Know this: What you put on your body gets in to your body. Take perfume, for example. Most perfumes you buy in department stores can contain over 100 different synthetic chemicals to make the scent, plus things like phthalates, and parabens. These are endocrine disrupters – gender-bender chemicals that make girls develop earlier and reduce testosterone levels in boys. When shopping for perfume, look for those made from pure organic essential oils. They’re safe, non-toxic and more subtle than a synthetic perfume…your perfume won’t precede you when you enter a room and it won’t linger after you’ve gone!

What surrounds you can also get in your body and your bloodstream. Artificially scented candles for example, contain chemicals that can trigger asthma and allergies. Also, toxic chemicals have been found in the by-products in the combustion of artificial scents. Instead, choose candles scented with essential oils. Plus, most candles, unless otherwise labeled, are made from paraffin, a petroleum product, and fumes from paraffin wax have caused kidney and bladder tumors in lab animals. Choose beeswax candles with cotton wicks (make sure it doesn’t contain a lead core which will release into the air). There are two types of beeswax: solid, which are dipped or molded and burn well; or rolled, made from sheets of beeswax and tend to burn more quickly. Another good choice is soy candles.

How about roses…romantic right? Well, not if they’re sprayed with pesticides! These are toxic to our planet and to the growers. Look for organically grown flowers that use only natural repellants. When you choose something like that, you’re not only removing harmful chemicals from our environment, you’re also helping to improve the lives of flower growers, who are mostly women in developing nations.

Now, what goes in your body…Chocolate, which I think is my favorite food, is the ultimate in romance. Dark chocolate triggers feel-good chemical endorphins in our brain, which is so important for getting in the mood. The Aztecs believed that chocolate had aphrodisiac qualities, acting almost like a love potion. But most commercially made chocolate contains pesticides. So look for organic chocolates – they’re non toxic and delicious.

Finally, wine and champagne. Did you know that conventionally grown grapes are one of the most heavily sprayed crops on the planet? So, again, look for organic wine and champagnes. You can find some amazing organic varieties that taste wonderful, are very high quality and are competitively priced to those made conventionally.

Try green romance this Valentine’s Day. Non-toxic products will enhance your health, vitality and in turn your sensuality.

Beth Greer, Super Natural Mom™, is the bestselling author of Super Natural Home as well as a radio talk show host and impassioned champion of toxin-free living who busts open the myth that our homes are safe havens. Beth is a columnist for The Washington Times Communities, Greenopolis.com and NaturallySavvy.com. Follow Beth on Twitter. Become a fan on Facebook.

(Photo Credit: Creativity+ Timothy K Hamilton on Flickr.com)

Rhonda Spellman, Autism Advocate and author of The Journey, Home From Autism: From Suspicion to Success! talks about how she discovered ways to help her young son to talk again. He went from being nearly mute to writing books and a screenplay in the 4th grade. Rhonda reveals how children with autism retain more toxins in their bodies and what you can do to help them detox.

Elizabeth Grossman, journalist and author of Chasing Molecules: Poisonous Products, Human Health, and the Promise of Green Chemistry, talks about the everyday toxics we are exposed to including nanotech products and the advancements being made in areas like cosmetics, electronics, big pharma and the textile industry. She gives tips on what we can do right now to avoid toxins.

Recorded 1/27/10

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Studies from around the world are now being released with some startling news about using cell phone safety. A Swedish study reports that radio waves from mobile phones penetrate deep into the brain not just around the ear. Researchers found that using your cell phone for 10 years or longer will double the risk of getting an acoustic neuroma – a tumor on a nerve connecting your ear to your brain – and children, because they have thinner skulls than adults and nervous systems that are still developing, are particularly vulnerable to it. Other scientists warn that there is a 420% greater chance that young people who start using a cell phone before age 20 will develop a brain tumor later in life.

But it’s not only long term use of cell phones that’s of concern; short-term use also can have adverse effects. Scientists at the Spanish Neuro Diagnostic Research Institute in Marbella have discovered that a call lasting just two minutes can alter the natural electrical activity of a child’s brain for up to an hour afterwards. Doctors fear that disturbed brain activity in children could affect their mood and ability to learn and lead to psychiatric and behavioral problems.

Britain’s advisory body on radiological hazards, the Health Protection Agency has urged parents to limit their children’s use of cell phones, recommending that younger children use cell phones only in emergencies. But, here in the U.S. there are no precautionary guidelines and toy companies are teaming up with wireless companies and going after kids as young as five.

More than half of American teens aged 13-16 have a cell phone and now. Most of them aren’t just using their phones to talk. They’re text messaging, taking pictures, playing video games and surfing the Web, which opens up a whole new set of concerns. I was also shocked to hear from friends that their teens sleep with their cell phones under their pillows at night. That’s an additional 7 to 8 hours of radiation going directly into their brains!

It’s not realistic or practical to give up our cell phones, but here are some suggestions on using them more safely:

• Use a headset, or speaker phone whenever you or your child uses a cell phone. And never, ever put a cell phone up to the ear of a baby.
• Limit your child’s use of a cell phone to essential purposes only and keep the calls short.
• It’s best to keep your cell phone away from your body – do not clip it on your belt or put it in your pocket. Instead put it in your purse or backpack.
• Switch off your phone when you go to sleep to reduce EMF (electro magnetic field) exposure.
• Before making a call check the number of bars that indicate reception – a good signal means that the phone is using less radiation to transmit.
• Charging your phone creates a high level of radiation, so charge it in another room.

Here’s a video aimed called “Cell Phones: Just Like Cigarettes?” that you and your teen might enjoy watching: (below). If you’d like a landline phone using no electricity, check out www.oldphones.com.

Beth Greer, Super Natural Mom™, is the bestselling author of Super Natural Home as well as a radio talk show host and impassioned champion of toxin-free living who busts open the myth that our homes are safe havens. Beth is a columnist for The Washington Times Communities, Greenopolis.com and NaturallySavvy.com. Follow Beth on Twitter. Become a fan on Facebook.

(Photo Credit: The Washington Times)

Kat James, a nationally renowned beauty and holistic health expert and author of The Truth About Beauty: Transform Your Looks And Your Life From The Inside Out, talks about how she transformed her body and skin beyond recognition, after a 12-year eating disorder and autoimmune disease nearly took her life. She also says offers tips on viewing your skin as a messenger of health, eating real food instead of denatured food for healing.

Dr. David Swanson, a licensed clinical psychologist and author of the new book Help–My Kid is Driving Me Crazy: The 17 Ways Kids Manipulate Their Parents, and What You Can Do About It. He talks about how parents can best deal with oppositional and defiant behavior in their kids, plus communication strategies and best ways to combat manipulation by kids.

Recorded 1/13/10

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According to a recent article in The New York Times, blocks of pink slime are mixed into conventional ground beef at McDonald’s and Burger King as well as in school lunches. America’s school lunch program bought 3.5 million pounds last year alone, the article reports, but ammonia doesn’t always kill pathogens. Government and industry records obtained by The New York Times show that in testing for the school lunch program, E. coli and salmonella have been found dozens of times in Beef Products, Inc. meat.

These types of pathogens are also found in chickens. Each year, salmonella and campylobacter from chicken infect at least 3.4 million Americans, send 25,500 to hospitals, and kill about 500, according to estimates by the national Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. While both salmonella and campylobacter are known to cause intestinal distress, campylobacter can lead to meningitis, arthritis, and Guillain-Barré syndrome, a severe neurological condition.

A recent USA Today investigation found that in the past three years, our country’s public schools have been giving our kids millions of pounds of beef and chicken that wouldn’t meet the quality or safety standards of many fast-food restaurants. McDonald’s, Burger King and Costco, for instance, test the ground beef they buy five to 10 times more often than the USDA tests beef made for schools during a typical production day. And the limits Jack in the Box and other big retailers set for certain bacteria in their burgers are up to 10 times more stringent than what the USDA sets for school beef.

For chicken, the USDA has supplied schools with thousands of tons of meat from old birds that might otherwise go to compost or pet food. KFC won’t buy them, and either will The Campbell Soup Company.

Translation: we give our schools food that wouldn’t be accepted at fast food restaurants. That’s crazy!

After USA TODAY presented USDA officials with its findings, Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack promised an independent review of testing requirements for ground beef sent to schools.

Until hamburger meat and chicken becomes cleaner, your best line of defense is to buy organic whenever possible, and look for “air chilled” chicken, which is among the cleanest, according to Consumer Report. Consider buying “grass-fed” beef which means that cattle were raised on pasture instead of in factory feedlots and not given any growth hormones or antibiotics. This meat is also higher in Omega-3 fatty acids and lower in saturated fat and cholesterol, plus grass-fed beef has 500 percent more CLA, a beneficial fat, than cows fed a grain-based diet.

Beth Greer, Super Natural Mom™, is the bestselling author of Super Natural Home as well as a radio talk show host and impassioned champion of toxin-free living who busts open the myth that our homes are safe havens. Beth is a contributing blogger for The Washington Times Communities and NaturallySavvy.com. Follow Beth on Twitter. Become a fan on Facebook.

(photo credit: Washington Times Communities)

Walt Bader, author of Toxic Bedrooms: Your Guide to a Safe Night’s Sleep and founder of Organic Mattresses, Inc. talks about how many health problems can be caused from the toxins and allergens in a new mattress, rather than from bacteria or viruses.

Judi Shils, spearheading the Bring Your Own Bag campaign talks about how Marin County, California is on its way to becoming the first county in America to have a bill passed to eliminate single-use disposable plastic and paper bags in stores.

Recorded 1/13/10

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There are as many as 17,000 secret chemicals that are potentially hazardous to our health, and to the environment, that we unwittingly use in our homes every day.

The EPA says that of the 84,000 chemicals in commercial use in the United States today, nearly 20 percent are secret. Of these, 151 are made in quantities of more than 1 million tons a year and 10 are used specifically in children’s products.

The Centers for Disease Control has been doing body burden testing on Americans for more than 10 years and has found toxic industrial chemicals in almost everyone tested. Also, The Environmental Working Group released a study that found nearly 250 chemicals including polycarbonate plastics, flame retardants and chemicals from nonstick, stain repellant, and greaseproof coatings in newborn babies! Today’s children harbor way more toxins than their grandparents.

Plus, we have no idea what the long term effects might be. These chemicals may exacerbate allergies and asthma, and can cause nausea, dizziness, eye, nose and throat irritation, cough, headache, flu-like symptoms, and skin irritation. As they accumulate in the body over time they can silently affect how efficiently your body runs—like whether you can maintain a healthy metabolism, burn fat well, and keep your hormones in balance. Some also are known to cause heart, lung or kidney damage and even cancer and nerve damage if exposure is prolonged. This in turn can have a devastating effect on your health. If your liver, for instance, becomes taxed by an overburden of chemicals, it may not work efficiently, setting you up for other health problems.

In Europe, things are different. The European Union is following what’s known as the “precautionary principle,” where the burden of proof that a product is potentially harmful lies with the chemical companies, not the public. The EU restricts hundreds of chemicals and requires the industry to test most chemicals before being sold on the market. That’s not the case in the US. Essentially, the only way we know something is toxic is after it has been used for years and causes problems for thousands of people. This is, of course, why the precautionary principle is so important. If the health effects of a product are unknown, it’s best to avoid it whenever possible. In other words: Better safe than sorry. With all the untested chemicals in use today, if you don’t follow this advice, you just became a lab rat in the study!

Our bodies are remarkably resilient in defending against the effects of these chemicals, but only to a point. Scientists question the cumulative effect. It is common sense to believe that the more chemicals you are exposed to, the more likely you will eventually be negatively affected by them. My advice is always choose safe, natural products when you shop. In my book “Super Natural Home” I offer suggestions on what to look for and even how to make some of your own.

Beth Greer, Super Natural Mom™, is the bestselling author of Super Natural Home as well as a radio talk show host and impassioned champion of toxin-free living who busts open the myth that our homes are safe havens. Beth is a contributing blogger for The Washington Times Communities and NaturallySavvy.com. Follow Beth on Twitter. Become a fan on Facebook.

(photo credit: Howard R Hollem – The Library of Congress)

MJ Ryan, change expert, life coach and bestselling author of AdaptAbility: How to Survive Change You Didn’t Ask For talks about the secrets to taking any change in stride and thriving when change is abolutely required.

Gerald Epstein, M.D., a physician and pioneer in the use of mental imagery for treating physical and emotional ailments talks about the techniques in his new book “Kaballah and Visualization”. He tells how to connect with the invisible realm to heal, enhance creativity, deal with stress and become more spiritual.

Recorded 1/06/10

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David Kessler, M.D. former head of the U S Food and Drug Administration and author of the NY Times bestseller, The End of Overeating: Taking Control of the Insatiable American Appetite, talks about how today’s food industry is manipulating people to overeat in the same way that the tobacco industry manipulated people to smoke. In this interview he reveals how the food industry and its scientists really operate, and he offers solutions to changing the way we look at food and tips to avoid overeating.

Debbie Robins, bestselling author of Shovel It: Kick-Ass Advice to Turn Life’s Crap into the Peace and Happiness You Deserve, talks about how we can gain control of our lives when the crap hits the fan…especially around the holidays. She shares some tried-and-true ways to stay sane and live a more mentally, emotionally, and spiritually responsible life. Plus, how to cope with frustration, irritation, anger and expectation.

Recorded 12/16/09

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