Archive for the ‘Healthy Tips’ Category

A lot of parents buy baby walkers to help their kids learn how to walk, while at the same time, keep their tots entertained while they go and do something else. Problem is, a walker can put the baby at risk, especially when the child goes unsupervised, even for just a few seconds.

Walkers can enable a baby to move from one spot to another in a matter of seconds. With this speed, a child is vulnerable to hurting himself, like bumping his head onto the table edge or the wall. Furthermore, there have been reports of children in walkers falling off the stairs. Some reports showed how children were able to reach toxic household chemicals because they were put on their walkers. Due to these incidents, Canada has banned the sale and use of baby walkers since April of 2007.

Aside from the safety issues, experts say that walkers don’t really help children learn how to walk. In fact, studies say that babies who use walkers learn walking a month later than those who don’t. Experts argue that walking is learned by watching how others do it and by understanding how each foot is moved. The child must then copy the movements and do it on his or her own. However, trays installed in walkers prevent the children from seeing their lower bodies, reducing the amount of information that they need to develop their motor skills.

Despite the safety and developmental issues that come with walkers, a lot of parents from all over the world are still getting walkers for their babies. It’s a good thing there are manufacturers who have improved on their baby walker models, making much safer products since the year 2000.

However, safety doesn’t depend entirely upon manufacturers. It will always be the parents’ responsibility. Every safety precaution must be made in order to keep babies in walkers safe.

• Never leave the child unattended.
• If leaving the baby for a few minutes to do something else, remove the baby from the walker and transfer him or her into the crib.
• Stairs must be blocked with a high, sturdy gate or door.
• Keep the baby away from areas with hot surfaces, such as the kitchen.
• The entire house should be baby-proof.
• Install electrical outlet covers and make sure there are no dangling appliance chords.
• Keep ceramics and other fragile items in a locked cabinet.
• Always lock the door leading to the toilet, pool, and other areas with water source.
• Keep all chemicals and sharp objects locked away in a safe or higher place.

Perming hair has been around since 1905. That means women, though able to beautify themselves, have also subjected themselves to the harm that comes with perming. They’ve been doing it for over a century. Hair perming involves the use of chemicals or heat applied to hair. Basically, perm works when the hair is rolled and then heat or chemicals are applied. Yes, it may be a good way of getting fuller or lush curls, but perming can also severely damage hair. The use of hydrogen peroxide can also result to serious burns.

Moreover, badly done perms can have hair lose its normal elasticity, making it brittle, fragile, and prone to breakage.  Other side effects of perm include scalp damage, which can include redness, itching, burning, and peeling. Perm can also stop hair from regrowing, which means some chemicals inhibit new hair growth. Perm can also alter hair’s texture, making it frizzy. Baldness can also result as hair is pulled and wrapped onto curlers, which can tear the hair from its roots.

Other bad effects of perm include:

• Scalp irritation or hypersensitivity
• Dull and lifeless hair
• Lightening / oxidation of hair
• Weak hair
• Uneven hair structure
• Poor health of hair

Despite the risks, a lot of women still consider perming as one method of upgrading or changing their looks. After getting a perm, women should intensify care for their hair. There are treatments and conditioners available to properly care for perm treated hair. Safe products include L’Oreal Premier Perm, Garnier Fructis Fortifying Cream Hair Conditioner, and Neutrogena Conditioner Revitalizing Formula for Permed or Color Treated Hair.

A lot of women are conscious about their looks, so they go out and search for the perfect style for their hair. One that never seems to go out of fashion is straight hair. Different hair straightening methods are now available in salons – rebonding, relaxing, ionic straightening, and more. However, quick remedies at home would include the use of hair blowers or irons. While they’re different from each other, they both apply direct heat to hair in order to straighten or curl. Sure they can help in quickly styling hair but what are their side effects?

When hair is blow dried or ironed, the configuration of the layers of hair cutin and fibers as well as the character of hair are altered. The heat takes the luster or shine away from the hair. It also burns the waxy covering of hair and affects the natural makeup of lipoprotein which protects the hair from elements and the environment. Heat from irons and blow driers also damages the hair fibers’ core. It can damage hair to the point that the hair becomes fragile, breaking and cracking easily.

Improper or incorrect use of hair iron also results to burned or blistered scalps. Some women iron too close to the scalp that they end up burning themselves. Burned scalp can result to hair loss or baldness. Other ladies also pull their hair too much, which can also make hair weaker. Too much heat application to hair and scalp can result to receding hairlines and permanent baldness.

If the hair has been severely damaged, it has to be cut off so that new hair from underneath the scalp could grow out and replace the weaker, damaged hair. New hair should not be exposed to heat and other harmful chemicals. Hydration and strengthening are possible if hair is treated with good and safe cosmetology products such as Miessence Clarifying Hair Rinse and Aubrey Organics Men’s Stock Ginseng Biotin Hair Repair.

Many women, even men, dream of staying young or at least presentable the best way they can. A lot would like to somehow freeze time and let their youthful looks stay as longer as possible. Unfortunately, the fountain of youth and beauty is yet to be discovered, if there really is such a thing. But thanks to cosmetics and other beauty products, people can now change or upgrade their looks. A simple change in hair color can do wonders.

Hair colors are being used by lots of people. The question is how safe are they? Unfortunately, hair dyes or colors can contain ingredients that are harmful to health. According to the Environmental Working Group (EWG), about one of every 30 products sold in the United States have chemicals that are banned or prohibited in other countries. It is therefore important to be wary of beauty products and their contents and to not entirely depend on FDA to do the scrutinizing and banning of such products.

Some harmful ingredients found in a lot of hair dyes are the following:

• Ammonia. Although the more expensive brands of hair color like Garnier, L’Oreal, and Revlon are ammonia-free, some brands do have them because ammonia makes their shelf life longer. Small concentrations of ammonia are irritating but not toxic. However, ammonia can pose problems to those who are allergic to it.

• Coal tar. It is a known carcinogen found not only in hair dyes but also in other organic vegetable dyes.

• DMDM Hydantoin. It is a preservative that is toxic to the immune system. In fact, it’s already been banned for use in cosmetics in Japan.

• Eugenol. It’s an ingredient that gives fragrance. However, it’s also linked to cancer, neurotoxicity, allergies, and immunotoxicity.

• Hydrogen Peroxide. For lighter hair color, hydrogen peroxide is required. It can bleach hair but also damage it.

• Para-Phenylenediamine. It is a chemical found to cause cancer and genetic damage in animals.

• Formaldehyde. Like p-Phenylenediamine, formaldehyde is also linked to cancer as well as developmental and reproductive problems.

Natural or herbal hair colors are better and safer options. Some safe and recommendable brands are Aubrey Organics Color Me Natural and Harvest Moon Brown Henna Hair Dye.

Dirt and grime can stick to your windows which not only block natural light from entering your home, but also create this unpleasant sight. So you use window cleaners to remove anything yucky from your windows. What you don’t know is that window cleaners, like any other household product, can contain chemicals that may be harmful to your family, especially your kids.

Window cleaners can contain ammonia, a strong and colorless gas that can be poisonous if exposed in large amounts by inhalation, ingestion, or touch. Just the mere pungent and irritating odor of ammonia is a warning sign that it’s a potentially harmful chemical. High concentrations of ammonia can cause not only lung problems but death as well. Ammonia is being regulated in the United States and is considered toxic and hazardous. When mixed with bleach, chlorine gas which is highly toxic can be produced. Aside from window cleaners, other household products that can contain ammonia are metal and oven cleaners, glass cleaners, toilet bowl cleaners, floor strippers, metal polishes, and more.

If someone you know gets exposed to ammonia, seek medical help right away. If ingested, do not make the person gag and throw up as first aid would have to be done by a medical professional. If ammonia gets in the skin or eyes, continuously flush it with water for 15 minutes at the least. Do not give milk or water to a person who has ingested ammonia, especially when the patient is vomiting or convulsing. If the person has inhaled or breathed in ammonia, take that person outside, somewhere where there’s fresh air.

To clean your dirty windows, check out safer and more natural alternatives like Ecos Window Cleaner, Mrs. Meyer’s Clean Day Basil Window, and BabyGanics’ The Sparkle Maker™.

Babies can be extreme mess-makers, especially when they start eating soft solid food or those foods other than milk. Mashed fruits and veggies make perfect recipes not only for baby food, but for mess as well. They can also create mean and tough stains in babies’ clothes, making doing laundry extremely difficult. What makes it even more difficult is that laundry detergents and stain removers that we’re usually using may prove to be harsh on babies’ delicate skin. And forget about bleach. Not only is it harmful on babies’ sensitive skin, but it can also damage the clothes’ fabric.

So what are baby-safe stain removers? For starters, you can use natural and safe products you can find from your pantry, like baking soda and washing soda. Use baking soda to remove stains from baby’s clothes, bed sheets, pillow cases, blankets, and bibs. Just sprinkle a small amount of baking soda onto the stain, pour a little bit of club soda, let the mixture bubble for a few seconds, and then scrub.

Use washing soda when removing stains from oil, creams, and lotions. To remove the oily substance first, pour over some cornstarch onto the stained area, leave it for 10-15 minute then scrape it off. To remove the stain, mix 2 tablespoons of washing soda with a bit of water to create a paste, apply the paste onto the stained area, and then wash.

If you don’t like the idea of mixing things in your own kitchen or pantry like a mad scientist, then you can just head on out to your favorite store and buy safer and more natural stain removers. According to product reviews available online, some of baby-safe stain removers available in the market today are Green Works Oxi Stain Remover, Oxiclean Laundry Baby Stain Remover, and BabyGanics Stain, Stain, Go Away! Stain Remover.

Have you ever been on a plane? If you have, then you well know that one of the things you’re not allowed to bring in your hand carry luggage or on board the plane are aerosols. They are deemed flammable and are therefore banned to bring inside an aircraft where the passengers are. These aerosols are either confiscated by airport security officers, or required to be transferred into the check in luggage.

What really are aerosols and why do they pose some safety and health risks?

Aerosol cans or aerosol sprays are pressurized containers that allow the dispensing of liquid matter and turn this liquid matter into an aerosol mist. Aerosol cans or bottles contain propellant, a gaseous compound which helps drive or propel the liquid content out as mist to disperse and evaporate immediately.

Aerosols became controversial due to VOCs (volatile organic compounds) and CFCs (chlorofluorocarbons) which not only affect human health, but were also linked to the depletion of Earth’s ozone layer. So since 1978, aerosol propellants have been made CFC-free to comply with the rules and regulations created by the FDA, EPA, and Consumer Products Safety Commission.

Aerosols are deemed flammable because, according to the University System of Georgia’s Board of Regents, “these gases [from aerosol cans] can cause fires and explosions if they are sprayed or are released unintentionally due to puncture or damage to the can, or if the contents are exposed to an open flame, pilot light, spark or static electricity”.

Also, according to fire prevention experts, some manufacturers have decided to use “a mixture of hydrocarbons, predominantly propane, isobutane and butane” to replace CFCs as a more “environment-friendly” alternative. The problem is that once the can is emptied, gaseous hydrocarbons can be released and sprayed into the air, which, if accumulated, can create a potentially explosive air inside the house. Experts have also concluded that aerosols containing hydrocarbon mixtures are dangerous. In fact, these aerosols have been used by terrorists in the past. There were also reports where fires and explosions resulted from just one aerosol container containing hydrocarbon as propellant.

Although there are no rules banning the buying of products in aerosol containers, safety precautions need to be strictly observed. Labels should be read carefully to ensure safe and proper use. Aerosol products that contain non-ignitable propellant gases are also much safer. BabyGanics’ Easy Breathin’™, for example, contains no harsh propellants. Aerosol packs should be kept away from heat, fire, or spark sources. Disposal should be done properly. Aerosol cans should also be completely emptied before disposal. Empty aerosol cans should likewise be recycled.

There are various forms of cooking oil available in the market today. Among the various cooking oils, vegetable oil proves to be more healthy option. However, vegetable oil has a lot of variants as well. There’s the ever so famous olive oil, soybean oil, palm oil, pumpkin seed oil, sunflower oil, canola oil, peanut oil, corn oil, sesame oil, and more. Collectively they’re all called “vegetable oil”, so one would assume that they’re all safe. However, one kind has been receiving negative connotations because of its mere origin. Some people believe that canola oil isn’t really safe. The question is, is it true?

Canola oil is made from genetically modified rapeseeds. About 43% of rapeseed is oil and the remaining percentage is used as a high quality livestock feed. Although production of rapeseed oftentimes includes the use of pesticides, organic options make canola oil one of the most highly demanded type of vegetable oils among markets from around the globe.

The negative stigma about canola oil comes from the knowledge about rapeseed’s erucic acid content which is a toxin. Rapeseed oil can only be toxic if it’s not hydrogenated. Canola oil, on the other hand, contains very little erucic acid. In fact, out of all the vegetable oils available, canola oil has the least saturated fat which causes health problems like obesity, artery blockage, high blood pressure, diabetes, heart diseases, cancer, and stroke. Canola oil is also rich in omega 3 polyunsaturated fat. FDA has also OK’d the use of canola oil due to its health benefits.

Another good thing about canola oil is its versatility. It can be used not just for frying, but as well as for baking, dressing, adding texture, infusing flavor, and shortening. It’s pretty much like the good old olive oil. So if you have a bottle of canola oil at home, don’t worry. It’s safe and it’s healthy.

No doubt, running is one of the most effective ways to get that body trimmed and burn those unwanted fats. It is also one of the most affordable and convenient ways to workout. Just a pair of running shoes, a road or track to run on, and that’s it. No need for a personal trainer, or gym, or any heavy equipment. It’s just you, your shoes, and your stamina.

Speaking of shoes, it’s very important to choose which pair of shoes you’d need to wear when going running or jogging. Why? It’s because your running shoes could make your running experience either good or bad. They can determine whether you’re going to be in comfort or in pain. They can also make you either healthy or injured.

First thing that you have to remember is that buying inexpensive or bargain shoes doesn’t mean you get the best deal. The opposite also doesn’t work well. Even if you buy a brand of highly popular and expensive running shoes, you still can’t be certain that they would do you any good. The secret is in understanding your feet and finding the pair that would best fit your feet.

Ever heard of pronation? Pronation is how your foot lands or hits the floor, heel to toe, when running. Proper pronation is the even striking of the foot from the heel, to the ball, up to the front to reduce impact. If there’s not enough evening out and the outside of your foot takes the most shock when running, then that’s underpronation. Overpronation also means being flat-footed. It’s when there is too much rolling from the outside to the inside of your foot.

To know whether you’re neutral, overpronate or underpronate, try looking at the soles of the shoes you always use. If there’s wearing shown on almost the entire sole, then you’re overpronate or flat-footed. If there’s wearing only on a thin portion of the inside of your shoes’ sole, meaning there’s a narrow curve that joins your toes to your heel, then you’re underpronate. If there’s neutral wearing on the sole of the shoes, then you have a normal or neutral pronation.

Once you’ve determined your pronation, it’s time to choose the best type of shoes for you.

Pronation                                           Shoe Type

• Neutral / Normal                              Semi-curved shape running shoes / Cushioned running shoes
• Overpronation                                  Straight shape running shoes / Motion control running shoes
• Underpronation                               Curved shape running shoes / Stability running shoes

Consider the frequency and location of your running activities. Lastly, do not forget about your weight and the proper size and fit, especially when wearing socks. These would also affect your shoe needs.

A lot of people, both men and women, buy and use beauty products like creams, gels, and ointments. The yearning for good looks and youth has made cosmetics one of the most lucrative industries. While some beauty product manufacturers adhere to the health and safety rules and regulations set by government institutions around the globe, some still show clear disregard for public health for the sake of profitability.

Just recently, news about mercury-laced beauty products has surfaced. This is not entirely new as there have been reports of beauty products laced with mercury before. One example is the news about a line of mascara, skin lightening creams, and eyeliners found to contain mercury in the state of Minnesota about 4 years ago. As a result, MN became of the first state in the US to ban the mercury being intentionally added in cosmetics.

Despite the numerous efforts in alarming and educating people about the ill effects of mercury, a lot of manufacturers still show complete disregard for these warnings. To site a sample incident, 11 skin whitening products that contain mercury have found their way into South East Asian countries like the Philippines. According to the country’s Ecowaste Coalition, most of the products were manufactured from China. The Ecowaste Coalition further divulged that the said products contained mercury of up to 28,600 parts per million (PPM). The country’s required limit is only 1 PPM.

What’s more alarming is that despite the manufacturers’ knowledge of the presence of high levels of mercury in their products, none bothered to mention the presence of mercury in their products’ labels. This is the same case with the Minnesota cosmetics 4 years ago. Instead of providing the public truthful information about their products to help the buying public make sound choices, the manufacturers clearly meant to mislead the consumers despite the fact that mercury has adverse effects to health and can even be fatal.

Consumers, on the other hand, need to be wary in choosing and buying cosmetics or any other product for that matter. It is their job to scrutinize what they’re spending their hard earned money for, because what they believe could be safe and beautifying, could even cost them their health and lives. Research is important. There are a lot of product reviews from trusted sites online, so recommendations and information are made readily available for the buying public.