Wednesday, June 26, 2013

Change the Industry from the INSIDE of your home OUT






All-Purpose Cleaner


Never waste your money on "antibacterial" cleaners and soaps whose active ingredients have been linked to thyroid damage, water pollution, and the emergence of drug-resistant superbugs like MRSA. Instead, kill germs with this all-purpose vinegar solution. It'll only cost you about 20 cents!

Make It!
9 parts water
1 part white vinegar

Mix ingredients in a spray bottle and clean away!

For particularly nasty messes, such as a counter top after you've handled raw meat on it, squirt straight white vinegar on the surface, and follow with a squirt of hydrogen peroxide to knock out virtually all germs. (Remember to do a spot test first to make certain the surface doesn't discolor or otherwise react.)


Tile Cleaner

Common tile cleaners are laced with dozens of contaminants, including chemicals linked to cancer, reproductive damage, and hormonal harm. A 2009 analysis even detected formaldehyde, toluene, and benzene—components of gasoline—in the popular cleaner Comet. To clean greener, make your own scrubbing paste.

Make It!
½ cup baking soda
Castile Liquid soap (we like Dr. Bronner's)
5 to 10 drops of pure essential oil of lavender or rosemary, or tea tree oil (optional)

Place baking soda in a bowl; slowly pour in liquid soap, stirring until it looks like frosting. Add optional essential oils. Scoop onto a sponge, scrub, and rinse. You can also try cutting a lemon in half and using that as a scrubber.


Oven Cleaner

Avoid polluting your indoor air with the harsh ingredients that are often found in store-bought oven cleaners by using this homemade cleaning mix.

Make It!
2 cups hot water
1 Tablespoon natural dish liquid
1 teaspoon borax

Mix the ingredients, spray on a spill, let sit for 20 minutes, and wipe off with a clean cloth. For handling an extra-greasy mess, wipe off as much loose goop as possible with crumpled newspaper first, then use the spray.



Window Cleaner

Whip up a batch of natural window cleaner that won't aggravate allergies or asthma the way many store-bought formulations will. A bottleful will only run you about 40 cents.

Make It!
¼ cup vinegar
½ teaspoon natural liquid soap ( Dr. Bronner's)
2 cups water

Put all ingredients in a spray bottle and shake to blend. To use the cleaner, spray onto the glass, covering as much as you can finish wiping in a few minutes at a time, scrub as needed with the rough side of a kitchen sponge, and squeegee off. Use a cotton cleaning cloth to dry off the blade of the squeegee between swipes, and to wipe up any liquid that puddles at the bottom edges of the windowpanes. Toss the cleaning cloths into the wash basket, and enjoy your sparkling windows.


Lemon Oil Duster

Because household dust can be loaded with harmful substances like flame retardants, allergens, pesticides, and plastics chemicals, it's important to keep your home as clean as possible. However, many dust cleaners contain air contaminants and hormone-disrupting chemicals. Keep it safe by mixing up your own and using it to dust furniture and other surfaces where dust collects in your home.

Make It!
10 drops pure lemon oil
2 Tablespoons lemon juice
A few drops olive oil

Use a clean recycled flannel cotton cloth to mop up dusty surfaces.


All-Natural Air Freshener


It's ironic, but most air fresheners, because they're full of allergy- and asthma-inducing chemicals, actually worsen air quality. Sure, setting out a bowl of white vinegar is a go-to method for natural odor removal, but here's a recipe with a little added zip.

Make It!
Several orange peels
2 cinnamon sticks
Several cloves
Pot of water

To get rid of tough kitchen odors, bring the pot of water to a boil with the orange peels, cloves, and cinnamon sticks, and leave it simmering on the stove for a while.


Multi Surface Cleaner

If you need an all-purpose cleaner with a little more grit than our vinegar/water solution, try this natural cleaning concoction. (Always spot-test before trying it on a new surface.)

Make It!
2 teaspoons borax
1 teaspoon washing soda (not baking soda)
Hot water
4 Tablespoons vinegar
½ teaspoon natural liquid soap
¼ teaspoon tea tree oil
8 drops rosemary oil
8 drops tangerine oil
8 drops lavender oil

Dissolve borax and washing soda (find them in your store's laundry aisle) into 2 cups of very hot water, strain the mixture through a very fine sieve, and funnel it into a 1-quart spray bottle (or forget the sieve and just pour it in slowly, leaving behind any undissolved powder). Add the rest of the ingredients and shake to blend. Top off with more hot water and shake again.


Basic Laundry Powder


Many laundry detergents are loaded with questionable foaming agents and even migraine-inducing fragrance chemicals. Who would want to pay for a headache? Instead, save money and your health by making this laundry powder designed for warm-water loads.

Make It!
½ cup soap flakes or grated plain bar soap
½ cup borax
½ cup washing soda

Combine ingredients well and store in a jar with an airtight lid. Use ½ to 1 tablespoon per load.



Tuesday, June 25, 2013

8 Crazy Obesity Triggers




Researchers are finding connections between everyday chemicals and the bulging-belt-line epidemic.
BY LEAH ZERBE

More Than Excess Calories
There's more to the obesity epidemic than eating too many hot wings and excess sitting. Certainly, poor food choices, particularly too much sugar and sweeteners, and a lack of exercise are major pieces of the obesity puzzle. But a landmark 2002 study, published in the Journal of Alternative and Complementary Medicine, found the obesity epidemic paralleled the increase of industrial chemicals in the environment.

Now researchers are finding that exposures to certain common endocrine-disrupting chemicals—not just lifestyle choices—could be programming us for weight gain, diabetes, and related problems. "We have to acknowledge the fact that obesity is not just about will power, that it's not just all someone's fault," says developmental biologist Retha Newbold, MS, CT, of the National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences.

Timing of Exposure Matters
Animal studies suggest that exposure to certain substances during fetal development or early in life can disrupt the normal development of an organism's hormonal system, promoting the development of fat cells and hampering the body's ability to send and receive signals that allow it to operate in good health. This sets the stage for metabolic diseases like diabetes as well as a lifetime of weight problems.

A recent Environmental Health Perspectives study found suspected obesogens in the bodies of many pregnant women, who can pass them along to their developing fetuses. "It appears that exposure to certain chemicals during critical windows of fetal and early development could permanently program a person for obesity or diabetes, which may not show up for decades down the line," says Newbold. "We're talking about different modes of action. Chemicals could be interacting with the brain, pancreas, or liver, or the fat cells themselves. The end result is going to be obesity."

Pesticides
The Facts: Previous studies have found an increased rate of diabetes among farmers and pesticide applicators, but it appears that even the low doses that the general public encounters can mess with our hormones. Banned organochlorine pesticides that linger in the food chain, such as DDT, have been linked to obesity, along with organophosphate pesticides and carbamates (the popular household insecticide Sevin is a carbamate pesticide). "Pesticides are designed to interfere with a lot of hormonal processes that insects require to replace themselves," explains world-renowned researcher Theo Colborn, PhD, president of The Endocrine Disruption Exchange. "The same chemicals that affect insects affect us."
Avoid It: Eat organic! Researchers have found that it takes just five days of eating organic to rid the body of nearly all pesticide residues. If the obesity link isn't compelling enough to go organic, consider that other pesticides have been linked to certain cancers, ADHD, autism, Parkinson's disease, and other health issues. And instead of using foggers and insecticide to combat household bug issues, adopt natural pest-control measures in your home

Bisphenol A (BPA)
The Facts: Studies in the lab find that BPA has the ability to accelerate fat-cell differentiation, disrupt pancreatic functioning, and cause insulin resistance, leading to obesity problems. In addition, other studies have linked BPA exposure to neurological development problems and sexual reproductive problems, including male infertility, in humans.
Avoid It: Scientists still don't know the number one exposure source of BPA, but because the chemical is produced in such high volumes, it's been found virtually everywhere. Until more data is collected about how BPA gets into our bodies, one prudent step to take is to minimize your handling of cash-register receipts—some have a high BPA content—so tell cashiers you don't need a receipt for minor purchases. Also, choose food that's fresh, frozen, or sold in glass jars over canned food, since most metal cans contain varying levels of BPA.

Personal Care Products
The Facts: Phthalates are hormone-disrupting chemicals tied to obesity, and they are ubiquitous in the personal-care product industry, particularly due to the chemicals' use in synthetically fragranced products. A 2010 study published in Environmental Health Perspectives found that children with higher phthalate levels in their bodies experienced stunted growth.
Avoid It: Avoid personal care products that list "fragrance" or "parfum" as an ingredient, and nix air fresheners and scented candles. They are likely laced with phthalates and a host of other hazardous materials. (Choose beeswax if you need candles.)

Vinyl
The Facts: Chemicals in vinyl chloride plastics called organotins persist in the environment, and are strongly linked to obesity. Exposure of mice to the organotin tributyltin (used on ship exteriors to prevent the buildup of crustaceans) before birth created permanent changes that pre-disposed the animals to weight problems. PVC plastics, such as pipes, vinyl flooring, and other vinyl products, contain dibutyltin, another organotin. Adding insult to injury, vinyl is also laced with phthalates, an obesogen listed above.
Avoid It :Avoid bringing vinyl products, including flooring, shades, purses, and shower curtains, into your home, and practice effective cleaning—PVC breaks down and can lurk in household dust.

Nonstick Products
The Facts: In a 2010 review article of published literature on the subject, Newbold links IDs perfluoroctanoic acid (PFOA) to obesity. PFOA (sometimes called Teflon) is used in many nonstick cookware and kitchenware lines, along with stain-proof coatings on furniture, greaseproof food wrappers, microwavable popcorn bags, and waterproof materials.
Avoid It: If you already own nonstick kitchenware, don't freak out. But when you start to see scratches and chips, replace it with American-made cast iron or untreated stainless steel cookware.

PCBs
The Facts: Polybrominated biphenyls (PCBs) were used widely as flame retardants in the electricity industry, but they're no longer made because of the compound's environmental and health effects. Newbold says the obesity-inducing mechanism of PCBs could be similar to that of BPA and some pesticides, working through estrogen receptor pathways. (The same company that made the bulk of PCBs is now behind the push for a chemical farming system and genetically engineered food.)
Avoid It: Since people are exposed to PCBs by eating contaminated fish, meat, and dairy products, eating lower on the food chain more often can help reduce your exposure. That doesn't mean you necessarily have to go completely vegan, but you could ease into a more plant-based diet by giving Meatless Mondays a try.

Soy
The Facts: Soy is low in fat, but it's also a phytoestrogen, meaning it has plant-based estrogenic properties. Doses comparable to those eaten in the Western diet have been shown to promote fat-cell growth. Newbold says parents should be especially wary of feeding soy to babies or children. "Studies have shown that kids on soy formula have a tendency to gain weight," explains Newbold, who notes that soy affects developing children differently than adults. Babies born small for their gestational age who are put on high-calorie "catch-up diets" also face an increased risk of obesity later in life.
Avoid It: Since developing babies and young children seem to be most sensitive to soy, Newbold suggests that women breastfeed, if possible, and parent avoid giving young kids soy products.

Nicotine
The Facts: Not only do babies born to mothers who smoked throughout pregnancy face an increased risk of being born prematurely and underweight, but strong research also suggests that those same babies face an increased risk of being obese as they grow older. Nicotine (or nicotine plus some other component of cigarette smoke) could tinker with the child's metabolic system; researchers just aren't sure yet of the mechanism. Perhaps compounding the problem, low-birth-weight babies born to smokers could also be put on a "catch-up diet" referenced above, further increasing their risk of obesity later in life.
Avoid It: Don't smoke if you're pregnant, and do your best to eliminate second- and even third-hand smoke.

For more specific ways to detox your life, check out 12 Household Toxins You Should Banish from Your Home. @ http://www.rodale.com/obesogenic

Saturday, June 22, 2013

10 Hierbas y especias saludables para el cerebro.


Hierbas y especias saludables para el cerebro. Añadir estas 10 especias a su dieta para mejorar su salud cerebral.

La cúrcuma: Se encuentra en curry, cúrcuma contiene un químico que ha demostrado que disminuye las placas en el cerebro que se cree que es responsable de la enfermedad de Alzheimer.1

Azafrán: En tres estudios, el extracto de azafrán se encontró que era tan eficaz como los antidepresivos en el tratamiento de personas con depresión postparto.2

Sage (Salvia): Tiene muy buena evidencia científica de que ayuda a la memoria.3

Canela: se ha demostrado que ayuda a atención y ayuda a regular el azúcar en la sangre, a disminuirla.

Albahaca- Basil: Este potente antioxidante mejora el flujo de la sangre al corazón y al cerebro y tiene propiedades anti-inflamatorias que brindan protección contra enfermedad de Alzheimer5

Tomillo: complementar la dieta con el tomillo ha demostrado para aumentar la cantidad de DHA "" un ácido graso esencial "" en el cerebro .6

El orégano: orégano seco tiene 30 veces más poder sanador y antioxidante para el cerebro que los arándanos, 46 veces más que las manzanas, y 56 veces más que las fresas, lo que lo convierte en uno de los más poderosos protectores de neuronas en el planeta.7

Ajo: El Ajo promueve un mejor flujo sanguíneo al cerebro y elimino  las células del cáncer cerebral en un estudio hecho en el 2007,.8

El Jengibre: pueden el jengibre hacerlo más inteligente? Un estudio que combino el jengibre con ginkgo biloba  lo sugirió que sí. El extracto de Jengibre también puede ser útil en el tratamiento de la enfermedad de Parkinson y la migraña .9

Romero: un estudio en el 2006 informó  que el romero disminuye el deterioro cognitivo en personas con dementia.10.

Friday, June 21, 2013

10 BRAIN HEALTHY SPICES



Cooking with brain healthy herbs and spices can boost your brain. Add these 10 spices to your diet to improve your brain health.

Turmeric: Found in curry, turmeric contains a chemical that has been shown to decrease the plaques in the brain thought to be responsible for Alzheimer’s disease.1

Saffron: In three studies, a saffron extract was found to be as effective as antidepressant medication in treating people with major depression.2

Sage: Sage has very good scientific evidence that it helps boost memory.3

Cinnamon: Cinnamon has been shown to help attention and it helps regulate blood sugar, which decreases cravings. Plus, cinnamon is a natural aphrodisiac for men “” not that most men need much help.4

Basil: This potent antioxidant improves blood flow to the heart and brain and has anti-inflammatory properties that offer protection from Alzheimer’s disease.5

Thyme: Supplementing the diet with thyme has been shown to increase the amount of DHA “” an essential fatty acid “” in the brain.6

Oregano: Dried oregano has 30 times the brain-healing antioxidant power of raw blueberries, 46 times more than apples, and 56 times as much as strawberries, making it one of the most powerful brain cell protectors on the planet.7 Click to read about more foods that pack an antioxidant punch.

Garlic: Garlic promotes better blood flow to the brain and killed brain cancer cells in a 2007 study.8

Ginger: Can ginger make you smarter? A study that combined ginger with ginkgo biloba suggests that it does. Ginger root extract may also be helpful in the treatment of Parkinson’s disease and migraine headaches.9

Rosemary: A 2006 study reported that rosemary diminishes cognitive decline in people with dementia.10


http://www.amenclinics.com/amen-home/28-change-your-brain-change-your-body/113-10-brain-healthy-spices


REFERENCES

1. Masoumi, A., B. Goldenson, S. Ghirmai, et al. 2009. 25-dihydroxyvitamin D3 Interacts with curcuminoids to stimulate amyloid-beta clearance by macrophages of Alzheimer’s disease patients. Journal of Alzheimer’s Disease 17(3):703?“717. DOI: 10.3233/JAD-2009-1080.
2. Akhondzadeh Basti, A., E. Moshiri, A.A. Noorbala, et al. 2007. Comparison of petal of Crocus sativus L. and fluoxetine in the treatment of depressed outpatients: a pilot double-blind randomized trial. Progress in Neuro-Psychopharmacology and Biological Psychiatry 31(2):439-42.
Akhondzadeh, S., N. Tahmacebi-Pour, A.A. Noorbala, et al. 2005. Crocus sativus L. in the treatment of mild to moderate depression: a double-blind, randomized and placebo-controlled trial. Phytotherapy Research 19(2):148-51.
Akhondzadeh, S., H. Fallah-Pour, K. Afkham, et al. 2004. Comparison of Crocus sativus L. and imipramine in the treatment of mild to moderate depression: a pilot double-blind randomized trial. BMC Complementary and Alternative Medicine4:12.
Moshiri, E., A.A. Basti, A.A. Noorbala, et al. 2006. Crocus sativus L. (petal) in the treatment of mild-to-moderate depression: a double-blind, randomized and placebo-controlled trial. Phytomedicine 13(9-10):607-11.
Noorbala, A.A., S. Akhondzadeh, N. Tahmacebi-Pour, et al. 2005. Hydro-alcoholic extract of Crocus sativus L. versus fluoxetine in the treatment of mild to moderate depression: a double-blind, randomized pilot trial. Journal of Ethnopharmacology 97(2):281-4.
3. Kennedy, D.O., and A.B. Scholey. 2006 The psychopharmacology of European herbs with cognition-enhancing properties. Current Pharmaceutical Design. 12(35):4613-23.
4. Zoladz, P.R., and B. Raudenbush. 2005. Cognitive enhancement through stimulation of the chemical senses. North American Journal of Psychology 7(1):125-138.
5. Aggarwal, B.B., and S. Shishodia. 2004. Suppression of the nuclear factor-kappaB activation pathway by spice-derived phytochemicals: reasoning for seasoning. Annals of the New York Academy of Sciences1030:434-41.
6. Youdim, K.A., and S.G. Deans. 2000. Effect of thyme oil and thymol dietary supplementation on the antioxidant status and fatty acid composition of the ageing rat brain. British Journal of Nutrition 83(1):87-93.
7. Nutrient Data Laboratory, Beltsville Human Nutrition Research Center, Agricultural Research Service, U.S. Department of Agriculture in collaboration with Arkansas Children’s Nutrition Center, ARS, USDA, Little Rock, AR. 2007. Oxygen Radical Absorbance Capacity (ORAC) of Selected Foods. http://www.ars.usda.gov/Services/docs.htm?docid=15866.
8. Das, A., N.L. Banik, and S.K. Ray. 2007. Garlic compounds generate reactive oxygen species leading to activation of stress kinases and cysteine proteases for apoptosis in human glioblastoma T98G and U87MG cells. Cancer 110(5):1083-95.
9. Kabuto, H., M. Nishizawa, M. Tada, et al. 2005. Zingerone [4-(4-hydroxy-3-methoxyphenyl)-2-butanone] prevents 6-hydroxydopamine-induced dopamine depression in mouse striatum and increases supoxide scavenging activity in serum. Neurochemical Research 30(3):325-32.
Topic, B., E. Tani, K. Tsiakitzis, et al. 2002. Enhanced maze performance and reduced oxidative stress by combined extracts of zingiber officinale and ginkgo biloba in the aged rat. Neurobiology of Aging 23(1):135-43.
Mustafa, T., and K.C. Srivastava. 1990. Ginger (Zingiber officinale) in migraine headache. Journal of Ethnopharmacology29(3):267-73.
10. Kennedy, D.O., and A.B. Scholey. 2006. The psychopharmacology of European herbs with cognition-enhancing properties. Current Pharmaceutical Design 12(35):4613-23.

50 Brain Foods from Daniel Plan

50 Brain Foods from Daniel Plan



Wednesday, June 19, 2013

 Average woman applies 500 chemicals a day to her body


by Leanne Hudson, Herald Sun
June 10th, 2013

YOU wouldn't want to eat food that contains high levels of toxic chemicals, but do you know what you're putting on your skin?

As you slap on body moisturiser or reapply a fresh coating of lipstick, you could be subjecting your body to a cocktail of less than beneficial chemicals.

That's the finding of a study by natural deodorant company Bionsen in the UK, which claims that the average woman applies more than 500 chemicals to her body every day during her beauty routine.

And new research by the University of California, Berkeley, found that lipsticks can contain as many as nine different metals. If used twice a day, they provided more than 20 per cent of a person's acceptable daily intake (ADI) for aluminium, cadmium and manganese. Some exceeded the ADI for chromium, a metal that has been linked to stomach tumours.

If applied frequently, several of the products would push those figures over the ADI for aluminium and manganese.

"Finding these metals isn't the issue; it's the levels that matter," Berkeley researcher Katharine Hammond says. "Some of these toxic metals are occurring at levels that could have an effect on long-term health."

TOXICITY AND CANCER

Over-exposure to some chemicals has been linked to toxicity in the nervous system and cancer, but such studies aren't new. For years we've been warned of the possible side-effects of parabens (synthetic preservatives in everything from toothpaste to shampoo) and sodium lauryl sulfate (which creates foam). What's changed is the way companies label products.

Jorge Larranaga, senior certification officer at Australian Certified Organic, the nation's largest certifier of organic products, says: "There's a trend by some natural cosmetics companies to list the hazardous synthetic chemicals that aren't contained in their products, such as parabens, sulfates, mineral oils, synthetic fragrances or colours, TEA, DEA, glycols, silicones, PEGS, SLS ... the list can be interminable.

"But a list of [ingredients it doesn't contain] doesn't mean a product is free of synthetic chemicals. It's just free of the ones that are recognised by consumers, while still containing others masked under statements such as 'derived from corn starch'."

The Australian Society of Cosmetic Chemists (ASCC) backs this up, saying: "There are no Australian standards defining natural cosmetics."

HOW SAFE ARE PARABENS?

Parabens are one of those recognised ingredients. It was believed they were safe because they couldn't be absorbed by the body, until a study from the University of Reading in the UK tested human breast tumours and found that nearly every one contained traces of parabens.

It's now known that parabens mimic the hormone estrogen, which raises concerns over a link to breast cancer and fertility issues.

The ASCC says "parabens may have weak estrogenic activity," but it also says this activity is "short-lived".

A similar issue surrounds labelling of gold nanoparticles. Despite the American Contact Dermatitis Society naming gold the 2001 Allergen of the Year, gold nanoparticles have been lauded as the latest must-have beauty ingredient. Cosmetics manufacturers say the precious metal's anti-inflammatory properties can help prevent ageing.

Like parabens, they were seen as harmless. The ASCC says of nanoparticles: "The balance of scientific evidence is that there's no reason for concern for users of personal care and cosmetic products."

But a recent study by Stony Brook University in New York found that gold nanoparticles accumulated in stem cells and could accelerate ageing and wrinkling, slow healing and lead to the onset of diabetes.


WHAT'S THE SOLUTION?

It's this cumulative effect that has people worried.

Bionsen spokesperson Charlotte Smith says: "Beauty regimens have changed from a 'wash and go' attitude to [regular] fake tan applications, manicures and false lashes.

"Lots of the hi-tech, new generation cosmetics and beauty 'wonder' treatments contain more chemicals to be able to achieve better results, which means women carry more chemicals than ever."

Link to full post

Tuesday, June 18, 2013

10 Beneficios del Coco

En esta época de sol y vacaciones es oportuno destacar las bondades de uno de los regalos de la naturaleza más saludables y deliciosos, el coco. El nombre coco proviene de la era de los descubrimientos, pues a los exploradores portugueses que lo trajeron a Europa su superficie marrón y peluda les recordaba a las historias sobre el Coco que se les cuenta en España y Portugal a los niños pequeños para asustarles. A continuación te presentamos 10 beneficios de esta exótica fruta.

10.- Tiene propiedades suavizantes. Razón por la cual se suela usar como ingrediente en bronceadores, champús, jabones, acondicionadores, bálsamos labiales

9.- Los cocos tienen un alto contenido en proteínas y son bajo en hidratos de carbono. Son también fuente de ácido fólico, de todos los tipos de vitamina B, y de minerales como calcio, magnesio y potasio.

8.- El coco es un alimento apropiado en la diabetes y la obesidad. Además puede utilizarse para combatir las lombrices y otros parásitos intestinales. Para ello, hay que comer una cucharada de coco rallado fresco en el desayuno todos los días, hasta finalizar la cura.

7.- El coco es diurético y laxante,estimula varios procesos del aparato digestivo,ayuda a eliminar el exceso de alcohol del organismo,aumenta las plaquetas y ayuda a combatir la enfermedad del dengue.

6.- El aceite de coco tiene propiedades calmantes y regenerativas, además de ser antioxidante, antibacterial y anti-hongos.

5.- La leche de coco es muy diurética e ideal para combatir la retención de líquidos, ya que tiene un alto contenido en fibra que ayuda con los problemas de estreñimiento.

4.- La pulpa de este fruto caribeño es rica en magnesio, calcio y fósforo y fortifica las uñas, el cabello y los dientes.

3.- Es muy bueno para prevenir las manchas cutáneas.

2.- El coco ayuda también al sistema nervioso y muscular.

1.- Estudios recientes vinculan al coco con tratamientos para diversas enfermedades, como neumonía y Alzheimer.