OK, this is somewhat of a confession. 10 years ago a solicitor on behalf of a Breast Cancer Awareness fund called my house. I declined to donate and when she kept going, I let her know what I really thought of the Breast Cancer Awareness campaign. I told her that money should be going to prevention and not to a cure. Not really that cruel of a thing to say, but definitely not the popular answer then or now. At the time I was pregnant and experiencing a lot of back pain, so I’m sure she heard all the emotion of that too. I do hope it made a lasting impression on her.
I’m a bit passionate about children’s health. Well, actually, I’m a lot passionate about kids’ health. I have 2 daughters. Both had a rough entry into life, putting them at greater risk for chronic illness and adverse effects related to chemicals in their environment.
Fortunately, because I am a proactive seeker of health (necessitated by an autoimmune diagnosis in my childhood), my girls caught a break. Our home and personal care routine is relatively low in toxic man-made chemicals. The benefit of that can be seen in these Beauties’ health today.
Vehicle emissions or household products. The answer will surprise you.
Last summer was an unforgettable summer of fires and lingering smoke in the Pacific Northwest. Having grown up here I can say that weeks of clouds and falling ashes as a result of wildfires is not a normal occurrence. The one exception being the eruption of Mount St. Helen’s in 1980. That’s a different story – and no, I don’t remember it.
On beautiful mornings like this morning, however, I have started noticing a lingering smog through the trees toward the horizon. And since it’s not fire season, I have to wonder if my emerald studded city is going to one day have the air quality that I’ve always associated with Southern California.
There’s More to the National Surge of Obesity and Healthcare Costs Than You Think
Photo by Jennifer Burk on Unsplash
Obesity and healthCare costs Linked to toxic chemicals
So you want to lose weight. Or you’re concerned about the effects of the ever growing crisis of obesity and the rising healthcare costs that each one of us face as a result. Whether we like it or not, we are beginning to understand that other people’s health affects each one of us now like never before.
The Obesity epidemic is “astronomical,” according to WebMD. Can you even get your mind around that? What does that look like? And with obesity associated with heart disease, cancer and diabetes, healthcare costs are predicted to continue to surge. Not just go up, but SURGE, according to WebMD.
Obesity itself accounts for 21% of annual medical spending. Obesity: Overview of an Epidemic at NCBI confirms that “[obesity] is linked to the most prevalent and costly medical problems seen in our country, including type 2 diabetes, hypertension, coronary artery disease, many forms of cancer, and cognitive dysfunction.” And it affects every level of society.
Power. Do you wish you had more of it? Do you know you have it but still find yourself wishing for a better world?
If one removes the “P” from “Power” you get “ower” which sounds like “our”. Our Power. Individually we have power, personal power to make our own choices every day and we know these choices direct our lives – what to eat or not eat, who to hang out with, what to read…the choices we make in the course of life are endless. But the power we have together, Our Power, is exponential.
Some think that persons who claim they have adverse reactions to chemical products and fragrances have worked themselves into this tizzy, so to speak. Which one are you, the sufferer or the skeptic?
It takes a lot of compassion to understand that some people can react with migraines, asthma and a host of other symptoms to the tiniest waft of scent in the room, while others seem to be immune, much less notice it. I get that. This is weird stuff. But as one who has suffered from chemicals that I encounter in stores, salons, assisted living facilities, churches, schools and in the homes of friends and family, I also understand what’s its like to experience reactions in my body that don’t seem to make sense. Continue reading “Chemical Sensitivity Real & on the Rise”→
Many New Year’s resolutions begin with a desire for wellness. And wellness comes from within. For me, wellness is energy, life and vitality – the freedom to be more of who I am created to be. Nothing drains that vitality faster than toxins that interfere with hormones, brain and immune function. Unfortunately, we don’t have to look far at all to find toxins. They are in products that we use every day in our homes and on our bodies. The worst kind of toxin is the kind that you administer to yourself, thinking that you are actually helping yourself when in fact you may very well be causing yourself harm.
We’ve seen it again and again – examples of the consumer voice overcoming injustice and wrongdoing. The consumer, YOU and me, have so much value that what we say and do is also powerful. Powerful to cause change. Valuable change. And when it comes to toxins in our products from cleaning products to beauty products, furnishing and children’s clothing, nothing could be more valuable. We need a change in how our products are produced and packaged. If not for my parent’s generation, then for mine and for my children and their children. Toxins and disease definitely stack up across generations.
