Raising Happy Healthy Children…Naturally!
Please pass this on to ALL your friends and family in NJ! There is currently a bill in the works to ban bisphenol A. The more folks that know about this, the better for NJ. Maybe we can do this state by state? 
http://salsa.democracyinaction.org/o/642/campaign.jsp?campaign_KEY=23858
An old friend to this gal, Dr. Bronner’s is pushing change in the coolest way. This company that produces liquid soaps that I’ve used since I was 15, has brought about a lawsuit in conjunction with the OCA (Organc Consumer Association) against a list of so called “natural” companies using not so natural and often carcinogenic ingredients. The gruesome list of offenders can be found on the press release below. Its time we hold these companies using the term “Organic” on their labels, accountable!
I listened to a very informative interesting show on NPR yesterday. We all know the hazards of some fish. Most of us have probably printed out the little charts telling us which fish is high in mercury, etc. But this Fresh Air segment provides some very informative information about fish that I never knew. Many of the fish in stores are named with made up names! Chilean Sea Bass, for instance is just a nice name made up because the real name of the fish is much less aesthetic.
The marine scientist also shares information about farm raised fish and why some of it is less than desirable. He also addresses which fish are bad for the environIf you have time, its worth listening to.
http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=89807877
GO CANADA!!! This was shared last Friday by a commenter on my blog.
http://www.cbc.
For the whole story on this toxic chemical that babies are exposed to daily,
check out the Bisphenol A category.
I’ve been buying from online shops for awhile now and am constantly
checking for new places. I was using (and recommended here previously)
A1Nutrition for awhile and was happy with them but they’ve since gone
WAYYY downhill with me having to cancel my last order AFTER they took
my money and then 2 weeks later nothing (only to find out that everything
was on backorder…when did they plan to tell me?) This happens from time
to time from these discount places but figured I’d share my current favorites.
I’m currently splitting my orders between Vitaglo.com and Vitaminlife.com
You really have to continually check pricing. For instance, I order
MegaFood Essentials Mini Tabs for the kids..most places online are selling
this for around $27.00 (for 270) but I found it at VitaminLife the cheapest, at
$18.00.
VitaGlo.com had the cheapest Aubrey Organics, except for some Mens
Aubrey that my dh uses, I found VitaminLife to have the better price there. Weleda
toothpaste (2.99) was the cheapest I’ve found at Vitaglo.
Shipping is really decent with being around $5-9.
We dyed some Easter eggs this morning and I wanted to share the results. The above purple is from blueberries. I didn’t follow to the T any instructions. I put about 2 cups of frozen blueberries into a pot and covered with water and about 2 tablespoons of white vinegar. Let come to a boil, then simmered for about 10 minutes and strained out the blueberries. The color is mottled but a very pretty purplish blue.
We had no blue as I forgot to buy the red cabbage which is supposed to make a really nice blue! Next time.
This is an egg in the beet juice. I cheated and used the beet juice from 2 cans of sliced beets I had in the cabinet. I added a few tablespoons of white vinegar and simmered it for awhile. It makes a nice pink egg.
The color to the left is the yellow from tumeric. I put about 1/2 cup of tumeric in a pot with about 2 cups of water and 2 tablespoons of white vinegar. I brought it to a boil and then simmered for about 15 minutes. My plan was to mix the blue dye and yellow dye for a green dye but since I didn’t have the blue, I figured I’d try the purplish color and yellow. The result was pretty good but the bizarre thing is that the dye actually looked orange but turned the eggs green!
Here is the an egg in the “green” dye; 
And the result is below in the bowl with the other colors…not too bad!
And here’s a look at some of the eggs together. We used wax crayons to make doodles on some..and we also doodled on the finished dyed eggs with magic markers.
I made all the dyes first and we dipped/soaked the eggs at the table. The longer you let the eggs sit, the more colorful they are. It was fun all around!
The Environmental Working Group answers basic questions on the BPA issue. A great site to send someone who isn’t aware of the BPA concerns as its a simple read with clear and concise information.
I’m sure that most can agree that the lead (and other plastic toxins) in toys is disheartening. What is even more disheartening is the feeling of helplessness as one sits around waiting for the next recall, wondering if its something your child is sucking on at the moment.
Finally, a solution brought to you by a partnership of environmental research groups across the nation
This groups has tons of information that really shouldn’t be missed by any parent. They maintain and are growing a database of toys which they are testing for lead and other toxins. These are toys ON THE SHELVES! These are toys your children could be playing with. You can also ask for a toy to be tested. There are currently over 1,200 toys in the database.
Please please please share this site with your friends and family who have children. This is information that should not be known only in alternative/natural circles.
Its hard to believe that there is a single soul today that hasn’t heard of the benefits of eating organicly. Or thought to go organic at some point. If one puts aside the undeniable price increase a family is burdened with if the decision to go “organic” is made, it is doubtful to me that most would choose the pesticide laden produce over the organic.
For those that have friends that have been considering buying organics, here’s a site that will get them a free starter kit (a 9 page downloadable booklet explaining the benefits of organics) if they commit to eating 10% organic. It sounds like an easy way to start.
No, this is not a joke. I’ve been stewing over this for a number of days now. I just can’t figure out who had to be asleep at the wheel for this to happen.
The Agriculture Department of Pennsylvania has deemed that milk labels that state “rBST-free” or “hormone free” are no longer permitted. Do you want to know the reasoning behind this? Hold on to your hats. Here is a direct quote from Monsanto spokesman, Michael Doane, in speaking about the hormone free label, ”implies to consumers, who may or may not be informed on these issues, that
there’s a health-and-safety difference between these two milks, that
there’s ‘good’ milk and ‘bad’ milk, and we know that’s not the case.”
And if you are wondering what Monsanto has to do with PA dairy regulations….maybe it has to do with their request to the FTC to take action against dairies using “hormone free” labels. Their request was denied. But they obviously have friends in high PA places.
Monsanto, the only manufacturer of rBST (also known as recombinant bovine growth hormone - rBGH) also sued a small Maine dairy back in 2003 due to their “hormone free” labeling practices. Monsanto claimed…guess what? The same exact claims made by the Pennsylvania Agriculture Dept. I am looking into if they won the suit or not.
The rBST hormone has been approved in the US since 1994 but is is banned in the European Union, Canada, Australia and Japan. Under FDA policy, food companies are allowed to make claims on labels that they do not use rBST, as long they do not “mislead consumers” to believe milk from cows without rBST is safer or of higher quality.
So Monsanto is sleeping with the PA government. It is said that Ohio is also looking into a similar ban. Please contact your representatives and let them know that if THEY too sleep with Monsanto, that you will not support them!
