October... REALLY?

Well... October is finally here. A month and year I have actually been excited about. I am proud to announce that I will be 40 this month. To celebrate I just may have to purchase the type of Halloween costume I would have worn in my 20's. Isn't 40 the new 20? Anyway...In poking around the internet I was looking for things to do this month. First let's take care of our chores.

Food For Thought:

October is a great month for preparing your lawns and outdoor landscaping for the winter.

Did You Know?

Lawn feeding, pruning and mulching is highly recommended. My dad always told me to prune and feed as the weather cooled in the fall so that the next year's harvest will bloom vibrant color and healthy beauty.

The Daily Press has a complete gardening schedule for your convenience.

Now that the yard is manicured and ready for the winter (and the winds) eek.. I am really looking forward to the Farmers Market Fall Festival this weekend with Wendy. It runs Oct 16-18. My friend Colleen turned me on to the farmers Market a couple months ago and now I don't like to buy my produce at the grocery store. You get better quality for less. You can even haggle a bit if you dare!

Excerpt: "Each Fall (usually in late October), Farmers Market celebrates the harvest with a great, family-friendly festival. In addition to crafts and entertainment, the Festival usually features several bands and special acts just for children. Fall Festival often offers very special events, too (marching bands, pig races and a petting zoo have all been part of the celebration in years past). Depending on the calendar, Fall Festival may find a lot of merchants and Market staff decked out in appropriate Halloween costumes, too. Fall Festival is so popular that families often call our office weeks ahead to find out when the Festival will take place".

Check out their official website HERE

Well... It's time to talk about what this month is really all about HALLOWEEN!!!!

Lots of candy and fattening food and drink is usually consumed this month. It's the beginning of the next three months to indulge and celebrate all the monthly Holidays!

This month's Afternoon Ti E-News is to help you stay focused and keep you on track.

Below are a couple of items to think about for your October Melaleuca order

Melaleuca Dental Pack
(Halloween candy cavities?... NEVER)

• Save 9% over buying products separately
• Includes your choice of tooth polish, dental floss, mouth rinse, breath spray, sugarless gum, and a toothbrush.

You can mix and match flavors!

Your PC Price: $18.69 Savings: $8.31

Attain® with CraveBlocker®
(Holiday weight gain?...NOT)

• Powered by CraveBlocker® to help reduce hunger cravings
• Helps support your weight loss efforts
• Family-friendly-contains no stimulants or hormones
  

Choose either Chocolate or Vanilla

Your PC Price: $14.99 Savings: $6.51

All About You:
"I LOVE the MelaPower Laundry Soap, it makes your clothes smell really clean." ` Florine Ratliff

As we approach the Holidays and I leave my 30's behind, I can only hope we bring in the New Year happy, healthy and not a pound heavier!

Peace, love and happy flossing! Toxless

The Great Outdoors

I hope everyone is doing well and were not affected by the fires (for those in So Cal). There was a haze in the air and strong smoky smell that lingered on for a while. Add that to the 100+ degree weather and it makes time spent outside almost unbearable and probably unsafe. It makes me grateful once again that at least my little castle is safe from harmful elements. Especially now realizing I have no control of what goes on outside. I mean I can’t keep locked up in my “green” house forever right? I always hear how the sun is important and by keeping locked up in our homes we are missing out on the Vitamin D.

Food For Thought:

First let’s look at how the “lack of sun” can be harmful and then how beauty products you apply “after” the sun can be harmful.

DID YOU KNOW?

Who would have thought that certain times of the year people are more prone to depression, body aches and sleep loss?

Ever hear of Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD) which usually appears in winter months?

EXCERPT: "Most people living in Canada, the UK, and even the United States suffer from a chronic deficiency in natural sunlight, and this lack of sunlight on their skin causes a great number of serious diseases, including depression, osteoporosis, schizophrenia, prostate cancer and even obesity.”

I can clearly understand why the vampires in all those movies are whacked!

Now that I will no longer be a hermit when there’s a beautiful weather day (minus the smoke), I want to know how moisturizer can be toxic to me. I mean after a day in the sun, (in moderation of course) I usually apply a moisturizer to my face and neck to help reduce those icky wrinkles.

EXCERPT: "Consumers receive little guidance from product manufacturers, whose advertising and labeling are too often misleading and not objective sources of information. Indeed, while many local, state, and federal government agencies are entrusted with protection of the public health, most have failed to assure consumers that they are being adequately protected, or that they are being provided with full, if any, label disclosure of Carcinogenic (cancer-causing), neurotoxin (causing damage to the nervous system), or teratogenic (birth defect-causing) chemicals in their household products."

Here are just a few harmful ingredients:
· Propylene Glycol
· Petrolatum, Petroleum
· Sodium Lauryl Sulfate
· Sodium Floride

See more HERE

In checking out the Active and Inactive ingredients of Nicole Miller’s:

Daytime Delivery Lotion
Night Recovery Crème

*None of these harmful ingredients were listed.*

It's such a shame that companies out there are using unsafe ingredients in their products, charging an arm and a leg and care nothing about our well being.

Anyway, as I get older I am certainly trying to keep everything in moderation. As much as I love laying out in the sun, I would bet that baking out there for hours probably isn't the wisest thing.

Let me tell you... there sure is something about the way your skin looks when you have a healthy sunkissed glow.

All About You:
"The bar soap is by far the best I have ever used." ~ Jeremy Pitt


Peace, Love and Fun in the Sun,

Toxless

Can you Relate?

They Call Me "Mela" Gel O!

A couple things have come to mind. It’s starting to really feel like summer now in Southern California. Another thought was the traffic: Less stress on my morning commute has been a treat, which leads me to business chat.

Food for Thought:

Students seem to be out of school now for the summer (Hence lighter traffic). This tells me there is more time for play, which could also mean increased odds for possible scrapes and bruises from the neighborhood basketball games. Do you have enough band-aids in stock? For your July order you may want to prepare for the fun activities and check your medicine cabinets for plenty of supplies. As a note, you may want to check the expiration dates of your currently stocked supplies of whatever you are using now. I know some of you just can't throw away what you are using so if it’s expired now is the time to switch.
The MelaGel would be a good one get. This topical gel with melaleuca oil works great to heal those cuts, scrapes and bug bites you can incur on your camping trip this summer AND… if you order the pantry 2-pack you not only will save more money but you can give the extra gel to your neighbor who will end up falling in love with the results and ask you to bring them over to the safe train and join our Melaleuca family. BOOYAH!

DID YOU KNOW?

Speaking of first-aid ointments – I heard some news regarding Neosporin. Were you aware that Neosporin can only be used on infected wounds? If you actually use it on just a minor scrap or wound it could actually kill healthy skins cells if there is no infection.

EXCEPRT: “It is true that use of Neosporin will speed healing while reducing infection rates and scaring. However, Neosporin causes skin allergies on up to 20% (some dermatologists have told me it is closer to 25%) of those who use it repeatedly. This type of allergy is referred to as 'contact dermatitis' and is similar, though ordinarily much less severe, than poison ivy or oak. For this cause, the emergency room at the large suburban hospital where I practice no longer hand it out.”

Neosporin has three active antibiotic ingredients in a petroleum jelly base: neomycin, polysporin, and bacitracin. "Triple Antibiotic" has the same formulation. The neomycin is what causes the allergy.

MelaGel Ingredients:
• Wheat germ oil to moisturize the skin and vitamin E, which is known to help reduce potential scarring.
• Cocoa butter and other emollients to draw moisture to your skin and help it with nourishing vitamins A and D3.
• Beeswax to help Melaleuca oil cling to your skin, giving you long-lasting comfort.

There know, don’t you feel safer already?
Now go dump that Neosporin stuff and replace it will Melagel before you get hurt!

Well I hope you all are enjoying your summer and keeping safe.

All About You:
“When Chad came over and spilled chocolate on my carpet I actually got excited to clean it up with Sol U Mel” ~ Katie Denbo

Peace and Love and Happy MelaGel!

Toxless

How is Your Vision?

I don’t know if you are feeling the same as I am, but this year is going by so fast. It seems like July was a big blur. Uh oh… does that mean I should be ordering vitamins for my eyes? Hmmmmm... My eyes have been concerning me lately. In fact the other day I was telling Jeff I needed to see an Optometrist because the vision in my left eye seems to be getting worse. YIKES!

Food for Thought:

Have you ever tried to figure out which vitamins, minerals, and herbal supplements you need to keep up your clear, crisp vision? Or wonder if your eyes are getting the nutrients they need to function at 100%? Well you’re in luck! Melalueca has a supplement specifically created to help maintain your stellar vision. NutraView Vision Support which now includes Lutein. At its totally affordable price, I will be giving it a try.

Check out the price comparison.




Look at Centrum….. AGAIN it is a big let down!!!


DID YOU KNOW?

With all the fast food restaurants and quick, easy microwave meals, it seems many families are missing out on a lot of the nutrients needed for optimal health.


EXCERPT: “Lutein is one of the carotenoids yellow and orange pigments found in many fruits and vegetables including mangoes, corn, sweet potatoes, carrots, squash, tomatoes and dark, leafy greens such as kale, collards and bok choy. It is the major carotenoid in the fruit and vegetable rich Asian diet, and a minor one in the typical American diet which doesn't contain enough fruits and vegetables."

The best thing we can do to prevent eye disorders and heart disease is to make sure that your diet contains lots of the lutein-rich fruits and vegetables. In addition to the ones listed above, you can get zeaxanthin in orange bell peppers, oranges, corn and honeydew melon. Egg yolks also contain both lutein and zeaxanthin.

What events and lifestyle factors can indicate a need for more high-carotenoid foods?

• Smoking and regular alcohol consumption


• Low intake of fruits and vegetable

After reading all this information online and realizing I am not about to give up my wine or eat any more veggies than I already do. (Have you seen the price of produce lately?). Plus, what about the over worked soil they are grown in, lacking all the minerals.

Needless to say, I will be taking supplements to compensate for the deficiency, especially since my eyes have been having issues lately… and I am not getting any younger! If we want to keep our eyes healthy and disease free, $14.99 is a bargain!

All about you:

“When I put on the Nicole Millers Night Recovery Crème, I felt it tightening my face right away. I never felt that with Estee Lauder” ~ Donna Kerner

Peace, love and healthy eyes,

Toxless

Asthma Attack!

One morning I overheard someone talking about how their wife was suffering from Asthma and going though numerous tests to find a way to relieve some of the attacks. Of course the minute I hear any kind of ailment I immediately go to the internet to see if harmful ingredients can be attributed. Without a doubt the first website I scoped out confirmed my suspicion. It states that “Certain chemicals in common cleaning products have been associated with increased prevalence of asthma, exacerbations of asthma symptoms, and respiratory ailments.”

Since 1980, asthma has increased by 600%. The Canadian Lung Association and the Asthma Society of Canada identify common household cleaners and cosmetics as triggers.

Did you know that an average household uses and stores more than 60 hazardous products in their homes? Over 150 chemicals found in the average home have been linked to allergies, birth defects, cancer and psychological abnormalities

For so many years we have been using these products because that is what our parents used. I can’t count how many times I bought something because I liked the commercial or just because it was 50 cents cheaper than another. Who would have thought that those decisions I was making blindly could possible someday affect my health in a bad way. I hope for my family's sake I switched in time! PEACE

Toxless Funnies

Bad Phthalate!

What is Phthalate?

Phthalates (Pronounced "THAL-ates.") are commonly added to plastics as softeners and solvents. They're used in a wide variety of products including-

1. dyes
2. PVC vinyl tile
3. carpet tiles
4. artificial leather
5. seat coverings
6. raincoats
7. shower certains
8. garden hoses
9. many leading beauty care products (hair spray, deoderant,nail polish and perfume)

Here are some of the leading beauty manufactures using phthalates in their products -

1. Pantene Pro V "Healthy Hold" and Aqua Net hair sprays
2. Arrid and Degree deodorants
3. fragrances including Poison by Christian Dior and Coty's Healing Garden
4. Cover Girl
5. Sally Hansen
6. Maybelline
7. (L'Oreal) nail polish

They can be absorbed through the skin, inhaled as fumes, ingested when they contaminate food or when children bite or suck on toys and are inadvertently but directly administered to patients from some PVC (polyvinyl chloride or vinyl) medical devices.

Phthalates are now so widespread that they are hard to avoid.

Phthalates were associated with symptoms of asthma, hay fever, and eczema.

By leaching out of products, phthalates have become "global pollutants," say the researchers. More than 3.5 million metric tons of phthalates are produced annually.
Asthma and allergies have also increased in the developed world during the last 30 years, prompting some experts to wonder if environmental changes are responsible, since genetic shifts might not be seen as quickly।

Phthalates Facts:

Studies have shown that phthalates can damage the liver, the kidneys, the lungs and the reproductive system, especially the developing testes.

The inspiration of this topic came to me because a friend asked "Does Melaleuca's plastic bottles have that thing that is bad?" I knew what they were referring too and yet I had a hard time remember what the name was. It was probably because I didn't know how to pronounce it or what about it was so bad. So the only way to get it to stick was to do research! BTW Mela's products do not have that "thing that is bad!"

How Toxic Are Your Household Cleaning Supplies?

THE PROBLEMS

PERSONAL HEALTH

When consumers buy commercial cleaning products, we expect them to do one thing: clean! We use a wide array of scents, soaps, detergents, bleaching agents, softeners, scourers, polishes, and specialized cleaners for bathrooms, glass, drains, and ovens to keep our homes sparkling and sweet-smelling. But while the chemicals in cleaners foam, bleach, and disinfect to make our dishes, bathtubs and countertops gleaming and germ-free, many also contribute to indoor air pollution, are poisonous if ingested, and can be harmful if inhaled or touched.

In fact, some cleaners are among the most toxic products found in the home. In 2000, cleaning products were responsible for nearly 10% of all toxic exposures reported to U.S. Poison Control Centers, accounting for 206,636 calls. Of these, 120,434 exposures involved children under six, who can swallow or spill cleaners stored or left open inside the home.Cleaning ingredients vary in the type of health hazard they pose. Some cause acute, or immediate, hazards such as skin or respiratory irritation, watery eyes, or chemical burns, while others are associated with chronic, or long-term, effects such as cancer.

The most acutely dangerous cleaning products are corrosive drain cleaners, oven cleaners, and acidic toilet bowl cleaners, according to Philip Dickey of the Washington Toxics Coalition. Corrosive chemicals can cause severe burns on eyes, skin and, if ingested, on the throat and esophagus. Ingredients with high acute toxicity include chlorine bleach and ammonia, which produce fumes that are highly irritating to eyes, nose, throat and lungs, and should not be used by people with asthma or lung or heart problems. These two chemicals pose an added threat in that they can react with each other or other chemicals to form lung-damaging gases. Combining products that contain chlorine and ammonia or ammonia and lye (in some oven cleaners) produces chloramine gases, while chlorine combined with acids (commonly used in toilet bowl cleaners) forms toxic chlorine gas. Other ingredients in cleaners may have low acute toxicity but contribute to long-term health effects, such as cancer or hormone disruption. Some all-purpose cleaners contain the sudsing agents diethanolamine (DEA) and triethanolamine (TEA). When these substances come into contact with nitrites, often present as undisclosed preservatives or contaminants, they react to form nitrosamines - carcinogens that readily penetrate the skin. 1,4-dioxane, another suspected carcinogen, may be present in cleaners made with ethoxylated alcohols. Butyl cellosolve (also known as ethylene glycol monobutyl ether), which may be neurotoxic (or cause damage to the brain and nervous system), is also present in some cleaners. Chemicals that are so-called "hormone disruptors" can interfere with the body's natural chemical messages, either by blocking or mimicking the actions of hormones. Possible health effects include decreased sperm counts, increased rates of male birth defects such as cryptorchidism (undescended testicles) and hypospadias (where the urethra is on the underside of the penis), and increased rates of some kinds of cancers. The alkylphenol ethoxylates (APEs) used in some detergents and cleaners have been shown to mimic the hormone estrogen; one APE, p-nonylphenol, has caused estrogen-sensitive breast cancer cells to multiply in a test tube study.

ENVIRONMENTAL

After bubbly cleaning liquids disappear down our drains, they are treated along with sewage and other waste water at municipal treatment plants, then discharged into nearby waterways. Most ingredients in chemical cleaners break down into harmless substances during treatment or soon afterward. Others, however, do not, threatening water quality or fish and other wildlife.
In a May 2002 study of contaminants in stream water samples across the country, the U.S. Geological Survey found persistent detergent metabolites in 69% of streams tested. Sixty-six percent contained disinfectants.The detergent metabolites the USGS detected were members of a class of chemicals called alkylphenol ethoxylates (APEs). APEs, which include nonylphenol ethoxylates and octylphenol ethoxylates, are surfactants, or "surface active agents" that are key to detergents' effectiveness. They are added to some laundry detergents, disinfectants, laundry stain removers, and citrus cleaner/degreasers. When discharged in municipal waste water, nonylphenol ethoxylates and octylphenol ethoxylates break down into nonylphenol and octylphenol, which are more toxic and do not readily biodegrade in soil and water. APEs have been shown to mimic the hormone estrogen, and their presence in water may be harming the reproduction and survival of salmon and other fish. For example, in Britain, researcher John Sumpter discovered that male fish exposed to APEs in rivers were producing female egg-yolk proteins. APE pollution may be threatening fish in the U.S. as well, for octylphenol and nonylphenol were the detergent metabolites that the USGS detected in 69% of streams tested here. Such ubiquity may not bode well for humans, either: the APE p-nonylphenol has also caused estrogen-sensitive breast cancer cells to proliferate in test tubes. Another famous water pollutant is phosphates, water-softening mineral additives that were once widely used in laundry detergents and other cleaners. When phosphates enter waterways, they act as a fertilizer, spawning overgrowth of algae. This overabundance of aquatic plant life eventually depletes the water's oxygen supply, killing off fish and other organisms. Although many states have banned phosphates from laundry detergents and some other cleaners, they are still used in automatic dishwasher detergents. Another environmental concern with cleaning products is that many use chemicals that are petroleum-based, contributing to the depletion of this non-renewable resource and increasing our nation's dependence on imported oil. The plastic bottles used to package cleaning products pose another environmental problem by contributing to the mounds of solid waste that must be landfilled, incinerated or, in not enough cases, recycled. Most cleaners are bottled in high-density polyethylene (HDPE, denoted by the #2 inside the recycling triangle) or polyethylene terephthalate (PETE, #1) which are accepted for recycling in a growing number of communities. However, some are bottled in polyvinyl chloride (PVC, #3). PVC, otherwise known as vinyl, is made from cancer-causing chemicals such as vinyl chloride, and it forms as a byproduct a potent carcinogen, dioxin, during production and incineration. As a final insult, most sanitation departments do not accept PVC for recycling; less than 1% of all PVC is recycled each year.

A Look at The Products You Have Been Using

I am on a mission to replace all of the cleaning, hygiene and health products in my home with completely natural products that COST LESS. Being proactive when it comes to my family's safety and wellness has been weighing heavy on my heart.

Sharing this passion with others has fulfilled a void of purpose I had been feeling. I am strengthened by those around me as we walk hand in hand in such a fulfilling journey that has been awesomely rewarding. Please take a few moments and read some of the harmful ingredients we have been using… and if this scares you as it did I, please take a journey with us in seeking a brighter safer future.

Here are some everyday products and the toxins contained in them:

DOVE BEAUTY BAR = Quaternium 15; Formaldehyde-Carcinogen. Causes cancer, dermatitis, neurotoxin, and sensitizer - poisonous, irritant to the skin, eyes and mucous membranes. Butylated Hydroxytoluene, (BHT) Carcinogen.

JOHNSON'S BABY SHAMPOO = Quaternium 15; FD&C RED 40: Carcinogen and causes dermatitis.

CREST TARTAR CONTROL TOOTHPASTE = Saccharin: Carcinogen, contains Phenol. If you accidentally swallow more than a pea-sized amount of this, you must contact the Poison Control Center immediately. This warning does not appear on the tube.

TIDE AND CHEER DETERGENT = Detergent: Can cause temporary respiratory tract irritation. Symptoms include stinging, swelling or redness. Sodium silicate: Can be corrosive. Can cause burns to the eyes and tissue damage to the skin, as well as cause burns to the mouth, throat and stomach if swallowed. Sodium Sulfate: Corrosive: Severe eye, skin and respiratory irritant. Can cause asthma attacks. Thisodium Nitrilotriacetate: Carcinogen Note: Tide powder contains fiberglass. If you use this and your sweaty and itchy, it's the fiberglass in your clothing from the laundry detergent.

FANTASTIC = Formula 409:Butyl Cellosolve: Neurotoxin. Eye and skin irritant. Damages central nervous system, kidney and liver. Readily absorbed through the skin. Damages blood and body's ability to make blood - listed as a pesticide.

WINDEX AEROSOL GLASS CLEANER = Butyl Cellosolve (see above) Isobutene: Neurotoxin.

LYSOL DISINFECTANT = Dioxin; Carcinogen, 500,000 times more deadly than DDT. Ethyl Alcohol: Eye, Skin, and respiratory tract irritant.

I read that funeral directors are now saying “The levels of formaldehyde in our bodies have increased so much so that we now only use half the required amounts in preservation.”

What can you do to reduce your risks?
By eliminating or reducing the use of toxic chemicals in your home you can make a significant difference in your life and the life of your family.