The Wellness Bitch

Before I moved to Israel last month, I stocked up on all the “necessary” items that make my life easier, and more important, less toxic. I had heard that some earth-friendly beauty care products and cleaners were available in Israel, but was warned that prices were double or triple what they were in the States. (Yes, shocking that the prices could get any higher than they already are.)

So, when my shipment with my belongings arrived from the States, the first box I desparately reached for was the one marked “bathroom.” I had spent the last month using a variety of borrowed, strongly fragranced, SLS-filled shampoos and conditioners in other people’s showers. And while my hair was as silky as an Herbal Essences hair model, my experience in the shower wasn’t quite as…orgasmic. It was closer to the beginning of an antihistamine commercial…you know, before they’re “Claritin Clear.”

I smiled from head-to-toe as I picked up my 365 Whole Foods brand shampoo in my shower and prepared to lather up my hair. Except there was no lather.

Now, SLS-free shampoos typically don’t foam, but usually you can get a little bit of a lather.

Here in Northern Israel: Nothing. It’s the water. I’ve never understood the difference between hard and soft water (which is which.) But the kind here is the kind that leaves a white film on your dishes. And it seems to be adding a film to my hair.

There is a missing ingredient in the chemical equation I try to create each morning in the shower. And the end result is a greasier head than when I started.

I know it sounds vain, but my hair has always been the body part I can count on. I still can’t get complete control over the hormone-induced breakouts, or get rid of that pasty white look in the middle of winter. But I’ve always had awesome hair.

Not anymore.

Do I return to the toxic, but foamy shampoo? Do I do what so many otherwise health-conscious women often do — forsake their commitment to wellness for beauty? (Admit it. You buy organic fruits, but you still use the super-strength salon shampoo and wrinkle cream.)

Or, do I choose the other side of the spectrum; embrace a dirty, greasy “kibbutz chic?” Grow my hair long enough for dreads and quit shaving?

I’d prefer something in the middle.

And a solution could put me on the map here in Israel.

 ”Wellness Bitch Brand Shampoo: It’s Time to Wake Up Your Hair With Toxic-Free Care”

I welcome your recipes and suggestions. I have some Dr. Bronner’s, as well as a few essential oils. Hook me up with a winning recipe and maybe I’ll give you a cut of the millions of dollars I make when I market it here.

Recently we reposted an article on the scary effects of GMOS written by Maria Rodale. We dubbed this ”You are the science experiment.” We’re back with the next edition of “you are the science experiment;” This time about the chemicals you never agreed to host inside your body. Please welcome lil bitch Rosemary Evergreen who guest blogs for us today.

Written by Rosemary Evergreen

Did you know you are part of a global science experiment? But unlike clinical trials or research studies, your permission was not required; there was no privacy policy to sign. 

In fact, this experiment began before you were born, and you received the first chemical inputs as a developing fetus inside your mother’s body — just as your children have or will.

You may be familiar with the term “body burden,” which refers to the chemical compounds that reside inside a particular person.  There are many ways in which man-made and naturally-occurring chemicals and possible toxins enter the human body.  They may be ingested in small quantities along with foods, as in the cases of pesticides or mercury in fish; they may occur naturally in the untreated water of a particular area, such as the arsenic that is causing health problems in Bangladesh; they can also enter the body through skin contact or by breathing polluted air. 

In 1992, the European Union adopted the “precautionary principle,” which states that government should exercise caution and err on the side of human safety if there is good evidence that a chemical may be harmful.

Sound like a good idea?  Well, it’s great if you live in Europe, but U.S. law is limited. 

According to the EPA, the Toxic Substances Control Act (TSCA) “provides EPA with authority to require reporting, record-keeping and testing requirements, and restrictions relating to chemical substances and/or mixtures.”

But you may be alarmed to know that “[c]ertain substances are generally excluded from TSCA, including, among others, food, drugs, cosmetics and pesticides.” (Emphasis added.)

Children are particularly vulnerable to pollutants.  They are growing and their metabolic rates are higher than those of adults.  While they are smaller than adults, they eat and drink more in proportion to body weight to support that growth.  Young children crawl on the ground and put their hands, and many other objects, into their mouths. 

Curious about what chemicals might be in your body, or that of your child?   Try this quiz or read about  chemicals found in umbilical cord blood.

Join a campaign to reform TSCA and, for crying out loud, stop creating a market for chemicals in food, cosmetics, and cleaning products!

Rosemary Evergreen explores wellness and simple, green living in beautiful Minnesota.   Trained as an engineer, she stepped off the corporate track to parent, write, and volunteer in the community.  Rosemary is passionate about healthy living, local foods, the outdoors, and preserving all of these for future generations

The Wellness Bitch is excited to welcome to the blog today Maureen McDonnell, a registered nurse with a strong interest in helping reverse the escalating number of children affected by chronic illnesses. After coordinating the Defeat Autism Now! Conferences for ten years, Maureen joined forces with Jill Urwick to form “Saving Our Kids, Healing Our Planet.” Her post is a real WAKE UP CALL for women, and men who love women, this Breast Cancer Awareness Month.

By Maureen H. McDonnell R.N.

I know some people like to wait until all the medical research has been done, the evidence is indisputable, and their physician conveys guidelines endorsed by the American Cancer Society or the AMA before making any changes to their lifestyle or diet. 

Personally, I don’t have the time or the inclination to wait!   Not when 1 in every 8-9 women is developing breast cancer, and not when good friends, colleagues and neighbors are being diagnosed way too frequently.

My sister (who has lost several close friends to breast cancer) lamented recently “it’s not a matter of ‘if’ anymore, it’s a matter of ‘when!’”  Being Irish, stubborn, and a strong believer in the idea that there’s always more we can learn and do to optimize our health, I refuse to accept this doomsday philosophy.  Knowledge about health is power, and being proactive about preventing illness (even when we and our physicians don’t have all the answers) is the smartest choice we can spend our time and money on.

Before I review what we can do to prevent breast cancer, I’d like to say to those women who have already developed the disease …Please don’t feel guilty.  First of all, illness is not always  preventable and second, other than the typical suggestions we read about (such as don’t  smoke, drink less alcohol, eat healthy fats), much of the information that is coming out now for preventing breast cancer we just didn’t have access to a short time ago.  

Additionally, despite billions of dollars spent on research, the medical establishment still doesn’t know the exact causes of breast cancer nor do they understand the specific interplay between genetic factors, environmental toxicity, hormones and diet and why some women are more vulnerable than others.

What comes to mind when you think about breast cancer prevention besides monthly self-breast exams and routine mammograms?  

I, too, had to think for a moment when I asked myself that question. Because although the above screening techniques are essential methods for early detection of an already existing tumor (and therefore can improve the prognosis), they only find the abnormality or problem once it occurs.  They don’t actually prevent breast cancer.

Given the current statistics, the question that begs to be answered is: What more can we do to prevent breast cancer from forming in the first place?

Let’s look at risk factors. 

Although 50% of women who develop breast cancer have no identifiable risk factors, there are several that we know of that increase one’s chances of developing breast cancer. 

• Gender (obviously women develop it more often than men)
• Age: the older you are, the higher the risk (to a certain age),
• Family or personal history of breast cancer
• Having dense breast tissue,
• Long term estrogen exposure (meaning you started menstruation early and or experienced a late menopause),
• Hormone Replacement Therapy (of the non-bio-identical type)
• Not carrying pregnancy to term (When a woman carries to term, she has higher levels of progesterone in the last 2 trimesters which cause breast cells to mature.   The more mature breast cells are, the less likely they are to develop cancer).
• Radiation ( including chest xray and mammograms )
• Heritage Ashkenazi  Jews (1 in every 300-600).
• A heavy animal based non-organic diet
• Environmental pollution
• Stress
• Smoking
• Genetics:  BRCA-1 gene mutation: > risk by 57% risk  BRCA 2: > risk by 49%

Sounds a bit dismal, but here’s the good news:

The American Cancer Society says that 33 percent of all cancers are related to diet and physical activity issues.  Other studies, however, have found that 50 percent of cancers are preventable with regular exercise and healthy eating habits.  An even more optimistic view comes from Dr. Elizabeth Vaughn, MD, an integrative physician from Greensboro, NC who estimates up to 90% of cancers are preventable.

Part of the problem lies in the fact that the information coming out of our leading cancer institutes such as the American Cancer Society is too vague and focused on early detection and not prevention. 

It’s time for women to look beyond these conventional guidelines to more cutting-edge research and concepts in order to develop effective strategies for preventing this illness.  Let’s examine the difference between these two perspectives by comparing a few of the suggestions from the American Cancer Society with recommendations from credible alternative/progressive health care providers who advocate prevention.

Statements from the American Cancer Society regarding chemicals, pesticides and the relevance of organic and genetically modified food:

“Whether or not environmental chemicals that have estrogen-like properties (such as those found in some plastic bottles or certain cosmetics and personal care products) increase breast cancer risk is not clear at this time. If there is an increased risk, it is likely to be very small. Pesticides and herbicides can be toxic when used improperly in industrial, agricultural, or other occupational settings. Although vegetables and fruits sometimes contain low levels of these chemicals, overwhelming scientific evidence supports the overall health benefits and cancer-protective effects of eating vegetables and fruits. At present, there is no evidence that residues of pesticides and herbicides at the low doses found in foods increase the risk of cancer, but fruits and vegetables should be washed thoroughly before eating.”
“No convincing evidence has shown that any additive at these levels causes human cancers.”
“At this time, no research exists to demonstrate whether (organic) foods are more effective in reducing cancer risk than are similar foods produced by other farming methods.”
“There is no evidence at this time that the substances found in bio-engineered (GMO) foods…. are harmful or that they would either increase or decrease cancer risk because of the added genes.”

Cutting Edge Approach: Compare this information with the concepts taught by James Biddle, MD (an integrative physician in Asheville, N.C.) in his presentation on breast health when he explained that there are over 80,000 chemicals in use in the US and less than 12% have been tested for safety in humans.  Some of these chemicals are referred to as Xeno-estrogens  (or “alien”) because they mimic our own estrogen in their capability to stimulate estrogen receptors in a dangerous way.  

Unlike the weak statement from the American Cancer Society, Dr. Biddle strongly suggests that women reduce their exposure to toxins (by using green cleaning and personal care products) and eating organically to avoid the damaging effects on breast tissue from hormone disrupting chemicals.

In addition to recommending adequate protein, he emphasizes the importance of eating more like a vegetarian (5 servings of veggies and fruit per day) along with healthy Omega 3 fats (flax oil, fish oil etc), high fibrous foods like whole grains and especially cruciferous vegetables including Brussels sprouts, broccoli, cabbage, cauliflower, kale.  He also suggests eating foods that have a lower glycemic-index (to avoid blood sugar spikes which can trigger an inflammatory response).  

It’s most important to eat organic dairy, Dr. Biddle, says because “every non-organic cow in this country has an estrogen pellet under the skin of its ear to get a 10 fold increase in milk production. The cows also excrete that estrogen into the milk.  To prevent infections of the udders, the cows are also given antibiotics.  So the resistant bacteria we are seeing that are not responding to even the strongest antibiotics are not just coming from antibiotics that physicians prescribe for humans, it’s due to the fact that 70-90% of the antibiotics used in the US are given to  livestock.”  (The overuse of antibiotics…that’s another article!)

Elizabeth Vaughn, MD suggests that the connection between toxins and breast cancer can’t be overemphasized: “Breast Cancer is the final stage of years of ongoing damage to the breasts from exposure to toxins and an impaired or overwhelmed immune system.”

The organizations we have placed in charge of our health are not responding quickly enough to the urgent need for cancer prevention solutions, and the recommendations they do give women are in many cases too weak, too vague, and too mainly focused on early detection.  It is up to us to reach beyond mainstream recommendations and seek out physicians, researchers and sources of information that emphasize prevention.   As women, we need to be better informed and proactive in our self-care so that more of us, as well as our sisters, mothers, daughters, aunts and friends, will be spared from developing this devastating disease.

This article is excerpted with permission from the author from “What More Can We Do Now to Prevent Breast Cancer?” originally published on www.sokhop.com

Contrary to what you might think, I actually have a lot of compassion for human beings.

And it’s through my love and compassion for people that I bitch about wellness.

I don’t, however, confuse compassion with silence or censorship. Nor do I associate bitchiness with complaint and cruelty. This is why I don’t tell people to their faces that I think they need to lose weight. Nor do I call out particular individuals who are struggling with health-related issues.

Admittedly, what I do here is demand your attention. And often times, I demand action. And I fully understand it’s not what you’re used to hearing.

You’re used to hearing: “It’ll be ok. You’re doing a great job.”

Not WAKE UP! Educate yourself!

You’re used to hearing: “Baby steps.”

Not WAKE UP! You’re killing yourself.

You’re used to reading blogs and articles that stroke your ego, give you a virtual hug, or tell you once again, the twelve-step answer to your life long chronic problem.

Not WAKE UP! The time to make a change is now.

When I say WAKE UP, I intend for you to ask yourself, “Is this the life I want to be living? Is this the body I want to be walking around in? Is this the state of health I want to be in from now until I am in the grave?”

I intend for you to ask yourself, “Do I want to let pharmaceutical companies run my country, micromanage my health care system, and mess with my family’s health?”

Or, “Do I still want to be complaining about my sex life 10 years from now?”

Or, “Do I want my child growing up to be an addict? Or obese? Or Type 2 diabetic?”

And, trust me, if saying it nicely worked, you wouldn’t be still asking yourself (or your shrink) the same questions year after year, day after day.

The people who already get this are already wellness bitches just like me: Moms of autistic kids; Moms of vaccine-injured kids; Women who have been struggling with IBS for years; People who have been sent to the ER from side effects of prescription drugs; People who have been given inept and incorrect advice from their doctors; Parents of children who are experiencing puberty at age eight; People whose children are put on psychotropic drugs for behavioral issues.

And, maybe if you are so concerned about bad language, you have been fortunate enough to not yet have to be a wellness bitch.

Some of us aren’t so lucky.

Oh, how I hate to be wrong.

And I will often backtrack or sidestep or do whatever I can to get around being wrong.

Which, I warn you, I’m about to do.

A while back I posted about my love affair with baking soda. Baking soda truly is a gift. I bought a version of this book a few years back, which gives you 100+ ways to use baking soda around the house. And so many of them really do work wonders — from general purpose kitchen and bathroom cleaner to odor absorber to carpet freshener. It’s also really good to use for bath care needs. Why would you use baking soda instead of run-of-the-mill household cleaning products you get at Target, Kmart or the local grocery store? Because they’re toxic.

So after doing a little research, I decided to use baking soda on my pits instead of natural deodorant. It worked wonders! Just a sprinkle of baking soda in the pits and no B.O. the whole day through. 

I got my husband on board, my friends, my family members. After all, baking soda is a naturally-occuring, non-toxic substance. It’s actually considered a food. So it must be perfectly safe for your pits.

And I’m not saying it’s not. But I will tell you I’ve had to cut back using it because of pit irritation. And I’m not the only one. I’ve got a few complaints from people who made the switch and who’ve now returned to their deodorant. (I actually haven’t been using anything at all. Just trying to wash a couple of times during the day.)

So…in an effort to be responsible…and to avoid any potential future backlash…try the baking soda as a deodorant replacement. But if you start getting irritated, I think it’s a good idea to reevaluate. (And try cornstarch instead.)

There’s a lot of discussion and griping about how wellness is only for the wealthy.

That the poor are so desperate to feed their families, that they have no other choice than to buy cheap imitation grape drink and Dollar Store brand cheese doodles. That the poor don’t have the benefit of spending time in Barnes and Noble browsing through Michael Pollan books. That the poor are so tired from working two jobs that they can’t summon up the strength to do more than throw some canned franks and beans into a pot to warm.

I’d like to know how those people– those compassionate champions of the working poor — how do they explain it when middle class Americans…or even upper class americans with nannies and luxury cars …make those same choices? Because they do. I see it all the time.

I walk into a $1 million home to pick up my kid from a playdate and find him eating rainbow goldfish crackers.

I see nannies pushing overweight kids in stroller. And moms in designer shoes handing their two-year-olds mocha frappaccinos to sip on.

I’m not a cold-hearted bitch. But I don’t think eating or living well really takes much money, brains, or higher education. Clearly, if that’s all it took, we wouldn’t be seeing commercials for Abilify, alongside ones for Macy’s One Day Sale.

Hey. Come a little closer. I’m going to let you in on a little secret.

I’m not rich. I put on a good show with my nice house and leased mini-van. My kids in their hand-me-down Old Navy clothes. My mock designer hand bag from Target.

But we’re struggling. We have debt. We count our pennies.

I don’t have the money for a gym membership or a trainer or even to go to weekly yoga classes. I take books out of the library or buy them second hand on Ebay.

But don’t cry for me. And don’t think I’m complaining that my life is so hard.

But, I think that bad lifestyle choices aren’t reserved for the poor.

And it’s about time we stop having that conversation and move on. Frankly, it bores me.

Your sympathy and your outrage would be better spent WAKING UP our government. And our schools. And your neighbors.