Many of our food, cosmetic & cleaning products available today contain harmful synthetic ingredients.

With thanks to www.faithful-to-nature.co.za

AVOID THE FOLLOWING: Know what your are absorbing into your body by avoiding these nasties;

• Parabens (Methyl, Propyl, Butyl & Ethyl)
• Propylene Glycol (PEG),
• Sodium Lauryl/Laureth Sulfate,
• Diethanolamine (DEA),
• Triethanolamine (TEA),
• Monoethanolamine (MEA),
• Diazolidinyl Urea,
• Imidazolidinyl Urea,
• PVP/VA Copolymer,
• Stearalkonium Chloride,
• Synthetic Colors,
• Synthetic Fragrances (or parfum),
• Pthalates,
• Talc,
• EDTA,
• Petrolatum,
• Lead,
• Nonylphenols,
• Phenylenediamine

PUT YOUR HEALTH FIRST  and make sure you avoid these ingredients which are especially contentious:

• Amaranth (E123),
• Monosodium Glutamate (MSG or E621),
• Aspartame (E951),
• Sulphur Dioxide & Sulphites (E220, E221, E226),
• Tartrazine (E102),
• Nitrates (E249, E250, E251, E252),
• BHA & BHT (Butylated Hydroxyanisole & Hydroxytoluene),
• Acesulfame (E950),
• Benzoic Acid & Sodium Benzoate,
• Saccharin & its Na, K & Ca salts (E954),
• Sunset Yellow,
• FCF Orange Yellow S,
• F D & C Yellow 6 (E110),
• Stannous Chloride (tin or E512)

THE SAFE LIST: ( Not all additives are harmful.)

• Vitamin C – Ascorbic Acid (E300, E301, E302, E304),
• Niacin,
• Vitamin E – tocopherol (E306, E307, E308, E309),
• Lecithin (E322),
• Mono and diglycerides (E471),
• Casein Polysorbate 60 (E435),
• Polysorbate 80 (E433),
• Alginate (E401, E402, E403),
• Pectin (E445a),
• Guar Gum (E412),
• Gum Acacia or Gum Arabic (E414),
• Carotene (E160a),
• Xanthan Gum (E415),
• Vitamin B2(E101),
• Vitamin A (E101, E160),
• Curcumin (E100),
• Chlorophyll (E140),
• Citric Acid (E330, E301, E302, E303),
• Lactic Acid (E270),
• Sorbic Acid & Sorbates,
• Calcium Carbonate (E170),
• Sodium Bicarbonate or Hydrogen Carbonate,
• Propionic Acid & Propionates

To self-diagnose, spit on an iPhone

29 November 2011 by Paul Marks
Magazine issue 2840. Subscribe and save

HANDHELD gadgets could one day diagnose infections at the push of a button by using the supersensitive touchscreens in today's smartphones.
Many believe that in the future collecting samples of saliva, urine or blood could be performed using a cheap, USB-stick-sized throwaway device called a lab-on-a-chip. The user would inject a droplet of the fluid in the chip, and micropumps inside it would send the fluid to internal vessels containing reagents that extract target disease biomarker molecules. The whole device would then be sent to a lab for analysis.
But Hyun Gyu Park and Byoung Yeon Won at the Korea Advanced Institute for Science and Technology in Daejeon think touchscreens could improve the process by letting your phone replace the lab work. Park suggests the lab-on-a-chip could present a tiny droplet of the sample to be pressed against a phone's touchscreen for analysis, where an app would work out whether you have food poisoning, strep throat or flu, for example.
The idea depends on a method the pair have devised to harness the way a touchscreen senses a fingertip's ability to store electric charge - known as its capacitance. The capacitive sensitivity of touchscreens is far higher than what is needed to sense our fingers as we play games or tap out tweets.
"Since these touchscreens can detect very small capacitance changes we thought they could serve as highly sensitive detection platforms for disease biomarkers," says Park.
The technology is not yet able to identify individual pathogens but Park sees the display's ability to differentiate between concentrations as a first step towards this.
However, before the idea can be rolled out the built-in software on touchscreens that eliminates false-touch signals caused by moisture or sweat would need modifying. Park also plans to develop a film that can be stuck on a touchscreen to which the biomarkers will attach. "Nobody wants direct application of bio-samples onto their phone," he says.

*From web link: http://www.newscientist.com/article/mg21228405.800-to-selfdiagnose-spit-on-an-iphone.html

1. Quick tips for a good sunscreen.

Ingredients:

• Oxybenzone
• Vitamin A ( retinyl palmitate )
• Added insect repellent Zinc
• Titanium dioxide
• Avobenzone or Mexoryl SX

Products:

• Sprays
• Powders
• SPF above 50+
• Cream
• Broad-spectrum protection
• Water-resistant for beach, pool & exercise
• SPF 30+ for beach & pool

2. But first things first – do these before applying sunscreen.

The best defenses against getting too much harmful UV radiation are protective clothes, shade and timing.

Check out checklist:

1. Don’t get burned. Red, sore, blistered (then peeling) skin is a clear sign you’ve gotten far too much sun. Sunburn increases skin cancer risk – keep your guard up!
2. Wear clothes. Shirts, hats, shorts and pants shield your skin from the sun’s UV rays – and don’t coat your skin with goop. A long-sleeved surf shirt is a good start.
3. Find shade – or make it. Picnic under a tree, read beneath an umbrella, take a canopy to the beach. Keep infants in the shade – they lack tanning pigments (melanin) to protect their skin.
4. Plan around the sun. If your schedule is flexible, go outdoors in early morning or late afternoon when the sun is lower in the sky. UV radiation peaks at midday, when the sun is directly overhead.
5. Sunglasses are essential. Not just a fashion accessory, sunglasses protect your eyes from UV radiation, a cause of cataracts.

3. Now put on sunscreen – here are the essentials, beyond the quick tips.

1. Some sunscreens prevent sunburn but not other types of skin damage. Make sure yours provides broad-spectrum protection and follow our other tips for better protection.
2. Don’t be fooled by a label that boasts of high SPF. Anything higher than “SPF 50+” can tempt you to stay in the sun too long, suppressing sunburn but not other kinds of skin damage. FDA says these numbers are misleading. Stick to SPF 15-50+, reapply often and pick a product based on your own skin, time planned outside, shade and cloud cover.
3. News about Vitamin A. Eating vitamin A-laden vegetables is good for you, but spreading vitamin A on the skin may not be. New government data show that tumors and lesions develop sooner on skin coated with vitamin A-laced creams. Vitamin A, listed as “ retinyl palmitate ” on the ingredient label, is in 41 percent of sunscreens. Avoid them.
4. Ingredients matter. Avoid the sunscreen chemical oxybenzone , a synthetic estrogen that penetrates the skin and contaminates the body. Look for active ingredients zinc, titanium, avobenzone or Mexoryl SX. These substances protect skin from harmful UVA radiation and remain on the skin, with little if any penetrating into the body. Also, skip sunscreens with insect repellent – if you need bug spray, buy it separately and apply it first.
5. Pick a good sunscreen. EWG’s sunscreen database rates the safety and efficacy of about 1,400 products with SPF, including about 500 sunscreens for beach and sports. We give high ratings to brands that provide broad-spectrum, long-lasting protection with ingredients that pose fewer health concerns when the body absorbs them
6. Cream, spray or powder – and how often? Sprays and powders cloud the air with tiny particles of sunscreen that may not be safe to breathe. Choose creams instead. Reapply them often, because sunscreen chemicals break apart in the sun, wash off and rub off on towels and clothing.
7. Message for men: Wear sunscreen. Surveys show that 34 percent of men wear sunscreen, compared to 78 percent of women. Start using it now to reduce your cumulative lifetime exposure to damaging UV radiation.
8. Got your Vitamin D? Many people don’t get enough vitamin D, which skin manufactures in the presence of sunlight. Your doctor can test your level and recommend supplements or a few minutes of sun daily on your bare skin (without sunscreen).

After visiting some friends recently who drank copious amounts of water spiked with fresh organic limes and lemons from trees in their yard and freely offered this delicious concoction to all their guests, the following article reminded me of the value of our mutual dedication to planetary health and wellness through simple healthful remedies.

There are basic lifestyle habits that are important to incorporate into your daily life, and this is certainly one of them. However, we are talking about organic lemons that are tree ripened. If you are buying commercial lemons from the store, learn kinesiology and muscle test the lemons you buy so that you know one way or another whether the lemons you are purchasing are actually therapeutic for you.

by Ann Heustad, R.N.

“When life gives you a lemon... squeeze it, mix it with six  ounces of distilled water and drink twice daily.”

Handy vinegar tips for wellness

- To remove calcium buildup on kettles and electric jugs, boil the kettle with half a cup of white vinegar and leave to soak for a while. Rinse with fresh water, reboil with same and your kettle should now be calcium deposit free.

- Place a small container of vinegar in your toilet and bathroom to eliminate odors.

- A half cup of vinegar added to a toilet bowl left overnight removes bowl odor. The smell of the vinegar will also dissipate overnight.

- A cotton ball soaked in vinegar and appled to bruises for an hour is said to speed up the healing process.

- Vinegar on minor burns and many sorts of stings can alleviate pain.