Featured Article:   Phthalates

Caution: These seven household items may feminize baby boys  . . . and they're unhealthy for you, too. Phthalates are the culprit.

Phtha-what, you ask? Phthalates are common industrial chemicals. They've been around since the 1930's, making vinyl out of hard plastics, acting as solvents, and contributing to the "fragrance" of many personal care products. The Centers for Disease Control tested 289 people in 2000, and found phthalates in all of their blood at surprisingly high levels. High phthalate levels have been linked to decreased sperm motility and concentration and altered hormone levels in adult men; in a recent study of 134 newborn boys and their mothers, researchers found distinct differences in the reproductive systems of the boys whose mothers had the highest phthalate levels during pregnancy. Further research revealed that those moms' phthalate levels weren't uncommon -- in fact, an estimated one quarter of American women would have similarly high phthalate levels.

Luckily, there are steps you can take to limit your exposure. Here are six seven common sources of phthalate exposure in the home, and what you can do to avoid them.

1.       Nail polish: Dibutyl phthalate is often used to make nail polish chip-resistant. Look for it on the ingredients list, where it may be shortened to DBP.

2.       Plastics in the kitchen: Take a critical eye to your cupboards. Phthalates may be more likely to leach out of plastic when it's heated, so avoid cooking or microwaving in plastic.

3.       Vinyl toys: Phthalates are what make vinyl (PVC) toys soft, so don't give them to children. Opt instead for wooden and other phthalate-free toys, especially during that age when they put everything in their mouths!

 4.       Paint: Paints and other hobby products may contain phthalates as solvents, so be sure to use them in a well-ventilated space.

 5.       Fragrance: Diethyl phthalate (DEP) is often used as part of the "fragrance" in some products. Since DEP won't be listed separately, you're better off choosing personal care products, detergents, and cleansers that don't have the word "fragrance" on the ingredients list.

 6.       Vinyl: Vinyl shows up in a lot of different products; lawn furniture, garden hoses, building materials, and items of clothing (like some raincoats) are often sources. Aside from carefully choosing materials when you're making purchases, there is one easy change you can make: switch to a non-vinyl shower curtain. That "new shower curtain" smell (you know the one) is a result of chemical off-gassing, and it means your shower curtain is a source of phthalates in your home.

 7.       Air Fresheners: New research from the NRDC demonstrates that, just like fragrances in personal care products, most air fresheners contain phthalates. That even goes for the ones labeled "fragrance free." NRDC suggests that you open your windows and use fans to circulate air and keep it fresh.

 http://www.enviroblog.org/2007/10/avoid-household-phthalate-exposure.htm

All Neways products are free of Phthalates.

Product Spotlight:    Refresh Bath / Shower gel

For many people, a refreshing morning shower or cleansing nighttime bath is a daily highlight. Everyone loves the feeling of being clean. Unfortunately, regular soaps and cleansers can dry out your skin.

You can transform dry, flaky skin into softer, cleaner skin when you stop using abrasive agents and products that contain harsh ingredients. Refresh™ Bath & Shower Gel gently, effectively helps clean and smooth your body, leaving you with soft, refined-feeling skin.

Use Refresh™ in place of soap. This refreshing liquid creates a gentle cleansing action that turns your daily shower or bath into a more invigorating, skin-nurturing experience. Refresh™ works wonderfully to leave your body clean.

Killing her Softly

Healthy Ideas:

Cleaning Outdoor Furniture and Grills

by Annie Berthold Bond, Producer, Green Living Channels

Simple Solution
You can forget the steel brushes, rolled up sleeves, dirty clothes, elbow grease and toxic solvents you think you need to clean black mildew off outdoor furniture and old grime off cooking grills. Our great-grandmothers knew the right stuff for this sort of heavy-duty cleaning job, and it is nontoxic and cheap.

Learn the easy way to get those lawn chairs and grills ready for use!

The answer is washing soda!

I first learned about the wonders of washing soda when I needed to peel wax off a floor. I'd read that this mineral was the basis of old folk formulas for tough cleaning jobs, so I decided to give it a try. Wow, did it do the job! I used a thick, damp paste, let it set for 3-4 hours, and it peeled the wax right off. I've been sold on the product for heavy-duty cleaning jobs ever since.

Washing soda (sodium carbonate) is also known as soda ash, and it can be found in the laundry section at the supermarket. It has many uses besides being a laundry booster, and it also neutralizes and eliminates odors.

Here are some fabulous old-fashioned (and not so old-fashioned) formulas for cleaning outdoor furniture and grills.

Plastic Lawn Furniture Cleaner

1/2 cup washing soda
1 gallon hot water

Dissolve the washing soda in a bucket of hot water. Wearing gloves and using a sponge, slather the water onto the furniture, and let it set for ten minutes or so before rinsing. For stubborn stains, redo leaving the water on the plastic for an extra ten minutes before rinsing thoroughly.

Mildew and Mold Cushion Cleaner
Tea tree oil is an essential oil that is a broad spectrum fungicide. It is available in health food stores.

2 teaspoons tea tree oil
2 cups water

Combine the ingredients in a spray bottle. Spot test on cushions to make sure there is no discoloration. Spray on the cushions. Don't rinse. In a few days both the strong smell of the tea tree oil and the mold will dissipate.

Cushion Cleaner
Assuming you can rinse your cushions, after you have killed the mold and mildew, spot clean cushions using the Plastic Lawn Furniture Cleaner, above. Rinse.

Note: Spot test the washing soda mixture on wood furniture first. It is a powerful cleanser, and you don't want to peel off any existing wood finish.

Grill Soak

1-2 cups washing soda
enough hot water to cover the grills

In a pan big enough to hold the grill (or the kitchen sink might work), soak the grills overnight in the washing soda and water. In the morning the grime on the grill will come off easily. Wash with soap and water, and rinse.

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