Confused by all the health information

sappy · Guru

Confused by all the health information

CoffeeQueen · Guru

Here is my items that I am switching if that helps you.

No plastic - if I do it will be BPA free because I cannot switch some for Mia. I am switching her drinking sippy to the Foogo ones.

This also includes milk cartons, water bottles, etc.

I never heat anything plastic in the micro! Even if it says micro safe.

Hair and Body wash - switching to Burts or California Baby
Make Up - I use BE and that is already chemical free, except the mineral veil
candles - no lead in my wicks, soy candles for cleaner breathing

Sun Screen - HUGE one - Most have mineral oil which is Mineral oil or liquid petroleum is a by-product in the distillation of petroleum to produce gasoline and other petroleum based products from crude oil.

I use Arbonne sunscren on the girls right now. I am searching for something for me too.

Some sunscreens absorb into the blood and raise safety concerns. Our review of the technical literature shows that some sunscreen ingredients absorb into the blood, and some are linked to toxic effects. Some release skin-damaging free radicals in sunlight, some could disrupt hormone systems, several are strongly linked to allergic reactions, and others may build up in the body or the environment. FDA has not established rigorous safety standards for sunscreen ingredients that fully examines these effects.

Supafly · Guru

Everything?

I am not trying to make light of Kelly's thread, or anything else that pertains to this topic, but the reality is that there is so much that is potentially hazardous to us, there is just no way you could avoid it all.

Look at foods-they say that genetically modified organism (GMO) foods are terrible for you and you should avoid them. But there in a TON of foods and it is hard to determine which ones sometimes, even when you are a label reader.

Same as MSG (monosodium glutamate). Or Partially hydrogenated anything. But pretty much any and all processed/snack/cereal/cracker/etc type food has these types of things in them.

That is just the tip of the iceberg as it pertains to food.

Then there are the cleaning products. I will say I switched to method and other cleaners like that (for the most part) because the traditional ones can be toxic to breathe in. Air fresheners like febreze are extremely toxic and often contain formaldehyde, which you then breathe in and they coat the lining of your nasal passages.

I am trying to make changes, but I think the important thing is to remember you can't change everything-and the things you can change will take time. You can't do it all at once. Right now, my focus is on food with my family, and I am trying to reduce the amount of preservative based foods we intake. I had made the switch on cleaning products, and then eventually I will move on to something else.

Don't let yourself get overwhelmed by it all-it is tough to navigate all of this, but there really is only so much you can do. Good luck, Sara!

ETA-be aware that natural products aren't always better either-you have to read labels. And know that everyone is different. We CAN NOT use bert's bees here because I am allergic to something in it and will get rashes by touching the girls or Bill if they use it. We are limited to the changes we can make based on allergies as well...

ETA (again) that I am focused on food and cleaners and such because for people who have a predisposition to autoimmune, as my girls will because of me, these things are HIGHLY toxic. They are well known triggers for AI disease (as well as antibiotics and other things), so they are my focus atm.

-- Edited by Supafly on Friday 11th of December 2009 08:18:07 AM

-- Edited by Supafly on Friday 11th of December 2009 08:22:42 AM

CoffeeQueen · Guru

Supafly wrote:

Everything?

I am not trying to make light of Kelly's thread, or anything else that pertains to this topic, but the reality is that there is so much that is potentially hazardous to us, there is just no way you could avoid it all.

Look at foods-they say that genetically modified organism (GMO) foods are terrible for you and you should avoid them. But there in a TON of foods and it is hard to determine which ones sometimes, even when you are a label reader.

Same as MSG (monosodium glutamate). Or Partially hydrogenated anything. But pretty much any and all processed/snack/cereal/cracker/etc type food has these types of things in them.

That is just the tip of the iceberg as it pertains to food.

Then there are the cleaning products. I will say I switched to method and other cleaners like that (for the most part) because the traditional ones can be toxic to breathe in. Air fresheners like febreze are extremely toxic and often contain formaldehyde, which you then breathe in and they coat the lining of your nasal passages.

I am trying to make changes, but I think the important thing is to remember you can't change everything-and the things you can change will take time. You can't do it all at once. Right now, my focus is on food with my family, and I am trying to reduce the amount of preservative based foods we intake. I had made the switch on cleaning products, and then eventually I will move on to something else.

Don't let yourself get overwhelmed by it all-it is tough to navigate all of this, but there really is only so much you can do. Good luck, Sara!

ETA-be aware that natural products aren't always better either-you have to read labels. And know that everyone is different. We CAN NOT use bert's bees here because I am allergic to something in it and will get rashes by touching the girls or Bill if they use it. We are limited to the changes we can make based on allergies as well...

ETA (again) that I am focused on food and cleaners and such because for people who have a predisposition to autoimmune, as my girls will because of me, these things are HIGHLY toxic. They are well known triggers for AI disease (as well as antibiotics and other things), so they are my focus atm.

-- Edited by Supafly on Friday 11th of December 2009 08:18:07 AM

-- Edited by Supafly on Friday 11th of December 2009 08:22:42 AM

you cannot do it all, of course not.

she just asked what we are doing.

I mean if we wanted to get crazy then the shower curtain liner, your purse and the toxins, etc.

however, you can do things and it does not take much effort. change is just hard sometimes.

Picture-Perfect · Guru

I guess my struggle with all of this is the research... One day you hear oh my gosh everyone is going to die from such and such and the following week it's not as hazardous... Are you guys following research and studies from the FDA or other really well known organizations? I woudn't even know where to start and i'm not sure i'm up for it honestly, i'm just curious who does the testing, research, and finding of information you guys follow? It's also so hard for me to grasp that everything is so hazardous yet it is allowed to be sold and used by people.

daisy · Guru

Picture-Perfect wrote:

I guess my struggle with all of this is the research... One day you hear oh my gosh everyone is going to die from such and such and the following week it's not as hazardous... Are you guys following research and studies from the FDA or other really well known organizations? I woudn't even know where to start and i'm not sure i'm up for it honestly, i'm just curious who does the testing, research, and finding of information you guys follow? It's also so hard for me to grasp that everything is so hazardous yet it is allowed to be sold and used by people.

i agree with what you guys are saying.

you cant change everything, and it's little bits at a time.

i'm not suspicious of the research, and i also have stated in the other thread that none of the research claims to be 100% proven. so i dont feel like "who's funding this research" -- for me, the changes arent expensive anyway (in fact, it's LESS money in the long run) - so i'm not worried about that. i know that an all natural product is safer than a chemical one, so...i'll use the all natural bc why not.

for me, right now, i'm avoiding things that are endocrine disrupters in beauty products, like parabens and pthalates. a simple switch to burts bees is cheaper than what i was getting anyway, so i ordered a few products and feel better about what i'm using. no big deal.

im avoiding plastics bc of BPA. a simple switch to glass storage and stainless steel for the kids is what i'll do there. not a big deal - $30 investment for the glass stuff, $30 for the cups. done. they last forever, all washable, nothing will break, and it's done.

as for food, my big thing is HFCS - there are TONS of non-HFCS products and i havent had to switch from major brands or anything. is there other shit in the non-HFCS stuff? sure, but you cant protect from everything. i buy grass-fed beef, organic apples and sweet potatoes, organic milk, eggs, and chicken, and besides that, i'm not going to lose my mind over it. we try to eat fresh and healthy, and if i hear of something alarmingly harmful, i'll stay away from it. i'm certainly not changing every single thing in my cabinet.

metal cans are an issue, but we dont eat much canned, so i'm not concerned. i'll pick up a jar of tomatoes if i see it v. canned for sauce, but otherwise i'm not panicking.

really it's not that big of a deal - i am DEFINITELY not going to get bogged down over every single health concern out there. i have two daughters so i think about endocrine/estrogen things -- if i hear a study that seems iffy, or a conflicting report, i just go with what i feel comfortable with. for me, it's the peace of mind - but i'm not going to toss my microwave or anything.

CoffeeQueen · Guru

Picture-Perfect wrote:

I guess my struggle with all of this is the research... One day you hear oh my gosh everyone is going to die from such and such and the following week it's not as hazardous... Are you guys following research and studies from the FDA or other really well known organizations? I woudn't even know where to start and i'm not sure i'm up for it honestly, i'm just curious who does the testing, research, and finding of information you guys follow? It's also so hard for me to grasp that everything is so hazardous yet it is allowed to be sold and used by people.

well, for me, no I do not always follow research. There is a lot NOT said in what is in the so called news and of course common sense applies to some of this.

I know what mineral oil is. It is not healthy to put petroleum products onto our skin in my opinion. So, I opt to use sunscreen and lotions that do not contain this or other chemicals. The FDA admits to not have a rigorous standard for monitoring this.

Plastics - Yes, there is plenty of data out there. For me it just makes sense. I did not grow up on using the amount of plastic that is used today. I do know the study that shows the endocrine damage being done because I do have a thyroid problem and have researched that for years now. They do admit that heat and plastic release toxins and that if I can reduce it then that makes me feel better and makes more sense for me.

Hormones in meat and milk - yes there is data out there and I believe it and follow it. If you look at what real meat looks like and the color and what is injected into it.

Those are the big ones for me. Also as Laura said a lot of the air sprays and that are just flat out awful for you. I stopped using those when I had kids. I no longer buy plug ins and that stuff.

daisy · Guru

also, like i said in the last thread - my former vassar professor is a BC survivor and she breaks it down nicely - here's her site - if you go to "moving forward" and "practical suggestions" it's helpful for a nice breakdown -
it's not citing a thousand stats or anything - just some tips. not at all overwhelming. :)
http://erbc.vassar.edu/erbc/index.html

also seriously you guys, i didnt mean to be pedantic in my other thread - seriously, not at all. i'm just doing a few things here and there to make a healthier home. there are a thousand ways that this home isnt fully healthy (mold in basement for instance), and never will be fully healthy, but if i hear something out there and it's a simple change, i'll make it. :dunno

also keep in mind that my college friends and i are sharing this info all the time - the bulk of my FB page ends up beign health convos - the whole topic is near all of our hearts right now.

-- Edited by daisy on Friday 11th of December 2009 09:47:43 AM

CoffeeQueen · Guru

Picture-Perfect wrote:

I guess my struggle with all of this is the research... One day you hear oh my gosh everyone is going to die from such and such and the following week it's not as hazardous... Are you guys following research and studies from the FDA or other really well known organizations? I woudn't even know where to start and i'm not sure i'm up for it honestly, i'm just curious who does the testing, research, and finding of information you guys follow? It's also so hard for me to grasp that everything is so hazardous yet it is allowed to be sold and used by people.

In regards to what is allowed to be sold. Well, that is pretty easy. I mean talk to a farmer of grain and they will tell you the FDA allows so much mouse feces, bugs, etc. in our food that is allowed. It is not all 100% safe because the FDA has a stamp on it. It just means it will not kill ya unless you consume large amounts,lol.

Again, I think for me a lot makes sense. If you look at how many chemicals are now used to make things bigger and better in the food world that never use to be used. I just overall we are taking in things that are damaging our body without us even knowing.

Kids today will have hearing loss because of the ipods and all the earpiece and cell phones. I guess every generation will carry a burden.

Crap, I bet my coffee now even is loaded with chemicals. Now, that I canot part with,lol.

I think this generation is just starting to realize we must start taking care of our body. I think we are starting to be more aware of environmental issues, waste, greed, etc. I think honestly that this so called recession may have good come out of it. People are going back to the basics. Making things homemade, cloth diapering, breast feeding, looking for better options then what is being given to us. I think the health care issue brings this to light too.

daisy · Guru

CoffeeQueen wrote:

Picture-Perfect wrote:

I guess my struggle with all of this is the research... One day you hear oh my gosh everyone is going to die from such and such and the following week it's not as hazardous... Are you guys following research and studies from the FDA or other really well known organizations? I woudn't even know where to start and i'm not sure i'm up for it honestly, i'm just curious who does the testing, research, and finding of information you guys follow? It's also so hard for me to grasp that everything is so hazardous yet it is allowed to be sold and used by people.

In regards to what is allowed to be sold. Well, that is pretty easy. I mean talk to a farmer of grain and they will tell you the FDA allows so much mouse feces, bugs, etc. in our food that is allowed. It is not all 100% safe because the FDA has a stamp on it. It just means it will not kill ya unless you consume large amounts,lol.
Again, I think for me a lot makes sense. If you look at how many chemicals are now used to make things bigger and better in the food world that never use to be used. I just overall we are taking in things that are damaging our body without us even knowing.
Kids today will have hearing loss because of the ipods and all the earpiece and cell phones. I guess every generation will carry a burden.
Crap, I bet my coffee now even is loaded with chemicals. Now, that I canot part with,lol.
I think this generation is just starting to realize we must start taking care of our body. I think we are starting to be more aware of environmental issues, waste, greed, etc. I think honestly that this so called recession may have good come out of it. People are going back to the basics. Making things homemade, cloth diapering, breast feeding, looking for better options then what is being given to us. I think the health care issue brings this to light too.

right, and i cant give up my curl styling cream, or my special conditioner, or my hair dye. :)

Juanita · Guru

You know, I may be totally way off base here, but I honestly believe that most of our health issues comes from the food we eat and the way it's raised, the grains the animals are fed, etc.. and the environmental stuff we live in and breathe everyday

Take petroleum jelly for instance..now we all know where it comes from, but I know me and most of my generation and the generation before me was raised on it..my mom slathered it on my butt and everything else, and there was not near as many sick children/people I don't think back then. Kids weren't missing school as much as they are now, there just wasn't all this stuff going around it doesn't seem. And mineral oil? People have drank that stuff for years to help them poop, lol! Older people still swear by it, lol

Childhood cancer for example is so much higher now than it was when I was growing up. I didn't know one single child with cancer growing up until I was a teenager and then I knew ONE; now there are a ton just in my neck of the woods.

It just makes you wonder.

-- Edited by Juanita on Friday 11th of December 2009 10:08:26 AM

CoffeeQueen · Guru

Juanita wrote:

You know, I may be totally way off base here, but I honestly believe that most of our health issues comes from the food we eat and the way it's raised, the grains the animals are fed, etc.. and the environmental stuff we live in and breathe everyday

Take petroleum jelly for instance..now we all know where it comes from, but I know me and most of my generation and the generation before me was raised on it..my mom slathered it on my butt and everything else, and there was not near as many sick children/people I don't think back then. Kids weren't missing school as much as they are now, there just wasn't all this stuff going around it doesn't seem.

Childhood cancer for example is so much higher now than it was when I was growing up. I didn't know one single child with cancer growing up until I was a teenager and then I knew ONE; now there are a ton just in my neck of the woods.

It just makes you wonder.

Do not think you are off base at all

Juanita · Guru

CoffeeQueen wrote:

Juanita wrote:

You know, I may be totally way off base here, but I honestly believe that most of our health issues comes from the food we eat and the way it's raised, the grains the animals are fed, etc.. and the environmental stuff we live in and breathe everyday

Take petroleum jelly for instance..now we all know where it comes from, but I know me and most of my generation and the generation before me was raised on it..my mom slathered it on my butt and everything else, and there was not near as many sick children/people I don't think back then. Kids weren't missing school as much as they are now, there just wasn't all this stuff going around it doesn't seem.

Childhood cancer for example is so much higher now than it was when I was growing up. I didn't know one single child with cancer growing up until I was a teenager and then I knew ONE; now there are a ton just in my neck of the woods.

It just makes you wonder.

Do not think you are off base at all

I edited and added the mineral oil thing. You just gave good examples that have been around forever, lol

Picture-Perfect · Guru

Thanks girls. I appreciate all the insight a lot. I haven't done any of my own research and hearing how you guys make your decisions helps me to consider things and know where to go for answers. It's such a HUGE topic just based on what i've read from all of you. I definitely think to some degree for sure that how our food is grown, made, packaged etc is unhealthy obviously, I just can't even wrap my mind around the hugeness of it and also all the products we use etc. It's overwhelming!

daisy · Guru

Picture-Perfect wrote:

Thanks girls. I appreciate all the insight a lot. I haven't done any of my own research and hearing how you guys make your decisions helps me to consider things and know where to go for answers. It's such a HUGE topic just based on what i've read from all of you. I definitely think to some degree for sure that how our food is grown, made, packaged etc is unhealthy obviously, I just can't even wrap my mind around the hugeness of it and also all the products we use etc. It's overwhelming!

it can be totally overwhelming. i find it easier to think in terms of categories. i started with plastics, then products, and i had done a bunch of reading on foods a while back. next on my list is cleaners. i figure it's more of a life change than anything else - just keeping informed, doing my best, and avoiding paranoia/neuroticism - lmao.

CoffeeQueen · Guru

daisy wrote:

Picture-Perfect wrote:

Thanks girls. I appreciate all the insight a lot. I haven't done any of my own research and hearing how you guys make your decisions helps me to consider things and know where to go for answers. It's such a HUGE topic just based on what i've read from all of you. I definitely think to some degree for sure that how our food is grown, made, packaged etc is unhealthy obviously, I just can't even wrap my mind around the hugeness of it and also all the products we use etc. It's overwhelming!

it can be totally overwhelming. i find it easier to think in terms of categories. i started with plastics, then products, and i had done a bunch of reading on foods a while back. next on my list is cleaners. i figure it's more of a life change than anything else - just keeping informed, doing my best, and avoiding paranoia/neuroticism - lmao.

Lol, I am doing my best too. It is a lifestyle change. I hope I stay on course, but I figure something is better then nothing. I work with a girl that I am pretty good friends with and she is a great resource. She is pretty much as crunchy as they get in terms of all natural everything.

Supafly · Guru

CoffeeQueen wrote:

Supafly wrote:

Everything?

I am not trying to make light of Kelly's thread, or anything else that pertains to this topic, but the reality is that there is so much that is potentially hazardous to us, there is just no way you could avoid it all.

Look at foods-they say that genetically modified organism (GMO) foods are terrible for you and you should avoid them. But there in a TON of foods and it is hard to determine which ones sometimes, even when you are a label reader.

Same as MSG (monosodium glutamate). Or Partially hydrogenated anything. But pretty much any and all processed/snack/cereal/cracker/etc type food has these types of things in them.

That is just the tip of the iceberg as it pertains to food.

Then there are the cleaning products. I will say I switched to method and other cleaners like that (for the most part) because the traditional ones can be toxic to breathe in. Air fresheners like febreze are extremely toxic and often contain formaldehyde, which you then breathe in and they coat the lining of your nasal passages.

I am trying to make changes, but I think the important thing is to remember you can't change everything-and the things you can change will take time. You can't do it all at once. Right now, my focus is on food with my family, and I am trying to reduce the amount of preservative based foods we intake. I had made the switch on cleaning products, and then eventually I will move on to something else.

Don't let yourself get overwhelmed by it all-it is tough to navigate all of this, but there really is only so much you can do. Good luck, Sara!

ETA-be aware that natural products aren't always better either-you have to read labels. And know that everyone is different. We CAN NOT use bert's bees here because I am allergic to something in it and will get rashes by touching the girls or Bill if they use it. We are limited to the changes we can make based on allergies as well...

ETA (again) that I am focused on food and cleaners and such because for people who have a predisposition to autoimmune, as my girls will because of me, these things are HIGHLY toxic. They are well known triggers for AI disease (as well as antibiotics and other things), so they are my focus atm.

-- Edited by Supafly on Friday 11th of December 2009 08:18:07 AM

-- Edited by Supafly on Friday 11th of December 2009 08:22:42 AM

you cannot do it all, of course not.

she just asked what we are doing.

I mean if we wanted to get crazy then the shower curtain liner, your purse and the toxins, etc.
however, you can do things and it does not take much effort. change is just hard sometimes.

I am not saying we all should not make changes, and I did tell her what I was doing. My point was that it can be tremendously overwhelming and to not stress too much and just take the changes one at a time.

I re-read what I wrote, and that is what my message says *to me*. Sorry it didn't come across that way.

Supafly · Guru

Juanita wrote:

You know, I may be totally way off base here, but I honestly believe that most of our health issues comes from the food we eat and the way it's raised, the grains the animals are fed, etc.. and the environmental stuff we live in and breathe everyday

Take petroleum jelly for instance..now we all know where it comes from, but I know me and most of my generation and the generation before me was raised on it..my mom slathered it on my butt and everything else, and there was not near as many sick children/people I don't think back then. Kids weren't missing school as much as they are now, there just wasn't all this stuff going around it doesn't seem. And mineral oil? People have drank that stuff for years to help them poop, lol! Older people still swear by it, lol

Childhood cancer for example is so much higher now than it was when I was growing up. I didn't know one single child with cancer growing up until I was a teenager and then I knew ONE; now there are a ton just in my neck of the woods.

It just makes you wonder.

-- Edited by Juanita on Friday 11th of December 2009 10:08:26 AM

I agree with you, Jennifer. Our food is so much more processed now than it ever used to be and has so much added to it-it is crazy.

But I also think that people in general get sick more now because we are just a different population. Kids are playing on their Xbox or Wii rather than out with their friends, we are washing everything with anti-bacterial products that kill good as well as bad bacterial, we freak out if our kids eat a little dirt for crying out loud!, and we go from an air conditioned house to an air conditioned car to an air conditioned office. I think those things play just as big of a part. In an effort to protect ourselves, I think we have taken things too far in some regards and are now making our systems MORE vulnerable.

In fact I read an article (I forget where) that said even the gradual introduction of foods, and the limited kinds of foods we offer, to babies is a contributing factor to the enormous rise of food allergies.

(btw, I am not saying we are taking things overboard in all areas by any stretch-some things are definitely worth the change!)

CoffeeQueen · Guru

Supafly wrote:

Juanita wrote:

You know, I may be totally way off base here, but I honestly believe that most of our health issues comes from the food we eat and the way it's raised, the grains the animals are fed, etc.. and the environmental stuff we live in and breathe everyday

Take petroleum jelly for instance..now we all know where it comes from, but I know me and most of my generation and the generation before me was raised on it..my mom slathered it on my butt and everything else, and there was not near as many sick children/people I don't think back then. Kids weren't missing school as much as they are now, there just wasn't all this stuff going around it doesn't seem. And mineral oil? People have drank that stuff for years to help them poop, lol! Older people still swear by it, lol

Childhood cancer for example is so much higher now than it was when I was growing up. I didn't know one single child with cancer growing up until I was a teenager and then I knew ONE; now there are a ton just in my neck of the woods.

It just makes you wonder.

-- Edited by Juanita on Friday 11th of December 2009 10:08:26 AM

I agree with you, Jennifer. Our food is so much more processed now than it ever used to be and has so much added to it-it is crazy.

But I also think that people in general get sick more now because we are just a different population. Kids are playing on their Xbox or Wii rather than out with their friends, we are washing everything with anti-bacterial products that kill good as well as bad bacterial, we freak out if our kids eat a little dirt for crying out loud!, and we go from an air conditioned house to an air conditioned car to an air conditioned office. I think those things play just as big of a part. In an effort to protect ourselves, I think we have taken things too far in some regards and are now making our systems MORE vulnerable.

In fact I read an article (I forget where) that said even the gradual introduction of foods, and the limited kinds of foods we offer, to babies is a contributing factor to the enormous rise of food allergies.

(btw, I am not saying we are taking things overboard in all areas by any stretch-some things are definitely worth the change!)

Sorry, laura. I know that is what you meant. It did not mean to come out like it did. I was just thinking do not get overwhelmed and do something, but I guess I should have just written that.

I totally agree that our lifestyles are a huge factor, but there are so many more chemicals, people are getting their lawn sprayed to be pretty green, but the fact is simple in that it cannot be good for you.

Anyway, I always wondered about the baby food thing. I mean in china they do not just eat Gerber squash. they give their kids regular food from young. I never hear of other countries having the allergy issues we have?

Supafly · Guru

CoffeeQueen wrote:

Supafly wrote:

Juanita wrote:

You know, I may be totally way off base here, but I honestly believe that most of our health issues comes from the food we eat and the way it's raised, the grains the animals are fed, etc.. and the environmental stuff we live in and breathe everyday

Take petroleum jelly for instance..now we all know where it comes from, but I know me and most of my generation and the generation before me was raised on it..my mom slathered it on my butt and everything else, and there was not near as many sick children/people I don't think back then. Kids weren't missing school as much as they are now, there just wasn't all this stuff going around it doesn't seem. And mineral oil? People have drank that stuff for years to help them poop, lol! Older people still swear by it, lol

Childhood cancer for example is so much higher now than it was when I was growing up. I didn't know one single child with cancer growing up until I was a teenager and then I knew ONE; now there are a ton just in my neck of the woods.

It just makes you wonder.

-- Edited by Juanita on Friday 11th of December 2009 10:08:26 AM

I agree with you, Jennifer. Our food is so much more processed now than it ever used to be and has so much added to it-it is crazy.

But I also think that people in general get sick more now because we are just a different population. Kids are playing on their Xbox or Wii rather than out with their friends, we are washing everything with anti-bacterial products that kill good as well as bad bacterial, we freak out if our kids eat a little dirt for crying out loud!, and we go from an air conditioned house to an air conditioned car to an air conditioned office. I think those things play just as big of a part. In an effort to protect ourselves, I think we have taken things too far in some regards and are now making our systems MORE vulnerable.

In fact I read an article (I forget where) that said even the gradual introduction of foods, and the limited kinds of foods we offer, to babies is a contributing factor to the enormous rise of food allergies.

(btw, I am not saying we are taking things overboard in all areas by any stretch-some things are definitely worth the change!)

Sorry, laura. I know that is what you meant. It did not mean to come out like it did. I was just thinking do not get overwhelmed and do something, but I guess I should have just written that.

I totally agree that our lifestyles are a huge factor, but there are so many more chemicals, people are getting their lawn sprayed to be pretty green, but the fact is simple in that it cannot be good for you.

Anyway, I always wondered about the baby food thing. I mean in china they do not just eat Gerber squash. they give their kids regular food from young. I never hear of other countries having the allergy issues we have?

Oh yes, I agree about things like lawn chemicals and the like, things that go into water system like that or other pollutants (even the excess hormones from birth control we urinate out)-they are all horrible for us without question. This is where I say we can not do it all. We can do our part, but we all have to try hard not to get bogged down in all of the potential hazards. I hate the idea that my daughters are ingesting hormones just through drinking our county water (which we filter-which then brings up the issue of too little fluoride-oy), but I can't make everyone go off of the pill, and I don't think bottled is a good alternative. You could easily get so overwhelmed with it all that you shut down!

I have to say, that article made sense to me. Not to say that is the only reason, but again, we have become so overly cautious, it may be more detrimental than we know. And I think you are right-I think this county has higher incidence of food allergies than other places. And I know that I heard that people in some asian countries have much lower incidence of certain diseases, like breast cancer, but that their children raised in the US do not share that protection.

I would be willing to bet we are the unhealthiest nation in the world. And I bet the UK is not far behind.