Why Phthalates are potentially harmful

I frequently blog on plastics and phthalates and the dangers they pose to human's reproductive health. This post will pull together my previous posts on the subject and I will update it as I add to the Health Highway blog on this particular topic.

"Researchers at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention have demonstrated that most Americans have detectable levels of phthalates in their blood and urine, and preliminary findings have linked high bodily levels of phthalates to sperm damage in men and reproductive defects in newborn boys" - extract from LA Times article How safe are green cleaning products?

My posts on the subject so far:

• More on Plastics


• Are Plastics harming your health?


• Men in Danger (2)


• Men in Danger - SBS Documentary

If you want to contact us about a topic regarding potentially harmful ingredients that we haven't yet covered on the Health Highway blog, then please feel free to get in touch. Our aim is to show you simple and effective ways to dramatically improve your health and lifestyle. We'd love to help you!

How safe is "green"?

When it comes to safe cleaning products, it seems there are a lot of manufacturers jumping on the opportunity provided by the increasing consumer interest and demand for products which are safer for their families health and for the environment. Great marketing campaigns convince consumers that products labelled "green" or "eco-friendly" are safe. But how safe are they?

A great article in the LA Times on How safe are green cleaning products reveals the underlying dangers of believing the marketing hype without extra education on the issues. Consumers must remember that this is an industry which is under-regulated. Labelling laws do not require manufacturers to list all ingredients. The most frightening fact was that a recently study on consumer products which claimed to be "natural" or "non-toxic" revealed tha half of 100 products tested contained the known cancer-causing agent "1,4-dioxane", including a number of dishwashing liquids with the words "eco" and "earth friendly" in their brand names.
The label "natural" still allows manufacturers to include petroleum distillates, some of which (eg benzine) are also cancer causing. Get this!

"labeling in the cleaning products industry is highly unregulated. The use of terms such as "green" and "natural" is monitored ...to ensure that such terms are not misleading to consumers. But neither the commission nor any other agency sets standards that products must meet before they can call themselves green. " 'Green' and 'natural' are marketing terms -- they're not terms of science," Sansoni said. Cleaning product manufacturers -- green or otherwise -- are also not required by law to disclose all of their ingredients on their labels..."

The article also mentioned pthalates (which I have blogged on many times) and numerous other harmful ingredients.

At the Health Highway, we put you in touch with ingredients which are proven to not contain any of these harmful ingredients (no pthalates, no 1,4-dioxane, no benzine, to name just a few of the potentially harmful ingredients you will find in supermarket brands).

We have products with a solid, 20 year history that are endorsed by research scientists and chemists at the top of their game. Don't risk your family's health on a fly-by-night manufacturer who doesn't carry the highest accolades of safety. We've seen dramatic improvements in people's health and lifestyle from ridding their homes of unsafe products and would love to help you get the same results. Contact us if we can help you in any way.

Drug Drought for Pregnant Women

This article from the Uni of Qld caught my eye today, its basic message being that Drug companies are avoiding developing new drugs for pregnant women because of the risk of litigation. So this sector of the population is not necesarily being looked after with new research and development - part of their research showed only 3% of the investment made into cardiovascular health has been made into maternal health over the same period. The study ranged over a 25 year period (from 1981).

10 tips for safer health care

How do you make sure any interaction you have with the medical professional are safe, professional and in your best interests? I've blogged before about the importance of keeping a medical journal and what to do when waiting for the doctor. I came across this list of 10 tips for safer health care today:

1. Be actively involved in your own health care
2. Speak up if you have any questions or concerns
3. Learn more about your condition or treatments by asking your doctor or nurse and by using other reliable sources of information
4. Keep a list of all the medicines your are taking
5. Make sure you understand the medicines you are taking
6. Make sure you get the results of any test or procedure
7. Talk to your doctor or other health care professional about your options if you need to go into hospital
8. Make sure you understand what will happen if you need surgery or a procedure
9. Make sure you, your doctor and your surgeon all agree on exactly what will be done during the operation
10. Before you leave hospital, ask your doctor or other health care professional to explain the treatment plan you will use at home

To obtain a detailed copy of the "10 tips for Safer Health Care" phone (02) 6289 4244 or go to www.safetyandquality.org

Chemicals in Lipstick linked to Breast Cancer Risk

I missed seeing this article last December and came across it while I was looking for more information on phthalates. This article in the Daily Telegraph talks about harmful chemicals in lipsticks and nail polishes, particularly the chemical which makes these products glossy (butyl benzyl phthalate, or BBP). This chemical can interfere with the healthy development of breast tissue. It is a man-made substance which mimicks the female sex hormone, estrogen. scientists at the Fox Chase Cancer Centre in Philadelphia say that BBP - which accumulates in our fat cells - could increase the risks of breast cancer. The research can be viewed online at Biomed Central.

At the Health Highway we can show you a range of cosmetics that do not use any harmful ingredients, including the one mentioned in this article. Our aim is to help you protect and maintain your health for generations to come. Its a known fact that women absorb up to 2 kg of cosmetics and skin care through their skin every year so make sure the products you use and absorb into your bodies are totally safe!

Life Tips

There are so many blogs and writers on the internet now - I find it amazing what I come across in my daily online ventures. Today I came across Dumb Little Man(Tips for Life). Strange name, but it seems to have some fun and useful topics. Try these for starters:

• 50 ideas for a healthy lifestyle that take 10 minutes or less
• 30 happiness tips
• 7 foolish excuses you need to stop using

Have a great day!