Stella's Voice: The Most Important Thing You'll Read and Watch Today

Did you know that there are more slaves today than any time in human history? I didn't. There are millions of slaves all over the world and a large percentage of them are trafficked for sexual exploitation from country to country. In 2004 when I was 21, I traveled to Moldova with a group of youth and adults on a missionary trip. Outside of my comfort zone, I was blessed to help children and orphans in villages, bringing them the gospel. 

That is just one of many reasons why Stella's Voice is a ministry that tugs at my heart strings and I can't sit idle, I need to do something about this. You see, Moldova is one of the poorest countries on that continent. The dilapidated state-run orphanages keep children until they are 16 and then they are sent out onto the street on their own. Many end up as human trafficking victims, sold into the sex trade with no hope for a better life. 

Please watch this video. Grab a tissue.

Stella's House is a home for orphan girls who have been aged out of state-run facilities. They also have a home for orphan boys, those at risk for being sold into slavery for construction work in Russia. 

"There are fifty-three girls in the homes now, and two more Stella’s Houses will be in operation in the near future. That means we will be even better able to end human trafficking, as we minister to these girls who have been left behind. 

It will cost $350,000 to convert each of the current shells into homes. When the two new homes are complete, they will each become a refuge for 25 girls. To a trafficker, each girl they “own” is worth $350,000 — each and every year that they are held in modern slavery. 

Our prayer is that God will lay it on the hearts of men and women everywhere to see the worth of these girls, and that many will be eager to donate the funds needed, to help us complete these homes and take one more step to stop human trafficking, now."

Orphan Girls from Stella's House

Myself and several girls that I know have formed a local group to help raise funds for various worthy causes and right now we are focusing on Stella's Voice and helping them build more homes for these orphan girls. 

I know not many of you have a ton of change to spare. But I also know there are things far more important than a cup of coffee at the coffee shop, that one more dress you wanted to buy for your daughter, or a new gadget on your shopping list because yours is 'outdated'. 

Be part of the ray of hope for the orphan girls of Moldova and join our Save the Sex Slaves fundraiser!

While we cannot single-handedly stop worldwide human trafficking, if we all pitch in to help those that are already doing something to stop it, we will propel the cause and it will matter to those souls that are directly affected by illegal human trafficking. 

Please donate today

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Nestle Thinks Water Is Not a Human Right

Gerber, Toll House, Nescafe, Stouffer's, Lean Cuisine, Juicy Juice, PowerBar, Poland Spring, Jenny Craig, DiGiorno. What do all those brands have in common? They are all owned by Nestle, one of the largest food giants in the world. 

I'm not even going to talk about the fact that most of their products contain toxic GMOs, if that wasn't bad enough. 

What's more disturbing is the mind set of the former Nestle CEO and current Chairman. Apparently he is convinced that water is not a human right and it should be privatized.

I'll let that sink in for a moment.

No living thing can survive without water. Your body composition is about 50 to 75 percent water. Who in their right mind would say "The one opinion which I think is extreme... is declaring water a public right. That means as a human being you should have a right to water. That's an extreme solution." Excuse me sir, if anything is extreme, it is your assumption that you should own all the water in the world.

I'll just let this video do the talking. My jaw dropped at how ridiculous the claims of this man are and how deceiving this video is. If you're pressed for time, you may start at the 2:00 mark to get right to the point.

So what would happen if water would be owned by huge corporations raking in the wealth? I think it's terrifying to even imagine. I do hope that for the average person, it's easy to see through the lies of such men. 

Nestle, of course, has been making headlines for decades with issues from child labor abuses (in the making of your much loved chocolate bars) and WHO code violations, to destroying sources of tourism and possible ties to murders of trade unionist in Columbia.

In 2001, Nestlé faced criticism for buying cocoa from the Ivory Coast and Ghana, which may have been produced using child slaves.[58] According to an investigative report by the BBC, hundreds of thousands of children in Mali, Burkina Faso and Togo were being purchased from their destitute parents and shipped to the Ivory Coast, to be sold as slaves to cocoa farms.

So next time you reach for the jar of Gerber baby food or a Kit Kat bar, think hard before supporting such human rights abuses (or GMOs). Your money is better off elsewhere, supporting small family-owned companies, local farmers, and maybe even seeds for growing your own. 

What do you think, is water a human right?

Why Steer Clear of This Food

I don't know about you, but I'm not crazy about the idea of eating something that has pesticides as part of it's DNA, not just sprayed on top but part of the genetic makeup. But guess what? We're most likely eating it. Probably every day. In crackers, cereal, cookies, bread, juices, and nearly every other processed food. Yes, I'm talking about corn.

As Michael Reilly writes: "A new analysis of data released by Monsanto pried from Monsanto's lawyers' cold dead hands by a tag-team of legal experts at Greenpeace and other groups suggests there may be something to the idea that we shouldn't be eating maize that's had its DNA messed with." In fact, research conducted on rats showed unusual concentrations of hormones and other compounds in their blood and urine. It suggests that each strain of corn tested impaired liver and kidney function (along with other issues). That's just the result of a 90 day study folks! Most Americans eat this day in and day out for years. 

Personally, how do we steer clear of genetically modified corn here at Eco-Babyz? Simply put, we don't buy anything that has any corn derivative in the ingredients unless it is organic. Genetically modified ingredients are banned from organic food. Not that there aren't loopholes, there probably are, but this is still your best way to avoid GM corn. Organic corn is hard to find (as the infographic below illustrates). It happens to be easy for us to avoid it since we stopped buying most processed foods and stick to real food (one-ingredient) or make our own things from scratch (baked goods).

As if it wasn't bad enough that genetically modified corn is in everything, there is more to the story and this Corn Infographic illustrates it well...

Corn Photo: Maja, courtesy of stock.xchng

Created by: www.LearnStuff.com

The New Fluoride Action Network 2.0

Did you see it? It's pretty neat I think. The newly redesigned Fluoride Action Network website is looking good and is so much more user and parent friendly now. A toxic drug does not belong in our water or our children, I think that we can all agree on.  

Wait, are you new here? You may have missed our article, "Fluoride: What Every Mom Should Know". That may give some clues as to why we're talking about fluoride here. Do you know if your city/town water is fluoridated? It is critical for you to know. The following excerpts will let you know why:

"The medical establishment has, of course, been wrong before. It was wrong about the safety of adding lead to gasoline, wrong about the safety of prescribing DES to pregnant women, wrong about the safety of asbestos, et cetera. And so too was it wrong about fluoride. In 2012, this statement should not be controversial. Adding fluoride to water supplies was, after all, based on the premise that children need to swallow fluoride to reap its benefit. We now know, however, that this is false. Fluoride’s primary benefit comes from topical contact with the teeth, not from ingestion. Further, despite claims in the 1950s and ’60s that fluoride was a nutrient, we now know this to be false as well. There is no need, therefore, to swallow fluoride for any reason. Had we known this in the 1950s, would water fluoridation have ever begun? Is that possibility even conceivable? Should a compound that does not treat the water, that does not need to be swallowed, that dental researchers now specifically warn not to give to infants, and that is readily available for individual use in the form of toothpaste, ever be added to the public’s water?"

You may have a lot of questions about fluoride, most of them will be answered HERE. If you're wondering what makes fluoride different from other water treatment chemicals, where the fluoride added to water comes from, or what are the risks from swallowing fluoride, you must read these. 

Some important facts:

• Fluoridation does not treat water itself, but the person consuming it. 
• Fluoride is a drug, not a nutrient.
• The fluoride added to public drinking water is not pharmaceutical grade, it is an unprocessed, industrial by-product and most times also contain arsenic and lead.
• Laboratory studies indicate that fluoride is a mutagen, a chemical that can cause genetic damage.

As you can see, it isn't something to mess with. I am really surprised that we, the citizens of the Unites States are in the dark about this matter and allow this to continue. It's mind boggling how our government can get away with this.

Follow the Fluoride Action Network on Twitter and Connect on Facebook! 

EWG 2012 Shopper's Guide: Dirty Dozen and Clean 15

Our mission here at Eco-Babyz is to help you raise a healthy family. It gets increasingly hard to do that being bombarded with toxic chemicals in nearly everything we eat and buy! I rely on EWG for a lot of decisions when it comes to what we buy. They just released the 2012 Shopper's Guide, the updated list on the 12 dirtiest produce items and 15 cleanest ones in terms of toxic pesticide residues. 

This is a must have every time you go food shopping! Not all of us can afford all organic produce, EWG helps you make a good decision on reducing pesticide exposure and saving you money by telling you what produce is okay to buy non-organic! I pretty much have most of these memorized after using it for a while, but they do also have a handy PDF or an app for your smart phone which you can get free just by signing up for their newsletter. Sure glad to have an organization like EWG behind our back considering the government doesn't think it is important to inform the consumer on what is safe to eat and what isn't. 

Check out the Full List 2012 Shopper's Guide of 45 Fruits and Veggies!

FDA: Voluntary Initiative to Reduce Antibiotic Use in Farm Animals

Yesterday, the FDA announced the steps they are taking to promote judicious use of antibiotics in food-producing animals. They are voluntary.

They recommend phasing out agricultural production use of drugs and instead phasing in only medically necessary use under the supervision of a veterinary doctor. 

In case you didn't know, all the meat you buy at a grocery store is usually treated with copious amounts of antibiotics - and not just to treat disease. Antibiotics are used to enhance growth and 'improve feed efficiency'.  Every day. Why is this a big deal? Because antibiotic resistant bugs already kill more Americans each year than AIDS.

So let's see... Instead of making factory farms clean up the filthy, disease-breeding conditions that animals live in and making them stop routine use of antibiotics, they offer a suggestion. For some people, for some children, who unknowingly eat meat with antibiotics every day - it will be a matter of life and death. It is sad that such an important matter is brushed aside instead of being dealt with directly.

What do you think? Should the FDA regulate the [over]use of antibiotics?

This is one of the reasons we go out of our way to buy meat without antibiotics and why you should consider it if you don't already. Because nobody will make that choice for you and your family.

Image: ddpavumba / FreeDigitalPhotos.net

FDA Denies Request to Ban BPA in Food Packaging

Bisphenol A is making headlines again. Why am I not surprised that the FDA is ignoring scientific evidence of the harm of BPA? This agency has long forgotten what it means to protect us and our children. Oh, I think they actually never did that in the first place - that's another story. As if it isn't enough that BPA is in many of the plastic things your baby eats out of and plays with, it is in so much of the processed food packaging. More reasons to buy fresh, real food.

Of course, the ban would hurt the profits of Silgan Holdings Inc., a huge $60 billion dollar industry. Why, of course that is more important than consumer health, sheesh, why even bother? [sarcasm]

In case you didn't know, BPA is produced by combining phenol and acetone, it mimics the female hormone estrogen and may affect the brain and prostate gland in fetuses and young children (according to the NRDC). I will have to agree with Jane Houlihan of the EWG that "The agency has veered dangerously off course. Pregnant women and new parents should no longer think FDA has their backs." Not that I thought is even did in the first place.

I'm not a big user of canned food. When I do buy cans I try to buy BPA free canned food. But even that doesn't guarantee safety considering the BPA label cannot be trusted.

Here are some tips from the EWG on steering clear of BPA. My tip? Buy real food. [note to self!]

Image: vichie81 / FreeDigitalPhotos.net

Neotame: New Toxic Sweetener Coming to the Food Near You

I like sweets, I admit. I choose to make my own with wholesome ingredients though. Getting store bought? You may not be so fortunate. First it was cancer-causing toxic aspartame, now it is neotame. New name, new toxicity. Based on the old aspartame formula, it also adds 3-dimethylbutyl to the ingredients - listed on the EPA's most hazardous chemicals list. 

Okay, that should be enough for anyone to avoid it and read ingredient labels! I'm sure you don't want that in your kids' lunch. 

Unfortunately there is more to this sheer madness. If you search pubmed.gov, the U.S. National Library of Medicine (with over 11 million medical citations), you will find zero double-blind scientific safety studies for neotame toxicity on humans or animals. If it was safe, wouldn't you think there would be at least one published study? Looks like the experiment is on, and we're the guinea pigs.

Neotame is manufactured from aspartame, but is 30 to 60- times sweeter. When aspartame breaks down in your body it does actually create formaldehyde, a byproduct. Formaldehyde is extremely toxic to your health even in small doses.

I'll stick to real food please. I like my sugar, honey, and maple syrup, and it doesn't make me fat. Artificial sweeteners make you gain weight. 

Image: Stuart Miles / FreeDigitalPhotos.net

DISCLAIMER: HEALTH ARTICLES ARE NOT INTENDED AS MEDICAL ADVICE AND ARE BASED ON OPINION.

Lead and Antibiotics in Store Bought "Honey"

I'm sorry in advance to be the bearer of bad news, but someone has to say it. Arsenic in juice, BPA in plastic, antibiotics in meat, now what? What else will moms cringe about and adjust to filter out of family life - again? This time it is the honey lining your grocery store's shelves. You may have thought honey is a better alternative to fake maple (i.e. corn) syrup. If it was real honey, yes. But chances are, if you buy it at a major supermarket or drug store - it isn't necessarily real honey. 

You see, to be called 'honey', the gooey mixture has to contain pollen - otherwise there is no way to tell what the origins of the honey are. But according to Food Safety News tests, 76% of honey samples from at least ten major supermarkets had all pollen removed. This is usually done by ultra-filtering at high temperatures, thus killing all the medicinal properties of honey - and making it impossible to know where the honey came from. So where does this honey come from? Most ultra-filtered honey is most likely from China. The FDA says that if it doesn't contain pollen, it isn't honey - yet they fail to check any honey shipping to the U.S. for pollen content.

Moreover, honey from China has a history of being contaminated with lead and antibiotics, just like so many other products imported from there. This sort of ultra-filtered, watered down pseudo-honey has been dumped on the U.S. market for years. There are a lot of sneaky details to this story that you can read over at Food Safety News. 

So in the meantime, what are we to do as moms? How do you find real honey? Well, thankfully Vaughn Bryant, director of Palynology Research Labaratory, also tested honey samples bought at farmer's markets, co-ops, and "natural" stores like PCC and Trader Joe's, all had the full amount of pollen as honey should contain. Whew. Also, your odds of getting real honey that's labeled organic are better, at about 71%. 

All the more reasons to get closer to your source of food and support your local beekeepers! Chances are, you cab find local honey near you. I think the Honey and Bee Products at Local Harvest is a good place to start. To get even closer to home, find a beekeeper near you here.  

Image: dan / FreeDigitalPhotos.net

Psychologist Dr. Gordon Neufeld: Let the Kids Play!

There is a trend in our society that is quite troubling. Children are forced into formal education at younger and younger ages. Well meaning adults often think it will make them smarter, help them succeed, give them a head start. [cue buzzer] Wrong! Psychologist Dr. Gordon Neufeld is stepping on 'overachieving moms' toes. He isn't the first either. 

"Life must be lived as play." -Plato

"Almost all creativity involves purposeful play." -Abraham Maslow

  

"Creative people are curious, flexible, persistent, and independent with a tremendous spirit of adventure and a love of play." -Henry Matisse

"Play is the highest form of research." -Albert Einstein

Turns out [gasp!] children who play more are smarter. Why? Because play helps children build problem solving networks. Even at six years old children are not ready to learn by working because the prefrontal cortex is still under construction. Preschoolers have to be secure in the love and attention of their families at this critical age. When that is absent, they will turn to peers for attachment. This will make sense to those who practice attachment parenting [wink!]. Gordon says "It takes six years of ideal conditions where a child gives his heart to his parents." Let's point out that students in Finland do not start formal education until the age of seven. Consequently the country boasts among the highest-ranking performers in international comparisons. 

On a personal note, I'm convinced that play is exactly what shaped my choice of occupation as an Interior Designer. I didn't start school until I was 7. I didn't even go to kindergarten (aside from those few weeks, mom). Was I behind my classmates? Not at all, in fact I was one of the 'smartest' in my class. I still remember vividly those first three years of school in Russia with little to no homework and a ton of time spent playing with my friends. Guess what was my favorite thing to do? Build homes for my dolls. Little did I know that fourteen years later I would be building scale models of people's homes at RBA. This isn't the only play scenario that shaped my interests as an adult. I could go on about drawing and painting, photography, and music. It's what I was born with and thankfully my parents didn't force learning on me and let me develop these passions. Not all children are so blessed. 

As I watch my children playing - I smile. I just need to join in, not look for a curriculum. 

What do you think? Do you still believe children benefit from early education? Or do you think that play is the best form of learning? What has been your childhood experience?

Photo: Baby E playing at the Boston Children's Museum 

Urgent! Oppose Monsanto Takeover of the FDA.

Wouldn't it be nice if the ingredients in food you buy and feed to your kids were tested for safety? It's great to dream. Truth is, there is absolutely no safety testing required for the genetically modified ingredients in nearly every package at the supermarket. No, it's perfectly fine to chemically modify seeds in a laboratory and spray the crops with toxic pesticides so that nothing that's alive would eat them - and then feed it to us, humans.

It is alarming, to say the least, that there is huge conflict of interest in the government. How can it even be legal for so many former Monsanto employees to work in the FDA and promote these toxic, cancer causing foods in our food supply? It's disgusting. If you're interested in the details, feel free to enlighten yourself. 

Meanwhile we need your help! Please sign the petition to oppose the appointment of Michael Taylor (former VP and lobbyist for Monsanto) as senior advisor to the commissioner at the FDA.

Image: Khalil Bendib

The Greater Good: Must see movie for every parent!

Only until November 5th you can view The Greater Good movie online for free. If you are a parent, you simply must see this movie. Whether you are pro, anti, or undecided when it comes to vaccines - you owe it to your children to watch this movie and to take the time to research the subject thoroughly. Thinking of getting the Gardasil shot for your daughter? Watch this first. In fact, watch it before your children's next pediatrician appointment. There are only a few days left to watch it free anyway, so now is a good time. 

This is more important than your menu plan for the week, your work, your holiday plans, the next 'big game', or any other excuse you can come up with. You can view the movie on Vimeo.

Please think hard and research all pros and cons before vaccinating your children with every vaccine in existence. You don't want to regret your decisions later.

I haven't finished watching the entire movie yet, but overall I think it is a well balanced, well researched account of the state of vaccinations today. I think parents have every reason to be doubtful of them and to ask questions. The science community better stop ignoring our questions and give us concrete answers, or at least stop treating parents like they aren't capable of seeing the obvious (in regards to vaccine injured children and side effects).

Comments are welcome, but please do not start bashing debates! We all want the best for our kids. We would love to know what you think of the movie. Thanks in advance for sharing your thoughts!

Over-the-Counter Drugs Double Risk of Miscarriage?

It seems like every day I see a new headline about the dangers to the unborn that surround us. It's especially glaring when you're the one who is pregnant. I recently wrote about diet soda being a possible miscarriage culprit. Now I'm writing about a more obvious danger, over-the-counter drugs. 

It's easy to assume that if it is sold freely in stores, it must be safe. Unfortunately that is far from the truth. Millions of Americans take non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs). This includes Aleve, Advil, Celebrex, and Diclofenac to name a few. A new study concluded that "Gestational exposure to any type or dosage of nonaspirin NSAIDs may increase the risk of spontaneous abortion. These drugs should be used with caution during pregnancy." This isn't the first time this kind of miscarriage link has been found either. Another 2003 study also found that NSAIDs or aspirin taken during pregnancy increased risk of miscarriage by 80%. 

We need to remember that pregnant women are not included in safety testing for all drugs before they are put on the market because of possible risks to the unborn baby. It is safest to assume that all drugs are not safe for you and baby, especially considering that the long lists of side effects actually affect normal, healthy adults. It's also important to note that another class of prescription drugs are very dangerous. Statins are guaranteed to cause birth defects or miscarriage as they are a Class X drug. Millions of Americans take these to lower cholesterol levels. With all this in mind, is it any wonder why 10 to 25 percent of pregnancies end up in miscarriage? The United States is the most drugged nation in the entire world. 

I'm glad we do not use any drugs in our household, we don't even keep them in the house. But I know many women who do and I hope you take this message into consideration to weigh the pros and cons of drugs and their effects on a fetus.

Image: graur razvan ionut / FreeDigitalPhotos.net

The Unhealthy Truth Book Review + Take Action on GMOs

What parent doesn't want their child to be healthy? Of course everyone does. It's unfortunate though that in the world we live in today, our food supply makes it hard or next to impossible. I have recently had the opportunity to review Robyn O'Brien's book, The Unhealthy Truth: How Our Food is Making Us Sick and What We Can Do About It. It is a revealing look into the food and drug industry that will most likely shock many mainstream parents. 

The contents may not be news to you if you already know why you buy organic, why you avoid genetically modified food, and what real food is. Truth is though, most parents today don't know the truth. Most parents think that the boxed, prepackaged stuff on store shelves is safe for their kids to eat. Our government protects us, right? There are rules and regulations? If that's what you think then you must read this book - for the sake of your family and their health. You'll raise your eyebrows when you find out how companies make safer foods for European children, yet fail to do anything about the poisons sold in the U.S. It will become quite obvious that the almighty dollar is the bottom line for food producers, not your health.

It is no coincidence that the rates of allergies, ADD/ADHD, autism, immune disorders, and asthma among children are skyrocketing. Robyn O'Brien is a mom just like you and I and one day she found out the hard way that the food she has been feeding her kids is far from safe. Her journey is inspiring for moms who don't know where to start on changing their family's diet. She offers some simple steps that you can take to head in that direction and all the reasons why it is worth it. You will not be growing your own food, baking your own bread, or canning, this book is for moms who aren't quite that crunchy. It didn't really have much new information for me, but reading Robyn's story was compelling and I have a new-found compassion for moms who are simply not aware of the truth and feed their kids the colored, artificial, and pesticide doused food. Read it and you'll see why and how you can slowly and affordably convert you kids and your family to healthier alternatives of the food you're eating now.

There is one thing you can do right now to make a difference for our food supply, go to Label My Food and ask to have genetically engineered food labeled in our country!

You can purchase The Unhealthy Truthon Amazon. 

Disclaimer: I did not receive any payment for this review. I was provided a sample of the product for review purposes. Thanks Stonyfield! The opinions are solely my own and your experience may differ.

Ingredients, GMOs, Infertility, Miscarriages...

If you have any interest in ingredient labels, infertility, miscarriages, and the like - feel free to read our two latest posts on Today's Mama. Here are excerpts:

Forget Nutrition Facts, Read the Ingredients

"I have a pet peeve for people who are religious about reading Nutrition Facts but never bother to look at Ingredients. They don’t even know what they are eating! They say “Oh, it’s low fat” or “there is not much sugar in here.” Yet they fail to recognize that what they are eating is not food, but a man made substance that’s hardly edible."

Read the rest of the article

GMOs: Miscarriage, Infertility, Preterm Labor, and Birth Defects

"It seems that all of us know at least one woman who struggles with infertility. I know more than one who has had a miscarriage. I know babies with birth defects. Once a rare occurrence these things are now considered normal, though just as unwelcome. Although there is generally never just one reason to blame for infertility, among the culprits are genetically modified organisms (GMOs). Consumed on a daily basis by most Americans, GMOs have made it into nearly every food on the market."

Read the rest of the article

Image: Michelle Meiklejohn / FreeDigitalPhotos.net

Fluoride: What Every Mom Should Know

There are many controversial subject where things aren't always black and white, with a lot of gray areas. Often both sides may have ground to stand on. There is one thing though that in my mind is very clearly dangerous to you and your children and unfortunately, as is often the case, our government is doing little to nothing to protect you. Fluoride has always been in the news, and we will see more of it.

Meanwhile, as a mother or mom-to-be, it is in your best interest to be knowledgeable and informed on such an important subject. This is a short summary of facts and studies that will help you determine whether fluoride supplementation is right for your kids, whether you even want fluoride in your water, and reasons why you may want to consider fluoride free toothpaste - especially for your children.

• Ninety percent of fluoride added to drinking water is hydrofluoric acid (see warning label below), a compound of fluorine that is a chemical byproduct of aluminum, steel, phosphate, cement, and nuclear weapons manufacturing (man made fluoride with no nutritional value).
• A study in India published in Current Science in 2010 found that anemia was reduced and pre-term and low-birth-weight babies were considerably fewer in the fluoride avoidance group of women. With skyrocketing premature baby rate in the U.S., this is definitely something to consider.
• The American Medical Association states that no studies were ever done on water fluoridation side effects.
• The National Institute of Dental Research conducted a nationwide survey that demonstrated no relation between tooth decay rates and fluoridation (comparing 84 areas, of which 28 had been fluoridated for 17 years or more, 29 had never been fluoridated, and 27 had been only partially fluoridates or fluoridates for less than 17 years). The lowest tooth decay rate reported in the survey occurred in a non-fluoridated area.
• Study published in Environmental Health News showed lower IQ scores and growth in Chinese children with high concentrations of fluoride in their well water compared to those with low fluoride exposure. There are about 24 studies that show association between fluoride exposure and reduced IQ.
• The EPA's maximum limit for fluoride in food does not consider children's over exposure to fluoride. At the request of Dow AgroSciences (that markets sulfuryl fluoride as a post-harvesting fumigant for food processing and storage facilities) it raised the limits.
• Standards regarding the optimal levels of fluoride were developed based in epidemiological data collected more than 50 years ago and the ethics of forced medication of population are questionable.
• National Toxicology Program toxicology and carcinogenesis studies of sodium fluoride in rats and mice found some carcinogenic activity, lesions relating to fluorosis, and osteosclerosis of long bones.
  
  
  

With a toddler who has dental fluorosis, this issue hits close to home. Her beautiful smile isn't exactly pretty with yellow spots on the front teeth. There is really no reason for those spots to be there other than fluoride over-exposure. Our town does not fluoridate the water as far as I know, so it is possible she is exposed to it in excess in food and the environment. For more information visit the Fluoride Action Network.

"BPA-free" Label Not to Be Trusted

Many mothers, including myself, have been relying to an extent on the validity of the "BPA-free" label on plastics we purchase. I have always thought that somehow it doesn't add up, that removing just one toxic chemical from plastic can't make it safer. Now a new study confirms my hunch, but not in a way I expected. Apparently the so called "BPA-free" claim is something to steer clear of.

According to a new study, the endocrine disrupting chemical leaches sometimes even more in "BPA-free" products:

"Almost all commercially available plastic products we sampled, independent of the type of resin, product, or retail source, leached chemicals having reliably-detectable EA, including those advertised as BPA-free. In some cases, BPA-free products released chemicals having more EA than BPA-containing products."

That was certainly news to me as I was always opting for the BPA-free alternative if something I'm looking for wasn't available in stainless steel or other safe material. One more reason to avoid plastic altogether! Glad we don't use plastic on a daily basis.

Vatican To Pay for Transmitter Cancer Risk

The Supreme Court of Italy has told Vatican Radio to compensate the small town of Cesano for the six fold leukemia rates within six kilometers of its powerful transmitters. Starting in 2001 it has been reported that the electromagnetic radiation of Vatican Radio transmitters exceeded the legal limit.

The transmitter cancer risk study serving as proof was completed by Italy's most prestigious cancer research hospital. A Vatican Radio spokesperson responded to the ruling by saying "There is no justified reason for concern for any part of the population." I guess a six fold increase in cancer rates is not 'justified enough' according to the Vatican.

This is not the only incidence of similar reports. A 2005 study in England and Wales found correlation between childhood cancer and the distance the children lived from high voltage power lines. A 2001 report found association between the doubling of leukemia rate in homes with higher radiation. There are many such reports, and it seems to be only the beginning. [1][2][3]

Do you or anyone you know live near transmitter towers? Do you suffer from headaches, migraines, and/or cancer? You are not the first, and certainly not the last. Looks like man's technological advancement is causing a lot of harm along with good. Please share your stories for other to read.

Image: bulldogza / FreeDigitalPhotos.net

Fluoride and Hexavelent Chromium Action Alert!

We can all go on with our busy lives and sit back to watch if anything changes in legislation regarding toxins that are allowed to pollute our water OR we can voice our opinion and let our government know that we're not happy with their carelessness. No need for riots or protests here fellow parents, just a quick email!

Please take action on these two very important and pressing items that affect what toxins are in YOUR drinking water:

Tell you senators to support the Senate Bill 79, the Protecting Pregnant Women and Children from Hexavalent Chromium Act of 2011

Sign on to ask the US Department of Health and Human Services to follow the path of Western Europe and end water fluoridation

"Of particular concern is a growing body of research indicating fluoride's ability to damage the developing brain, including 24 studies associating fluoride exposure with reduced IQ in children, 6 studies linking fluoride to other neurotoxic effects in children, and over 100 animal studies reporting that fluoride directly damages the brain."

Flu Vaccine: Informed Decisions

The CDC is pouring thousands if not millions into their flu vaccination campaign this season. Mothers on TwitterMoms are offered a [rather tiny] compensation to promote flu vaccines per CDC as "the best protection against the flu for your family". Though their statement is bold, many of us still wonder if these words can be trusted. I have learned both from my own experience and extensive online research that this may not always be the case. I highly doubt it is a coincidence that most people I know who get the vaccine also get the flu every season and those that do not - don't get the flu. There is plenty of information to help you make an informed and educated decision (no, not from blog sources or conspiracy sites if you're wondering). It can be hard to find, so I did the work for you!

The following is simply a list of reasons we have found not to inject ourselves with the flu vaccine this season or any other season. For ways to protect yourself from the flu naturally, you can read our other flu prevention post.

• According to the CDC, Fluarix swine flu vaccine manufactured by GlaxoSmithKline contains Polysorbate 80 (a.k.a. Tween 80). In a study conducted in Slovakia at the Institute of Preventive and Clinical Medicine, newborn female rats were injected with Polysorbate 80 4 and 7 days after birth. The findings concluded that the female rats had accelerated maturity, damaged vagina and womb lining, significant hormonal changes, and severe ovary deformities. Ultimately the young female rats were infertile, yes - unable to have children. Now I don't care how much of it is in a flu vaccine, the point is - I don't want this in my body.

• In an October 2008 study published in Archives of Pediatric and Adolescent Medicine, the conclusion was that vaccinating young children against the flu had no impact on flu-related hospitalizations or doctor visits during two recent flu seasons. In fact they state:

"significant influenza vaccine effectiveness could not be demonstrated for any season, age, or setting"

• A systematic review of 51 studies published in Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews showed that the flu vaccine has the same efficacy for children under two as a placebo. Plus it demonstrated that the effectiveness of the vaccine for children over two is between 33 and 36%. How is that for sound science, it isn't even 50% effective.

• We are told by the CDC that there are 36, 000+ flu-related deaths each year. What they do not publicize is that actual flu deaths are roughly between a thousand and three thousand people. The rest die from complications such as pneumonia, most of them the elderly or those with debilitating diseases. Compare that to 616, 067 people that die from heart disease and 562,875 from cancer.

• According to the CDC, the majority of flu vaccines contain thimerosal, some as much as 25 mcg of mercury per dose (i.e. more than 250 times the Environmental Protection Agency's safety limit for mercury). We are already exposed to enormous amount of mercury in our environments through seafood, rain, and snow - we don't need more.

• Environmental Health Perspectives study clearly demonstrated that very low levels of Thimerosal can contribute to immune system disregulation.

• Another Environmental Health Perspectives study in 2005 concludes:

"that ethyl mercury, the kind of mercury found in vaccines, not only ends up in your brain, but leaves double the amount of inorganic mercury as methyl mercury, the kind of mercury found in fish.

This work is groundbreaking because little is known about ethyl mercury, and many health authorities have asserted that the mercury found in vaccines is the "safe kind." "

• A September 2004 study in Molecular Psychiatry made a link between ethylmercury and autism:

"The premise of our research is that if mercury in vaccines creates risk for neurodevelopmental disorders such as autism, genetic differences are likely to contribute to that risk. Earlier studies, however, did not use the form of mercury present in vaccines, known as thimerosal, and did not consider whether intramuscular, repetitive administration during early postnatal development, when the brain and immune systems are still maturing, might intensify toxicity.

Our predictions were confirmed. Using thimerosal dosages and timing that approximated the childhood immunization schedule, our model of postnatal thimerosal neurotoxicity demonstrated that the genes in mice that predict mercury-related immunotoxicity also predicted nuerodevelopmental damage. Features reminiscent of those observed in autism occurred in the mice of the genetically sensitive strain."

• Toxicological Sciences 2003: "Thimerosal induces DNA breaks, Caspase-3 activation, membrane damage, and cell death in cultures human neurons and fibroblasts."

• Journal of American Physicians and Surgeons 2006: After analyzing VAERS (Vaccine Adverse Event Reporting System), researchers have reported increased odds for autism, speech disorders, mental retardation, and thinking abnormalities following vaccination with Thimerosal containing vaccines (DPT and Hib), compared to children who received a vaccine containing half the amount of thimerosal (DTPH).

• Last but not least, why would we want to risk neurological dysfunction to potentially avoid a bout with the flu (fact: vaccines are never 100% effective)? Why are we so afraid of this? Is there rationality to making vaccines for every single ailment know to man? Are we doing our body good by injecting multiple vaccines, especially in children? I caught a virus a couple of weeks ago (fever, chills, body aches, sore throat), I stayed home, drank chamomile, ate garlic, avoided sugar, and had some Boiron Oscillococcinum. I had a peaceful nights sleep and it was all gone save some sniffles and weakness. I personally do not want to inject a virus, mercury, aluminum, ethylene glycol, nonoxynol, and betapropiolactone into my body to avoid something easily manageable. It goes against my common sense.

There are ailments we should far more be concerned about. Diseases that can't be cured overnight with some home remedies. Heart disease and cancer combined kill more than a million people in the United States every year whereas influenza deaths (not pneumonia) are roughly under three thousand. I would love to know what my readers think. Are you getting the flu vaccine? What do you base your decision on? Are we as a country overly concerned about managing symptoms and not getting to the root cause of why we are chronically sick? We spend more on healthcare than anyone else, yet we rank 37th out of 191 countries in actual health outcomes. Looks like everyone - from Chile, to Morocco, Greece, and Costa Rica are doing better than us!

Photo: Brian Hoskins

The information and reference materials contained here are intended solely for the general information of the reader. It is not to be used for treatment purposes, but rather for discussion with the patient's own physician. The information presented here is not intended to diagnose health problems or to take the place of professional medical care.