Recycle baby teeth

On this momentous day, my baby, my six-year-old baby, lost her first tooth. After weeks of wiggly-ness. And about a year of grousing about how all the other kids her age lost teeth in kindergarten, for crying out loud! So when the heck was she EVER going to lose a bleeping tooth? The answer came: today! She yanked it out herself this morning, with a bit more bloodiness that I'd come to expect, and probably due to the fact that Heather's six-year-old son also has a loose tooth. My competitive little one couldn't possibly let him beat her to that milestone.


As for the tooth? Don't let my headline fool you. We don't have any special networks for recycling teeth, or crazy reuse, nor compost schemes. We make an appointment with the tooth fairy like most people. But here's the 'recycling' part, and let me just add it's something my kids cooked up on their own. They say that when a big kid loses a tooth, it means a baby somewhere in the world gets a baby tooth. Personally, I'd rank that as one of the most stinking cute things I've ever heard. And it seems to adhere to good karma rules, and certain laws of (meta?) physics.

So somewhere, some time today, some little baby who's been fussing and keeping his/her parents up at night will finally cut a tooth. Congratulations. I hope you get some sleep, whoever you are! Oh, and Ms. Tooth Fairy, if you're reading this, can you please get us on your schedule? (I happen to know the Tooth Fairy follows us on both Facebook and Twitter).

Brazilian Blowout contains formaldehyde. Enough said.

I realize that talking about the Brazilian Blowout process probably doesn't affect the majority of our readers, but maybe you know someone who has it done or were thinking about it for yourself. Well, stop it. This salon process is extremely popular -- it turns curly, frizzy hair into a straight, sleek, sexy mane. I've seen the results first-hand, and they are spectacular. (It also costs between $200-$500. Very popular in Hollywood.) And I do understand how great hair can have a great impact on self-esteem. But is it worth the price? Read on.

Several months ago while I was sitting in my stylist's chair at the Platform Artistic Salon, she started telling me about the Brazilian Blowout and how every time it was performed in the salon, she and other stylists and customers were having adverse reactions: pain in their lungs and throat, trouble breathing, headaches, spontaneous nosebleeds. One of the stylists (who you'll see in this KOIN video news report -- watch it please) did some research and found that the product contained an ingredient from the formaldehyde family and started speaking out about it. So the salon limited the process to Sundays, when other customers weren't in the building. Not long after, the Brazilian Blowout company announced on its Web site that it was now 'hyde-free' stating:

The Brazilian Blowout smooths the hair through the use of a proprietary polymer system that bonds amino acids to the surface of the hair.  This treatment is 100% salon safe. What makes the Brazilian Blowout treatment effective is our use of the Super Nutrient Complex in conjunction with a proprietary polymer system. This combination is what rounds the follicle, smooths the cuticle and repairs any preexisting damage.

Sounds wholesome, doesn't it? So carefully worded? Let's throw in 'Super Nutrient Complex' to give one the illusion of vitamins and minerals dancing through your hair!

So the salon took it to Oregon Health Sciences University, which tested two boxes of the product and found that they contained more than 10% formaldehyde. Formaldehyde is a hazardous chemical, and in June the EPA concluded that it is carcinogenic when inhaled by humans. (Remember the discarded FEMA trailers after Hurricane Katrina?) Formaldehyde comes with a slew of usage warnings, including 'keep away from heat.' In the BB process you apply constant heat to the hair with a straightener to make it sleek and shiny. Not a good combo. Everything, EVERYTHING, about this is just bad and wrong and needs to stop. My salon no longer offers the process. (Thank you, even though I was never there when it was being administered.)

Brazilian Blowout is, of course, disputing the claims.

Women's Voices for Earth is speaking out, the National Healthy Salon Alliance is speaking out, and so can you if you ever hear anyone talk about it or if you know your salon offers the process. The Safe Cosmetics Act of 2010 is coming up for a vote soon, and proponents are pushing for limits on chemicals in personal care products and full disclosure. You can follow the progress at The Campaign for Safe Cosmetics and Safer Chemicals, Healthy Families (on Facebook, Twitter). Many thanks to Sian Wu for the links to the KOIN and OHSU reports.

Experiments in DEET-free mosquito repellents

Green blogger Diane MacEachern recently conducted a creative test on mosquito repellents, that motivated me to try to replicate her results. She tested four options, one per appendage:

• Burt's Bees
• Essential lavender oil
• Vanilla extract
• Cutter (with DEET)

She was surprised and pleased to report great success with the lavender oil and vanilla. No bites!

My kids are at farm camp this week, and came home slightly mosquito bitten yesterday. So we dug out some bath oil that contains lavender oil and put it at pulse points -- I was afraid to truly grease them up, as we'd just applied a layer of sunscreen and didn't think the two potions would be doing each other any favors if mixed.

Our family will be going out camping in a few weeks, so I'll be interested to see if this lavender bath oil has any effect today. Perhaps tomorrow, I'll dig in the pantry and try the vanilla (although I'd guess this would be a fairly pricey option if you did a cost-benefit analysis). But as Diane said, you smell simply divine.

What do you use to repel the skeets?

Is it time to switch to a naturopathic doctor?

I've become a bit disillusioned with the whole modern medicine experience lately and have been thinking a lot  about seeing a naturopath. Typically I go to see my doctor, who is a very nice person, when something is wrong. This happens maybe 2-3 times a year, mostly for stuff like sinus infections. She never seems to remember me, and that's been okay because I've always been focused on getting drugs to relieve my misery. Get me in and get me out with a prescription in hand!

My big 'grrrrr' moment came a couple of months ago when I went to see a dermatologist (on the recommendation of my doctor) for some red bumps around my eyes. He spent three minutes with me. Three minutes! "It's rosacea. We don't know what causes it and there's no cure. So take this antibiotic and use this cream for two months and then come back." That was it! So I did that for a few weeks, and then I just got pissed. This is ridiculous. I don't want to just take drugs anymore to treat a problem. I want to prevent problems from happening in the first place! And my understanding of naturopathic medicine is that the whole person is considered -- diet, lifestyle, exercise, environment -- so that our bodies have the best opportunity to fight disease and sickness naturally, with added homeopathic remedies where necessary. I think I've finally reached the point in my life where I'm willing to make changes and explore alternatives to live the healthiest, happiest life possible.

Can naturopathic medicine do that? (No doubt we'll hear from some ND's who say, "hell, yes!")

But I'd really like to hear from people who've switched over to naturopathic doctors and how the experience has been for you. Do you get sick less? Do you feel you receive better care? Have you been able to resolve health issues through lifestyle or homeopathic treatments? Do you see both an ND and an MD, or have you completely abandoned the AMA? Or did you try naturopathy and go back to modern medicine? So many questions!

Only 39 of 500 sunscreens recommended by EWG

The Environmental Working Group sent us their latest research on sunscreens, and it's not pretty. They only recommend 39 out of 500 sunscreens on the market, primarily due to two reasons:

1) Many sunscreens with high SPF claims don't actually offer that much protection, giving consumers a false sense of security and potentially increasing the amount of time they spend in the sun. Sun burns and exposure to UVA radiation increase the risk of skin cancer.

2) Vitamin A is a common sunscreen ingredient and has recently been linked (via government data) to accelerated development of skin tumors and lesions.

I looked up my preferred sunscreen, Mexitan, and it contains Vitamin A and is considered 'moderately hazardous.' Oh, goody! It's hard to keep up with warnings about ingredients in personal care products. You research and try to make the best decisions, and then WHAMMO. Who would ever think that Vitamin A could potentially be bad for you? Apparently in the form of Retinyl Palmitate, it is. According to EWG:

Some of the blame falls on the FDA, which has yet to finalize regulations for sunscreens promised since 1978. FDA officials estimate that the regulations may be issued next October – but even then, they expect to give manufacturers at least a year, and possibly longer, to comply with the new rules. That means the first federally regulated sunscreens won’t go on store shelves before the summer of 2012.

Promised since 1978? Blargh. I don't have the energy today to rant about what a joke this organization is, how they are run by people who are so influenced by big corporations and deep-pocketed lobbyists, how Washington is never going to take a stand against any of these unregulated chemicals in our lives because they are controlled by the very entities who profit from them (whoa, apparently I'm getting a second wind) how it's virtually impossible for the average consumer to make thoughtful, careful purchases because the information is scant and convoluted. I appreciate the EWG and other non-profits who are trying to educate us, but I have to believe they are only reaching a small sub-section of Americans. It's just not enough. 

So take a look at their recommendations and post your preferred sunscreen in the comments. I'm thinking we might give TruKid a try this summer.

New: disposable hand towels. Next up: disposable underpants

Nooooooooooooooo...

 
  
So it's come to this. Kleenex Disposable Hand Towels: the ultimate in germ paranoia. Our dear friends at Kleenex want you to think that you NEED protection from nasty cloth towels that, heck!, everyone in your family uses. Shudder. Think about it: you've all dried your CLEAN HANDS on the SAME TOWEL. What are you, savages?

Here's their pitch:

People in the U.S. dry their hands on cloth bathroom towels approximately 200 billion times a year. The CDC guidelines for hand washing recommends hand drying with a single-use towel. Families have not had a practical alternative to traditional cloth hand towels in their home bathrooms… until now.

I...there's so much...I mean...when did...what?

I hopped on over to the CDC Web site, and lo and behold, as part of their 'Clean Hands Save Lives!' campaign (inspired by H1N1) they do, in broad, generalized terms, recommend drying your hands with a paper towel or air dryer to prevent spreading germs. In public settings, yes, of course this makes sense. However, no where does the CDC actually caution you to avoid evil cloth towels in your own home. Puh-lease. I was happy to discover that the Good Green Witch (equally pissed) actually contacted the CDC about this Kleenex claim and was called back by a real live CDC doctor, who indicated there were no CDC guidelines for home hand drying and would investigate further. Good for you Green Witch!

This is just another mind game developed by a big old corporation who wants to cash in on all the germ fears created by big old corporations -- antibacterial soap, disposable cleaning wipes, yadda. In doing so they are destroying our environment with tree-killing, greenhouse gas emission-spewing, landfill-populating disinfecting products (that actually make germs stronger) that generate the 'need' for more inane products. I'm telling you, don't be surprised when Pampers starts pimping disposable underpants for your potty-trained kids (and adults!) because what could be more germy than underpants? Old-fashioned laundering is simply too primitive and cannot possibly eliminate the germs that lurk on every item we touch, particularly those skid-mark-ridden Hello Kitty size fives.

Boo.

Coming clean on the health hazards in personal care products

You've seen him. He's dreamy: The Man Your Man Could Smell Like...

Here's my question. When exactly did just smelling clean go out of fashion? Don't get me wrong. I love this ad. It's hilarious. I hope this guy gets his own TV show. But why oh why can't we all just agree that our health is more important than smelling lady-scented or manly? Here's a link to the Green Guide's Dirty Dozen: ingredients to avoid in personal care products. To it's credit, Old Spice does list the ingredients in its Body Wash. The bad news? It looks an awful lot like the Dirty Dozen list.

Love the ad. Love The Man. Don't like the product. Sadly, I think it stinks.

Baby step: homemade deodorant

I've spent the past couple of weeks with my nose buried in my armpits. Anything? My husband still welcomes my hugs, and the children continue to vie for the morning snuggle spot under my right arm, so I think it's working. IT'S TOTALLY WORKING. I made deodorant, and I'm loving it.

This is not the first time we've lamented the state of our pits here on EnviroMom. We are motivated to try alternative odor control due to the sketchy ingredients in our Secret antiperspirant, like aluminum. Renee recently tried straight baking soda, which she abandoned after concerns over a developing rash. We've both tried out store-bought natural deodorants and discovered that the experience was akin to setting $20 on fire. Then there was the tea tree oil debacle of 2008. It started out with such promise! only to stop working after a few weeks. Woe to stinky tree-hugging mom! Now Renee is dabbing her pits with milk of magnesia (thank you People's Pharmacy) and is cautiously optimistic. I, however, am holding out hope for my latest concoction. 

This is not a new-fangled recipe. In fact, many of you are probably using it already! But for me, this has been a huge baby step. I've always believed that I required an antiperspirant to stop the sweat and the odor. Now I'm wondering whether the antiperspirant was causing me to feel a bit damp. Because, believe it or not, I actually sweat far less with this homemade deodorant. And when I do sweat, it doesn't stink. Go figure. I think that the 'invisible' sheen of residue left by Secret was making me feel sweaty, whereas this homemade stuff absorbs into my skin leaving me feel dry. Here's the recipe, which I got from Simple Mom:

In a small bowl combine 1/4 cup of baking soda with 1/4 cup of corn starch

Mash in 5-6 tablespoons of coconut oil with a fork, stirring until you get the desired consistency

I halved that recipe to fit it into my tiny jam jar, which I just apply with my fingers. But you can also scoop it into an empty roll-up antiperspirant container for easy application. Since the coconut oil is a solid, the final product is almost identical to the consistency of a solid antiperspirant. This recipe has a very mild, pleasing (to me) coconut scent, and I haven't experienced any rashes. I suspect this jam jar will last me until summer, at which point I may need to make some changes. Because the downside to using coconut oil is that it liquifies once the temperature rises over 76 degrees. Fine in the winter, not so good in the summer. I'm not sure keeping my deodorant in the fridge during warmer months will work for me, so I might experiment with milk of magnesia this summer.

So there it is, yet another chapter in the Armpit Chronicles. Stay tuned for our next installation! Will Renee backslide to Secret, or try a bold, new initiative like Listerine?! Will Heather be driven mad by the coconut odor and take to drinking pina coladas for breakfast?! Stay tuned...

Reuseable (baby) wipe love

My daughter has a really gunky cough and stuffed up nose. When she blows, it's like neon green jelly beans shooting out of her nostrils. Gross! TMI! Sorry! I know! (but hey, it's Friday...)

Here's the thing. I LOOOOOOVE my stash of old baby wipes. They are the perfect size for nose blowing. One big honk, and toss it in the hamper. There is always a stack of clean wipes ready and waiting for the next blow. I swear, I haven't bought a box of paper tissues in over a year! And to think that I originally purchased these with full intent to throw them away after one use! Now I shudder to think how many crates we bought over my kids' diaper years and tossed! Eeeeek.

The reuseable wipes are also perfect for face washing. I like that these don't get super soggy like wash rags, thus don't drip all over the place. And they dry fast! They are fantastic! I secretly used to love those makeup remover wipes (WAAAAAY before I became an EnviroMom), and now I use these reusable baby wipes instead. It's the best of both worlds. I use the wipe, then I deposit it in the hamper, with no guilt about throwing something away. I also use them for cleaning. Sometimes even as a napkin. There is no limit as to what can be done with these fantastic reusable wipes! With these wipes I shall rule the world! (cue the evil laugh...) Well, maybe that's getting carried away.

Mine are the old ones (which we've been washing and reusing now for at least 3 years with no sign of wearing out). The new baby wipes Kirkland makes have Tencel, so they are marketed as greener, and 'biodegradable' (Ooh, I really dislike that kind of claim. Is the average consumer going to biodegrade it? Really?) I swear I saw somewhere that they they are also pitching them as reusable now, but couldn't find that online. Chime in if you've seen that, and if so, is it the same product or more like wash cloths/microfiber cloths?

There they are. They don't look like much. They are a wipe only a mother could love. But love them I do.

Isn't it funny what going down the green path lets us fall in love with? I also have a major crush on lentils, but don't tell my husband. Please share if you have any quirky green love interests.

Have you tried eco-friendly feminine hygiene yet?

Two years ago I posted about my love of the reusable Diva Cup, a sort-of 'vessel' that catches your flow, which you empty and then reinsert during your period. At the time I was hooked on it. It was totally working for me, and I was thrilled that I was able to eliminate yet another category of disposable products from my life. (The comments from that post are awesomely filled with TMI talk, just to warn you, but folks had some, ahem, insertion issues to work out.) Well, about five or six months later I got a Mirena IUD, which has virtually eliminated my period, so I no longer use any type of feminine hygiene. But I've been wondering whether anyone has successfully been using reusables for the long term?

To refresh, there are a few reusable options. You've got your reusable menstrual cups, like the Diva Cup made from silicone, and The Keeper made from natural rubber (they also make a silicone version for women allergic to latex). Then there are the reusable cloth pads that you wash and wear, like Glad Rags, Lunapads and homemade varieties (or make your own). I would think that cloth diaper users would find this an easy switch. Grist did a comparison of various types of pads that might be helpful. There are also sea sponge tampons, made from, yes, sea sponges. While these personally have no appeal for me, they seem to work just fine for some.

There's also this whole category of disposable menstrual products made by companies like Seventh Generation and Natracare that are unbleached, made with less plastic, made with plant materials, etc. While they are still disposable, if you are not ready to try reusables then I think this is a good way to go (though I haven't actually tried any so I can't vouch for effectiveness). Eliminating these nasty ingredients from the manufacturing process (and keeping them away from your tender bits) can only be a positive. However, you should always take 'biodegradable' claims with a hefty dose of eye-rolling. If you plan to compost your feminine hygiene in your backyard (and I can offer NO insight here!) then the claims apply to you! But in a modern landfill, nothing is breaking down, okay? No air and water is getting in to all of these 'biodegradable' products -- they are just hanging out with all of the other garbage, taking up space. If your goal is to reduce waste and the harmful emissions related to the production and transport of disposable products, then this is NOT your category of products.

So what are you using, and how long have you been at it? Have you tried and given up on any? Let's share, ladies.

(And I know that the Mirena does not appeal to everyone because 1) it releases a small amount of hormones into your uterus, and 2) it can be prohibitively expensive if your insurance won't cover it. It's a personal choice, my insurance covered it 100% and I love it.)