,” American Journal of Epidemiology Vol 149(8): 712-716 (1999). http://aje.oxfordjournals.org/content/149/8/712.full.pdf

Photo courtesy Utopia Salon via Flickr.com.

Their representative wanted my help in spreading the word about “Promise Me,” the pink perfume released earlier this year by Susan G. Komen for the Cure, the nation’s largest breast cancer foundation. The bottle has a pink glow and a pink ribbon, but as I mentioned before, it also has several potentially harmful chemicals, including synthetic fragrance, benzyl salicylate, and oxybenzone.

More Chemicals Than We Thought

What I learned from BCAction is that the perfume apparently contains even more chemicals than I thought—chemicals not listed on the ingredient deck. The organization performed an independent chemical analysis of the perfume, and found a number of chemicals not listed on the packaging. Two of the most serious were:

• Galaxolide (HHCB): a synthetic musk, this ingredient has weak estrogenic activity, meaning that it has the capability of disrupting hormones.¹ In an Environmental Working Group study, researchers found that 7 out of the 10 babies tested had galaxolide or another synthetic musk (tonalide) in their blood.² Studies in the 1990s also indicated that these types of musks may break down the body’s defenses against other toxic exposures.³
• Toluene: a liquid hydrocarbon present in coal tar and petroleum, toluene is used as a solvent in products, as well as an ingredient in degreasers, lacquers, glues, and nail polishes. It’s one of my ingredients to avoid because of its potential harmful health effects. Inhalation can cause hearing and color vision loss, memory loss, light-headedness, nausea, eye and nose irritation, and tiredness. Toluene may also harm an unborn fetus.

Komen’s Reaction

BCAction contacted Komen about theses results, asking them to pull the product from the shelves. They didn’t agree to do that, stating that their research concluded the product did not elevate risk of breast cancer in humans, but they did agree to reformulate to “remove any doubt about the ingredients.” The original perfume has been discontinued, and a new one is due out in early 2012. Bottles of the old one are still available for sale, however.

Whether or not the new perfume will be safer than the old, we don’t know. The problem is that some of these questionable ingredients are still used by companies because they believe that the small amounts present in the formulation present no danger. That may be true, but we’re lacking studies on the cumulative results of daily exposure, and that’s what concerns me. Studies have shown these ingredients can remain in our bodies for unknown periods of time. Why take the risk? Why include these ingredients in a product specifically made for those who’ve been touched by breast cancer and are potentially even more susceptible to harm from toxic exposure?

The Pinkwashing Point

Think Before You Pink also points out that this product is a pink product, meant to pull on our heartstrings along with our pocketbooks so that we’ll buy more to support breast cancer research. That makes it even more disturbing that this product contains potentially harmful ingredients. As such, it’s become a part of “pinkwashing“—the practice of producing products for breast cancer that could potentially be harmful for those with breast cancer.

You can help me do something about it by joining BCAction’s “Raise a Stink!” movement to urge Komen to immediately recall Promise Me, and to pledge to prevent pinkwashing in the future. Go to BCAction’s “Take Action” center and add your letter to those that have already been sent on this issue.

Together, our voices are powerful!

Did you participate in BCAction’s “Take Action” campaign? Please share your thoughts.

Sources

1. Seinen W, Lemmen JG, Pieters RH, Verbruggen EM, Van der Burg B. (1999). AHTN and HHCB show weak estrogenic but no uterotrophic activity. Toxicol. Lett. 111, 161–168.
2. Environmental Working Group (EWG) 2009. Pollution in Minority Newborns. Available: http://www.ewg.org/minoritycordblood.
3. Luckenbach, Till; Epel, David (January 2005). “Nitromusk and Polycyclic Musk Compounds as Long-Term Inhibitors of Cellular Xenobiotic Defense Systems Mediated by Multidrug Transporters.” Environmental Health Perspectives 113 (1): 17–24.

1. Buy organic! Smooth digestion starts with healthy foods. Go for organic turkey to avoid the growth hormones, organic fruits and veggies to cut back on pesticides, and pumpkin pie instead of apple—it’s easier on your stomach!

2. Take a probiotic supplement in the morning. Probiotics are natural, beneficial bacteria that help support healthy digestion.

3. Skip the canned food. Breast Cancer Action recently co-released with the Breast Cancer Fund a report studying BPA in Thanksgiving canned foods. All the samples, including canned gravy, evaporated milk, veggies, pumpkin and soup, had some level of BPA contamination. BPA has been linked to breast cancer and prostate cancer, and may have adverse effects on childhood development. Choose fresh or frozen over canned whenever possible.

4. Tone down the sugar. Sugars are naturally more difficult to digest (as are fats), and can increase your risk of bloat. Even the sugars in some dairy products (lactose) can cause maldigestion, so go easy on milk, creams, and other dairy-based foods, as well as candies and sugary drinks.

5. Drink more water. Water hydrates your bowel and helps increase the ease of digestion. Drink between meals, however—not so much during the meal, as that can actually hinder digestion.

6. Skip the starches. Cabbage, white potatoes, pasta, and wheat all contain starches that can lead to intestinal gas. You don’t have to avoid them completely, but dole out smaller servings to stay more comfortable.

7. Take some enzymes with your dinner. Cooking foods often destroys the enzymes, which can make some foods harder to digest. Supplemental enzymes can help break down these foods to make it easier on the stomach.

8. Combine foods carefully. Did you know that certain foods in combination are more likely to cause indigestion? On the whole, denser and less liquid foods take longer to digest, so you want to save them for last, so they don’t jam up the system. Start with salad, then proceed with protein and combine with cooked veggies. Indigestion happens when we combine carbs (like bread, rolls, squash, potatoes, and rice) with proteins (like turkey, beans, and dairy). On this holiday, however, you might not be able to help that. Just know you want the least amount of starches with your turkey if you can. Skip fruit altogether on this meal and have it first thing in the morning. My friends at LYT in NYC have some great advice on combining foods for the best digestion here.

9. Take your time eating and chew thoroughly. Eating fast overwhelms your digestive system. Snack on some veggies and hummus, yogurt or nuts before dinner to keep yourself from getting overly hungry, as that’s when you’re likely to inhale everything without chewing. Then savor each bite and enjoy some conversation between courses.

10. Try some ginger tea after your meal. Ginger, peppermint, and fennel help reduce gas. Try them as herbal teas or sprinkle a little ginger on your sweet potatoes or squash.

By the way, if you’re going through cancer treatments and nothing sounds good this holiday, check out this cookbook. It may just have something that sounds good to you.

Do you have some tips to help avoid holiday bloat? Please share!

Picture courtesy Aaron Joll via Flickr.com.

Study Details

Granted, most of us aren’t exposed to the levels of pesticides that these study participants were. Researchers from the University of Sterling in Scotland studied over 1,000 Canadian women, half of whom had already been diagnosed with breast cancer. They found that those women who had the disease were nearly three times as likely to have worked on a farm, especially when they were teenagers.

The authors of the study speculated that toxic pesticides and other farm chemicals could be responsible for initiating changes in women’s breasts that would eventually lead to cancer. Developing breast tissue is particularly vulnerable to toxic exposure.

Cancer Related to Your Career?

Andrew Watterson, one of the study researchers, added that roughly four percent of all cancers are related to a woman’s occupation. He found that the risk of breast cancer was highest in women who worked or lived on farms during adolescence, then went on to work in the auto or health industries. Chemicals from all of these occupations, including radiation, drugs, anesthetic waste gas, pesticides, and solvents, could be linked to cancer.

Other Scientists are Skeptical

Other scientists aren’t so sure about this study. Some say there were too few participants for the results to carry too much weight. Meanwhile there are many other factors that can contribute to cancer risk, including smoking, weight gain, heredity, a sedentary lifestyle, poor diet, and stress.

This isn’t the first study to make this sort of connection, however. Research by R. H. Allen and colleagues discussed breast cancer patterns in Hawaii as they related to toxin exposure, and Teitelbaum and colleagues found that residential pesticides may also increase cancer risk. More studies need to be done, but it seems science is finally paying attention to what we suspected all along—that these chemicals are just not good for us.

Reduce Your Exposure to Pesticides

What can you do to reduce your exposure to pesticides? Try these few tips, and realize that people who are involved in occupations exposing them to chemicals are far more at risk than those who aren’t. Every little bit helps, however, in living your healthiest life possible!

• Buy organic, particularly for foods you don’t peel like apples, celery, strawberries, peaches, pears, greens, and tomatoes. Wash all fruits and vegetables before eating.
• Try to get rid of pests without chemicals. Block openings under doors and around vents, and keep your house clean and free of areas where pests can find food and water.
• Avoid pesticides in your home, and buy non-toxic deterrents instead. If you must use a pesticide, protect yourself with gloves and a mask.
• Take your shoes off before you enter the house. Chemical residues tracked in on the bottom of your shoes can last for years in carpeting.

How do you reduce your exposure to pesticides? Please share your tips.

Sources:

• R. H. Allen, “Breast Cancer And Pesticides in Hawaii: the Need for Further Study,” Environmental Health Perspectives, (1997) April (105, Suppl 3): 679-683.
• Susan L. Teitelbaum, et al., “Reported Residential Pesticide Use and Breast Cancer Risk on Long Island, New York,” Am. J. Epidemiol (2007) 165(6): 643-651.

Photo courtesy CHS Inc via Flickr.com.