What? Who would have thought that many of the companies who claim to be raising dollars to support the cure and prevention of breast cancer are actually the same companies that produce, manufacture or sell products linked to the disease? Absurd? I think so. Here are some questions from Breast Cancer Action’s Think Before You Pink™ Campaign that will help you make decisions about how you support the Pink. Check it out!
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This month marks 25 years of Awareness, Education and Empowerment for Breast Cancer.
And when I think about that, I get kinda pissed actually.
Pissed because it seems we are all super involved in this, in one way or another… whether it’s donations, walks, events or purchasing “pink-ribbon” products – we support, we suffer with family, ourselves, we struggle, we try to help, and we watch as well, but not very much gets accomplished. Read More
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As most of us know, and as most tykes will tell you, vegetables aren’t typically on children’s lists of favorite foods. Twinkies? You betcha. PB&J? A staple, of course! Pizza with chocolate milk? A match made in heaven.
Well, it’s never been too surprising to me that kids have a taste for treats like these, simply because menu options in school cafeterias are pretty limited! Of course an 8-year-old will choose french fries over Salisbury Steak and mashed potatoes.
Who wouldn’t?!
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Seems like when I was growing up the only back-to-school topics anyone ever talked about were school supplies (you know, #2 pencils, a Mead notebook, Crayola markers and a pencil box) and a pair of new Mary Janes. Times have changed, of course, and now there is great information out there on this busy time of year, and it’s not just about sales at the mall.
I came across this article on a blog called The Green Mom. It’s got some great ideas I thought I’d pass along. From packing eco-responsible lunches to, you guessed, it, greener school supplies, you’ll find a pretty comprehensive list of ways we can all put a little more green into our school routine. Good luck and have a great year!
Jamie Oliver isn’t just that cute guy who cooks on TV, though that’s where I first saw him. He made the simplest organic and local foods seem like absolutely decadent dishes – dishes I wanted to cook, and that were easy to make. I loved watching his shows.
I watched him work with troubled teens, like he once was, and teach them to become “chefs” in his kitchens. He worked with them seemingly day and night, trying to change lifelong habits (and work ethics) by committing his time and energy to help people one on one. Read More
OK, it might seem like I’m harping on the FDA this week, and if you think that, you would be RIGHT! With a theme like back-to-school, it’s not surprising that lots of roads point to the Food & Drug Administration and its, well, questionable allowances where our food is concerned.
One of those unsolved mysteries is why food manufacturers are able to color the products we buy at the grocery store. Yes, color them. I’ve written that colorful foods are some of the best substances we can put into our bodies. But the spectrum I mean includes natural shades of red, gold, orange and, of course, green! The vitamins we thrive on come from natural sources like berries and spinach, not from yellow #45 that tints a powdered dairy product.
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In line with all my back-to- school-in-the-air musings, it only seems right I should spend a little more time expounding the virtues of coffee, excusing coffee addictions, or at least excessive coffee drinking behaviors.
Or at least sharing some research I just read on the Skin Inc.com website about how caffeine reduces your risk of skin cancer.
Now, I always get a little suspicious when a skin ingredient bible tells me that since they are the ones selling me caffeine to put in my skin care formulations…but let’s look at the stats.
It seems Rutgers has studied this phenomenon, coffee drinking and skin cancer, cause if you
Ahhh back to school season. Kinda makes me think of the munchies and spending all nighters with a computer and much caffeine (wait, I do that now). The one thing that’s changed in my life though, is I spend the little extra on GOOD coffee and natural snacks these days, which makes me think hey, I don’t eat junk food at all, I eat only organic! Ok, so I’m not perfect, picking only produce…and though I personally wouldn’t choose Cheetos Natural Puff White Cheddar Cheese Flavored Snacks (not because it doesn’t exactly sound like it came straight from the farmer’s market, but because I generally go for something from the actual health food section), I would expect if I DID pick that particular form of self indulgence, it would be um… NATURAL! But seems, like skincare, food isn’t to be trusted either.
The FDA strikes again, kiddies and you just can’t believe every label that includes “natural” on its flashy front panel.
Check out the link above to read all about it. But anyone who knows me knows what I’m about to say now, right? Read those labels! And, hmmm, “know your beauty®” doesn’t exactly apply here, but how about “know your FOOD”…?
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The best foods are organics, yes. But they aren’t always available. I know we owe it to ourselves to eat as healthfully as possible, but I have found conventionally-grown foods that are actually better than others – far better, as it turns out, than organics.
Tests performed by the USDA found conventionally-grown onions, for example, contain virtually no pesticides. Spinach, on the other hand, is a toxic nightmare.
Here is a list of a dozen non-organic foods that make a relatively good choice when organics aren’t available, and a dozen you should absolutely avoid! Print and take to the store with you for easy reference. Read More
A new zero-waste, package-free grocery store (the first of it’s kind in the U.S.) is opening in the great state of Texas. The link below leads to a blog from purebranding.com about sustainability, product waste and my new favorite grocery store.
Way to go, Austin! The best city in Texas does it again.
For more info click here.
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