Live Total Wellness

Tuesday, March 31, 2009

Shampoo in the water supply triggers growth of deadly drug-resistant bugs

Shampoo in the water supply triggers growth of deadly drug-resistant bugs

Household cleaning products are creating a bacterial timebomb in our drains and rivers

Fabric softeners, disinfectants, shampoos and other household products are spreading drug-resistant bacteria around Britain, scientists have warned. Detergents used in factories and mills are also increasing the odds that some medicines will no longer be able to combat dangerous diseases.

The warning has been made by Birmingham and Warwick university scientists, who say disinfectants and other products washed into sewers and rivers are triggering the growth of drug-resistant microbes. Soil samples from many areas have been found to contain high levels of bacteria with antibiotic-resistant genes, the scientists have discovered - raising fears that these may have already been picked up by humans.

"Every year, the nation produces 1.5m tonnes of sewage sludge and most of that is spread on farmland," said Dr William Gaze of Warwick University. That sludge contains antibiotic-resistant bacteria whose growth is triggered by chemicals in detergents, he explained. "In addition, we pump 11bn litres of water from houses and factories into our rivers and estuaries every day, and these are also spreading resistance."

The study is important because it suggests that the problem of drug resistance is not merely the result of the over-prescription of antibiotics or poor hygiene standards in hospitals. However, the team stressed the emergence of the most deadly superbugs - such as MRSA that has caused thousands of deaths in hospitals - is not linked to the use of disinfectants.

"Our research shows drug resistance is not confined to hospitals, but is out in the community. It is spreading and all the time it is eroding our ability to control infections. It is extremely worrying," said Professor Liz Wellington, also of Warwick University.

In their study, the scientists looked at quaternary ammonium compounds (QACs) that are used in many household cleaning goods. Every day, huge volumes of these chemicals are flushed from homes and factories into sewers and rivers. In high concentrations, QACs kill bacteria. However, in sewage, these chemicals become diluted and bacteria have evolved resistance to them.

"That is a natural evolutionary process," said Gaze. "If other bacteria are killed, those that are resistant to QACs will survive and, without competition, will multiply in vast numbers. However, it turns out that the piece of DNA that confers that resistance also contains genes that confer resistance to antibiotics. In this way, we have created an ideal environment for the emergence of antibiotic-resistant bacteria in our drains and sewers. These microbes are now being spread round the country in river water and in sewage sludge used on farms."

As part of its study, the team - which also includes Professor Peter Hawkey of Birmingham University - looked at soil contaminated with QACs and sewage sludge in the Midlands, the Cotswolds, Hertfordshire and other areas. Using techniques similar to those involved in DNA fingerprinting, they then looked for the presence of antibiotic-resistant genes - and found these in high concentrations.

"The inference is clear," added Gaze. "We are producing sewage and river water that have more and more drug-resistant bacteria in them and that these are now poised to enter the food chain."

Wellington added: "Once they are in the land, these bacteria will get into the bodies of agricultural workers or people who use the land recreationally and will form reservoirs of drug-resistant microbes that could pose all sorts of problems. This is going to need a great deal of monitoring."

In addition, the team found that antibiotics used to treat farm animals - in particular pigs - are also helping to spread drug resistance in the soil. In their tests, the team found samples of pig slurry that possessed high levels of antibiotic-resistant genes, raising fears that strains of resistant bacteria were contaminating the land by another route and could enter the food chain.

"We might think of special measures that will help us control or localise drug-resistant bacteria in hospitals, but the problem is much more widespread than that," added Wellington. "It is now out there in the environment."

Thursday, March 19, 2009

Spread the Word


Sound the Alert! Sound the Alert!
Coming on March 17th:
the beautifully updated Perfection Pants pattern!


See a few more of the lovely photos from the pattern over here: Perfection Pants on my Flickr!

The new pants pattern will be available in the wooly wonder shop (http://www.woolywonder.com/store) and also in my ravelry pattern store (http://www.ravelry.com/stores/pamela-grossman---wooly-wonder). On Tuesday! The new pattern will be selling at the recession-adjusted price of $12. Additionally, there are some deals...

Deal #1: Current pattern holders will find a coupon code in the Wooly Wonder Perfection Pants Pattern Support forum to purchase the pattern at a discounted price. ($4 off) Thank you for your continued support!

Deal #2:
Social Networking Discount Experiment: Place the information shared in this blog post onto your blog (cut and paste the whole thing, including the picture), facebook ("share on fb"), twitter (just place a link to pamelamama's blog entry) or other social networking location, forum, etc (be creative!) and email me a link or screen shot... (my contact-us page) I will email you a coupon code of your very own to use in my shop. (And they told two friends, and they told two friends,and so on...) ($2 off)

The pattern won't be available for download until Tuesday, so thank you for your patience and for helping me spread the word! Knit your own darn perfect-fitting baby pants -- now with an updated, beautified, clarified, but still chatty and loads o'fun pattern.

Top 12 Fruits and Vegetables You Should Buy Organic

(Click on the title of this post to see the video)

Here is a list of the top 12 fruits and vegetables you should always purchase Organic. Why? You can't wash off the pesticides and chemicals because it is inside the fruits and veggies. As the plants are sprayed, the fruits and vegetables grow with the actual pesticides and chemicals within the harvest. You always want to wash your fruit and vegetables before eating because of any dirt, debris, wax and any antidessicants. But you can't wash off the harmful chemicals and negative effects of pesticides.

According to Discovery Health's "Why Organic Food" video you should ALWAYS purchase the following ORGANIC fruits and vegetables. Otherwise, you risk feeding your family high levels of pesticide and chemicals. They are -
1. Peaches
2. Strawberries
3. Apples
4. Spinach
5. Nectarines
6. Celery
7. Pears
8. Cherries
9. Potatoes
10. Bell Peppers
11. Raspberries
12. Grapes
Other interesting facts on the video include correlations between chemicals and the rise in ADD and ADHD, and other childhood maladies. There are many new nutritional items that can help with ADD and ADHD. You can always find more information about safer healthier products at www.livetotalwellness.com/maryann

Thursday, March 12, 2009

Hazardous Chemicals in Children's Products and more

Chemicals Not Listed on Product Labels Due to Weak Regulatory Standards

This is the reason why I will only purchase safe, healthier products. For more information about where to purchase these products go to www.livetotalwellness.com/maryann
You can have safer products delivered right to your door while paying less per use than name brands purchased at your regular store. Let me show you how.


For Immediate Release: March 12th, 2009
Contact: Stacy Malkan, 202-321-6963, stacy@safecosmetics.org; Jovana Ruzicic, 202-667-6982, jovana@ewg.org; Stephenie Hendricks, 415-258-9151, stephdh@earthlink.net

For a list of the products tested, and the findings, click http://safecosmetics.live.radicaldesigns.org/search.php

Washington − Despite marketing claims like “gentle” and “pure,” dozens of top-selling children’s bath products are contaminated with the cancer-causing chemicals formaldehyde and 1,4-dioxane, according to product test results released today by the Campaign for Safe Cosmetics. The chemicals were not disclosed on product labels because contaminants are exempt from labeling laws.

This study is the first to document the widespread presence of both formaldehyde and 1,4-dioxane in bath products for children. Many products tested for this study contained both formaldehyde and 1,4-dioxane, including the top-selling Johnson’s Baby Shampoo and Sesame Street Bubble Bath.

Formaldehyde and 1,4-dioxane are known to cause cancer in animals and are listed as probable human carcinogens by the Environmental Protection Agency. Formaldehyde can also trigger skin rashes in some children.

“Given the recent data showing that formaldehyde and the formaldehyde-releasing preservative, quaternium-15, are significant sensitizers and causal agents of contact dermatitis in children, it would be prudent to have these removed from children’s products,” said Sharon Jacob, M.D., assistant professor of medicine and pediatrics at the University of California San Diego and contact dermatitis specialist at Rady Children’s Hospital.

The U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission says that “the presence of 1,4-dioxane, even as a trace contaminant, is cause for concern.”

Contrary to industry statements, there are no regulatory standards that limit formaldehyde, 1,4-dioxane or most other toxic chemicals in personal care products sold in the United States. Other nations have stricter standards. Formaldehyde is banned from personal care products in Japan and Sweden. The European Union bans 1,4-dioxane from personal care products and has recalled products found to contain the chemical.

But there are signs the U.S. is gearing to catch up. Key Congressional leaders point to the findings of this report as further evidence of the need for action. “When products for babies are labeled ‘gentle’ and ‘pure,’ parents expect that they are just that,” said Sen. Diane Feinstein (D-Calif.). “To think that cancer-causing chemicals are contaminating baby shampoos and lotions is horrifying. I intend to soon introduce legislation requiring greater oversight of our cosmetics industry. We need to ensure that the chemicals that are used in our everyday products are safe.”

Rep. Jan Schakowsky (D-Ill.) said, “The fact that we are bathing our kids in products contaminated with carcinogens shows how woefully out of date our cosmetics laws are and how urgently they need to be updated. The science has moved forward, now the FDA needs to catch up and be given the authority to protect the health of Americans.” Rep. Ed Markey (D-Mass.) commented that “Formaldehyde and 1,4-dioxane are better suited for the chem lab, not a child's bathtub. This important report shows that 'No More Tears' can trigger toxic fears, and it provides another reason why these and other cosmetic products must be further regulated. ”

For the study, the Campaign for Safe Cosmetics commissioned an independent laboratory to test 48 top-selling children’s products for 1,4-dioxane; 28 of those products were also tested for formaldehyde. The lab found that:

* 17 out of 28 products tested – 61 percent – contained both formaldehyde and 1,4-dioxane; these included Johnson’s Baby Shampoo, Sesame Street Bubble Bath, Grins & Giggles Milk & Honey Baby Wash and Huggies Naturally Refreshing Cucumber & Green Tea Baby Wash.
* 23 out of 28 products – 82 percent – contained formaldehyde at levels ranging from 54 to 610 parts per million (ppm). Baby Magic Baby Lotion had the highest levels of formaldehyde.
* 32 out of 48 products – 67 percent – contained 1,4-dioxane at levels ranging from 0.27 to 35 ppm. American Girl shower products had the highest levels of 1,4-dioxane.

“There is absolutely no reason why manufacturers can’t remove hazardous chemicals in products being applied to babies’ bodies every day,” said Jeanne Rizzo, R.N., president and CEO of the Breast Cancer Fund. “Children are exposed to toxic chemicals from many sources. We need to protect them from these kinds of repeated, unnecessary exposures.”

“Products made in the U.S. and marketed for children should not contain chemicals linked to cancer or any other health problem,” said Jane Houlihan, vice president for research at Environmental Working Group and creator of the Skin Deep cosmetic safety database (www.cosmeticsdatabase.com). “Congress urgently needs to reform federal policy to protect the most vulnerable members of our society by ensuring that the personal care products we use every day are free from harmful chemicals.”

Devra Lee Davis, Ph.D., M.P.H., 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. “Rather than waiting for definitive proof of human harm, we must lower exposures to controllable agents that we know or suspect cause cancer," Davis said.

The full results of the study can be found in the report, “No More Toxic Tub” at http://www.safecosmetics.org/toxictub.

# # #

Founding members of the Campaign for Safe Cosmetics include: Alliance for a Healthy Tomorrow, Breast Cancer Fund, Clean Water Fund, Commonweal, Environmental Working Group, Friends of the Earth, Massachusetts Breast Cancer Coalition, National Black Environmental Justice Network, National Environmental Trust and Women's Voices for the Earth. www.SafeCosmetics.org

Partner organizations in the following states assisted in the release of this report and may be available for interviews and local angles. Please contact Shannon Coughlin, scoughlin@breastcancerfund.org or 415-336-2246, for more information.

Sunday, March 08, 2009

Health Alert

This a an urgent communication to our opt-in Action eAlert system.

Please open this link for the full eblast:

http://www.healthfreedomusa.org/?p=2220

From the eAlert -

Action Item: Protect your right to refuse medical experimentation
http://salsa.democracyinaction.org/o/568/t/1128/campaign.jsp?campaign_KEY=26830
___________________________________________________________

The General's Communiqué
Maj. Gen. Albert N. Stubblebine III
(US Army, Ret.)

Big Pharma Company "Accidentally"
Contaminates Vaccines With LIVE
AVIAN FLU VIRUS in 18 Countries

Dr. Rima and I are still in Germany where the talk of health freedom advocates is this horrifying late-breaking story, though you may already be aware of it. Although it is being widely reported around the world, the US MMD (media of mass deception) appears to have a blackout placed on this story.

World media are reporting that Baxter Pharmaceuticals has admitted that it "accidentally" contaminated various vaccine batches with Avian Flu viruses. These batches were shipped to 18 countries. Clearly, either 1. stupidity and incompetence or 2. intentional contamianation of flu vaccine lots was at work...

[This ebalst continues on www.HealthFreedomUSA.org - we have been trying to send this eblast out for two days, but it continues to be blocked, so we are sending this "no html" version with the full ebast posted on our Health Freedom Blog.]

To read this very important eblast please click here:

http://www.healthfreedomusa.org/?p=2220

General Stubblebine
Dr. Laibow
Counsel Fucetola

Sunday, March 01, 2009

Look UP!!!

In honor of Paul Harvey who passed away at the ripe old age of 90 yesterday I thought I'd send out one of my favorite stories of his. It's a great reminder in life. I hope you all continue to "Look Up"!


LOOK UP!
Newscaster Paul Harvey once related a story about a woman from Michigan who vacationed in Florida. She found a secluded spot on the roof of her hotel to soak up a few rays of sunshine, and in order to get a "total" tan, she removed all her clothing. Within a half-hour, the hotel manager was beside her insisting that she cover up. She argued that nobody was in sight. He agreed. Problem was -- she was stretched out over the hotel skylight!

It occurs to me that the hotel's problems began because somebody was looking up! Which normally is an excellent thing to do. At least in attitude. And what a surprise lay in store that day for those who were looking up!

You see, some folks spend their lives looking down. Downcast in spirit, they hang their heads and lead negative and joyless lives. Others are constantly looking out. They live in fear and watch vigilantly for problems, real or imaginary, that threaten their happiness.

Still others seem always to be looking around. Forever searching for a better partner, a better job or a better deal, they keep a watchful eye out and seldom experience a lasting commitment.

But a few vibrant folks can usually be found looking up! These resilient individuals have learned how to look beyond problems to solutions; beyond discouragement to hope. And quite often, the pay-off is joy.

No matter if your habit is to look down, look out, look around, or look up, the only important question is, in which direction will you look today?

Work At Home United