Archive for June, 2007

Diet Soda and Cancer??

June 29, 2007 · Filed under Organic in the News

Here’s the headline of an article I read from the Organic Consumers Association; it’s a little disturbing:

“Aspartame Found to Cause Breast Cancer, Leukemia and Lymphomas”

Doesn’t this make you stop and think of all the people that drink diet sodas and the quantity that is consumed on a daily basis?

I know of several people in my life that consume very large amounts of diet soda. They are thinking that it’s safe and they want to avoid the extra calories in regular soda.

A new study on aspartame conducted by the Ramazzini Foundation reveals that aspartame causes a dose-dependent increase in cancers (lymphomas, leukemias and breast cancers) when consumed at levels approaching those consumed by humans in diet soft drinks. Specifically, the study shows (reprinted from the abstract):

……a) a significant dose-related increase of malignant tumor-bearing animals in males…..
b) a significant increase of the incidence in lymphomas/leukemias in males …….
c) a significant dose-related increase of the incidence of mammary cancer in females…..

Read the full article

Would they stop drinking their diet soda if it were proven to be harmful and may lead to cancer, especially breast cancer?

I think they would and there in lies the problem; big industry loosing a ton of money when people stop buying their product.

Isn’t the FDA responsible for protecting our communities from such things?

Shutting down good science to protect profits

Virtually the entire health and medical system in the United States is not interested in these questions. Following the publication of this study, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration issued a statement flatly denying aspartame poses any safety risk whatsoever, rejecting the idea that its safety or approval as a food ingredient should be reviewed at all. Specifically, FDA spokesperson Michael Herndon said, “…the FDA finds no reason to alter its previous conclusion that aspartame is safe as a general purpose sweetener in food.”

In other words, the FDA is not interested in any new science that might challenge a decision it already made. Long live scientific-sounding dogma!

Read the full article

What can we do about this?

My thoughts are; stop buying the product. Personally I would rather gain a little extra weight from natural sugar than take the risk of cancer. If I were worried about gaining some weight from drinking soda, I would choose to exercise more.

We can also put pressure on the FDA to protect our health and not big industry.

And support organizations like the Organic Consumers Association and all the work they have done and continue to do.

~DIY Naturally

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5 Foods that will Keep You Up All Night

June 29, 2007 · Filed under Sleep

  1. Fat - high-fat foods make your digestive system work double time and can also increase heartburn.
  2. Liquor - alcohol may seem relaxing at first but it screws up your blood sugar levels and interferes with your brain function including the production of serotonin, the natural chemical your body produces to make you sleepy.
  3. Artificial sweeteners - worse than sugar, artificial sweeteners will literally keep you up all night. Aspartame and NutraSweet contain aspartic acid which will excite your nervous system.
  4. Caffeine - coffee and tea are first on the list when we think of caffeine but also keep in mind that some sodas and chocolate have caffeine.
  5. Spicy food - spicy foods including garlic, hot peppers and overly seasoned foods are all too stimulating for your brain and body to handle before bed.

~DIY Natually

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Green Tea the Superhealthy Elixir

June 28, 2007 · Filed under Healing Foods

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Green tea is one of the most popular beverages and rightly so. After all, it tastes great (in my opinion) and it’s good for you.

Green Tea has some amazing health benefits and powerful antioxidants, which help cells live longer, but did you know that green tea is good for your skin and may help you live longer and healthier?

Applied topically, Green tea can help re-energize dying skin cells, making your skin look fresher and more vibrant. Green tea is also an anti-inflammatory that will calm and cool the skin.

Not only will Green Tea help you look younger but it may also help you live longer. An 11 year study at Japan’s Tohoku University found that drinking green tea on a daily basis will reduce your risk of heart disease and also improve your over all health. 

Women and men who drank 5 cups of green tea daily showed the most improvement in their health. Drinking this much tea is also a great way to keep hydrated. Even for the hot summer months you can still get your Green Tea in by making it cold and it still tastes great especially with a little lemon.

 A few of my favorites:

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Yogi Green Tea

This has a nice flavor and is certified organic.

They offer free samples on their site.

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Bigelow Green Tea

This tea is a very close second in flavor for me and is also organic. They have an interesting blog as well that includes tips, facts and recipes for all things tea.
The Bigelow Tea blog

Both companies allow you to order online for their product. Keep in mind that not all flavors of tea are certified organic so look for that USDA Certified Organic label before you purchase.

~ Do It Yourself Naturally

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10 Ways to Use Salt to Clean Your Laundry

June 24, 2007 · Filed under Home Cleaning, Natural Stain Removers, Salt

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Salt is a wonderful stain remover. With salt you can remove grease stains, ink stains, blood stains and more. Using salt in your laundry will also help preserve bright colors and reduce the yellowing of white clothing.

10 ways to use salt to clean your laundry

  1. Remove grease stains on fabric by sprinkling the stain with salt. Allow the salt to soak up the grease and wipe off. Repeat if necessary.
  2. Remove a fresh blood stain by covering it with salt. Then dab with a clod water cloth. Continue to add water until the stain is gone.
  3. Remove ink stains by rubbing the stain with salt. Then soak the stain in milk over night. Then wash.
  4. For mildew stains, use a paste made of lemon juice and salt. Spread the paste on the mildew and lay clothing out in the sun. The sun, salt and lemon juice will bleach the mildew.
  5. To remove mildew stains on other fabrics use a solution of salt, vinegar, and water.
  6. Remove wine stains from cotton fabric by sprinkling enough salt on the stain to absorb the wine. Soak the clothing for 2 hours in cold water. Then wash.
  7. Treat yellowing of white cotton clothes by soaking in a solution of water, 1 tablespoon of salt, and 1/4 cup of baking soda. Let stand for 1 hour. Then wash.
  8. Remove sweat stains on white clothing by dabbing the areas with a sponge soaked in a salt water solution of 4 tablespoons of salt per 1 quart of water.
  9. Prevent bleeding colors by adding 1/2 cup of salt to your wash cycle.
  10. Bring colored rugs back to their vibrant colors by rubbing a salt water solution into the rug with a damp cloth. Use a gentle scrubbing motion.

~ Do it Yourself Naturally

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Bonus Baking Soda Tips

June 22, 2007 · Filed under Baking Soda, Birds, Home Cleaning

Here are some extra tips from the great readers at d.i.y naturally. Thanks all!

Diane from The Mommy Spot - She uses baking soda to clean her parrot cages. She doesn’t have to worry about her parrots eating any residue.

Jan from Skincare Naturals - She suggests using baking soda in your dishwasher to help grease build-up.

Thanks for the great ideas! Your blogs are great with a ton of great information.

~ DIY Naturally

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Organic Cotton Tees for the 4th of July

June 22, 2007 · Filed under Organic Cotton

This a cute shirt that I thought you might all enjoy especially with the Holiday comming up. I love that it’s organic cotton!
Junior's AA Organic T-Shirt - Eco-Friendly Live Free 2007

Women’s - Live Free 2007 Organic Cotton Tee


Men's AA Organic Tee - Eco-Friendly Live Free 2007

Men’s - Live Free 2007 Organic Cotton Tee

~ Do It Yourself Naturally

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10 Ways to Use Salt to Clean Your Kitchen

June 22, 2007 · Filed under Home Cleaning, Salt

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We all know how difficult it can be to keep our kitchens clean with high traffic, spills, drips, dirty dishes, and greasy pans. It seems like it is a never ending battle sometimes. Thankfully our ordinary table salt can be of greater use other than seasoning our foods.

10 Ways to Use Salt to Clean Your Kitchen

  1. Clean up stove top spills by sprinkling with salt. It’s naturally mild abrasive quality; salt can easily remove stuck on spills.
  2. Mask the odor of burned-on foods on your stovetop burner by sprinkling the food with a mixture of salt and cinnamon. Wipe away the mixture immediately. The next time you use that burner you won’t have the smell of burned food through out your home.
  3. Refresh your refrigerator by cleaning it with a mixture of equal parts salt and baking soda. With a damp sponge dipped in the mixture wipe down the inside of your refrigerator and rinse off with a clean wet sponge. 
  4. Remove coffee stains from mugs by rubbing the stain with salt and a little water. Then wash as normal.
  5. Clean casserole dishes with stubborn baked on foods by adding 3 tablespoons of salt to boiling water. Pour the water into the dish and let stand until the water has cooled. Wash as usual. 
  6. Dirty pots and pans with excess grease can be easily cleaned by sprinkling the pot or pan with a generous amount of salt. Allow the salt to absorb the grease and wipe away with a paper towel before washing.
  7. Remove odors from kitchen drains by pouring 1 cup of salt and 2 cups of hot water down the drain.
  8. Brake up clogged or slow drains by pouring a mixture of equal parts salt, vinegar and baking soda down the drain. Let stand for an hour. Then pour boiling hot water down the drain.
  9. Polish up your silverware by gently rubbing the silverware with salt and a soft cloth. For your fine silver, use a paste of 2 tablespoons of salt and a half a cup of vinegar. With a soft cloth gently rub the pieces in a circular motion. Rinse and hand dry with a dry soft cloth.
  10. Eliminate odors in plastic container and thermoses. Sprinkle some salt into the container and cover with lid. Leave for several hours. Repeat if necessary.

~ Do It Yourself Naturally

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The Power of Salt

June 22, 2007 · Filed under Home Cleaning, Natural Beauty Products, Salt, Skin Care

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The last several articles have been about using baking soda for various household cleaning tasks including the kitchen, bathroom, laundry room and a few other uses such as, taking care of your kids and pets and as a beauty product.

To continue with our “No more chemical cleaners” series, we are going to shift to table salt and its many uses around your home.

A natural compound, Sodium Chloride or as we know it, table salt; has some amazing power. It can preserve foods, soothe aches and pains, and clean your home.  Salt is also a key ingredient for your health. It can help our muscles, help our digestion of food and help our blood circulation.

Along with all the helpful household tips, I will also share some great recipes for dinner dishes and dressings, as well as beauty recipes for natural toothpaste and remedies for allergies and toothaches.

 ~ Do It Yourself Naturally

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