Placid Wellness

Invitation to Formally Endorse OCA’s Coming Clean CampaignThe OCA has launched the Coming Clean campaign to counter the fraudulent “organic” labeling of conventional shampoos, body washes and other body care products by various so-called “organic” body care companies. These mislabeled products are undermining the letter and spirit of the organic regulations, and the problem is fast escalating out of control. Effective lobbying by various cosmetic companies and associated suppliers and consultants has resulted in the National Organic Program’s (NOP) and National Organic Standards Board’s (NOSB) failure to regulate these mislabeled “organic” body care products, leading to widespread fraud.

The OCA is dealing with the struggle between the integrity of the organic paradigm and the hollow market-driven needs of the cosmetics industry. Unfortunately, the cosmetics industry appears to be winning, and has to date effectively paralyzed the relevant organic institutions into inaction. Over the past year, this has enabled a few companies to systematically green-wash conventional surfactant shampoos, body washes and other body care products with front panel “organic” claims. Thus, OCA, as a watchdog for organic consumer protection, has launched the Coming Clean campaign..

Therefore, the OCA is inviting ethical companies, certifiers, stores and consumers to join together to preserve organic integrity by signing on to endorse this campaign.

All formal endorsements will be listed on OCA’s website.
For more information, please go to

http://www.organicconsumers.org/bodycare/

Thank you for your time and consideration.

Sincerely,
Ronnie Cummins
National Director
Organic Consumers Association

To Endorse sign on, Click Here

FOR TRULY ORGANIC SKIN, BODY, HAIR AND HEALTH PRODUCTS, CLICK BANNER BELOW…

Foods and beverages that contain no-calorie artificial sweeteners may be ruining your ability to control your food intake and body weight, according to new research by psychologists at Purdue University’s Ingestive Behavior Research Center.

In their study, when compared with rats that ate yogurt sweetened with glucose (a simple sugar), rats that ate yogurt sweetened with the zero-calorie artificial sweetener saccharin:

• Consumed more calories (and didn’t make up for it by cutting back later)
• Gained more weight
• Put on more body fat

It’s thought that consuming artificial sweeteners breaks the connection between a sweet sensation and a high-calorie food, thereby changing your body’s ability to regulate intake.

The researchers also measured the rats’ core body temperatures, which typically rise after eating. However, after eating a sweet, high-calorie meal, rats that ate saccharin had a lower rise in body temperature than rats that ate glucose.

The researchers believe that this blunted biological response led the rats to overeat, and made it harder to burn off the calories later.

They concluded that consuming foods sweetened with saccharin would lead to greater weight gain and body fat than eating the same foods sweetened with sugar.

Although further research needs to be done, the researchers believe that consuming other artificial sweeteners such as aspartame, sucralose, and acesulfame K would have similar effects.

Sources: 

• Eurekalert February 10, 2008

• Behavioral Neuroscience February 2008, Vol. 122, No. 1, 161-173

Why does organic cost more?

Growing the food is more labor-intensive. And even though organic food is a growing industry, it doesn’t have the economies of scale or government subsidies available to conventional growers.

 How to protect yourself from “non-organic” pesticides:
Produce

• Buy fresh vegetables and fruits in season. When long storage and long-distance shipping are not required, fewer pesticides are used.
• Trim tops and the very outer portions of celery, lettuce, cabbages, and other leafy vegetables that may contain the bulk of pesticide residues.
• Peel and cook when appropriate, even though some nutrients and fiber are lost in the process.
• Eat a wide variety of fruits and vegetables. This would limit exposure to any one type of pesticide residue.
• Purchase only fruits and vegetables that are subject to USDA regulations. Produce imported from other countries is not grown under the same regulations as enforced by the USDA. Examples are strawberries and cantaloupes from Mexico.
• Wait until just before preparation to wash or immerse your produce in clean water. When appropriate, scrub with a brush. Experts at the University of California-Berkeley report that this removes nearly all insects and dirt, as well as bacteria and some pesticide residues.
• Special soaps or washes are not needed and could be harmful to you, depending on their ingredients. Read the label! Cold water is perfectly fine.

How to save money when buying organic food

• Comparison shop in local grocery stores.

• Down-load and print coupons from the internet.

• Take advantage of local farmers markets and co-ops.

• Order by mail.  Products such as organic beef and fish can be shipped nationally.  My favorite fish is distributed by Vital Choice.  They flash freeze at sea; therefore it is the freshest and exceptional quality.  They also have great sampler packs as well as seasonings and recipes.  Click on the banner below.

The U.S. Department of Agriculture found that even after washing, some fruits and vegetables consistently carry much higher levels of pesticide residue than others. Based on an analysis of more than 100,000 U.S. government pesticide test results, researchers at the Environmental Working Group (EWG), a research and advocacy organization based in Washington, D.C., have developed the “dirty dozen” fruits and vegetables, that they say you should always buy organic, if possible, because their conventionally grown counterparts tend to be laden with pesticides. They cost about 50 percent more — but are well worth the money.

The “Dirty Dozen”: Must-buy organic foods

Fruit
Apples
Cherries
Grapes, imported (Chili)
Nectarines
Peaches
Pears
Raspberries
Strawberries

Vegetables
Bell peppers
Celery
Potatoes
Spinach

To purchase Organic Strawberries, Raspberries and Cherries click below.

Here’s half a dozen examples of how plain and simple baking soda can replace dangerous commercial cleaning products in your home:

• Use as a safe non-scratch scrub for metals and porcelain.

• To clean your oven, simply sprinkle a cup or more of baking soda over the bottom of the oven, then cover the baking soda with enough water to make a thick paste. Let the mixture set overnight. The next morning the grease will be easy to wipe up because the grime will have loosened. When you have cleaned up the worst of the mess, dab a bit of liquid detergent or soap on a sponge, and wash the remaining residue from the oven.

• To unclog a drain, pour 1/2 - 1 cup of baking soda down the drain, then slowly pour 1/2 - 1 cup of vinegar in after it. Cover the drain and let it sit for 15 minutes. If it bubbles like a volcano, it means it’s working as planned. Flush with a gallon of boiling water.

• Deodorize dry carpets by sprinkling liberally with baking soda. Wait at least 15 minutes, then vacuum.

• To rid your garbage disposal of foul smells, add vinegar to water for ice cubes, then let a few of them get chopped by your disposal.

• To clean your silver, boil 2-3 inches of water in a shallow pan with 1 teaspoon of salt, 1 teaspoon of baking soda, and a sheet of aluminum foil. Totally submerge silver and boil for 2-3 minutes more. Remove silver from the pan and wipe away the tarnish with a clean cotton cloth.

Sterilize Sponges and Rags in Your Microwave

 Keep in mind, however, that you MUST SOAK THE SPONGE BEFORE MICROWAVING IT, or else it will likely catch fire and possibly ruin the microwave, if not your house. Additionally, the way this works is by causing the water in the sponge to turn to hot steam, which is what kills the bacteria. Also make sure the sponges do not contain any metallic components.

Zapping your sponges in the microwave every other day will decontaminate them better than simply putting them in the dishwasher, which is the strategy I had been using previously.

MORE FAVORITES…

• Vinegar + Hydrogen Peroxide works exceptionally well as both a disinfectant and sanitizer.

• 1/4 Cup White Vinegar/ 1 Cup of Water: Cleaning mirrors and windows. Add a few drops of liquid dish soap to the mixture if windows or mirrors are really dirty, but be very careful not to use any that contain harmful anti-bacterial substances.

• Essential Oils:  As Air Fresheners…  Many of them also have the added bonus of being antibacterial agents. Just bear in mind that essential oils are NOT the same thing as fragrance oils. Fragrance oils are artificially created and often contain synthetic chemicals — so make sure the essential oil you use is of the highest quality and 100 percent pure.

At Placid Wellness we like Rainforest Air Freshener by One Group.  Click on the bannerbelow.

A growing number of Americans are seeking so-called green cleaners — products made with natural, nontoxic, and biodegradable ingredients. Sales of natural cleaning products totaled $105 million in the last year.

Just because the ingredients in green cleaners are plant-based or natural doesn’t necessarily mean they’re safe. Although green cleaners may purport to list all ingredients, the market is largely unregulated — which means consumers still must be wary of what’s in the bottle. Even cleaning products labeled “natural” may contain some fraction of synthetic chemicals. Or they may contain natural ingredients consumers would rather avoid, such as petroleum distillates, some of which can cause cancer. And just because a cleaning product is biodegradable and made from plant-based sources doesn’t mean that it is without potential adverse effects on health.

Plant-based ingredients included in some green cleaners include limonene (a citrus-based oil), pine oil, and the foaming agent coconut diethanolamide — all of which can cause allergic dermatitis. And a recent study of natural and nontoxic consumer products found the suspected cancer-causing chemical 1,4-dioxane in roughly half of 100 tested products– including several dish-washing liquids with words such as “Earth friendly” and “eco” in their brand names.

Consumer advocates have pressed for stricter labeling rules, but the industry has resisted, arguing that long lists of ingredients would create a distraction on product labels, drawing attention away from important safety information.

Sources: Los Angeles Times April 28, 2008

Other dangerous ingredients to look out for include:

• phosphates – cause algae proliferation in bodies of water, killing marine life
• nonylphenol ethoxylates (NPE’s) – cause reproductive defects, liver and kidney damage
• phthalates – cause sperm damage and reproductive defects in boys
• volatile organic compounds (VOC’s), including 1,4-dichlorobenzene – cause nose and throat irritation, dizziness, asthma
• glycol ethers
• ammonia
• chlorine
• ethanolamines

At Placid Wellness, we like BioPure which is a Purebiotic Household Cleaning concentrate (general cleaner) by One Group. Dilute 2 capfuls with 500 mls of water.   Click on the banner below.

If you care about the environment and especially our oceans, here’s the full scoop on farmed salmon: 

Problem Typical salmon farming robs essential food sources from the entire marine food chain. Unlike some farmed fish, salmon are carnivores. Their feed includes fishmeal and fish oil made primarily from small fish, such as sardines, capelin and menhaden. On average, it takes roughly 3 pounds of feed fish to produce one pound of farmed fish. These fish are an important food source for lots of other ocean life, including striped bass, bluefish, whales, sea birds and seals.
Better Way Lower the fishmeal and fish oil content of the salmon feed and substitute with vegetarian options.

Problem Some farmed salmon is significantly higher in PCBs and other toxins than wild salmon.
Better Way Wild pink and chum salmon are especially low in contaminants thanks to a plankton-rich diet. Most other wild salmon from Alaska are, too, because they eat a mix of fish, krill and other small animals from cleaner waters. Feeding farmed salmon less wild fish or using forage fish from cleaner South American waters reduces the concentration of toxic substances.

Problem Salmon farms produce concentrated waste that heavily pollutes surrounding areas. By one estimate, an average farm may release an amount of nitrogen, phosphorus, and fecal matter roughly equivalent to the nutrient waste in untreated sewage from 20,000, 25,000, and 65,000 people, respectively. Farmed salmon are raised so closely together that sea lice become a problem, and the lice can spread to wild fish. Crowded pens are also breeding grounds for disease. Antibiotics, parasiticides, and other chemicals used to treat disease and parasite outbreaks can leak into surrounding waters.
Better Way Move fish farms away from key wild salmon runs. Adopt integrated systems where mussels and seaweeds are grown near salmon pens to recycle nutrient wastes. Use vaccines and other preventative measures to minimize disease and thus drug usage.

Problem Farmed salmon can escape and harm wild populations. The effect of salmon escapes depends on where the fish are farmed. In the Pacific Ocean, where Atlantic salmon are non-native, they could compete with their wild counterparts for food, spawning sites, etc. In the Atlantic Ocean, where wild Atlantic salmon are endangered, they could also interbreed and alter the makeup of the wild gene pool.
Better Way Use tough nets and other measures to minimize escapes. Tag salmon, so farmers can be held accountable for fish that escape. Support research on how to raise farmed salmon in closed containers. Source:  Environmental Defense Network
www.oceansalive.org

To purchase fresh Alaskan Seafood click the banner below.

Just because your shampoo or conditioner (or any beauty product for that matter) makes an “organic or natural” claim does not mean that it is certified organic. Some of the companies are cynically using the chemistry definition or “organic” meaning a compound that contains a carbon atom. Carbon is found in anything that has ever lived. By using this definition of organic, they are saying that a petrochemical preservative called Methyl Paraben is “organic” because it was formed from leaves that rotted over thousands of years to become crude oil, which was then used to make this preservative.

Searching for products with the logo of a certifying body on the label is the only way you can guarantee the organic authenticity and integrity of every ingredient in the product. Without this, the organic claim means nothing as it cannot be verified. In the USA we have the USDA ORGANIClogo and in Australia, the Australian Certified Organic (ACO) are the two largest internationally recognised bodies.

Placid Wellness uses and recommends Miessence organic hair, skin and body products by One Group. A majority of their products (not all) have USDA Organic certification.

I am currently using the Facial Cleanser, Conditioner and Moisturizer which all 3 are USDA Organic and I love them! I am also using the Garnet Exfoliant (per the recommendation of a friend) and it smells good enough to eat!!

To see a full description or purchase products, click on the banner below.