Many Cleaning Products Said To Contain Toxins

Household cleaning products may contain toxic substances linked to health problems such as asthma, allergic reactions, and cancer, according to a new report by the Environmental Working Group.

The environmental group rated more than 2,000 household cleaners - from laundry soaps and stain removers to bathroom cleaners and floor care products. Products are graded A to F based on the safety of the ingredients and how well the maker discloses those ingredients.

Vegan Daily News highly recommends this as an outstanding, unbiased resource for finding the greenest cleaning products!  For example, EWG rates 49 different glass cleaners…only 3 warrant a grade “A”, while almost half fail with an “F”.

Eat Canned Foods Sparingly

The chemical is bisphenol-A, or BPA, a synthetic estrogen better known for leaching into foods from plastics. While the the chemical and food industries continue to stand behind the safety of low-dose BPA exposure, many consumer and health advocates are worried enough by independent scientific studies to warn people to avoid exposure whenever possible. 

Chemicals like BPA are known as “endocrine disruptors” because they mimic the body’s hormones; because hormones trigger biological responses at minute concentrations, the thinking goes, so might these synthetic cousins. Exposure to BPA has been linked, primarily in lab animal studies, to a range of possible health problems ranging from obesity to infertility.

If you must eat canned foods, try to get brands like Eden Foods that do not use BPA in can linings.

Three Reasons To Rethink That Diet Coke

A fascinating article – Artificially Sweetened Beverages Cause for Concern – recently published in the Journal of the American Medical Association (JAMA), suggests that artificial sweeteners are far from risk-free.

1. Our body gets confused by artificial sweeteners – the dissociation between sweet taste and calorie intake may put the regulatory system that controls hunger and body weight out of sync, thus sabotaging weight loss plans. 

2. We’re “Infantilizing” our taste sense – Artificial sweeteners are a hundredfold sweeter than sucrose (table sugar). By getting ourselves used to so much sweet, normal sweet flavors, of fruit for example, become bland and so do other healthful foods such as grains and vegetables, thus reducing our willingness to consume them and ultimately the quality of our diet.

3. Long term effects unclear – while there have been many studies on artificial sweeteners and disease such cancer, very few focused on long term weight gain. 

10 Household Cleaners To Avoid At All Costs

Another great list from OrganicAuthority.com!  The household cleaning industry is largely unregulated and companies aren’t required to include ingredient lists for cleaning products, like they are for food, drugs and personal care products.  All the important you are an educated consumer!

You can avoid all these type of products by making your own non-toxic cleaners or shopping at your local natural foods store.  Most Whole Foods Markets have a fantastic selection of non-toxic cleaning products.

Red Vines Black Licorice Recalled Over High Lead Levels

Hopefully these are not part of your diet, but because they are vegan, it is (technically) food, and it is health-related, Vegan Daily News feels obliged to post this!  One more reason to reach for fresh fruit not junk food at snack time!

California health officials are warning fans of the popular Red Vines black licorice candy not to eat the treats because they tested positive for high levels of lead.

Lead can be dangerous to pregnant women and young children. It is a heavy metal that can be toxic to developing organs and may impair neurological development. Long-term lead poisoning has been linked to learning disabilities and other problems in children. California officials warned that pregnant women and parents of children who may have eaten the candy to talk with their doctors to determine if medical testing is necessary.

Consumers who find the candy for sale are urged to call the CDPH complaint hotline at 1-800-495-3232.

Johnson & Johnson Removing Dangerous "Chemicals Of Concern" From Adult Toiletries

Johnson & Johnson plans to remove trace amounts of potentially cancer-causing and other dangerous chemicals from nearly all its adult toiletries and cosmetic products worldwide within 3 1/2 years. The health care giant late last year pledged to remove “chemicals of concern” from its baby products sold around the world.

Buttered Popcorn Flavoring Linked To Alzheimer's Disease

The flavorant, diacetyl, that a adds buttery taste to foods and a smooth feel to beverages may also trigger Alzheimer’s disease, new studies suggest.  The flavorant already is linked to lung damage in people who work in microwave popcorn factories. This led many microwave popcorn makers to stop using diacetyl in their products. But now other workers exposed to diacetyl - and possibly consumers as well - face this new risk.

New Data Frustrate Food Safety Advocates

The Bad News:  Little progress has been made in combatting many types of food-borne illnesses in recent years, according to new data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.  

The Good News:  Your exposure to five of the key pathogens the CDC tracks - salmonella, vibrio, campylobacter, listeria and E. coli - is significantly reduced by following a plant-based diet!  Add it to the list…one more reason to GO VEGAN!

Makers Of Banned Rat Poisons Ignore The EPA

Rodenticides are designed to kill by interfering with the blood’s natural clotting ability.  When mammals (including humans) and birds consume these poisons either directly or indirectly, bleeding to death is the gruesome outcome.  Manufacturers have thus far refused to comply with the EPA’s request to discontinue distributing these products, instead these companies are fighting for their “right” to continue selling their lethal poisons.  While the legal fight between the EPA and the pesticide industry will take years, consumers are in the driver’s seat.  You can simply refuse to purchase these products and read up on how to control rodents effectively without poisons.  More information on the science based approach of Integrated Pest Management can be found here.

California Testing Reveals Dangerous Levels Of Lead In Jewelry, Despite Continual Warnings To Businesses

In one case, investigators visited a business three times and found jewelry tainted with excessive every time.  In another case, inspectors checked 45 pieces of jewelry from a supplier; half contained excessive lead, including a pair of children’s earrings shaped like a teddy bear that had lead levels 900 times the legal limit.

How You Can Minimize Your BPA Exposure

1. Avoid polycarbonate. Polycarbonate is a plastic that is usually hard and clear and contains BPA.  It is found in many plastic food containers, although it is no longer used to make baby bottles and sippy cups.

2. Watch the heat. Do not put very hot liquid into containers with BPA.  The heat of the liquid can accelerate the leaching of the BPA into the food.

3. Be gentle.  Do not run polycarbonate containers in the dishwasher or place them in the microwave.  The plastic can break down with repeated exposure to high temperatures.

4. Minimize canned foods and drinks.  Choose fresh or frozen foods as often as possible to minimize your exposure to BPA in cans.  Also, look for cans that are BPA-free.  Many food producers (Amy’s, Del Monte, Trader Joe’s. Whole Foods) have started using BPA-free cans, check the company’s web site for more information.