IN THIS ISSUE:
- Toxic-free holidays tips
- Book Review: Raising Elijah, by Sandra Steingraber
- Cancer Prevention Challenge Wrap Up
- T'is the Season (to give green!)
- What's your New Year's Resolution?
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Raising Elijah, by Sandra Steingraber
Reviewed by Marie Lorenzo
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I now think of Raising Elijah as the ultimate parenting book. Taking a parenting perspective, in her latest book, Sandra Steingraber takes us through another engrossing account of environmental challenges to our children’s, and ultimately our own, health. With her beautiful prose, she steadfastly and skillfully uncovers the ugly underside of so much of modern consumerism, and challenges us to come up with better alternatives. And that has to start with parents, mothers and also fathers, the gatekeepers of consumption in the average North American family.
But interestingly, to the relief of many, she manages to take a completely supportive role of parents’ growing hopelessness and despair in the face of these modern-day threats. What is a parent to do when offered a more lucrative and prestigious job in another city when that will mean more polluted air for an asthmatic child to contend with? How is a parent on a tight budget to choose between saving money and buying the fresh fruits and vegetables with pesticides vs the organic ones? What is a parent to do when financially desperate neighbour sells their land to a fracking company, with all the poisoning of underground waterways that will entail?
These are questions which take us to where Steingraber really wants to go: why are these terrible choices even options? How, as a society, did we let this happen?
So in the end, this is not a parenting book about what you are personally going to do about protecting your family, that is, do your own research, tread carefully through drugstore aisles, or even, sell your home and pack up your bags to find a better place to live. No, this is about the fact that we cannot do this alone. We need those government bodies that we elected, and we pay taxes to, to actually do their job – we don’t want to have to choose between poison and no poison in a so-called “free” market. Parents don’t want the poisons as an option at all. And government regulators, work for us, not for the developers or the corporations profiting from these ventures. And that means that they need to hear from us, from communities coming together, from parents organizing around their children’s health. And this is the ultimate, hopeful message of this book, that is, yes, this is what parenting is really about: getting out there and joining in community action, taking back our communities so that they are healthy places to bring up our kids.
Going Natural
By Laila Harris, MA, BA (hons.), WHEN Board of Directors
It was early on that I developed an interest and passion for the environment and for living a natural lifestyle. While my mother had always raised us to eat natural foods, use natural products, and moved our family away from Toronto to a forested paradise in Northern Ontario when I was 10 years old, it wasn’t until I went to university that my consciousness about the environment really began to develop.
At this time, my concept of the natural world grew from the enjoyment I had always experienced at being one in the calming beauty of natural landscapes, to a greater reflection on the meaning of nature in our society. In particular, I became interested in the ways in which cultural norms have lead us to mistreat the natural environment (and in turn ourselves), in favor of profit, capitalist gains, and near-sighted greed.
Through my academic research, the frightening things I learned about toxic chemicals and health also encouraged me to eliminate the use of toxic chemical products in my day-to-day life. Since then, I have continued to avoid using cosmetics and personal care products that contribute to the toxic load that most, if not all, of us bear as an inevitable consequence of living in a polluted world. I also attribute this lifestyle change to the natural upbringing I was fortunate enough to have as a result of my mother’s own awareness about living a natural lifestyle and cancer prevention.
My approach to choosing what types of products I will use on my body is actually quite simple and reduces much of the guessing game that can occur when we are trying to determine what ingredients in skin, hair, and body products are either safe or harmful to our health. The simple rule is: don’t put anything on your skin that you can’t eat. Thus, propylparaben, oxybenzone, and fragrance don’t make the cut. You see, as our largest organ, the skin absorbs much of what is applied to it, which then travels directly into our bloodstream and is transmitted throughout or body to be processed and stored. It’s easy to imagine that this can cause significant stress and damage to our organs.
While it may be hard to believe that companies will put extremely toxic and harmful ingredients in their products to increase profits, they do. We can also see that cancer rates continue to rise exponentially and for many, there is a clear connection. Thus, it is time that we take charge of our own well-being, raise our own awareness about the ways in which we can reduce health harms, and make the commitment to use only those products that are safe and nurturing to our bodies, rather than those that are laden with chemicals and other toxic additives.
The following is a list of personal care products that I avoid using, as I believe them to be highly toxic:
1) Hand sanitizer - Soap works just fine.
2) Conventional Shampoo - I clean my hair with a mixture of baking soda water, and essential oils – usually lavender. Though the mixture doesn’t foam, my hair is always left feeling clean and free of residue, while my scalp feels healthy and rejuvenated because of the scrubbing action of the baking soda, as well as its ability to restore PH levels.
3) Conventional Soap - because I’d prefer not to wash my body with toxins, I use only natural soaps
4) Anti-perspirant or deodorant - I use ½ tsp. baking soda mixed with warm water and rub it under my arms (this really works better than any deodorant I have ever tried, as it kills odor-causing bacteria and lasts the full day)
5) Anything antibacterial - Soap works just fine and triclosan, the active ingredient in most antibacterial products, is harmful!
6) Conventional toothpaste - I avoid fluoride and only use natural toothpastes OR baking soda. I should also point out that at 30 yrs. old and have only ever had 1 cavity
7) Conventional skin creams - no fragrance, preservatives, or other chemical additives should be touching your skin. Instead, opt for natural oils and butters – and no, they do not cause acne. (I suggest experimenting with different oils and butters to find out what works best for you and your specific needs. Olive oil, sweet almond oil, grapeseed oil, as well as shea butter are some great natural options that promote healthy skin and/or hair)
8) Conventional cosmetics - this one was tricky because I love makeup, but I’d rather not harm my body for something superficial. Besides, there are tons of natural cosmetics out there that work almost, if not equally, well and give you peace of mind
9) Perfumes and fragrances - while we all have our favorite scents, these products are packed with toxic substances that mess with your hormone levels and are very hazardous to your health.
For me, replacing toxic chemical products with natural alternatives has been a powerful form of practicing cancer prevention in my day-to-day life. With contaminants in the air we breathe, water we drink, and food we eat, as well as in our workplaces and homes, the use of natural products feels like one way in which I have some control over limiting my toxic exposure and respecting my body. Now that I am pregnant, this journey seems all the more important.
Note: if you are curious to learn more about the toxicity of ingredients in a specific product, I encourage you to visit the Environmental Working Group’s Skin Deep Database (http://www.ewg.org/skindeep/), which includes information on over 77, 000 products!
Royal Commission on the Environment and Health: comprehensive action plan
by Merryl Hammond, PhD., Judith Quinn, BScN., Marsha Akman
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For decades now, activists have been calling for government regulation of various industries due to concerns about public health. Many of us have been deeply concerned about the health impacts of carcinogens, toxins, pesticides, radiation, endocrine disruptors, asbestos, plastics, GMOs, nanoparticles, contamination of the water, soil air and food… The list goes on.
The incidence of many forms of cancer, autism, neurobehavioural disorders, allergies, asthma, heart disease, diabetes, Alzheimer’s and other diseases is on the rise. Often links are made to contamination of the environment as one, if not the main, cause for these increases.
Now, a group of activists has launched a Use the System campaign to bring all these concerns under one umbrella. Phase I of this campaign is a petition calling for a Royal Commission on the Environment and Health.
We want a Royal Commission to investigate and consolidate as much information on this topic as possible, creating a reliable and up-to-date body of evidence and making recommendations that will lead to informed and decisive action in the public interest.
We need to show politicians that Canadians across the political spectrum are deeply concerned about these issues. What are the links between the environment and health? What further peer-reviewed, independent research needs to be done? What regulations are required? We need to bring all the available information together and discuss these issues as a society.
For Phase I, we need people from every riding across the country to fill out petitions and bring them to their MPs to present in Parliament. Our website provides all the tools you will need – a petition, petition guidelines and a link so you can locate your MP. There are also suggestions about how to maximize the political impact of each signed petition.
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We also provide a fact sheet with details about environmental health concerns and scientific references so you can prepare yourself to discuss the issues with your fellow citizens and MP. You could also present the fact sheet to your MP for her/his information before s/he presents the petition in parliament.
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Stay tuned for more details about Phases II and III of the campaign. Meantime, please join this effort to shine a light on the ongoing and serious impacts of the environment on health, and don’t hesitate to contact us if you need further information or have comments.
contact us
Is Your Cell Phone Putting You at Risk?
By Chelsea Schreiner BSc, ND By now, we’re generally becoming more aware of toxics on our health. We recognize these in our personal care and beauty products, in our environment - what we breathe and drink, and in our food. We are becoming well-versed in the likes of parabens, phthalates and pesticides, to name a few. We’ve recognized and pushed for policy changes on things such as cigarettes, pesticide use, genetically modified foods and artificial additives. But, could there be something else we’re missing that puts us at increased risk for cancer? Something we’re exposed to on a daily basis, something we could prevent? Some would say yes, and that something is radiation. Specifically, the radiation from that all-important and pervasive technology we call the cell phone.
The evidence for radiation as a health risk isn’t supported by many people in the cell phone and communications industry. However, there are numerous organizations that are blowing the whistle. The real issue is the lack of evidence for harm. There simply isn’t enough credible evidence to determine that cell phone radiation poses a health risk, or further, causes cancer, or so the industry says.
Dr. Devra Davis, Epididemiologist, Toxicologist and author, has warned of cell phone radiation and cancer risk before. Her book, “The Secret History of the War on Cancer,” though mainly focused on cigarette smoking, also offers insights on radiation and cancer risk. In this book, Davis highlights the journey from cigarette glorification to evidence-based warnings. Drawing parallels between smoking and cell phone radiation, Davis cites our current blind obsession with cell phone use as similar to the early years when smoking was a popular lifestyle choice. Just as cigarettes were proudly smoked by both genders and increasingly younger ages, so too has become the way of the cell phone. Just as cigarettes were found to be harmful to our health and cancer-promoting, what will we later discover about cell phone-induced radiation on our health? Davis’ more recent book “Disconnect,” details the concerns about cell phone radiation exposure, cancer risk and policies for protection. It is an eye-opening account of just how big of an issue this really is and sets the stage for considering preventative action.
Central to this cell phone radiation argument is the potential increased risk for brain cancer, and specifically the effect on children. Children’s smaller size, weight and developmental age make them generally more impressionable to toxic effects. We really don’t have good evidence on safety of radiation and children’s development. Why take the risk?
We’re realizing that new technology means there’s less opportunity for long-term evidence showing safety concerns. Let’s face it, cell phones won’t be going by the wayside anytime soon. If you choose to use this technology, why not use it responsibly. The Environmental Working Group puts out annual guides on safer cell phone use and their 2012 guide is included below. Just like smoking, will we wait until the evidence mounts with increased cancer rates before we take action? The choice is yours to make.
Environmental Working Group’s Six Tips for Safer Cell Phone Use
1. Use a headset or speaker
Headsets and speakers help keep the radiation source away from your head. Depending on your choice of wireless or wired headsets, you still may be exposed to low-level radiation. Removing the headset when not in use further reduces your risk of exposure.
2. Keep your cell phone away from your body
When you’re not using it, there is no need to let your phone continue to emit radiation that you’re going to absorb. Avoid putting your phone in your pocket or on a belt clip or other device. Instead, put it in a purse or bag or a nearby surface. The farther it is from you, the less radiation you are exposed to.
3. Text more, Talk Less
Texting emits less radiation and keeps the phone (and radiation) away from your head.
4. Call when the signal is strong
Using your phone when it’s on one bar versus three actually makes the phone work harder to transmit the call. This increases your radiation exposure.
5. Limit children’s phone use
Environmental Working Group is one of many agencies which suggest limiting children’s cell phone use to emergencies only.
6. Skip the “radiation shield”
Certain accessories which protect your phone may not be protecting you. For example, use of keyboard covers has been reported to increase radiation.
References and Resources
Environmental Working Group Cell Phone Tips: http://www.ewg.org/cellphoneradiation/6-Safety-Tips
Disconnect: The Truth About Cell Phone Radiation, What the Industry Is Doing to Hide It, and How to Protect Your Family by Devra Davis
The Secret History of the War on Cancer by Devra Davis