By Florita Martinez

In one of the previous articles, we tackled about making your own simple facial cleanser. In this section, we are going to talk about what chemicals you avoided when you switch to organic or homemade facial cleanser.

Few of the numerous harmful chemicals and it effects to the following are the following:

·         Alcohol - one of the contributory factors to oral cancer.

·         Alpha Hydroxy Acid - causes skin cells destruction leaving skin more sensitive to damage from enviromental hazards andc may eventually cause skin cancer.

·         Benzoyl Peroxide - irritant and highly toxic

·         Sodium Hydroxymethylglycinate - said to be containing with and/or broken down into chemicals that are toxic and are linked to cancer and other major body health problems.

·         Diazolidinyl Urea - contributes to immunotoxicity and neurotoxicity.

·         Kajoic Acid - Since it prohibits melanin production, it damages the skin's natural protection and eventually leads to skin diseases, or worst, cancer.

·         SLS (Sodium Lauryl Sulphate) - Concentration can lead to the damage of a number of organs including brain, liver, heart, and lungs.

It is to be noted that these chemicals harms the body when they have reached more than enough concentration inside the body. With the regular use of these products that contains the chemicals mentioned above, the likelihood to diseases will increase. When you use these non-organic facial cleansers, you facial skin will become dependent on these products, and probably produces a good sensual effect to the facial skin, but what you do not see and observe is that with the regular use of these chemically contained products, the likelihood to diseases increases due to its easily penetration to the skin. When they penetrated to the skin and travelled through the bloodstream, concentration to the organs happen and eventually destroying these organs which is evident in the form of diseases.

In order to protect your health from these kinds of toxic products, it is very important to switch to organic products. When buying an organic product, read the labels too. There are some low cost "organic" in the market and may not really function as organic. So, educating yourself with these products is definitely important.

Go to local stores that feature organic facial products or search through the net for fine organic products that might be available. Read product reviews.

You don't want to be beautiful outside and dead on the inside right? So give yourself a break, go for Organic or natural homemade facial products.

By Donna Ryan

Bottles Used for Bottled Water are Damaging to One’s Health

If you have been led into believing that bottled water sold in stores is pure and healthy, then you may be surprised to learn that much of that “spring” water that is featured on grocery store shelves comes from municipal water sources. What’s more, the plastic bottles holding the water are breeding grounds for bacteria, and contain toxic substances, such as Bisphenol A (BPA), which is known to cause health problems, such as:

·     Cancer of the prostate,

·     Brain and neurological damage;

·     Breast cancer; and

·     Hormonal problems.

Therefore, using organic water bottles, especially those made of steel, is recommended if you want to drink water that is considered safe and free of bacteria and toxins.

Bottled Water Poses Serious Health Concerns as Regulations for its Use are not Strictly Enforced

Also, when you consider that bottled water does not fall under as stringent guidelines (or those mandated by the Food and Drug Administration or FDA) as tap water (whose regulations are enforced by the Environmental Protection Agency EPA), using organic water bottles made of steel just makes better sense. In addition, not all water that is bottled is regulated by the FDA  as the agency does not consider water as being the bottled variety if the H20 is defined as sparkling, carbonated, or filtered, or described as seltzer or tonic water.

Generally Tap Water, especially if it is Filtered at the Tap, is Safer than Bottled Water

So, any spring water that you buy in the bottled water aisle does not have to meet the same criteria as city tap water when it comes to the amount of contamination in the product. While the FDA’s most frequent test for contamination occurs once a week, the EPA necessitates that water from the tap be tested at least a couple times daily for impurities. Installing a filter on your faucet too is also a better option than buying bottled water.

Not the Best Way to Hydrate

A good deal of that supposedly unadulterated water that is sold in the store simply does not carry any information that shows the source of the water or details about how it is purified. Almost 20% of producers of bottled water do not disclose the source of the water while just over 30% do not make any claims as far as purity.

A Large Variance in Cost

Given the aforementioned data, using an organic water bottle provides a better way to consume water, and is more affordable too. While the average per gallon cost of bottled water is just over $3.75, drinking tap water from an organic water bottle costs an incredibly low $.000 2 per gallon. It’s not too surprising then that manufacturers of bottled water make billions of dollars each year. That’s quite a markup when you could purchase an organic water bottle and obtain your water from a safer supply. When you consider that almost 50% of bottled water comes from municipal water sources, it makes one wonder why people are so enthralled with drinking bottled water. Apparently, companies that bottle water are highly adept at marketing and advertising their products.

Some Startling Statistics

Bottles used to hold water that is sold commercially use over one million tons of plastic annually. Plus, approximately 1,500 plastic bottles used for bottled water are discarded each second. Billions of pounds plastic bottles are strewn as trash along the road as well as deposited in landfills. In addition, some bottles are burned, which releases toxins into the air. By switching to an organic water bottle then, you will save money, help clean up the environment and prevent any health issues down the road.

Stainless Steel – Safe and Clean

Install a filter on your tap to make sure you don’t defeat the purpose of using an organic water bottle in the first place. While organic water bottles are featured in aluminum and food-grade plastic, your best bet in playing it safe is, again, to choose a bottle made of stainless steel. Free of BPA and other toxins, the bottle does not require the plastic or resin lining that is required for drinking out of aluminum bottles – a deciding reason why stainless steel is the better choice. So-called organic bottles which are made of food-grade plastic are less desirable than steel too as plastic can still affect the taste of the water you consume and, again, it is still plastic.

By:  Florita Martinez

Nowadays, cosmetics are essential in the everyday lives of women, even in the entertainment industry, cosmetics are really just a part of them. It’s like there is no getting away with it. But with the massive intent to save people and the environment from the harmful chemical toxins from cosmetic products, organic cosmetics are now here to stay.

Organic cosmetics are made of organic plant extracts and mineral pigments which has long-lasting color property, natural sun UV rays blockers, and helps in developing a healthy radiant glow of skin. These organic cosmetics contain no synthetic FD&C dyes - or synthetic colors and artificial perfumes. They are highly ideal for people who are sensitive to chemicals. Although these organic cosmetics were processed, the chemical used are just really minimal and not harmful to the end users, as well as the producers.

Nowadays, there have been a good number of producers of these organic cosmetics. This is in response to the global call for a healthier environment. There are many chemicals found on artificial and synthetic cosmetics that are harmful to the environment, and to its users. Some are even found to be carcinogenic. Some of those chemical toxins are formaldehyde, formaldehyde-releasing ingredients, parabens, hydroquinone, phthalates, and lead.

Formaldehyde can cause skin sensitivity and, in worst cases, cancer. Formaldehyde-releasing products include diazolidinyl urea, 1.3-diol, dimethyl-dimethyl (DMDM), quaternium-15, and many more. Parabens concentrations can cause breast tumors. Substantial amount of phthalates (or the “fragrance) can cause disruptive hormonal system of a person. Lastly, lead can cause brain defects and impairment, and breast tumors.

There have been found many other side effects of these chemicals, the mentioned above are just few of its general concentrations side effects.

As for the environment, since cosmetic industry has been a really huge industry, the factory wastes and end-user wastes are the real culprit for keeping a safe and clean environment. The packages of synthetic cosmetics are made of plastics and other non biodegradable materials, the accumulation of these products leads to pollution. As a matter of fact, we are already experiencing it now. That is why there is this massive campaign no stop further world pollution.

You don’t want to experience any physical illness relating to the use of synthetic cosmetics and overly polluted environment in the future right? Then, let’s go organic. They are here to stay.

By Larry Maraggay

Cancer is defined as the unrestrained growth of anomalous cells in the body. These
cancer cells are also known as Malignant Cells. Cancer tends to occur when there is an irregular
and uncontrollable growth of cells in the body. There are various types of cancer—as they can
grow in almost any organ or tissue inside the body. Some of such are colon, brain, breast, skin
kidneys, cervix, liver, ovary, prostate, testicles, thyroid, bones, lungs, and nerve tissues.
According to World Health Organization, last 2010, cancer has caused 12 percent or
approximately about 56 million deaths worldwide. Cancer has a lot of contributing factors. Some
of these factors are nutrition, exercise, and toxins.

Nutrition plays a very vital part in our body. It is the provision of materials that our body
needs in order to survive. Good nutrition can be attained through proper diet. Just like the car
needs fuel, our cells needs to be fed with energy-providing food daily. Carbohydrates are the
main structure of energy within the body. Carbohydrates are then broken down into glucose,
fructose, and galactose. Protein is also a material that our body needs in order to survive.
Proteins taken from the food are broken down into amino acids. Amino acids are needed in
building and repairing various tissues in the body. The muscles inside our body contain a lot of
protein. That is why, proteins should be replenished regularly. Proteins also play an important
part in our body’s immune system, nervous system, hormones, and organs. Another material that
our body needs is calcium. They are stored inside our bones and teeth. Calcium is needed in
order to keep them strong. Fats are also needed in our body. In our brain, fat is needed to signal
hormones. Vitamins and Minerals are also needed in order for our body to work properly. They
help in making chemical reactions in our body faster like boosting up our body’s immune
system. Some examples of these vitamins and minerals are: Vitamin A, vitamin B complex,
vitamin C, vitamin D, Vitamin E, vitamin K, zinc, iron, magnesium, phosphorus, and potassium.

Lack of good nutrition can lead to poor functions of the body. This includes emotionally,
physically, and cognitively. There will also be a great decline in our immune system, strength
in our bones and teeth, ability to perform work, and ability to respond to stimuli. Being said,
these declines can result to development of various diseases. One of these diseases is cancer.
Our body’s resistance against the build-up of cancer cells becomes weak and thus making us
vulnerable to cancer.

Good nutrition gives a lot of benefits to cancer patients. The illness and treatment of
cancer can contribute to the change of a person’s behavior, especially in the way they eat. The
need in nutrition of cancer patients vary. But mostly, proper nutrition for them will lead to the
development of good qualities. Cancer patients will be able to feel better. Proper nutrition would
also help in maintaining their energy and strength. Patients will also have a better tolerance for
side effects of treatments. It would also help lower the risk of infection and promotes faster
healing and recovery. Again, cancer patients should eat the rights foods. These foods that cancer
patient intakes helps in providing essential nutrients for our body to fight cancer cells.

Proper exercise also plays a big part in our health. According to some researches, adults
must at least do 150 minutes of cardio-vascular exercise per week. Exercise enables us to be
free from various sicknesses like obesity and cancer. Through exercise, we can limit our body’s
weight and thus will reduce the risk of various cancers like: breast cancer, kidney cancer,
prostate cancer, and colon cancer. According to researches, one third of the developments of
these cancers are linked to obesity and inactive physical activity.

Good nutrition can also be attained from the consumption of organic foods. Organic
foods are foods which did not undergo any modern methods of artificial inputs like pesticides
and fertilizers. Also, it does not contain any genetically modified organisms and is not processed
with industrial solvent or chemical food additives. Organic foods are natural foods which do not
leave any harmful toxins in our body.

Toxins inside our body are also a factor in the increase of the risk of having cancer.
Theses toxins are acquired from the environment, especially from food. These kinds of foods
have undergone artificial processes and application of artificial pesticides, insecticides, and
fertilizers. Based on the studies, people who have high levels of toxins in their blood are 2.7
times more prone to the risk of developing non-Hodgkin lymphoma in comparison to those
people with lower amounts. Non-Hodgkin Lymphomas are various groups of blood cancers that
consist of any kind of lymphoma. Lymphoma is a type of cancer derived from lymphocytes (a
type of white blood cell) and is present in the lymphatic cells of the immune system. This kind of
cancer usually manifest as a tumor of lymphoid cell.

Because of these alarming facts, there is bigger need to undergo detoxification. There
are a lot of ways on how to detoxify our body. Some of these are perspiration, exhalation, and
urination. Again, exercise plays a big role on this part. Detoxification is also a big reason why
people must undergo various types of exercise daily. Through physical activities like exercise
causes the active circulation of blood and fluids inside our body and releases toxins when we
perspire. Physical activities also promote thirst and thus enable us to drink more fluids. Through
this, fluids help in detoxifying our system and send them out, sometimes through urination.

In conclusion, cancer is a very serious matter. We must consider taking various methods
in order to lower the risk of cancer. Always remember that prevention is 100 times better than
cure. Being busy in our daily lives is not an excuse. With our advance technology nowadays, it
will be easier for us to achieve proper nutrition and maintain body fitness through exercise. We
must always find time for ourselves if we want to remain healthy and happy.