What's in vaccines?

If you choose to vaccinate your children that's your right...ahem, I guess, right? or is it? If it is harmful, is it your right to harm your child? I believe if you strongly believe in vaccinating then you should diligently research them. Shouldn't you at the very least, know what's in them? That's my opinion though. I did and what I found was profound. In the end I chose to let my children's immune systems work without outside interference. Consider this: our bodies have built in mechanisms to protect us from entry to exit. This means from the time something enters our mouth until it exits our bodies we have bacteria in place ready to deal with what comes along. Our skin is also covered with bacteria that protects outside invaders from doing harm. What happens when we bypass this system and stick a needle full of a man made cocktail into our blood? Is this safe for our bodies? I don't believe so myself. I made it my business to know what was in those little vials before my precious children were stabbed with them. Do you know what is in them? Do you want to?

I am citing this website:
http://www.rense.com/general59/vvac.htm

This following list of common vaccines and their ingredients should shock anyone.




The numbers of microbes, antibiotics, chemicals, heavy metals and animal byproducts is staggering. Would you knowingly inject these materials into your children?



Acel-Immune DTaP - Diphtheria-Tetanus-Pertussis Wyeth-Ayerst 800.934.5556

* diphtheria and tetanus toxoids and acellular pertussis adsorbed, formaldehyde, aluminum hydroxide, aluminum phosphate, thimerosal, and polysorbate 80 (Tween-80) gelatin Act HIB



Haemophilus - Influenza B Connaught Laboratories 800.822.2463

* Haemophilus influenza Type B, polyribosylribitol phosphate ammonium sulfate, formalin, and sucrose



Attenuvax - Measles Merck & Co., Inc. 800-672-6372

* measles live virus neomycin sorbitol hydrolized gelatin, chick embryo



Biavax - Rubella Merck & Co., Inc. 800-672-6372

* rubella live virus neomycin sorbitol hydrolized gelatin, human diploid cells from aborted fetal tissue



BioThrax - Anthrax Adsorbed BioPort Corporation 517.327.1500

* nonencapsulated strain of Bacillus anthracis aluminum hydroxide, benzethonium chloride, and formaldehyde



DPT - Diphtheria-Tetanus-Pertussis GlaxoSmithKline 800.366.8900 x5231

* diphtheria and tetanus toxoids and acellular pertussis adsorbed, formaldehyde, aluminum phosphate, ammonium sulfate, and thimerosal, washed sheep RBCs



Dryvax - Smallpox (not licensed d/t expiration) Wyeth-Ayerst 800.934.5556

* live vaccinia virus, with "some microbial contaminants," according to the Working Group on Civilian Biodefense polymyxcin B sulfate, streptomycin sulfate, chlortetracycline hydrochloride, and neomycin sulfate glycerin, and phenol -a compound obtained by distillation of coal tar vesicle fluid from calf skins Engerix-B



Recombinant Hepatitis B GlaxoSmithKline 800.366.8900 x5231

* genetic sequence of the hepatitis B virus that codes for the surface antigen (HbSAg), cloned into GMO yeast, aluminum hydroxide, and thimerosal



Fluvirin Medeva Pharmaceuticals 888.MEDEVA 716.274.5300

* influenza virus, neomycin, polymyxin, beta-propiolactone, chick embryonic fluid



FluShield Wyeth-Ayerst 800.934.5556

* trivalent influenza virus, types A&B gentamicin sulphate formadehyde, thimerosal, and polysorbate 80 (Tween-80) chick embryonic fluid



Havrix - Hepatitis A GlaxoSmithKline 800.366.8900 x5231

* hepatitis A virus, formalin, aluminum hydroxide, 2-phenoxyethanol, and polysorbate 20 residual MRC5 proteins -human diploid cells from aborted fetal tissue



HiB Titer - Haemophilus Influenza B Wyeth-Ayerst 800.934.5556

* haemophilus influenza B, polyribosylribitol phosphate, yeast, ammonium sulfate, thimerosal, and chemically defined yeast-based medium



Imovax Connaught Laboratories 800.822.2463

* rabies virus adsorbed, neomycin sulfate, phenol, red indicator human albumin, human diploid cells from aborted fetal tissue



IPOL Connaught Laboratories 800.822.2463

* 3 types of polio viruses neomycin, streptomycin, and polymyxin B formaldehyde, and 2-phenoxyethenol continuous line of monkey kidney cells



JE-VAX - Japanese Ancephalitis Aventis Pasteur USA 800.VACCINE

* Nakayama-NIH strain of Japanese encephalitis virus, inactivated formaldehyde, polysorbate 80 (Tween-80), and thimerosal mouse serum proteins, and gelatin



LYMErix - Lyme GlaxoSmithKline 888-825-5249

* recombinant protein (OspA) from the outer surface of the spirochete Borrelia burgdorferi kanamycin aluminum hydroxide, 2-phenoxyethenol, phosphate buffered saline



MMR - Measles-Mumps-Rubella Merck & Co., Inc. 800.672.6372

* measles, mumps, rubella live virus, neomycin sorbitol, hydrolized gelatin, chick embryonic fluid, and human diploid cells from aborted fetal tissue



M-R-Vax - Measles-Rubella Merck & Co., Inc. 800.672.6372

* measles, rubella live virus neomycin sorbitol hydrolized gelatin, chick embryonic fluid, and human diploid cells from aborted fetal tissue



Menomune - Meningococcal Connaught Laboratories 800.822.2463

* freeze-dried polysaccharide antigens from Neisseria meningitidis bacteria, thimerosal, and lactose



Meruvax I - Mumps Merck & Co., Inc. 800.672.6372

* mumps live virus neomycin sorbitol hydrolized gelatin



NYVAC - (new smallpox batch, not licensed) Aventis Pasteur USA 800.VACCINE

* highly-attenuated vaccinia virus, polymyxcin B, sulfate, streptomycin sulfate, chlortetracycline hydrochloride, and neomycin sulfate glycerin, and phenol -a compound obtained by distillation of coal tar vesicle fluid from calf skins



Orimune - Oral Polio Wyeth-Ayerst 800.934.5556

* 3 types of polio viruses, attenuated neomycin, streptomycin sorbitol monkey kidney cells and calf serum



Pneumovax - Streptococcus Pneumoniae Merck & Co., Inc. 800.672.6372

* capsular polysaccharides from polyvalent (23 types), pneumococcal bacteria, phenol,



Prevnar Pneumococcal - 7-Valent Conjugate Vaccine Wyeth Lederle 800.934.5556

* saccharides from capsular Streptococcus pneumoniae antigens (7 serotypes) individually conjugated to diphtheria CRM 197 protein aluminum phosphate, ammonium sulfate, soy protein, yeast



RabAvert - Rabies Chiron Behring GmbH & Company 510.655.8729

* fixed-virus strain, Flury LEP neomycin, chlortetracycline, and amphotericin B, potassium glutamate, and sucrose human albumin, bovine gelatin and serum "from source countries known to be free of bovine spongioform encephalopathy," and chicken protein



Rabies Vaccine Adsorbed GlaxoSmithKline 800.366.8900 x5231

*rabies virus adsorbed, beta-propiolactone, aluminum phosphate, thimerosal, and phenol, red rhesus monkey fetal lung cells



Recombivax - Recombinant Hepatitis B Merck & Co., Inc. 800.672.6372

* genetic sequence of the hepatitis B virus that codes for the surface antigen (HbSAg), cloned into GMO yeast, aluminum hydroxide, and thimerosal



RotaShield - Oral Tetravalent Rotavirus (recalled) Wyeth-Ayerst 800.934.5556

* 1 rhesus monkey rotavirus, 3 rhesus-human reassortant live viruses neomycin sulfate, amphotericin B potassium monophosphate, potassium diphosphate, sucrose, and monosodium glutamate (MSG) rhesus monkey fetal diploid cells, and bovine fetal serum smallpox (not licensed due to expiration)



40-yr old stuff "found" in Swiftwater, PA freezer Aventis Pasteur USA 800.VACCINE

* live vaccinia virus, with "some microbial contaminants," according to the Working Group on Civilian Biodefense polymyxcin B sulfate, streptomycin sulfate, chlortetracycline hydrochloride, and neomycin sulfate glycerin, and phenol -a compound obtained by distillation of coal tar vesicle fluid from calf skins



Smallpox (new, not licensed) Acambis, Inc. 617.494.1339 in partnership with Baxter BioScience

* highly-attenuated vaccinia virus, polymyxcin B sulfate, streptomycin sulfate, chlortetracycline hydrochloride, and neomycin sulfate glycerin, and phenol -a compound obtained by distillation of coal tar vesicle fluid from calf skins



TheraCys BCG (intravesicle -not licensed in US for tuberculosis) Aventis Pasteur USA 800.VACCINE

* live attenuated strain of Mycobacterium bovis monosodium glutamate (MSG), and polysorbate 80 (Tween-80)



Tripedia - Diphtheria-Tetanus-Pertussis Aventis Pasteur USA 800.VACCINE

*Corynebacterium diphtheriae and Clostridium tetani toxoids and acellular Bordetella pertussis adsorbed aluminum potassium sulfate, formaldehyde, thimerosal, and polysorbate 80 (Tween-80) gelatin, bovine extract



US-sourced Typhim Vi - Typhoid Aventis Pasteur USA SA 800.VACCINE

* cell surface Vi polysaccharide from Salmonella typhi Ty2 strain, aspartame, phenol, and polydimethylsiloxane (silicone)



Varivax - Chickenpox Merck & Co., Inc. 800.672.6372

* varicella live virus neomycin phosphate, sucrose, and monosodium glutamate (MSG) processed gelatin, fetal bovine serum, guinea pig embryo cells, albumin from human blood, and human diploid cells from aborted fetal tissue



YF-VAX - Yellow Fever Aventis Pasteur USA 800.VACCINE

* 17D strain of yellow fever virus sorbitol chick embryo, and gelatin





For fun, what about the H1N1 flu shot? What are some of it's fun ingredients?

Sanofi-Pasteur
•Inactivated A/California/7/2009(H1N1)v-like virus propagated in embryonated chicken eggs


•Prefilled pediatric syringes and single-dose vials are mercury-free

•Multi-dose vials contain 25 mcg of mercury per 0.5 ml dose

•Formaldehyde (up to 100 mcg). Formaldehyde is classified as a probable human carcinogen by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, and as a known human carcinogen by the International Agency for Research on Cancer.

•Triton-X 100 (Polyethylene glycol P-isooctylphenyl ether) is a toxic detergent

•Sodium phosphate

•Sodium chloride (table salt)

•Gelatin

•Sucrose (table sugar)
 
 


I really don't follow any herd mentality in my life. If everyone else is doing it that means nothing to me. I need to know the facts. The facts are vaccines are a billion dollar industry. We are in the midst of an autism epidemic and vaccines are looking awfully suspicious. I am paying attention. There are many more facts on the subject. Dr Wakefield has some pretty damning evidence about MMR. It is possible we may never know which of these ingredients are the most detrimental, but I'm seeing MANY more people start to question their safety. 

These parents are certainly convinced their children were harmed by vaccines.
http://vimeo.com/3443801 

Touchy subject, I know, but don't you think we need to stop trusting everything so blindly? There might be people out there who want to make money and they might not care who they hurt. There is so much to cover on this subject and I follow the latest science on it all of the time. So please don't consider this the end of the evidence.

Soy Formula and Soy in general

I have decided I am going to post things here that I research for people. I look a ton of stuff up and put it all on Facebook and then when I want to go back and reference it for someone else it's impossible to find it on there. So for today's topic we have soy formula and it's dangers.

It all started with me posting Dr Mercola's dailytip:
DAILYTIP: Whatever you do, AVOID soy infant formula. It is one of the worst foods you can feed to your baby.

Question:
really? The babies' doctor put them on soy milk. It's organic but I wonder what else can I give them? Help!

My response:
How old are they now? Honestly, if I were you I would do away with all formula. They are old enough that you can do that without worrying. Your option would be some homemade nut milks that are real easy to do. Some people just find it intimidating. There are store bought nut milks that have more sugar and things in them than I like but prefer them to formula. Or you could opt for raw goat or cow milk. I have researched pasteurized milk and I am convinced it is detrimental to our health. Raw milk is still in it's normal state so if you feel you need a milk you could go that route. I have a friend who goes out of state to get real good quality raw milk for a co-op if you want her info.

There are so many reasons that formula isn't good for babies. Here is a link to the EWG's article on the extremely high levels of rocket fuel in formula:

http://www.ewg.org/node/27772

Then onto the topic of soy. Soy is so so so bad for anyone, but infants fed soy formula are getting the equivalant of at least five birth control pills per day. That is the most astounding fact to me that I always tell people.
All of that esttrogen is not good for boys or girls. I knew someone who took their daughter off of soy and saw immediate changes in her behavior. She went from being moody and whiney to happy and not so moody. Here's a good article:

http://articles.mercola.com/sites/articles/archive/2006/03/30/finally-infant-soy-formula-under-investigation.aspx

You can find a lot more info on Dr Mercola's site too. Just search infant formula or soy formula and he has tons of articles.

This book I have, Our Toxic World, says the identity problems children-mainly boys have today and fertility issues are due to all of the estrogen people are exposed to through soy.



Here's some more things taken from the website below:

•Contains Isoflavones (Genistein and Daidzein). In soy the isoflavones are built in insecticides. If they kill bugs are they good for humans?



•Isoflavones are estrogen like substances which have the same effect as the bodies estrogen. Cancer comes from having too much estrogen. Irritability and mood swings, fat gain from the waist down, fibrocystic breast disease uterine fibromas are all associated with estrogen dominance. Instead of helping prevent the bad effects of environmental or natural estrogen dominance soy isoflavones are now known to increase the bad effect of estradiol and estrone the two major bad guys of the estrogen family. (1,2,3).



•Kills testicular tissue. In men it permanently reduces testicular function and lowers Luteinizing Hormone production. LH is what signals your testicles to work. This increases the probability of estrogen dominance in men with its hair loss, swollen and cancerous prostates. (4,5). Male children fed soy formulas and soy products may not ever get to like girls. Doris Rapp MD, the worlds leading pediatric allergist, asserts that environmental and food estrogens are responsible for the increase in male homosexuality and the worldwide reduction in male fertility. (6)



•Isoflavones decrease thyroid hormone production. This can stunt children's growth and make the rest of us tired and fat. (7,8,9).



•Female children fed the estrogens in soy formula and products hit puberty very very early sometimes as young as age 6 to 8! (10).



•Pregnant women eating soy products may affect the sexual differentiation of their children. Studies show malformations of the reproductive tract or offspring born with both male and female sexual organs. (11).



•Isoflavones decrease GOOD cholesterol (HDL). (12,13).



•Soy contains Phytin, which takes essential minerals such as iron, zinc, magnesium etc. out of the body before they can be absorbed. Also soy contains Trypsin inhibitors block this vital anti cancer enzyme, anti fibrosis enzyme. (14).



•A 7000 man 30 year epidemiological study done in Hawaii shows soy is connected with a higher rate of Vascular Dementia (Alzheimer's disease). (15,16).



http://www.totalityofbeing.com/FramelessPages/Articles/SoyPoison.htm



If you do a search for: soy estrogen formula there is tons of info. I've actually seen much better articles than this. My friend was giving it to her twins and I taught her how to make nut milks so she could get them off of it.

Dr Mercola also has recipes for homemade formula's and I believe Weston A Price does as well.

 

Soy should only be consumed if it is organic and states it clearly AND it must be fermented. This means miso, natto, tempeh, and soy sauces. This means soy milk should be avoided. ??? Seriously! Review the bullets above!

 

Oh and to debunk the common misconception about health conscious folks, I don't eat tofu or drink soy latte's either! So stop asking! ;)  

 

 

 

Lots of Love!

 

Ready to Share

I was going through family pictures on my computer when I came across some John had taken of my rash when it was almost at it's worst back in September. Some of the cracks got deeper and worse at a point. Since then I have had some lab tests done. I still haven't got all of the answers but I have eliminated all of the foods that it came back that I was allergic to and worked on my intestinal flora which was extremely low and started taking enzymes since my pancreas is basically not even producing enzymes.

Eliminating the foods I was allergic to just wasn't cutting it. What really helped was when a friend of mine (Sharon Hoehner-THANK YOU!) who noticed some of the foods I was allergic to might point to an oxalate allergy. I don't think I would have ever stumbled upon that information alone with it being so rare and there not being very much information on it. Once I eliminated foods high in oxalates I started seeing much more improvement. I love kale, parsley, broccoli, and spinach in my fresh juices and instead of helping me they were harming me. It has been very difficult to be so limited on what foods I can eat and has been very hard to stick to the high raw diet when so many vegetables are off limits. It has been very frustrating at times, that I am so limited. Sometimes I felt like the only food I that wasn't going to bring me pain was apples.

I just want people to know that there are always answers to their problems if they are stubborn enough and take enough time to do their own research. I could be another statistic slathering gobs of steroids on my skin everyday while my insides continued to be inflamed and making room for disease to flourish. Instead I chose to find out what was really causing my problems.

When people tell me about their issues I just want to dig and and find the solution for them but it takes a lot of time to research and in the end people aren't always willing to make the changes-especially when it comes to diet. One of my favorite quotes: "It is easier to change a man's religion than to change his diet." -Margaret Mead  I wish it weren't so true. : /



Our bodies have symptoms for a reason. They are red flags telling us to pay attention. Not to go to the doctor where they will give us a magic pill that will take away the symptoms until big problems unleash themselves later in our lives.


So here's some before pictures:

With coconut oil on.

I'm not sure if you can tell, but at this point it had gone up both hands and arms. It was very swollen as well.

Not sure these get the amount of pain I was in across. :) Even my VERY non-dramatic husband was worried I was going to get an infection and told me daily they were going to amputate my arms. Yeah, he's not super sensitive either. LOL!

These are without coconut oil.

Skin couldn't stay on, but when it came off the tender skin underneath wasn't ready to be exposed.

It's funny that now that it's healed I am not worried about showing these, but at the time I was hiding from the stares under bandages and long sleeves.

My journey is not over. I still have flare ups and can't figure out what happened. It is not easy to obtain information about what foods are high in oxalates either. I basically have to look them up one by one. I have a chart that is not very detailed with foods. I am also not able to juice and eat as many greens as I would like. Cucumbers, bok choy, sprouts and lettuce are really the only safe greens I can count on. I am always accidentally eating something I shouldn't like right now I ate acorn squash and had forgotten it is high in oxalates. I am not accepting this diagnosis for life. I have found a lot of information pointing to the fact that my kidneys and gall bladder could be full of stones causing this reaction to oxalates or have some sort of kidney disease. Once I am done with nursing I have a whole host of detoxing planned.



My hands are finally back to normal after almost three years!! I couldn't be happier!! Thanks for reading and have a lovely day! :)

I was having trouble uploading pictures yesterday, but it's working now, so you can see my current hands.

Coconut Kefir Yumminess!

I have been making a delicious new snack for the family that the boys are in love with! So what is it? Coconut Kefir and Coconut Yogurt. You can't say it without saying YUM! So just like I am always talking about the importance of minerals (maybe not here, but on Facebook) fermented foods are another one of my favorites and are essential to good immune health. Many other cultures have fermented foods in their regular diet, but we don't eat many fermented foods in the standard American diet. They are crucial when we are exposed to so many toxins in our food and air as well as antibiotics.

So what is it and how do you make it? It is sooo easy yet seems to be real intimidating to people. I think I've figured out why: we are growing something and we are so unfamiliar with growing anything we eat let alone a bacteria! So here's what you do:

Coconut Kefir
Open and strain water from approximately four coconuts until you have 4 cups of water. Warm on stove until it's lukewarm (98 degrees). Drink the extra.

Mix with 1 package kefir starter and fill to almost top of jar (1 quart) and put lid on. Make sure everything you are working with including your hands are really clean.

Place in 72 degree room and leave for 36 hours (a day and a half). AND it's done! Put what you don't drink at the 36 hour mark in the fridge.


You can watch me make it on Youtube too!


There are also huge benefits to just drinking coconut water! I have read that they used to use it for blood tranfusions because the primary minerals or electrolytes are essentially the same as those found in human blood! It is full of minerals, vitamins, antioxidants, amino acids, enzymes, and growth factors. It is low in fat and has only a fifth of the sugar found in most fresh fruit juices. Ferment it and the probiotics gobble up those sugars and make it even better for you. Double score. Please don't be afraid of the fats in coconut either. If you want to lose weight you need to provide your body with good fats like the ones in coconuts and avocado.

So drink a glass before bed so it can mulitply while you are still and asleep or have a refreshing glass in the morning when you wake up! Oh and you can add a little to a fresh batch of coconut water and watch it grow all over again and not have to use a new packet of starter.

The yogurt is just as simple. Scrape the meat out and blend it all up. Add the kefir starter and let it grow for 8 hours. A lot less time than the kefir. Add to some berries and you have a creamy yogurt like snack/meal.

Introducing APRIL'S FAVORITE THINGS!!

I have had many questions about where I get so many things that I use. I like to get a lot of things at Amazon.com because I can get good deals there. They have free shipping over $25 on many items and you can save 15% with subscribe and save. What that means is you are signing up to get it shipped to you every month. I suggest signing up for it and then cancelling it if you don't want it on autoship. It is very easy and worth the extra savings. I have sent SOOO many people links to the same items over and over, so this is my way of still helping people and having all of the information at hand in one place. Plus if I make a little extra pocket change it will be a sweet reward for trying to help others, but it is really not my goal. My goal is to help others and stop spending as much time doing it away from my children. I didn't put too many things in my medicine cabinet catagory because Vitacost.com is still my favorite place for supplements and herbs, but I put a few things in there. The rule I gave myself is that I couldn't put anything in there that I haven't purchased and loved myself. If you want to see things I am looking into buying in the future you can check out my wish list. There are some more books in there. Enjoy!! I am also thinking of changing the name of my blog to Everything Organic/Natural/Raw... There is a girl on another forum who keeps naming me the expert on those things and maybe I'm just flattered but I like how it looks. What are your thoughts? I will also continue to add things to my store that I find and love in the future. I really like how it turned out, so check it out!! Love and sweet dreams to you!

A year without Faith

So what do you do when you feel like crying? Do you fight it, distract yourself and keep moving through your day or do you just let the tears come? Today marks one year since my aunt Faith left in a VERY painful way. She took her last breaths in the early morning hours surrounded by her husband and children who fought so hard to keep her alive. It was a very hard fight she fought and she was so brave through all of the pain. It was very hard to watch someone you love go through so much. She was very selfless and would call me to see how I was doing. It was only through others and seeing her myself was I able to find out how bad she was. When I would speak to her on the phone she wouldn't elaborate on how she would be vomiting all day long and unable to keep food down. She didn't tell me how thin and weak she had become. She was confident she was going to beat it, and she had everyone around her thinking positive too. To me she was the same strong woman who had always called me to joke around and talk to. She was known for her good conversations on the phone and they could go on for hours before you even realized. When I lived in UT there were a few one hour drives from Salt Lake back to my home near Ogden that flew by on the phone with her. So why do I feel like crying today? It's been a year. I've thought of her many times, but I guess today I am reliving the moments when I found out the horrible news.

So what did she die of? Liver cancer. I hope others can learn from this like I have. She was only 57!! It is because of her mostly and my own health issues sidely that put me on this health crusade. I remember the night I found out through e-mail she had been diagnosed with stage 4 liver cancer. I stayed up all night and researched it. I was about 6 months pregnant. I was so upset that everything I read said even if she did chemotherapy her chances of survival were almost non-existent. I didn't know then that I would come to not believing in chemo. I ended up staying up until four in the morning trying to find alternatives. I went to bed still crying and my baby was moving scarily. I had such a hard time trying to calm myself for his safety. I have never felt any of my babies move that way and I never want to again.

My research kept bringing me back to the same thing. A healthy raw, vegan diet. People had survived eating this way. I don't recall, however if any of them were stage 4. Also important was vitamin D and exercise. So there you have it. It is because of my aunt that I believe in raw food. I checked out book after book from the library. Carol Alt's was the first one I read. I spent countless hours online. I found that it wasn't healthy to eat the way most people do.

I had always thought our heart did the most important job in our body. I realized that our liver and other glands like our pancreas were just as important and very often overlooked. Our liver is extremely important. It is your body's purifier. We need it so bad in this day in age when we breath toxic air, drink toxic water and eat processed foods that barely resemble their original forms. I mean what the heck is Velveta? It's not even cheese, they call it cheese food. YUCK! The more processed a food is, the harder your liver is going to have to work to figure out what to do with it. Processed foods wreak havoc on your whole system. Same goes for all of these synthetic prescriptions we are told to take. So much of our longevity depends on how much attention we give to our liver and digestion system. Some people take better care of their cars and houses than they do their bodies.

So what should you do to change your own oil, hehe!?

~Start your day with lemon water. This helps get the wonderful alkaline bile flowing. I use one quart with one fresh lemon squeezed into it. PLEASE throw out your ReaLemon. It is synthetic and should not be consumed EVER!

~Start drinking green smoothies. This will help get things cleaned up. My son shows you how here:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0xG2xsLAVqM

~Do a cleanse. Here's one:
http://www.vitacost.com/Renew-Life-CleanseSMART-trade-Advanced-Cleanse-Kit-Plus-Free-FiberSmart-trade

~then this one:
http://www.vitacost.com/Renew-Life-CleanseSMART-Liver-Detox


~Get a colonic, OR several. I LOVE how good I feel after. Yes I know there are conflicting opinions about these, but nothing cleans out all the muck from gluten and dairy like a colonic. Just get yourself some probiotics to take after. I've researched this one a lot and I think people are so much better off doing a colonic. Not many people have healthy intestinal flora that they would be washing out anyways and this will remove all the stuff the unhealthy bacteria is feeding on.


Give your liver a break. Stop eating so many processed foods, meats and chemicals. Replace breakfast with a smoothie and dinner with a salad. Make lunch your only meal where you eat the cooked foods. Then your liver can concentrate on doing it's work at night rather than dealing with that big steak you had for dinner.


Your body can detox through your mouth, your skin and your bowels. So keep these things clear of toxins. Go back to my other post on deodorant and learn how to let the toxins out of your pores. Rinse the crud out of your mouth in the morning instead of swallowing it and you can even use a tongue scraper. Stop putting synthetic chemicals on your skin in the form of lotions. Your body absorbs it. If you wouldn't eat it don't put it on your skin. Use coconut or olive oil instead.


One last note. If you look in the mirror and see dark circles under your eyes that is a sign that your liver and kidneys are struggling. It is a form of bruising and a big red flag to help them out. Your liver can regenerate in 7 years, so get to work now and seven years from now you could be a whole new person!!

So this is dedicated to my aunt Faith. I believe she saved me from the same problems. We shared so many similar symptoms that I now know are not just a normal part of being a human. Asthma and allergies and eczema are not normal and I don't have to live with them. I am passing the inhaler torch to someone else! Bring on the campfires!

Toxic Euphoria!

Okay I think this weeks topic is going to be a lot easier for people to accomplish than the last one. I am really trying to keep up with this whole blogging thing. haha! I would really like to know what you are thinking of my posts. Make sure you comment or ask questions because I do check in. There is going to be a pattern to my posts on eliminating toxins for a while. When you catch on to what it is let me know. I am going to try to make this topic short, even though like the last I could go on and on about the dangers, but I also want to make sure it is getting read.

Do you have chronic headaches, sinus problems, or even asthma? Could it be something you are exposing yourself to that is doing it? Did you know that there is no regulation on the fragrance industry? That means they are using their own discretion when it comes to the ingredients. We all know how well companies who are out for profit regulate themselves and I do not trust putting products like that on my body.

Many chemicals in perfume and cologne are the same as those found in cigarette smoke. I would really love to quote Doris Bapp here, but my book is in storage so my memory will have to do. If you do have the time, her book is called Our Toxic World. The chemicals in perfumes go directly into the bloodstream when applied to our skin and are also absorbed into the skin from our clothing. We also inhale the chemical fumes, which then go straight to our brains where they can do major harm.

Many even have a "narcotic" effect, which is why some people seem "addicted" to their perfumes. Hmm, maybe that was my problem. I had a major perfume addiction. My collection had at least 100 bottles of the most expensive stuff you could find at Macy's. I have slowly given it away, but have held on to a few with sentimental value.

This goes for candles too. I will probably cover candles and other household fragrances in another post, but for now you may want to start noticing how those things make you feel when you use them. I can't go to my mother in laws house because she has it so full of candles burning. I leave with a terrible headache.

So I will now give you some alternatives to wearing toxic chemicals on your skin. You can not wear anything, which is what I do 90% of the time, or there are essential oils which come from plants that actually have positive effects on your mood. Just make sure you buy a quality, pure brand like Aura Cacia. They also make a fruity perfume made of essential oils. Some oils that you may like for balancing are rose or geranium. Peppermint for energizing and smelling it also works wonders for headaches. Sandalwood and myrrh help calm the mind. For attracting the opposite sex try ylang ylang, patchouli, rose or jasmine. For relaxing try lavender, and chamomile. I like the fruity ones like orange, lemon and grapefruit. Smelling grapefruit is an appetite suppressant. Essential oils can be used for so many things and I think they are so much fun. Some oils can be irritating to the skin alone because of their concentrated form so I recommend mixing a small amount with a base oil like olive oil or apricot oil in this case.

This is all about being kind to our liver. If you have been using toxic chemicals you most definitely need to look into cleansing your liver. Your liver is one of your lifelines to good health. If you are also trying to lose weight I suggest treating your liver kindly because you can't lose weight properly without a healthy liver. An unhealthy liver can affect every single organ in your body. Symptoms of an unhealthy liver include allergies, high cholesterol, malnutrition, and in extreme cases hepatitis and gallstones. Liver cleansing can relieve many of these ailments.

The liver is our body’s primary detoxification organ and manufacturing plant. It cleans drugs, alcohol, poisons, bacterial products, various waste products and worn out red blood cells from the body. The liver is also the main factory for amino acids, proteins and fats, and the stores fat and glucose – the energy source for all bodily functions. Enough of that for now, back to perfume.


So if you need more evidence, here is a brain scan before and after exposure to perfume:
http://www.ourlittleplace.com/spect.html

95% of chemicals used in fragrances are synthetic compounds derived from petroleum. They include benzene derivatives, aldehydes and many other known toxics and sensitizers all which are capable of causing cancer, birth defects, central nervous system disorders and allergic reactions.*


Top chemicals used in perfumes/colognes:

1. ACETONE (in: cologne, dishwashing liquid and detergent, nail enamel remover)

On EPA, RCRA, CERCLA Hazardous Waste lists. "Inhalation can cause dryness of the mouth and throat; dizziness, nausea, incoordination, slurred speech, drowsiness, and, in severe exposures, coma." "Acts primarily as a central nervous system (CNS) depressant."


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2. BENZALDEHYDE (in: perfume, cologne, hairspray, laundry bleach, deodorants, detergent, vaseline lotion, shaving cream, shampoo, bar soap, dishwasher detergent)

Narcotic. Sensitizer. "Local anesthetic, CNS depressant"... "irritation to the mouth, throat, eyes, skin, lungs, and GI tract, causing nausea and abdominal pain." "May cause kidney damage." "Do not use with contact lenses."


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3. BENZYL ACETATE (in: perfume, cologne, shampoo, fabric softener, stickup air freshener, dishwashing liquid and detergent, soap, hairspray, bleach, after shave, deodorants)

Carcinogenic (linked to pancreatic cancer); "From vapors: irritating to eyes and respiratory passages, exciting cough." "In mice: hyperanemia of the lungs." "Can be absorbed through the skin causing systemic effects." "Do not flush to sewer."


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4. BENZYL ALCOHOL (in: perfume, cologne, soap, shampoo, nail enamel remover, air freshener, laundry bleach and detergent, vaseline lotion, deodorants, fabric softener)

"irritating to the upper respiratory tract" ..."headache, nausea, vomiting, dizziness, drop in blood pressure, CNS depression, and death in severe cases due to respiratory failure."


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5. CAMPHOR (in: perfume, shaving cream, nail enamel, fabric softener, dishwasher detergent, nail color, stickup air freshener)

"local irritant and CNS stimulant" ..."readily absorbed through body tissues" ..."irritation of eyes, nose and throat" ..."dizziness, confusion, nausea, twitching muscles and convulsions" "Avoid inhalation of vapors."


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6. ETHANOL (in: perfume, hairspray, shampoo, fabric softener, dishwashing liquid and detergent, laundry detergent, shaving cream, soap, vaseline lotion, air fresheners, nail color and remover, paint and varnish remover)

On EPA Hazardous Waste list; symptoms: "...fatigue; irritating to eyes and upper respiratory tract even in low concentrations..." "Inhalation of ethanol vapors can have effects similar to those characteristic of ingestion. These include an initial stimulatory effect followed by drowsiness, impaired vision, ataxia, stupor..." Causes CNS disorder.


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7. ETHYL ACETATE (in: after shave, cologne, perfume, shampoo, nail color, nail enamel remover, fabric softener, dishwashing liquid)

Narcotic. On EPA Hazardous Waste list; "...irritating to the eyes and respiratory tract" ..."may cause headache and narcosis (stupor)" ..."defatting effect on skin and may cause drying and cracking" ..."may cause anemia with leukocytosis and damage to liver and kidneys" "Wash thoroughly after handling."


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8. LIMONENE (in: perfume, cologne, disinfectant spray, bar soap, shaving cream, deodorants, nail color and remover, fabric softener, dishwashing liquid, air fresheners, after shave, bleach, paint and varnish remover)

Carcinogenic. "Prevent its contact with skin or eyes because it is an irritant and sensitizer." "Always wash thoroughly after using this material and before eating, drinking, ...applying cosmetics. Do not inhale limonene vapor."


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9. LINALOOL (in: perfume, cologne, bar soap, shampoo, hand lotion, nail enamel remover, hairspray, laundry detergent, dishwashing liquid, vaseline lotion, air fresheners, bleach powder, fabric softener, shaving cream, after shave, solid deodorant)

Narcotic. ..."respiratory disturbances" ... "Attracts bees." "In animal tests: ataxic gait, reduced spontaneous motor activity and depression ... development of respiratory disturbances leading to death." ..."depressed frog-heart activity." Causes CNS disorder.


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10. METHYLENE CHLORIDE (in: shampoo, cologne, paint and varnish remover)

Banned by the FDA in 1988! No enforcement possible due to trade secret laws protecting chemical fragrance industry. On EPA, RCRA, CERCLA Hazardous Waste lists. "Carcinogenic" ..."Absorbed, stored in body fat, it metabolizes to carbon monoxide, reducing oxygen-carrying capacity of the blood." "Headache, giddiness, stupor, irritability, fatigue, tingling in the limbs." Causes CNS disorder.


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11. a-PINENE (in: bar and liquid soap, cologne, perfume, shaving cream, deodorants, dishwashing liquid, air freshener)

Sensitizer (damaging to the immune system).


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12. g-TERPINENE (in: cologne, perfume, soap, shaving cream, deodorant, air freshener)

"Causes asthma and CNS disorders."


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13. a-TERPINEOL (in: perfume, cologne, laundry detergent, bleach powder, laundry bleach, fabric softener, stickup air freshener, vaseline lotion, cologne, soap, hairspray, after shave, roll-on deodorant)

..."highly irritating to mucous membranes"... "Aspiration into the lungs can produce pneumonitis or even fatal edema." Can also cause "excitement, ataxia (loss of muscular coordination), hypothermia, CNS and respiratory depression, and headache." "Prevent repeated or prolonged skin contact."


Other chemicals to look out for:
COCOAMIDE DEA (diethylalomine) TEA, MEA,-- detergent in most shampoos, moisturizers and more

PROPYLENE GLYCOL - industrial antifreeze- in deodorant, shampoos, shaving gels, moisturizers and more...

SODIUM LAURYL SULFATE-AND FLUORIDE garage floor cleansers, detergents- in shampoos, toothpastes, more...



I carry Food Additives: A Shopper's Guide to What's Safe & What's Not in my purse and it is a great reference tool to use in the store until you get used to what is safe and what's not. For some reason it isn't available on Amazon right now though.




*Neurotoxins: At Home and the Workplace, Report by the Committee on Science & Technology, U.S. House of Representatives, Sept. 16, 1986. (Report 99-827)