Category Archives: but what is it really

But what is it REALLY? : GMOs

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GMOs

GMOs have spent a fair amount of time in the news recently, particularly because of California’s Proposition 37 (if you’ve been living under a rock or haven’t made note of it yet, Proposition 37 is calling for the labeling of all foods containing genetically modified organisms). There is a lot of fuss going on about them — companies claim they’re safe, natural activists swear they’re not. What’s the big deal?

WHAT ARE THEY?

GMO is short for “genetically modified organism.” According to The Non-GMO Project, GMOs “are plants or animals created through the gene splicing techniques of biotechnology (genetic engineering). This experimental technology merges DNA from different species, creating unstable combinations of plant, animal, bacterial and viral genes that cannot occur in nature or in traditional crossbreeding.”

So basically, we slice some genes out of organism A, add them into organism B, and the result is crazy super-charged organism C (spider + Peter Parker = Spiderman?).

WHAT’S THE PURPOSE?

GMOs are basically engineered to withstand any sort of damage from different herbicides or pesticides. They are, in essence, superhero seeds. However, “superhero,” in this case, is not a positive descriptor. GMOs cannot, and do not, occur in nature or traditional crossbreeding (crossbreeding implies two different organisms mating — genetic engineering literally cuts out DNA genes from one organism and implants them into another). Since they are intolerant to herbicides, “super” bugs and weeds pop up as well, requiring even more toxic substances to destroy them (and coat our food).

SO WHAT?

GMOs are not, not not (NO NO NO!!!) safe! Consider the following:

  • Most developed countries (nearly 50, including all European Union countries, Australia, and Japan) have outright bans or severe restrictions on the sale and production of GMOs; they do not consider them to be safe
  • The US approved GMOs because of the studies the company who created them conducted. Where’s the problem in that? The GMO food hazards haven’t been studied more than 30 days and the patents on the seeds prevent any other studies from occurring
  • The USDA has not conducted long term studies on the safety of GMOs in food
  • GMOs are in as much as 80% of conventional processed food including crops of corn (88% of the US crop in 2011 was genetically modified) and soy (94% (!!!) of the 2011 US crop)
  • The American Academy of Environmental Medicine calls for doctors to prescribe non-GMO diets to all patients
  • Monsanto’s “BT” corn produces the Bt-toxin, which is linked to allergies, auto-immune diseases, and other disorders. Jeffrey Smith, the Executive Director of the Institute for Responsible Technology and author of two bestselling books on GMOs talks about “BT” here
  • Peer-reviewed studies have found that GMOs have toxic and allergenic effects, as well as altered nutritional value, such as stomach lesions and ulcers, allergic-type inflammation and immune reactions to normally non-allergenic foods; disturbed kidney and heart enzyme function, in addition to liver, pancreas, and testes function; and disruption of the digestive system, among a hefty list of even more issues

The fact that there are no long term studies analyzing the effects of GMOs is terrifying, especially when you consider that Monsanto is controlling both industry and federal government in the matter.

WAIT, WHAT? WHO IS MONSANTO?

Monsanto, according to Wikipedia, is “an American multinational agricultural biotechnology corporation. It is a leading producer of the herbicide glyphosate, which it markets under the Roundup brand. Monsanto is also a leading producer of genetically engineered seed.”

Actually, it’s the leading and largest producer of it.

Monsanto has admitted that they want to own the world’s food supply, and if you look at the extent of Monsanto employees that have been moved into key positions in the federal government, you will see how they’re well on their way to achieving that.

Credit: Mercola.com

They are also the leading opponent of California’s Proposition 37, having donated, at the time of this post, $4.2 billion against the labeling of products with GMOs.

HOW CAN I AVOID GMOs?

First and foremost, be educated. Our nationwide struggle with sickness, disease, and obesity did not come from nowhere. Refuse to be naive. READ and take everything with a grain of salt (yes, even this)!

At the end of the day, the question is quite simple…

if GMOs are so “safe” for us, why are so many companies fighting the labeling initiative?

Additional reading:
Monsanto’s Deep Roots in Washington
Corporate Giant Nestle Makes Contradictions Concerning GMOs
Whole Foods: Genetically Engineered Foods
20 Years of GMO Policy That Keeps Americans in the Dark About Their Food
GMOs: Better Safe than Sorry?

But what is it REALLY? : Formaldehyde

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formaldehyde

With Johnson & Johnson being in the news for removing certain chemicals in their cosmetic and skin care products, I wanted to touch on one of the contaminants:

Formaldehyde.

We’ve heard of formaldehyde in the past. It used to be used as a home insulation in the 70s and the 80s, until potential health concerns arose and demand for urea formaldehyde foam insulation (UFFI) dropped. It’s present in cigarette smoke, as well as in a lot of chemical agents using within the housing industry. But is that it? No.

WHAT IS IT?

According to the National Cancer Institute, “Formaldehyde is a colorless, flammable, strong-smelling chemical that is used in building materials and to produce many household products.” Those products include plywood, fiberboard, glues, insulation materials, and permanent-press fabrics.

Not only do we breathe it in, we slather it all over our bodies in the cosmetic care products and clothing we live in. Take a look at the ingredients list on your shampoo or your lotion. Do you see diazolidinyl, DMDM hydantoin, imidazolidinyl, or quaternium-15? All of those are preservatives or stabilizers that, over time, release formaldehyde.

You know when you go to a salon to get your hair done and there’s that scent? The one that is overbearing and strong, might make your eyes water a little bit? When you have the dye that burns your scalp just a tad, but not enough that you want to wash it off? That’s the formaldehyde.

It’s in nail polish. And those wrinkle-free clothes? Yep. It’s the formaldehyde making that happen. Your cotton bed sheets? Processed with a formaldehyde rinse so those too don’t wrinkle, however, since it’s just a “rinse” and not a product “ingredient,” it’s not required to be listed on your bedding’s packaging. Every single day you are bringing your body in contact with formaldehyde.

SO WHAT?

Last year, government scientists finally listed formaldehyde as a human carcinogen which means that it causes cancer in humans. It’s most often been linked to nasopharyngeal cancer and leukemia. This information was released in the 12th cancer list by the toxicology program at the National Institutes of Health, a report that was held up for four years, as industry groups have been fighting its release.

Alright, so we know that formaldehyde causes cancer, but lots of industry groups like to stress that product ingredients “may” release formaldehyde. The amounts in our shampoos and conditioners, our body lotions and clothing, they’re all “safe.”

Folks, if an ingredient is proven to cause cancer, it is not safe. Maybe a small exposure from a product or two is not enough to cause cancer within your body, but when you layer product on top of product that does contain it? Then when? It just builds up in your system and causes you to be more susceptible to cancer.

WHAT CAN I DO?

Choose cosmetic and body care products free of chemicals. There are so many wonderful, natural products out there that are just as effective, and even better, as the ones you are using now! Purchase bed sheets made from 100% organic cotton or bamboo. Make organic clothing choices when you can, but also wash your new clothing before wearing it to limit your exposure. Many nail polish companies are becoming “3-free,” which removes the chemicals dibutyl phthalate, formaldehyde (the chemicals releasing it), and toluene from their formulas.

In the end, you, as the consumer, have a choice. You have the choice to say no to the imperfect products that companies are trying to bombard us with. You have the choice to protect yourself from cancer causing elements and to lead a happy and healthy life. It’s only when we start to demand our right to that life that companies will start providing what we need.

Make that choice!

Additional reading:
NY Times – Formaldehyde is Added to List of Carcinogens
IDPH – Formaldehyde
National Cancer Institute – Formaldehyde and Cancer Risk
Formaldehyde in Common Products

But what is it REALLY? : Parabens

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Parabens

In the past year or two, more and more cosmetic products and toiletries are claiming to be free of “parabens, sulphates, or phthalates” or made without the use of petrochemicals. What does that mean? Why is it so popular all of a sudden? What was in these products we used before? All of these are good questions to ask.

WHAT ARE THEY?

Let’s take a look at parabens. “Parabens are the most widely used preservatives in cosmetic products” according to the government’s FDA website. They keep your products safe from microbial growth and prevent you from making new bacterial and fungal friends. They’re found in everything from face wash to deodorant to shampoo and moisturizer. Walk into your bathroom and take a look at their ingredients lists. Do you see any of these? (Go ahead. I’ll wait.):

Benzylparaben
Butylparaben
Ethylparaben
Methylparaben
Propylparaben

Yes? Congratulations! Your bathroom contains some toxic goods! Nah, it’s not so great. As you can see, though, parabens are pretty easy to identify within an ingredient list. That whole “…paraben” really lays it out for you.

SO WHAT?

Ok, there’s some little toxic, tiny ingredient in my face wash. BIG DEAL. Right?
Maybe not.

Parabens disrupt hormone function. More specifically, they mess with reproductive toxicity and impersonate your body’s hormones. When they’re consumed into the body, the endocrine system gets disrupted — everything from the thyroid (which controls how the body uses energy and makes proteins), to the hypothalamus (which deals with a lot of hormones, hunger, thirst, fatigue, and sleep), to the ovaries (which deal with baby making).

In a 2004 UK study, 19 out of 20 women studied had traces of five different parabens in their breast cancer tumors. The parabens remained intact, unaffected by the body’s metabolism. That’s a pretty scary thought — a chemical has entered the body through the biggest organ, the skin, and remains unaltered. Currently, they are found in nearly all urine samples from a variety of U.S. adults.

BUT WHAT DOES THAT MEAN?

It means that every day, you are exposing yourself to a chemical that absorbs into your body and sits there. You body can’t fight it or break it down. Exposure to it puts you at risk for cancer and other hormonal problems.

The FDA assumes the position that parabens are safe for use in cosmetics at levels up to 25%. Most products contain levels from .01-.3%.

Now, let’s backtrack a bit. Remember when you read the ingredients lists of the toiletries in your bathroom? How many did you count? Let’s say that an average person has deodorant, shampoo, conditioner, soap, and a facial cleanser. Add up the exposure from each of those individual products, and you get a lot more than what the FDA parameters allow. That exposure isn’t so slight anymore, now is it?

HOW DO I AVOID PARABENS?

You can avoid parabens by reading the ingredient labels on the products you buy. All of them end with the word “paraben,” so they should be easy to identify. You can also look for products that advertise themselves as being “paraben free.” Some products I love and recommend are by these companies:

Burt’s Bees
Abahna
Desert Essence
Amazon Organics

Looking for more info?:
FDA – Parabens
The Campaign for Safe Cosmetics