Thank God it’s Tuesday!  We’re sharing one of our favorite food storage tools ever – the SnackTAXI.  They’re a great alternative to disposable plastic bags and cling wrap.  Their heavy duty woven nylon lining gives then a moisture barrier, adding flexibility in the foods they can hold.  They are must-have addition to your diaper bag, lunch and at-home storage.

SnackTAXI’s are mom-invented and they’re even made in the USA.  The mom-owned company relies on a core group of talented local seamstresses, and you know how we love that!

Our Favorite Features

• Can be machine washed and dried, or simply wiped clean with a damp sponge
• Very durable materials with heavy stitching
• Reusable and waste-free
• BPA, PVC and Phthalate free
• Sandwich size dimensions: 7.5″ W x 6″ H
• Snack size dimensions:  6″ W x 4.5″ H

Thank God It’s Tuesday Giveaway!

For TGI Tuesday we’re giving away two SnackTAXI’s (your choice of size).  We’ll be giving one away via live giveaway on Twitter at 3pm EST today and another set via Blog Drawing right here (ends tomorrow at midnight CST).

How to enter our live giveaway via Twitter (#TuesGiveaway)

1. Follow us on Twitter @thesoftlanding
2. We’ll send out a contest announcement on Twitter at 3pm EST, and you’ll be entered automatically when you copy/paste that announcement and re-tweet it.  Our tweet will look something like this:  “RT to WIN: @thesoftlanding is giving away XYZ to the 50th person to tweet this!” (the tweet will be sent out right at 3pm EST and will not look exactly like this one – so be watching on Twitter)
3. The lucky tweet(s) will win!  We’ll notify everyone by tweeting the winner(s) Twitter ID when the contest ends.  Please check our profile page at http://www.twitter.com/thesoftlanding.com for updates
4. The winner(s) will contact us at info@thesoftlanding.com with their full name and shipping address to claim their prize
5. If you’ve won in the last 30 days, you will not be eligible to win today

How to Enter the Blog Contest

Don’t worry if you can’t make it to our TGI Tuesday Giveaway today, because you can enter here on our blog too for a chance to win!  Simply leave a comment right here on this blog post by midnight tomorrow March 10, 2010.  One entry per person. Open to all blog readers worldwide!

See our Privacy Policy here

I had the opportunity to interview Steve Perrine, author of The New American Diet, Editor of Children’s Health and Editor-at-Large for Men’s Health.

In our recorded interview, you’ll  learn why:

• The Old American Diet has stripped vital nutrients from our food, trained our bodies to store fat, and kept us hungry and unhappy
• Solutions that will trim flab from our bodies, improve our emotional well-being, and cut down our impact on the environment
• Top 3 recommendations for removing surprise obesogens from your diet
• How to support repair for harm from exposure

Click here, then click download to listen

*Note:  After clicking download, the MP3 will open in a new window and is about 12 minutes long.

>> READ more about how folate can help reverse damage done by BPA here.

What are obesogens and where are they found?

The term “obesogen” was recently coined in 2009 by researchers to describe the known outcomes of a group of endocrine disrupting chemicals found throughout our current food system.   Study after study links them to weight gain and, in turn, numerous other diseases that plague Americans.

Obesogens enter our bodies from a shocking number of sources other than plastics — natural hormones found in soy-based products, hormones given to animals,  ingredients added to processed foods, and pesticides sprayed on produce. They act in a variety of ways: by mimicking human hormones such as estrogen, by misprogramming stem cells to become fat cells, and possibly by altering the function of genes.

The New American Diet arrives on the scene

This is extremely unsettling, and yet it rings true for me.  My own experience with weight gain and constant issues with disruptions in my own endocrine system (namely Hashimoto’s and recurrent, painful thyroditis) made me sit up and take notice when I heard an interview with Steve Perrine, author of The New American Diet.

And I honestly thought I had my family’s diet pretty well lined out with organic meats, milk, eggs and produce – - until I finally broke down and watched Food Inc last month. I was shocked to learn how off-kilter our food system is and I was left feeling overwhelmed and wondering what to do next. It’s difficult to find your way in a world full of pre-packaged, processed convenience food.  Food that routinely contains untested chemicals that are legally hidden under the “artificial flavoring” label.

This is where the New American Diet came to the rescue for me.  The book is so much more that a weight loss plan, laying out a doable strategy for avoiding chemical pitfalls based on current obesogen research.

• The important differences between naturally raised meats and factory farmed meats
• How high fructose corn syrup (which is found in 70% of all prepackaged food) can effect our sensitivity to leptin, resulting in false hunger
• The link between high levels of organochlorides in people and higher frequency of disruptions in their thyroid function (organochlorides are pollutants from pesticides sprayed on corn and soy which are woven into almost every facet of prepackaged food)
• How exposure to endocrine disrupting chemicals in children ages 7 and under can cause immediate effects, but can also lead to latent periods where children are set up for a host of metabolic problems

But it’s  not all bad news!  I had the opportunity to interview Steve Perrine about The New American Diet about tips on how to best to avoid surprising obesogens in common foods and food packaging.  In our recorded interview, you’ll  learn about his top 3 recommendations for getting started on the road to obesogen-free eating.

Check back for the interview on Monday morning

Crocodile Creek Playballs are an easy choice for parents struggling to find BPA and PVC-free toys.   And we’re going to make adding these adorable balls to your arsenal of fun easier in the TGI Tuesday Giveaway!

The Crocodile Creek 5″ Playball makes playground games more fun with this hard to miss ball!  With a sassy frog on one side, and the word “Ribbit” on the other, the smiling green and orange ball makes a welcome addition to a kiddo’’s collection of outdoor toys.

Features:

• Ball is made of rubber, NOT PVC
• 5″ size is perfect to take-along anywhere and great for little hands
• Promotes early and gross motor skills
• Promotes social and emotional development, as well as, independent play

Thank God It’s Tuesday Giveaway!

For TGI Tuesday we’re giving away two Crocodile Creek Balls (your choice of design).  We’ll be giving one away via live giveaway on Twitter at 3pm EST today and another set via Blog Drawing right here (ends tomorrow at midnight CST).

How to enter our live giveaway via Twitter (#TuesGiveaway)

1. Follow us on Twitter @thesoftlanding
2. We’ll send out a contest announcement on Twitter at 3pm EST, and you’ll be entered automatically when you copy/paste that announcement and re-tweet it.  Our tweet will look something like this:  “RT to WIN: @thesoftlanding is giving away XYZ to the 50th person to tweet this!” (the tweet will be sent out right at 3pm EST and will not look exactly like this one – so be watching on Twitter)
3. The lucky tweet(s) will win!  We’ll notify everyone by tweeting the winner(s) Twitter ID when the contest ends.  Please check our profile page at http://www.twitter.com/thesoftlanding.com for updates
4. The winner(s) will contact us at info@thesoftlanding.com with their full name and shipping address to claim their prize
5. If you’ve won in the last 30 days, you will not be eligible to win today

How to Enter the Blog Contest

Don’t worry if you can’t make it to our TGI Tuesday Giveaway today, because you can enter here on our blog too for a chance to win!  Simply leave a comment right here on this blog post by midnight tomorrow March 3, 2010.  One entry per person. Open to all blog readers worldwide!

See our Privacy Policy here

Today we’re tackling another great suggestion submitted by one of our readers:  what type of plastic are FoodSaver and Seal-a-Meal vacuum bags made from and is it safe?

We spoke with Jarden Consumer Solutions, who happens to make both products, and confirmed that all of their 5 ply vacuum bags are made from poly nylon plastic.  They explained that the bags are a polyethylene/nylon blend and all  bags are BPA-free.   And they are made without PVC and phthalates as well.  This is great news for folks who buy their food in bulk and freeze extras for future use!

By the way, many of the FoodSaver and Seal-a-Meal products are available through Amazon.com – - and you can support the Environmental Working Group’s amazing research by using THIS LINK to shop

Over the last few years we’ve been smacked by so much information about the damage done to our endocrine systems by hormone-mimicking chemicals like BPA.  We’ve removed as many obvious sources as we can, and yet so  many are simply out of our control.  Canned foods remain one of those BPA-laden giants and manufacturers are having a hard time finding safer alternatives, leaving busy folks with few pre-prepared choices.

So what can we do to protect ourselves against exposures we can’t control?  And beyond that, is there anyway to reverse damage that has already been done?

There is exciting news on this front!  Dr. Greene recently discussed the protective nature of folate intake based on a preliminary study done by Duke University researchers.  They found that the effects of BPA on the babies of pregnant mice were negated when folate was introduced.  This was true even with significant exposure to the endocrine disrupting chemical!

These nutrients switched the genes back the way they should be, and the BPA effect was completely nullified. The researchers describe this as compelling evidence that certain nutrients can counteract BPA when given during pregnancy.  Beyond this, the researchers propose that these nutrients could block the effects of chemical estrogen exposures, even if given later in childhood and possibly even in adulthood.

In The New American Diet, author Steve Perrine takes this theory even further.  He explains that research has linked the addition of huge amounts of corn and soy in our diets to a decrease in folate intake.  Americans are more likely to choose highly processed, packaged foods over fresh fruits and vegetables than ever before.

Mr. Perrine gives us a clear picture of folate’s key role in our health when he describes how some scientists liken folate to a canary in a coal mine:

When folate levels drop, levels of obesity, hear disease, stroke cognitive impairment, Alzheimer’s, depression – and even resistance to some antidepressant therapies – go up.

Now before you run out to buy a folic-acid supplement, you should know that studies show that getting your folate from fresh food offers twice the protection.  The best sources of folate are found in green leafy vegetables such as:

• Romaine lettuce
• Spinach
• Kale
• Endive
• Swiss Chard

Always be sure to choose organic, pesticide free fruits and vegetables so you don’t end up adding yet another endocrine disruptor to your diet.  If you’re not sure how to prioritize your organic buying choices to best fit your budget, be sure to check out the Environmental Working Group’s excellent work on the subject here.

>> You can find other good folate sources can be found here.

We recently published Sassy’s new list of bath toys made from safer materials and we’ve had such a HUGE response from you that we just had to give some away!

Sassy is filling a gap for many parents when it comes to safe bath toys, because PVC-free options are still really hard to find.  If you’re still wondering why is going PVC-free so important, take a look at our thoughts on the subject here.

Thank God It’s Tuesday Giveaway!

For TGI Tuesday, we chose one for fun (the Pull n Go Boat) and one for function (the Suds n Duds Visor).  We’ll be giving one set away via live giveaway on Twitter at 3pm EST and another set via Blog Drawing right here on our blog.

How to enter our live giveaway via Twitter (#TuesGiveaway)

1. Follow us on Twitter @thesoftlanding
2. We’ll send out a contest announcement on Twitter at 3pm EST, and you’ll be entered automatically when you copy/paste that announcement and re-tweet it.  Our tweet will look something like this:  “RT to WIN: @thesoftlanding is giving away XYZ to the 50th person to tweet this!” (the tweet will be sent out right at 3pm EST and will not look exactly like this one – so be watching on Twitter)
3. The lucky tweet(s) will win!  We’ll notify everyone by tweeting the winner(s) Twitter ID when the contest ends.  Please check our profile page at http://www.twitter.com/thesoftlanding.com for updates
4. The winner(s) will contact us at info@thesoftlanding.com with their full name and shipping address to claim their prize
5. If you’ve won in the last 30 days, you will not be eligible to win today

How to Enter the Blog Contest

Don’t worry if you can’t make it to our TGI Tuesday Giveaway today, because you can enter here on our blog too for a chance to win!  Simply leave a comment right here on this blog post by midnight tomorrow February 24, 2010.  One entry per person. Open to all blog readers worldwide!

See our Privacy Policy here

It turns out there is good news!  It appears that you can make a pretty safe choice just by looking at the style of the product:

• It’s probably made from non-leaching plastics (polypropylene or ABS) if it’s hard and formed
• It’s probably made from safer fabric (polyester material and filling) if it’s a machine washable sling-style bath or stuff pillow-like stuffed ring (see the Leachco products below)
• You can safely assume that all inflatable baths should be avoided, because they’re most likely made from PVC.

We did compile a good-sized list for you too!  Please note that we didn’t research each and every product made by a particular manufacturer, so don’t assume if one of their products is mentioned here that all of their other bath products are automatically BPA, PVC and phthalate-free too.

We want to say a special thank you to Kirsten of Trying to Be Greener who started us on this research by cluing us into the unique FlexiBath (which will be available in the U.S. soon)!

FlexiBath

PUJ Tub

Spa Baby Orignial & Eco Recycled Plastic Tub

Prince Lionheart washPOD

TummyTub with Stool

Safety 1st Tubside Bath Seat

Aquababy Bath Ring

Dream Baby Bath Seat

Leachco Safer Bather

Leachco Bath n Bumper Tub

Summer Infant Fold n Store Bath Sling

As always, we’ll be adding to this list as we hear back from more manufacturers

P.S.  We had the opportunity to try the PUJ Tub out and we reviewed it here on our new blog Real Baby Real Food.

Possible causes of antimony in fruit juices

We’ve discussed the possibility of PET leaching both endocrine disruptors and antimony into bottled water based on the effects of variable physical conditions such as time, temperature and sunlight.   But this study suggests that citric acid in fruit drinks, which is known to be efficient at antimony extraction,  could leach more antimony than water from PET.

As reported by Food Production Daily, “One of the more striking findings of the study was that highest antimony levels were measured in the juices with the highest carbohydrate content, with cordials containing the most carbohydrate, and most antimony. The scientists suggested that carbohydrate may aid extraction of antimony.”

The scientists recommended further research be done in an effort to identify whether the antimony leached from the container itself or whether it was present before packaging ever took place.  At this point, it’s just a wait and see situation.  As always, we recommend not reusing disposable PET (#1) plastic bottles to reduce the risk of further breakdown caused by detergents, hot water and sunlight.

>> READ the full study from the Journal of Environmental Monitoring here.

Our Safer Food Storage Guide is the most popular resource we’ve ever compiled, so we thought we’d share some of our favorite BPA-free plastic food containers with you today!

Don’t get us wrong, we love our stainless steel and glass food containers, but there are times with they just don’t get the job done.  We use Lunchsense Lock & Lock containers in our children’s lunches for times when leak-proof  indestructbility is  a must.

Our Favorite Features

• There is a perfect size for every situation
• The larger container has two smaller compartments inside for children who don’t like their food touching, and the inner divider can be removed for larger items (like pizza)
• These containers lock down for a perfectly leak-proof lunch
• All items clean easily on the top rack of the dishwasher
• They are easy to open and close (a big plus for children opening lunch items on their own)

Thank God It’s Tuesday Giveaway!

It’s time for more TGI Tuesday fun!  Today we’re giving away a Lunchsense Inside Container +  Screw-top Bottle Set to one lucky winner via a live giveaway on Twitter at 3pm EST and another via Blog Drawing here on our blog.

How to enter our live giveaway via Twitter (#TuesGiveaway)

1. Follow us on Twitter @thesoftlanding
2. We’ll send out a contest announcement on Twitter at 3pm EST, and you’ll be entered automatically when you copy/paste that announcement and re-tweet it.  Our tweet will look something like this:  “RT to WIN: @thesoftlanding is giving away XYZ to the 50th person to tweet this!” (the tweet will be sent out right at 3pm EST and will not look exactly like this one – so be watching on Twitter)
3. The lucky tweet(s) will win!  We’ll notify everyone by tweeting the winner(s) Twitter ID when the contest ends.  Please check our profile page at http://www.twitter.com/thesoftlanding.com for updates
4. The winner(s) will contact us at info@thesoftlanding.com with their full name and shipping address to claim their prize
5. If you’ve won in the last 30 days, you will not be eligible to win today

How to Enter the Blog Contest

Don’t worry if you can’t make it to our TGI Tuesday Giveaway today, because you can enter here on our blog too for a chance to win a Lunchsense Inside Container +  Screw-top Bottle Set!  Simply leave a comment right here on this blog post by midnight tomorrow February 17, 2010.  One entry per person. Open to all blog readers worldwide!

See our Privacy Policy here