Health Tip of the Week

Study points to cancer-risk from petroleum-based cosmetics

2007-03-17T13:49:00.000-07:00

Study points to cancer-risk from petroleum-based cosmetics

A new study carried out by lobby group the Environmental Working Group (EWG) suggests that a significant number of cosmetic and toiletry products with a petroleum-base may contain a cancer-causing impurity called 1,4-dioxane.

The group says that despite the fact that this impurity is easily removed during processing, it appears that many companies are neglecting to do so, something that is putting consumers at risk.
A computer assessment of 15,000 cosmetics found that 22 per cent of all cosmetic and personal care products may be contaminated with 14-dioxane, an estimate that the EWG says is based on ‘its common presence in workhorse detergenet-like ingredients that the cosmetics industry uses in a wide array of products'.

The group says that this assessment is backed up by new product tests which found that that the cancer-causing chemical was found in 18 of more than two dozen products, 15 of which were marketed towards both babies and children.

Breaking the findings down, the group reported that 57 per cent of all baby soaps contained the chemical and 34 per cent of all body lotions. However, the biggest offender was hair relaxers, with 97 per cent of all products found to contain the chemical.
To read more go to:http://cosmeticsdesign-europe.com/news/ng.asp?id=74119

Want to go Organic with your skin care?...go to www.abchoice.mionegroup.com for more info....

Magic Potions and Cures

2007-03-17T13:42:00.000-07:00

Yet more information for you concerning the Cosmetic Industry....Alf is one of One Groups Founders.....

Magic Potions and Cures

(Excerpt from Alf Orpen's yet untitled book.)

Out of Paris, New York, London and Rome continuously come sensational 'new' claims of substances that are anti aging, remove wrinkles & rejuvenate skin cells. Cosmetics are big business, with 500 million units of cosmetic products being sold every year in Australia alone. Couple this with the $200 billion a year environmentally friendly product industry which is only beginning to grow and you create a recipe for any marketing team to go overboard.

It is in fact impossible for any cosmetic to reverse the aging process and remove wrinkles. Here in Australia some years ago mainstream advertisements began being modified, with words like 'hide' & 'appear to' replacing 'anti' & 'remove'. This was due to 15 of the major cosmetic companies being issued with warnings by the TGA (Therapeutic Goods Administration) concerning such claims.

How all this hype developed is that during the 7O's the American F.D.A. (Food & Drug Administration) requested product ingredients to be listed. This caused some problems, as the larger companies could only list such things as: Water, Animal fat, chemical emulsifier, preservatives & artificial fragrances. How was it possible to maintain the high prices charged for such basic ingredients? Obviously 'new' sensational substances had to be 'created'.

Yesterday, the sensational new substance was collagen, which lost its popularity when it was revealed that it was a by-product from the slaughter of cattle & chickens. Then came liposome’s claiming 'deep penetration' of the skin (as many still do today). The frightening thing is of course if this is true, if these substances do in fact penetrate the skin then we are abusing one of the skins purposes, as a protective layer. If these substances penetrate the skin, then everything else must go with it, bacteria, germs and a host of synthetic chemicals, artificial preservatives & fragrances. Surely this can only contribute to the fast aging process of the skin.

Today the sensational substances are AHA (Alpha Hydroxy Acids), Glycolic Acid and other 'fruit acids'. Interestingly Glycolic acid is sold on the world market as a metal etcher and a few 'clever' people thought why not use it to etch dead skin cells. High concentrations of such 'acids' have the potential to damage the skins acid mantle therefore causing serious burning & scarring of the skin.

Tomorrow’s sensational substances shall without a doubt be camouflaged as 'natural' and/or ‘organic’ due to the growing demand for such products. However, many of these so-called natural products are in fact plants that have been chemically treated to extract the required ingredients and therefore terminating a good deal of its life force. When we look at a substance in nature and we look at the same substance in a refined form, there is an extraordinary difference. If the ingredients don't read like anything picked from a tree or shrub, it is for certain that the claimed 'natural' ingredient has been grossly chemically treated and that the body through its immune system will use an incredible amount of energy to repel these 'enemy' substances.

If you don't get tongue tied when reading ingredients – you're probably reading ours.

Here in Australia and now many countries worldwide we are blessed with regulatory bodies that also insist that product ingredients be listed on packaging in descending order of quantity. In the past (as it still is in most countries worldwide) a package would state what it contained without disclosing the total sum of ingredients. For example, a product may contain 1% of the total ingredients 'Oatmeal & Witch Hazel' and list only these two ingredients, excluding from it's packaging the other 99%. This is, of course, misleading, hence the legislation.

The Skin is a living organ

Sure some creams give you a nice shiny appearance. But how is this achieved, is the question you must ask. The sad thing is that some creams are in fact chemicals derived from petrol that produce a thin plastic film over your skin. Short-term benefits of 'appearance' are no reason to allow long-term damage to your skin.

In understanding skin care, one must firstly be aware of the skin itself. The skin is a living organ made up of an array of layers. It helps to regulate blood pressure and its complex nervous system detects pain, heat and cold, instantly passing findings along to the brain. The skin is also the body’s largest waste eliminator. When pimples and blemishes appear we can be sure that it's a sign indicating one of two things. The body is either eliminating toxins from the inside or there is a build up of toxins on the skin, which originated from pollutants in the air or from chemical build up which has been applied directly to the skin. Many toxins are absorbed into the body through the skin. So, please treat your skin with care. Be careful what you put onto it and you will be taking positive steps in leading a healthy life.

For more information about Organic Cosmetics and Skin Care, go to www.abchoice.mionegroup.com

Skin Care Products - How do you feed the skin you are in??

2006-12-23T11:09:00.000-08:00

One of my missions for 2007 will be to educate more people about the need for more stringent regulation on Skin Care Products. For example, did you know that....

* The average person uses 9 personal care products every day, exposing them to 126 chemicals every day.

* 89% of the 10,500 ingredients used in Personal Care products have not been evaluated for safety.

* 1/3 or more of all personal care products contain at least one possible human carcinogen.

If you need to be convinced about just how much your skin absorbs, think about nicotine, birth control, and pain patches....a one inch birth control patch can deliver enough hormones to keep a woman from ovulating.....imagine how many chemicals get "under your skin" every day from what you use in your bathroom every day.

I'll be posting more about this, but for now, you can go here to learn more.

Happy Holidays!

Auto Maintenance for Better Health

2006-12-01T13:40:00.000-08:00

I was sitting in our local car repair shop last week, waiting for my car to have it's regular oil change and "check-up", and it occurred to me that we tend to maintain our cars better than we do our bodies!

Consider this - How many of you wait until the oil light goes on to have the oil changed? Do you wait until you have a flat before you get new tires? How often do you sit on the side of the road waiting for someone to bring you a gallon of gas because you waited to long to fill up?

Odds are, most of you have at least a reasonable...and for some of you guys, a strict regime for maintaining your car. Yet you wait until you have a Migraine, Carpal Tunnel, Sciatica, or Back Pain before you go to see a doctor. Often you will be given a prescription and sent on your merry way. This approach is neither sensible nor healthy. The prescription is often just a band-aid, or a cover for the real issue...sorta like adding a quart of oil every day rather than having the oil leak fixed!

So - I would encourage you to make it a point to schedule regular "maintenance" times for yourself. Massage is, of course, my preferred modality! If you have a regular massage with a licensed and trained massage therapist, he or she will get to know you and your body and will often notice changes before you do (just like your car mechanic will notice a worn fan belt before it breaks!). Other ways to care for your body include regular acupuncture and chiropractic treatments, regular workouts (preferably with a personal trainer who will be able to guide you in a healthy and balanced routine), and even perhaps scheduling an appointment with a nutritionist to make sure that the "fuel" that you are giving your body is the right "mix" for you!

Your health is worth far more than your car to you - start a regular maintenance regime today!

Yours in Health

Pamela Marshall, LMT

P. S. I was musing on the nature of being "selfish" the other day and popped this up in another blog...it sorta ties in here, so why don't you go over and read that next!

Learn to Read Labels

2006-11-06T10:37:00.000-08:00

Last week I discussed keeping a health diary. If you tried it, you may be just starting to see how complicated our eating habits are. So many things that we eat come in a box or a can. Anything that is pre-packaged will likely have many ingredients that you may never have heard of. Many of these ingredients have possible allergy-inducing properties for some people.

I will be doing lectures on how to read labels in the future, but for now, start by looking at the label of everything you eat. You may find that there are many ingredients that you don’t recognize. Go online or buy a book on foods and ingredients that will help you learn about what you are eating. A few suggestions are:

Yours in Health and Happiness,

Pam
New Awakenings Massage

Keep a Health Diary

2006-11-06T10:35:00.000-08:00

Many people come in to me complaining about allergies, insomnia, bowel disorders, and frequent illness. Often, these symptoms are a result of things that can be altered with a little self-awareness. One of thebest ways to bring about this awareness is through a health log.

Start with columns or the date, time (you can keep it general like morning, afternoon, and evening),meals, activities, location, and any symptoms you might have. If possible, be very specific about foods eaten. Certain foods are known to cause inflammatory responses in some people, others for causing bowel irritation, or mental fatigue and mood swings. I will be covering food-related allergies and how to read labels later, but for now, try at least to be aware of what prepared foods you are eating…pre-packaged foods, anything with sauces, flavorings, etc.

You may discover that every time you eat Italian foods, your arthritis flares up. Or after you eat a meal with a lot of bread or pasta, you feel very tired. Or that late-night glass of juice seems to be linked to the sleepless nights that you have. This is the first step to learning how to control your health through diet and lifestyle. Play with it awhile and see what happens. You may be surprised at what you learn!

Yours in Health and Happiness,

Pam
New Awakenings Massage

Driving-Induced Pain - Part 2

2006-11-06T10:34:00.000-08:00

Last week I discussed doing regular body checks. You may be surprised at how hard it is to keep good posture while you drive. Old habits die hard!

One simple thing you can do to force yourself to do body-checks as you drive is to adjust your rear view mirror as soon as you get in to a height where you have to sit up straight to see out of it. Then adjust your seat so that you can comfortably lean into it and also see out of the mirror.

You may be surprised at first about how crooked you sit when you drive. It may feel weird or awkward, but keep with it. Habits can take up to 6 weeks to change with regular awareness. Keep at it…your body will thank you for it.

Yours in Health and Happiness,

Pam
New Awakenings Massage

Driving-Induced Pain - Part 1

2006-11-06T10:31:00.000-08:00

In spite of the fact that we can send a man to the moon and we can communicate with someone thousands of miles away with a touch of a (wireless) button, somehow something as simple as the design of most car seats is poor to lousy for healthy body ergonomics. This, combined with poor postural habits (yeah - your mom was right!) and the amount of time we spend in our cars provides many opportunities for what is in essence a number of repetitive stress injuries, including sciatica, headaches, carpal tunnel, and chronic shoulder pain.

You can do a number of things to reduce the incidence of driving-induced pain. The simplest is to do a body-check as soon as you get in the car. Are you sitting straight, with the weight evenly distributed on both butt-cheeks? Are you leaning forward, or back? Are your eyes level with the road, or do you look down your nose or over your glasses? Do you use one hand predominantly to drive?

So, for this week, try to get into the habit of a regular body-check as you drive. Next week, I’ll have another driving tip for you to add to this.

Yours in Health and Happiness,

Pam
New Awakenings Massage