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I was using Gerber’s Grins & Giggles Aloe Vera Baby Wash til I got this email… It’s not really on the list but it’s ’sister’ product is so I stopped using it… better safe than sorry, right?
http://www.breastcancerfund.org/site/pp.asp?c=kwKXLdPaE&b=2483603 (Click on this link to view article.)
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: Thursday, February 8, 2007
Contacts: Kevin Donegan or Marisa Walker, Breast Cancer Fund, (415) 346-8223; Stacy Malkan, Campaign for Safe Cosmetics, (202) 321-6963; David Steinman, author, “Safe Trip to Eden,” (310) 403-6995; Sheila Huettl, Freedom Press, (800) 959-9797.
Cancer-causing Chemical Found in Children’s Bath Products
Women’s Shampoos and Body Wash also Contaminated
WASHINGTON – A hidden cancer-causing petrochemical has been found in dozens of children’s bath products and adults’ personal care products, in some cases at levels that are more than twice the U.S. Food and Drug Administration’s lenient recommended maximum.
Laboratory tests released today revealed the presence of 1,4-Dioxane in products such as Hello Kitty Bubble Bath, Huggies Baby Wash, Johnson’s Baby Wash, Scooby-Doo Bubble Bath and Sesame Street Bubble Bath. The tests also found the carcinogen in Clairol Herbal Essences shampoo, Olay Complete Body Wash and many other personal care products.
1,4-Dioxane is a petroleum-derived contaminant considered a probable human carcinogen by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency and a clear-cut animal carcinogen by the National Toxicology Program. It is also on California’s Proposition 65 list of chemicals known or suspected by the state to cause cancer or birth defects. Because it is a contaminant produced during manufacturing, the FDA does not require it to be listed as an ingredient on product labels.
The problem of 1,4-Dioxane contamination in personal care products is highlighted in a new book, “Safe Trip to Eden: Ten Steps to Save the Planet Earth from the Global Warming Meltdown,” by David Steinman. The laboratory results were released jointly today at the National Press Club by Steinman and the Campaign for Safe Cosmetics, a coalition of U.S.-based health and environmental groups working to protect cosmetics consumers from toxic chemicals and hold companies accountable for the safety of their products.
“Regrettably, 1,4-Dioxane contamination is just the tip of the iceberg,” said Jeanne Rizzo, R.N., executive director of the Breast Cancer Fund, a founding member of the Campaign for Safe Cosmetics. “Because the FDA does not require cosmetics products to be approved as safe before they are sold, companies can put unlimited amounts of toxic chemicals in cosmetics.”
Steinman said parents should be outraged that companies are willing to spend a significant amount of money on entertainment licensing agreements that entice children but won’t spend pennies to remove contaminants such as 1,4-Dioxane.
“Consumers who have young children, as I do, have the right to expect the highest purity in children’s products,” Steinman said. “I call on American consumers to say no to dangerous petrochemicals in their children’s cosmetic and personal care products.”
Contrary to what many consumers may believe, the FDA does not review or regulate cosmetics products or ingredients for safety before they are sold to the public and has no legal authority to require safety assessments of cosmetics.
Devra Lee Davis, professor of epidemiology and director of the Center for Environmental Oncology at the University of Pittsburgh Cancer Institute, said that the usual regulatory approach of assessing risk one chemical at a time does not account for the combined effects of very low levels of hidden contaminants in personal care products and from other sources. “We must lower exposures to controllable agents that we know or suspect cause cancer,” she said.
The FDA has been measuring 1,4-Dioxane levels since 1979, but because the agency has little authority or enforcement capacity over the cosmetics industry, it has worked with manufacturers to reduce levels on a voluntary basis only. In 2000, the FDA recommended that cosmetic products should not contain 1,4-Dioxane at concentrations greater than 10 ppm (parts per million); yet some 15 percent of products tested exceeded even these lenient guidelines. This limit, however, also does not take into account that babies exposed to 1,4-Dioxane from baby shampoo may be exposed at the same time to 1,4-Dioxane from bubble bath, body wash and many other products.
More than two dozen products were tested at Steinman’s request by West Coast Analytical Service, an independent testing laboratory specializing in trace chemical analysis. Among the products tested:
Product
Baby & Children’s Consumer Products 1,4-Dioxane
concentration
Disney Clean as Can Bee Hair & Body Wash (Water Jel Technologies) 8.8 ppm
Disney Pixar Cars Piston Cup Bubble Bath (MZB Personal Care) 2.2 ppm
Gerber Grins & Giggles Gentle & Mild Aloe Vera Baby Shampoo 8.4 ppm
Hello Kitty Bubble Bath (Kid Care) 12 ppm*
Huggies Baby Wash Shea Butter 4.0 ppm
Huggies Natural Care Baby Wash Extra Gentle and Tear Free 4.2 ppm
Johnson’s Head-to-Toe Baby Wash (Johnson & Johnson) 5.3 ppm to 6.1 ppm
Johnson’s Kids Tigger Bath Bubbles (Johnson & Johnson) 5.6 ppm to 7.9 ppm
Johnson’s Kids Shampoo Watermelon Explosion (Johnson & Johnson) 10 ppm*
Lil’ Bratz Mild Bubble Bath (Kid Care) 3.7 ppm
L’Oreal Kids Orange Mango Smoothie Shampoo 2.0 ppm
Mr. Bubble Bubble Bath Gentle Formula with Aloe 1.5 ppm
Rite-Aid Tearless Baby Shampoo 4.3 ppm
Scooby-Doo Mild Bubble Bath (Kid Care) 3.0 ppm
Sesame Street Wet Wild Watermelon Bubble Bath (The Village Company) 7.4 ppm
Adult Consumer Products
Clairol Herbal Essences Rainforest Flowers Shampoo 23 ppm*
Olay Complete Body Wash with Vitamins (normal skin) 23 ppm*
Suave Naturals Passion Flower 2.0 ppm
*Product was at or above FDA maximum
Steinman’s book explains what Americans can do today to be “green patriots” and curb the nation’s dependency on foreign oil. The new laboratory results reveal the health risks posed by the same petrochemicals that are part of what he calls the nation’s growing oil addiction.
Women and girls use an average of 12 personal care products daily, according to a 2004 survey conducted by the Campaign for Safe Cosmetics. The Environmental Working Group’s interactive product safety guide, Skin Deep, allows consumers to find products free of common carcinogenic impurities like 1,4-Dioxane.
# # #
Founding members of the Campaign for Safe Cosmetics include Alliance for a Healthy Tomorrow, Breast Cancer Fund, Commonweal, Friends of the Earth, Women’s Voices for the Earth, Environmental Working Group, National Black Environmental Justice Network and the National Environmental Trust. For more information and background on the campaign, and a link to the Environmental Working Group’s “Skin Deep” database of cosmetics product safety, visit www.safecosmetics.org. To learn more about “Safe Trip to Eden: Ten Steps to Save the Planet Earth from the Global Warming Meltdown” by David Steinman, call Sheila Huettl at (323) 208-2629.
I got this email a few weeks ago. Just wanted to share it with the rest of the world out there who live for truth and justice and especially those who hope for the future. Let’s not be pulled down by all this evil going around but instead look at it a call to challenge to live lives that are truly ’Christian’.
THE ONLY HOPE FOR THE PHILIPPINES
by Father James Reuter, S.J.
The signs are clear.
Our nation is headed towards an irreversible path of economic decline and
moral decadence. It is not for lack of effort. We’ve seen many men and
women of integrity in and out of government, NGOs, church groups & people’s
organization devote themselves to the task of nation-building, often times
against insurmountable odds.
But not even two people revolutions, bloodless as they may be, have made a
dent in reversing this trend. At best, we have moved one step forward, but
three steps backward.
We need a force far greater than our collective efforts, as a people, can
ever hope to muster. It is time to move the battle to the spiritual realm.
It’s time to claim GOD’s promise of healing of the land for His people.
It’s time to gather GOD’s people on its knees to pray for the economic
recovery and moral reformation of our nation. Is prayer really the answer?
Before you dismiss this as just another rambling of a religious fanatic,
I’d like you to consider some lessons we can glean from history.
England’s ascendancy to world power was preceded by the Reformation, a
spiritual revival fuelled by intense prayers.
The early American settlers built the foundation that would make it the
most powerful nation today – a strong faith in GOD and a disciplined prayer
life.
Throughout its history, and especially at its major turning points, waves
of revival and prayer movement swept across the land.
In recent times, we see Korea as a nation experiencing revival and in the
process producing the largest Christian church in the world today, led by
Rev. Paul Yongi Cho. No wonder it has emerged as a strong nation when other
economies around it are faltering.
Even from a purely secular viewpoint, it makes a lot of sense. For here
there is genuine humbling & seeking of GOD through prayer, moral
reformation necessarily follows. And this, in turn, will lead to general
prosperity.
YES, we believe prayer can make a difference.
It’s our only hope.
Today, we launch this email brigade, to inform Filipinos from all over the
world to pray, as a people, for the economic recovery and moral reformation
of our nation. We do not ask for much. We only ask for 5 minutes of your
time in a day, to forward this email to your close friends and relatives.
This is the kind of unity which can make a big difference. Of course, if
you feel strongly, as I do, about the power of prayer, you can be more
involved by starting your own prayer group or prayer center.
We have tried people power twice; in both cases, it fell short. Maybe it’s
time to try prayer power.
GOD never fails. Is there hope?
YES! We can rely on GOD’s promise, but we have to do our part. If we humble
ourselves and pray as a people, GOD will heal our land.
By GOD’s grace, we may yet see a better future for our children. GOD bless
and GOD save our country will humble themselves and pray, and seek My face,
and turn from their wicked ways, then will I hear from Heaven, and will
forgive their sins, and will heal their land.’(2 Chronicles 7:14).
“As a matter consistency, may I challenge my fellowmen to adopt the 12
o’clock habit. Everyday before we enjoy God bountiful meal for us, let us
take time to pray for the healing of ourselves and our country. Let’s cry
out to our Lord and implore His grace and mercy. “-
Credit Card use is almost equal to death. Grrrr… Sure, the 3.5% interest rate they give you sounds like a measly amount. But your savings acount only gets you 1% PER YEAR. That means your debt increases 42% per year while your savings only 1% per year. Huh! Priceless? YES!!! Priceless because it’s too much!
Many Filipinos think owning a credit card equals a good social status. Hah! Think again… You should see the smug looks on their faces when some of them line up in stores to pay on credit (lookie, i’ve got a credit card and you have to pay in cash) Weird… Strange but true.
Some of the credit card companies are so thankful you are helping them earn loads just by sitting on your ass and not paying on time. Great. At least they thank me. But what really bugs me off are those credit card companies that harrass you just because you missed one month (like Standard Charter). I had this one rep call me and tell me, “Hay nako, Miss, problema mo na yun. Ikaw yung gumamit ng credit card kaya maghanap ka na ng kautang ngayon din. Dapat hindi kayo gumamit ng credit card kung hindi nyo kayang bayaran.” (translation: It’s not my problem if you can’t pay. If you have to find a loan shark, go! Just make sure you pay. You should have thought about it before you used the card.) Big fat F*g!!!! They should be thanking me for helping them earn more income effortlessly. I mean, I have more debt on my other credit card, but they sure as hell are gracious about the money they are stealing from me. Standard sucks. Their reps suck. I even had one rep call me to tell me I should add P60 to the payment I made. Oh well. He was just doing his job. Anyhow, let me go back to my point. Credit card use equals death!!!
For those who really wanna try though, some tips: Pay for the purchase within 20 days so you don’t need to pay for the interest, never bring it with you wherever and whenever, have you spouse hold on to it for security purposes. Hahaha…. I hate credit cards when it comes to collection time. But they are a big help when it comes to emergencies like the threat of imminent death. Bwahahahahaha…. DARN those credit card salesmen!!!
Summer is here once again!!!
Yesterday I asked my little boy what classes he wanted to take for the summer. He looked at me quizzicaly wondering if I was serious or not. I had to explain, “Well, you can’t stay home everyday when your classes are over… you need to do something fun like cooking, go play soccer, painting, drawing, singing, sailing, kayaking…” I had to think quick and fast for every possible interesting gerund that existed…. before I could even stop, his eyes grew wide in excitement saying, “climbing trees, getting fruits! Yes! That’s what I want to do, ma… Maybe some soccer too.”
I hope my friend, Danny, still runs his annual Adventure Camp for kids… Gotta go find out 
) For those who are in Cebu, who might be intersted, it’s a summer fun camp where kids get to try sailing, kayaking, wall climbing, rappeling and all other fun adventure stuff )
She sifted through all the files she had neatly organized to document every possible thing in their life. It was when she saw it. An ultrasound. A baby. She thought to herself, “On my birthday? Yes… he was away on business…” and that’s when it dawned on her. Who knows where he had squandered the millions they were now being sued for? It didn’t matter. He had to leave. She just couldn’t stand being with him under the same roof. The millions might have been recoverable but the baby? She didn’t even care who the mommy was.
“Ma, where’s Daddy?” he asked. Silence. “Is he coming back?” She looked at him in the eye and softly explained, “He had to go and fix something.” Silence. She breathed a sigh of relief hoping that was the end… ’til his tiny voice pierced her heart saying, “But Ma, what if it can’t be fixed anymore?”
For most Filipinas, it’s never a question of having kids or not but rather how many and how far apart. In today’s generation, one can never discount the economy when making this decision. What used to be a nation of families characterized with a dozen children per, is now faced with the decision of risking their faith for a brighter future. Birth Control or the Catholic Faith?
Many Filipino families are large close-knit families owing to the staunch Catholic faith of the population. But that was then. Don’t get me wrong. Many are still practice their faith but when the question of having kids or not comes, many are torn between keeping the faith and using birth control.
I am a Filipina and I am a practicing Catholic. But I am also using birth control. Does this make me lesser of faith? You see, the typical wage of a middle class worker in the Philippines would be minimum wage of about P 285/day (USD 7.10) and a 900g can of mid-range infant formula that lasts from 3 days to a week would cost P795 (USD 19).That means, for a one income middle class family, the wage almost solely goes to baby’s needs. One child familys sometimes even resort to diluting the formula thus explaining increasing ill-health in younger children. They are malnourished. That’s IF you have only one child. But because of the Catholic faith has so instilled the idea of artificial birth control being ‘bad’, most don’t entertain the thought anymore. Yes, there are natural methods available but they are never sure shot. I know it for a fact because I used Rhythm and Billings methods together and ’successful’ got myself pregnant. Some birth control.
My faith has never been an issue to me. In fact, the only reason I am on the pill now is because it was prescribed to me. Were it not for medical reasons, I’d probably still be avoiding my husband like the plague. I want to have kids, lots, if I could. But it’s too expensive and I can’t afford it. Thankfully, I can rationalize my use of the pill for the next few months due to medical reasons. But what happens after that?
It’s a pity that Filipinas and financially constrained Catholics have to feel guilty about being practical. No, I’m not bashing my Catholic faith…. I’m just sharing the truth.
Looking for a way to bond without spending a cent? Make a Coin Bank Memoire! It’s as easy as one-two-three! No artsy fartsy skill required just you, baby, and a bunch of stuff you can get from around the house )
What you will need: water color or water-based poster paint, bond papers, an old can of pringles, or pik-nik or planters, glue, scissors, old newspapers, small plastic containers.
How to make the Coin Bank Memoire:
1. Cover your work area with old newspapers
2. Prepare at least 3 colors of paint
3. Lay the bond papers on the newspaper
4. Color the palms and soles of your little on
5. Stamp away on the clean sheets of bond paper
6. Let dry
7. Once the paint is dry, you can stick it on the old canisters.
8. Glue the canister cover on
9. Put a whole on top using a knife
ENJOY!!! ) This activity can introduce your child to money and the importance of financial EQ.
This article has been making the email rounds lately. It’s an eye opener and a big challenge for many couples. I totally agree with it. Enjoy the read!!! It’s Bo Sanchez’s Valentine message. In a nutshell, he tries to get to the root of why everything is going haywire in today’s societies.
Why Do Families (And The World) Lack So Much Love?
Two days ago, I had an ecumenical meeting with the President Gloria and
various religious leaders in the country (even Muslim leaders). That was
where I spoke to Bishop Ruben Abante, the head of the Alliance of Baptist
Churches in the Philippines. We were talking about how to solve the
problems of the world. Naks.
That was when Bishop Ruben gave me a word about families that blew my mind.
He said, "Brother Bo, the Bible says in Ephesians 5:25, 'Husbands,
love your wives, and wives submit to your husbands.’ Have you ever wondered
why the Bible doesn’t say, ‘Wives, love your husbands?’” “ Why?" I asked.
The Bishop explained to me that the responsibility to love the
family rests on the husband’s shoulder. The wife and the kids are only to
respond to that love. In the same way that the Bible says in 1 John 4:9 (my
life verse) “We love because He first loved us,” we respond to God’s love
for us.
That was powerful. I began to reflect on all the broken families
I’ve counselled through the past 28 years of my life. Most of them (not
all) were broken because the father didn’t love enough. And as I reflect on
all the broken people I’ve counselled, I can see the same pattern. In most
of these individuals (again, not all), I see the lack of a loving father in
that person’s life.
Fathers, you have a pivotal role in the life of your wife and children.
You are to aggressively, assertively, deliberately love them and
they will respond. But the good Bishop was not finished.
He said, "Why didn't God say, ‘Husbands, submit to your wife?’” “
Why?" I asked again.
He said that once that love is there, submission is the natural
response. He asked, “Why is there so much rebellion and disobedience among
children today?” He explained that kids need to see their mother submit to
their father as a model to follow. (We didn’t have time to talk about
situations where the man of the house doesn’t love. Should the wife still
submit? That difficult question I hope to answer it in another article.
But let me share with you my experience.
I love my wife. I do it aggressively, assertively, and deliberately.
And she submits to my leadership. I have a vision for the family
and I’m bringing my family to that vision-and she supports me.
But what does that mean in daily life? That I'm king and she's my slave?
Gosh, you should visit my home.
Because I love her, I want to serve her. And because she follows
already my general direction, I realize that 90% of life’s decisions are
about the trivial stuff. Because I love her, it’s my joy to say, “Yes” to
her. So in reality, I follow her 90% of the time! She isn’t my slave. She
is the queen I pamper.
That, my friends, is marital headship-submission in daily life.
It is with this note that I greet you a Happy Valentines Day.
May your families be filled with love.
Husbands, take responsibility in filling your family with love.
Wives, support and submit to your husband.
And together, we can fill the world with God’s love.
I remain your friend,
Bo Sanchez
Diapers! When just a few years back cloth nappies were the in-thing, we didn’t have to worry about which cloth was hot and which was not. But today, when disposable diapers suit the fast-paced lifestyle, it seems that brand plays a rather important part. So, which diaper is right for mi precious?!?!
A few days ago, a re-acquainted mommy (her son is turning 7 and she just gave birth to a beautiful girl) sent me an sms asking about the best brand of diapers suitable for her baby girl, Mikaela. Although I am a staunch environmentalist and I prefer cloth over disposables, anyday, I must admit there are some situations that require disposables only. Anyway, to cut the story short, let me just share what I told her.
When had Matthew, I experimented on the best diaper for me and him. To meet that criteria, the diaper had to be 1. super absorbent, 2. budget friendly, 3. baby friedly (comfortable and allows ‘breathing’). That’s it. Simple criteria, right? It was a little difficult to get all three in one diaper though. What I did first was buy the singles pack (why do they call then packs when they come in singles anyhow?!?!?!) of every brand that fit criteria #3, it had to have the cloth like material to allow breathing. Next, I set all of them beside each other and poured glasses of water on them like they did on TV. Each time I did, I pat paper on the nappy to check how absorbent it was. There were some that really worked like miracles sucking all the liquid in as fast as I poured it on. Some were a little slow on that side. Another thing I looked at was the number of times I poured water and how dry each diaper stayed afterwhich. Well, the results are here so need to do the experiment yourself. FYI, I used 8 oz glasses for the liquid.
Huggies Dry (Blue Packaging) . Absorbs 3 glasses well. Not so absorbent. I don’t prefer this one since it’s not cloth-likebut I tried it anyway. Not my thing. More aborbent than the usual but still not good.
Jollibaby (Plastic outer layer) Absorbs 4 glasses well. Absorbent. I don’t prefer it since it’s plastic too. But it’s very economical. Compared to the other diapers that fall within its’ price range, I’d go for this. This is what we used when we were earning minimum wage.
Jollibaby (cloth-like cover) Absorbs 4 glasses well. Absorbent. I’m okay with this. I prefer this over the plastic layered version. Your little onewill be more comfortable with this one. Downside, the smell gets to you faster adn even if it has a cloth-like cover, the tapes/fasteners are still plastic. My little one got lots of cuts from this (as in all other plastic fasteners). May be the cut needs to be better so the diaper doesn’t get all deformed ending up leaving cuts. The plastic covered one doesn’t have this problem.
EQ Dry (cloth like and plastic) Absorbs 2 glasses well. Not so absorbent. If you’re the type who changes nappies every 3-4 hrs, get this. It isn’t very absorbent but it is very affordable. Again, get the cloth like covered one. It has velcro fasteners too so no more worrying about possible cuts.
Pampers Dry. Absorbs 2.5 glasses well. Absorbent. I’ve wasted so many when it’s battle time. The fasteners get unfastened easily. Such a waste. I don’t recommend this.
Pampers Super Dry. Absorbs 4 glasses. Very absorbent. It is quite pricey for it’s absorbency. It’s okay. I’d rather take something not as abosrbent but cheaper since I still need to change it in the middle of the night.
Drypers. Absorbs almost 4 glasses. Very absorbent. Cloth like covers. I like drypers for when my kids were younger and didn’t have that much pee. Once they start walking, it seems that 1 pee was enough to leave this diaper hanging likeit had been there the whole day. Phew! Had to convert. It also left some cuts on my little ones.
Huggies Dry (Red & Blue packaging) Absorbs 4 glasses. Very absorbent. Expensive but if you have twaddlers and toddlers wearing diapers to sleep at night, get this. They stay drier longer though not as long as I would like. Great cloth fasteners. No cuts, no deformed, misplaced diapers.
Huggies (imported ones that come from Island Market Square or Duty Free) Absorbs about 5 glasses. Very abosrbent. VERY expensive! They cost about p16/pc on the average. Geeeeeez! Talk about bleeding me dry! But then again, we had diaper subsidy then so I enjoyed every single one. THIS is the diaper you should get if you hate getting up in the middle of the night to change nappies or if you feel guilty about wakng your little angel for a nappy change.
Well, cloth nappies can also do the job. How? Fold your nappy into a 4 x 10 inch piece of cloth then insert this in your little ones undie. Everytime he/she pees, all the pe goes to the cloth and you won’t need to worry about your matress. Well, that’s ’til they start peeing a gallon each time. You might want to look at some potty training techniques before that time comes.
So, which diaper is right for mi precious? Well, what are your priorities? Get them right and you’ll choose the best one for both of you.
I recently read an email from a friend warning about the use of Chlorine as a household cleaner. Apparently, studies have shown that Chlorine causes cancer thus the sudden shift of many big consumer companies to chlorine free material. Did you know that even the sanitary you use have chlorine residue? That’s cause they use chlorine to bleach the material they use to make it look white and clean. In my household, it is mainly used to clean the bathroom until my mom taught me that the Vinegar in the bathroom was a big money saving tip.
Ever since I was younger, my mom has used vinegar diluted in water to ‘erase’ the water marks. Because we live in Cebu, we have very hard water and every few days, we would need to clean the faucets, toilets, showers, etc from the water marks. My mom has always used her vinegar solution and I’ve never understood why until recently. What she would do was just spray the faucet with the solution and leave it wet for a few minutes. She would then go back and wash it off with water leaving a sparkling new faucet for us to enjoy.
For those who want to try this money saving tip, it’s a very simple solution: 1 cup vinegar to 2 cups water. If that volume is too much, you can always choose to lower the amount as long as you maintain the 1:3 ratio.
Good luck in getting rid of those water marks.
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