Hello and good health to you!  It's spring, and the Creator's handiwork is so amazing.  This is becoming a monthly or biweekly newsletter (at least for subscribers) - so that you will not receive too much email!  We all have enough already!  This issue addresses safety at home this spring - in no particular order! 

First, Do you have a safe sunscreen?  I recommend two sunscreens which, unlike many you could buy, both avoid harsh chemicals and have NO nanoparticles small enough to enter your bloodstream.  Miessence's Reflect Balm is an organic sunscreen free of titanium dioxide.  www.naturetoyou.mionegroup.com/product/13430 .  Besides vitamin E, organic olive oil, betacarotene and other potent antioxidants, it uses only zinc oxide, considered the most nontoxic by Debra's List.  If 15 SPF is right for you, I recommend Miessence.  I also recommend Mexitan, which has green tea and other natural (not organic) ingredients but does have titanium dioxide.  While far better than nanoparticles and chemical ingredients in most sunscreens, few realize that this unstable ingredient usually stabilized by painting with aluminum, which is slightly irritating and was reprted to cause small changes in cells in contact with it.  Source:  www.dld123.com/q&a/index.php?cid=5820  For times when you need more than 15 SPF, this is an excellent product.   It is 15 or 30 SPF and considered safe around fish. www.greenboatstuff.com See the Campaign for Safe Cosmetics and the Skin Deep Report which ranks products for safety if you want to compare more options (1-2 is considered "safe".)  www.safecosmetics.org.  Next, avoid lead.  No amount is considered safe.  It's in garden hoses (and kids should never drink from one), cords, and in many soft, plastic toys.  A simple lead test kit from your local hardware store will be worth the peace of mind alone as you test dishware, bathtubs in some cases, and any surface you cannot be sure is lead-free.  Obtain an organic food priority list because some foods require far fewer pesticides even if grown in poor soil http://www.greenforchrist.com/Home_Page.html   Eat better snacks! A totally nutritious, organic food bar called "ACTIVE X" is just changing ownership.  I consider it the tastiest and healthiest organic live food bar.  This organic live food bar balances carbs with protein and it does not use date paste, or far worse, high fructose corn syrup, as a filler/sweetener.  I've been asking health food stores near me to carry them, and finally ordered them myself.  I ordered from the old SVP Nutritionals website www.svpnutritionals.com/index.html; but it no longedr works.  The price has decreased and Paypal eliminated, with new owner Greg Manos offering the same bars at smaller prices but in larger quantities.  There is also a new flavor, with more to come.  Pending their site update, I requested the new info & order form; prices are at 1.45/bar (16-128 bars) and 1.30 or less for larger orders.  Greg guaruntees an immediate turn-around for ordering this way, whereas it took about a month to hear from both Shania and Greg using the site's contact info!  (Plus I never got the last order I placed!)  Email me for the new Active X info & order form at green4christ (@sbcglobal.net) with your name (if a company), address, email and contact's name if you want this order form anytime soon & if I can send your info on to Greg.   Another bar I recommend is  larger (twice the bar at twice the price) - "The Organic Food Bar" - Protein flavor, sold online and at Whole Foods; it also has live food & everything I think should be in a bar.  At times I buy bars higher in carbs that rely on date paste, like Raw Revolution, but which have good, natural ingredients also.  I always balance these with cheese, eggs, or other protein snacks including Figure 8 from Arbonne, which I consider their finest product.
Avoid unsafe plastics - 3, 6, 7 including Teflon and styrofoam (linked to  chromosomal damage and possible cancer.  The WHO published health effects of substances including styrene 7,8 - oxide www.monographs.iarc.fr/ENG/Monographs/vol60/volume60.pdf   Styrofoam should never be used to heat food, even though your take-out is in those handy boxes.  New products and non-styrofoam liners are replacing styrofoam coffee cups, thankfully.  www.biodegradablestore.com   The safe ones have recycling numbers 1, 2, 4, or 5.  Only a few "7"s are safe; many of the rest are polycarbonates www.zrecs.blogspot.com/2007/07/z-report-bisphenol-in-polycarbonate.html or, some sites say, resins.  Parents, there is a great comparison of safe kiddie containers here:  www.zrecs.blogspot.com/2007/05/sippy-cup-showdown-safer-bpa-free-sippy.html .  For adults I like Kleen Kanteen despite it's one flaw: it's dentable!  Water in these just tastes so good!  www.Greenfeet.com has many lids, a few sizes and even a carrying case.  I considered a Brita self-filtering bottle but reviews say it doesn't work nealry as well as the larger Brita pitcher.  Speaking of water, filtered or spring water is highly recommended.  (Have you ever read your local water quality report?  Ours always included things like parasites and chemicals, and now I know to look for more issues.  Also, if you do not have whole house filtration, consider Rainshow'r or Enviro in baths, showers, etc. and Pur Plus for faucets.  I keep a cupful of filtered water on the bathroom sink so I am not rinsing my face with chlorinated water.
OK - a really tough question:  "Is there a Nontoxic Dishwashing Detergent that Works?"  Dishwashing detergents are said to be the most problematic of the “green” cleaners, since many streak or do not clean well; but thankfully a blog called “Emerald City” documented some trial and error to find their favorites, which include:  Ecover Dishwasher Tablets (cheaper on Amazon), Planet Automatic (found at Whole Foods and HFS), and Shaklee’s Get Clean (Concentrate.)  At last!!!  Wow, they also linked to some DIY *green cleaning ideas. www.care2.com/greenliving/make-your-own-non-toxic-cleaning-kit.html   This helps you make a basic kit.  Additionally, they reviewed Shaklee’s “Get Clean” line, which they said is expensive; but they do recommend Get Clean Basic H2 Organic Super Cleaning Concentrate.  I have found no ingredients listed for the H2, only for the previous (Basic H) which had undesirable ingredients – see  www.time4more.com/Downloads/English/Files/Basic-H_MSDS.pdf  . Personally, I see a red flag whenever a company does not publish its ingredients.  My own recommendations are: DIY recipes, Bon Ami (at Ace hardware) scouring powder, and MiEnviron’s BIOPURE Probiotic Household Cleaning Concentrate (which I sell and personally use) at https://naturetoyou.mionegroup.com/product/16303 .  All are at low cost, and recipes cost only pennies to make.  The new Chlorox green brands sold at Walmart will be discussed soon but with a great price, so far they only seem to have one problem:  petroleum ingredients in at least some of them.  Still, quite an improvement (if only intended to give Chlorox a good name, it still helps everyone who does nbot shop at health food stores!)  More next time on which ingredients to avoid and cleaners you can make cheaply and easily.

Know Your Ingredients!  Is the Price on This One Too High?
This series of articles helps you know your ingredients.  No consumer can afford to use formaldehyde, no matter how it lowers the price of what they buy.  Besides irritating your skin, formaldehyde is reported to cause cancer and damage your central nervous system.  Dr. Thomas Conner, Ph. D. at the University of Texas-Houston School of Public Health, found significant risks from several preservatives which release or break down into formaldehyde, including diazonidinyl urea (which I have seen in many products!)  To follow up the last topic posted, the way to avoid parabens (hormone disrupters among other health concerns) you avoid any ingredient that ends with "-paraben."  In short, you take a risk if you do not know your ingredients.  I'm more likely to trust shea butter and ivory soap than 99% of the items on a typical store shelf.  New "green" products are coming out, so before paying higher prices you can check for toxins here: www.naturetoyou.mionegroup.com/glossary & click "toxic ingredients."  There is a shot list as well as the university of Akron database (20,000 toxins listed.)  Some clues:  you will likely find SLS in any sudsy product - so look for "SLS-free" & (ideally of course an organic certification on the label!)

**I want to inject a personal note here at the end.  Currently a family member has an inoperable brain tumor.  He is young and this was unexpected.   It has put their future and his job at risk, and there has been discomfort and anguish, although both he and my sister have shown great faith and gone forward bravely.  Not only am I asking for prayer for his healing, but also for their journey as they venture to find out how natural remedies and foods can help him heal (along with medical treatment.)  There is no telling which factors may have caused his condition, as there are many possible causes including genetic, and there were many harmful substances he was exposed to on the job; but my quest to find and share the best health possible has become even more meaningful and heartfelt. 

 

Do You Want This Ingredient?

Did you know parabens are used as preservatives in most beauty products on the typical store shelf?  They allow products to be kept there years longer, which I do not really see as a benefit.  The organic products I use have a 3 year shelf life, more time than I'd want since I put these beneficial, potent products on my skin.

You may have heard of parabens' impact on hormone levels, such as the report by the University of Tokyo Metropolitan Research Laboratory of Public Health, which states that butylparaben "adversely affects the secretion of testosterone and the function of the male reproductive system."  (July 2002 issue of the Archives of Toxicology, Dr. S. Oishi's article).  Parabens mimick estrogen in ther effect, and many health professionals point to the likelihood of increased breast cancer.  The EPA reports parabens and other hormone-disrupting chemicals present in human breast milk and in marine animals.  Given the greater impact of chemicals when absorbed through the skin (Dr. Elizabeth Smith says it is ten times the impact of a dose taken orally) there is concern for human infants and adults as well as aquatic life.  Additional concerns were expressed by Dr. Thomas Conner, Ph. D. at the University of Texas-Houston School of Public Health, who considers parabens a more serious health problem than originally thought.  They are seen as merely causing allergies and a weak estrogenic effect; except that as Dr. Conner states, they are also sensitizing agents, meaning that a small amount has a magnified effect.  Then, too, a small amount from several products per day which all have parabens - from toothpaste to shampoo to skincare - starts to add up, compounded when they are used daily!   Studies also show a more substantial risk due to combinations with other chemicals in the products.  Three shampoos he tested actually caused bacteria to mutate!  Further tests showed that the higher the dose, the greater the chances of cell damage or mutation.  He also reports that other ingredients are of major concern:  both fragrances and other preservatives used in typical (nonorganic) products are leading causes of contact dermatitis and may cause other health problems.  The Campaign for Safe Cosmetics informs consumers of health risks from products and influences companies to produce safer products.  www.safecosmetics.org 

 

Christian stewardship seems to be gaining momentum as "green" catches on.  News about earth stewardship can be confusing, and so can the role of a christian steward.  you may wonder how to make sure "Earth Day" this year will honor the Creator of the Earth.  You may wonder, if it's just a fad, will it matter that I got involved?  Is it beyond the average person (me) to even know what to believe?  By some accounts, "Greenwashing" may become the norm, with every company's ad claiming to be less toxic and to help save the environment!   

Well, help is on the way.  This blog is dedicated to putting information in the hands of the average person and to show you how the nontoxic movement can help you and honor God, no matter how long it lasts!  Beginning in April, "The Nontoxic Lifestyle," another thread in this blog, will feature family safety guides, government and other resources for child safety, news, look-up sites, and products to promote family and personal health.  
    
 

God has been with me every step of the way to find better health.  It took really severe health to make me want to change!  Eating habits were the first to go; I decreased sugar, ate better carbs, balanced them with protein, and added one type of supplement after another (not to mention detoxing!)  Many things helped, including leafy and colorful vegetables without pesticides, hormone and anti-biotic-free meat, omega 3, sprouted grains, soaked whole beans and grains, etc plus probiotics.  Kombucha was one major detoxing drink and worth an article in itself since drinking it helped some whole Russian villages escape the cancer rates which skyrocketed in the wake of the Chernoble disaster.  Then I got away from using chemicals and from household things that off-gas - and even got my vents cleaned the right way (ask me about it!)  What a difference!  We are now surrounded by mostly organic and pure household items with fewer toxins at least in the most crucial living areas, an organic garden using rainwater, etc.  My allergies have greatly diminished, and so have rashes and most reactions to chemicals (although I still avoid anything not pure and beneficial on my skin of course.)  My bio for my line of organic products tells how nontoxic products were key in the improved health I now enjoy:

As an educator, my first reaction to failing health was to study and look for an answer. I thought my diet was the problem. Sure enough, my research about nutrition started paying off, improving many of my symptoms; "better" carbs, using protein to balance carbs, omega 3, and probiotics did make a huge difference - and so did chiropractic care, stretches and exercise. Yet I would suffer mysterious setbacks despite doing "everything" to be healthy. I had my faith to pull me through, but I was hardly living the abundant life!  Only when I became more and more sensitive to chemicals in my carpet, facial products, etc. did I realize that avoiding too much sugar or getting relief from holistic healing arts was not the whole answer, nor were my sensitivities simply isolated cases such as using the wrong lip balm or being "allergic" to make-up. My skin was telling me there was something wrong. Like a scientist, I began photographing each reaction and keeping a record of what triggered it. Finally I read an article about others with these symptoms, known as MCS or multiple chemical sensitivities - caused by too many accumulated chemicals, or by chemicals crossreacting in many bizarre ways. In my case they caused rashes, swellings, respiratory problems, and the list goes on. To sum up, I find that the more I avoid chemicals, the healthier I am and the fewer allergies I have. Even better is to know that I am using the healing power that is so generously available in nature. I am in awe that Miessence selects only the finest ingredients with maximum health benefits, at such a high standard it is food-grade! After such a long search I was thankful to find a way to avoid cheap, harmful substitutes and instead use the blessings provided in nature to lavish on myself and anyone who is ready to use only "the best"!

I am inviting entries on this topic from christians and friends of the faith.   The purpose is to acknowledge that God blessed you in this change to a more nontoxic lifestyle.  It's OK to mention products (as I did in the example that follows) but that should not be primary. 

To enter:  you just need to click "subscribe" as you first join our blog community with a brief intro comment (under New Member "Connections" or "Introductions"), and second, also submit an entry as a "comment" on this thread.  The entry judged to be most helpful will receive a $20 Lifeway Gift Certificate if submitted by mid-summer!  ID is required to pick up your certificate.  Your two "comments" can include much of the same content.  Categories can also be found on the sidebar; it's "New Member Introductions" & "Embracing the Abundant Life." 

You can now "subscribe" to a specific topic (thread) or entry while making a comment.  Please subscribe again if you tried earlier than Mar. 17 '08, because the blog was not working at that time.  If you subscribe to a thread or to the whole blog you should get an email confirmation, although it may be delayed a few hours.  If you ever have any difficulty at all with this blog, please email me at green4christ(at)sbcglobal.net but use "@" and not "(at)."  Avoiding certain words in the blog is simply to avoid spam from robots that search sites and try to flood email boxes if they see a posted email address;  of course there is no way for them to see any subscriber's address though, because those are automatically stored & never posted. 

What a pleasant surprise this vibrant treasure of a blog is!   "Alive!" is Lynn Watson's blog http://FootstepsInEden.Blogspot.Com - and her love of God, beauty, and peace shine right out.  You'll see it archived here under "The Nontoxic Lifestyle."  I also love her website title, and wondered about it until I saw her footstep graphic when I clicked on her reflexology site, www.FootstepsInEden.Com   It highlights her practice as a certified reflexologist in Tennessee.  Clicking "Benefits of Reflexology" gives you lots of good information and a diagram.  It reminded me of trying reflexology as a young college student; how relaxing it was!  I also remember someone showing me how to trigger positive substances like dopamine just by simply stroking parts of your hand.  How wonderful that alternative medicine does not invade your body, upsetting the balances we need, but enlists your natural substances as allies!

By what Lynn links to and sells, she and I are kindred spirits in many ways; and in fact our organic products overlap.  Seeing each other as colleagues, we each put ethics and the greater good ahead of competition.  I respect her inspiring wish to help improve our world and peoples' health, giving God due credit for the insight to do this.  Below is one scene from her site, called "Playing in the Hyssop"!

This spring began a new thread inviting everyone to share if they have an inspiring health story.    I'm updating this news because apparently the original deadline was not meant to be!   Only spammers replied to this thread and except for some nice feedback and comments, no entries were received.  A glitch with the blog prevented any subscribers and any comments until three days prior to the _ontest (add a "c" infront to see the word) - so I'll never know who tried to enter it prior to that.  I am rethinking using any words that spam-bots search for, so this event is now a "competition!"  The deadline will now be extended to mid summer if there is any interest - see details below. 

Did you receive more blessings by making a nontoxic, green lifestyle change?  We are about promoting health and stewardship; and it's OK to mention products, but it's a non-political blog.  Submit your inspiring story to us in this category:  "Embracing the Abundant Life."  Deadline:  Extended to mid-summer '08.  Limit:  200 words.   $20 Lifeway Bookstore gift certificate to best entry.  Blog members only!  just comment in the "Connections" area and subscribe via email.  You will need to show identifying info when you pick up your $20 certificate at your nearest Lifeway christian bookstore.  I realize the topic is truly ambitious.  These stories are rare and the vast majority of those looking at health websites are still struggling with their health.  In fact, none of us who feel we conquered health problems will feel expert either at times when new challenges or separate health issues still occur; and worse, our modern lifestyles seem totally at odds with sustaining a healthy lifestyle once we do have answers and know how to avoid many health problems (especially the busier we get!); but don't let that stop you.  You are still invited to share what in God's natural world has helped allow you the blessings of an abundant life and improve your health.   

If you ever have any issues at all with this site or wonder if your comment, etc. was received, email me at green4christ(at)sbcglobal.net substituting "@" for (at).  Thank you, and my appologies for any trouble you experienced prior to Mar. 17, when the problem was fixed.

"We're watching our figures."  Is this my favorite morning show?  When did John and Terry start turning down Krispy Kreme doughnuts?  John says he has a personal trainer!  Next I'll hear that there's a Fitness for Kids program!  Oh, there IS one?!!  In fact, there is a whole ROUND-Up for fitness coming soon in my area!  Wow!  Along with the fitness emphasis, I am also hearing more ads for energy conservation, and there are more organic foods available in more stores!  I'm impressed!

                                                                         

 

Hi!  I’m Fran McCollum.  Welcome to the new member introductions area!  The photos show our piece of suburbia, enjoyed with my husband and at times with my two daughters who are newly launched into the job world & far away.  I have always enjoyed nature, travel and books, with the little free time I’ve had while teaching for over a decade.  In the past two years my husband and I have initiated low-energy measures at home, a low-water landscape, and rain catchment.  I also tried cooking in a solar oven (above)!  My husband is an orchestral musician in his spare time.  He travels frequently but found time to plan most of the solar improvements and did general planning with me as well as all of the heavy lifting.  We began to remodel with, make, and use more organic and natural products.  This is both to protect the earth and to enjoy maximum health.  I am interested in gardening, health, and a few other hobbies as time allows.  This is the part of the blog where you tell us something about yourself, in about 200 words or less (about as long as this!)  You can try to post your photo in the text or email it to me at green4christ@sbcglobal.net 
  

     

What's happening with Christians as far as "green"?  Actually, there is a growing trend toward "Creation Care" among Christians!  Now that I am interested in a lifestyle of Christian stewardship of our earth, I've learned of the movement that started a few years back.  Today many Christian colleges have significant green initiatives on campus, some of which I will feature here.  Born-again believers are now split almost 50/50 on the controversial topic of global warming, according to the recent Barna Group Ltd research poll.  This is not a topic on this blog, nor are we affiliated with any political party, but it is news-worthy and shows how christians are thinking.  Some of this data appears in articles I will share here in the future. 
Green Christian Conservative editor Rod Drehr speaks frankly in this article about negative attitudes toward the environmental-conscious movement, and describes his own reasons for changing his stance in favor of it.   www.usatoday.com/news/opinion/editorials/2006-04-23-earth-day-conservative-edit_x.htm