Literally... it's killing me

Shocking!

My every day life is killing me.  And yours might be killing you too!

I came to this realization when Yummy Mommy posted about the dangers of certain sunblock.  I am not going to rehash everything she said, but you can read all about it on her blog.  Shocking!

I learned that the face lotion that I apply every single day along with the sunscreen that I put on my children every single summer has oxybenzone in it... and oxybenzone is probably giving me skin cancer.

Further research into the Environmental Working Group web site showed me that there are lots of everyday pollutions that I should know about.  I'll print them here so that you can be informed and I can comment on them.  They are:



Everyday Pollution Solutions

Your Guide to Going Green

1. Use cast iron pans instead of nonstick. Read about Teflon health concerns. 
{{Lovely. My frying pan is killing me too.}}

2. To avoid chemicals leaching into food, go easy on processed, canned or fast foods and never microwave plastic. Read about Bisphenol A, a toxic food-can lining ingredient associated with birth defects.
{{So, don't heat up my leftovers in the tupperware container like I have been for 35 years.  Got it!}}

3. Buy organic, or eat vegetables and fruit from the "Clean 15" list. Find out more about the "Dirty Dozen."
{{I read the list.  The grapes that we love so much... are killing us.}}

4. Pregnant women should use iodized salt to combat chemical interference from the thyroid. Read about rocket fuel's effect on the thyroid.
{{No comment.}}

5. Seal outdoor wooden structures. Order a test kit to find out if your wooden deck, picnic table, or playset is leaching arsenic.
{{So much work to do on the new house.  I don't even think that I want to know if my deck is leaching arsenic, do I?}}

6. Leave your shoes at the door. This cuts down on dust-bound pollutants in the home.
{{We already do this!}}

7. Avoid perfume, cologne and products with added fragrance. Search for personal care products that are fragrance-free, or check the products you're already using.
{{Like I said, my face lotion and sunblock are killing me.}}

8. Buy products with natural fibers, like cotton and wool, that are naturally fire resistant. Use our list of products and manufacturers to avoid the chemical flame retardant PBDE.

9. Eat low-mercury fish like tilapia & pollock, rather than high-mercury choices like tuna & swordfish. Check our Safe Fish List to see which fish to avoid and what's safe to eat.
{{We don't eat much fish anyways... probably because we have to go to a whole separate store to get good fish and partly because it's expensive.}}

10. Filter your water for drinking and cooking. How does your tap water stack up? Search our tap water database to see what you're drinking.
{{Our water was tested, extensively... thanks to a certain Fairy Grandmother... so I think that we are safe here.}}

11. Learn your personal body burden. Take a step-by-step tour of your home to learn the toxic truth about how household products contribute to your body burden of industrial chemicals.

Our family complies with 2 of 11 items on this list. 

How well are you doing?