The 10 worst toxins hidden in vitamins, supplements and health foods

We are getting more aware of having  "healthy","natural" food and supplement for our wellness. And we see more front labels of food saying "natural" "healthy" as their marketing term, which actually TRICK us to make us feel these products will help improve our health. That front label is not necessary so until we read the actual ingredient. Some are TOXINS ! Read this.
 
The 10 worst toxins hidden in vitamins, supplements and health foods

Potassium Bromate in bread: Cancer causing food additive

I was making french toast this morning. I was making with omega 3 packed brown egg, organic soy milk and organic vanilla extract. All sounded good (however I heard there is no health benefit difference between brown egg and white egg even the color of egg yolk is different). But I was using white bread to the healthy dip to make actually potentially risky food! I love bread and I usually stick with bread made with whole wheat unbleached flour with no or less preservatives. But once a while I buy white bread for the taste (smooth, fluffy, less grainy). Especially for french toast, I like using thick white bread over anything else.

But I was shocked when I saw the ingredients of the white bread I bought from particular store, it contains "potassium bromate". This additive is used to strengthen bread dough to increase the volume and to produce bread with a fine crumb. That's why the bread is fluffy and has fine texture. Most bromate breaks down with heat, but when bread is not cooked with high enough temperature, small amount of bromate may remain.

Potassium bromate is known as cancer causing additive. Lab found kidney cancer on mouse. It is banned to use in most of the country, but is it not banned in US. In California, under proposition 65, the law requires to put warming sign on the labels. I see these signs sometimes on the shelves but I find stores and packages made us uneasy to find out the little label.
The list of current proposion 65 has 22 pages long (!) of all the chemicals to cause cancer. Is it very important to read all list of ingredients on the label and avoid to consume these chemicals. It is said the amount and risk to cause cancer is small and it is safe by FDA, but imagine if we eat this small amount of 'said to be non- risky' chemicals every day every meal for entire life, which most likely we do in some degree, the amount is no longer small amount as they say. Please be responsible with your health!!

Sunscreen Ingredients we should avoid

 Summer is now almost here. I also take skin care seriously as much as food I eat. It got me attention when I know the truth about sunscreen. I used to only care about the number of SPF and the title of the sunscreen. But there are more important facts to know about the ingredients. According to EWG (environmental working group), lot of sunscreen lotion contain ingredients may damage DNA and skin cell and disrupt the body's hormone systems, some even may speed the development of skin tumors.

Some of ingredients used for 'chemical' sunscreen to avoid:

• Oxybenzone (notorious hormone disruptor)
• Octyl methoxycinnimate (hormone disruptor)
• 4-MBC (hormone disruptor)
• Retinyl Palmitate or Retinol * ( form of vitamin A = when applied to the skin in the presence of light, it can form free radicals that damage DNA and may develop skin tumors and lesions)

Better choice of ingredients for sunscreen:

• Mineral sunscreen contains UVA protection, which does not appear to penetrate the skin
• Zinc oxide (mineral sunscreen)
• Titanium dioxide (mineral sunscreen) **
• Avobenzone (3% for the best UVA protection)
• Mexoryl SX (ecamsule) (European chemical sunscreen formula)
• Tinosorb S and M (European chemical sunscreen formula)

Sunscreens Exposed: 9 surprising truths | EWG's 2011 Sunscreen Report | EWG's Skin Deep

*  Contradicting to the fact that Retinol or Retinyl palmitate is used in anti-aging cream to reduce wrinkles and sun spots and increase collagen to regain elasticity of your skin. However, it can't be used in the presence of light even with sunscreen. If you are using Retinol skin care product, use only at night and have very good sun protection during the day.

** Titanium dioxide controversy: although Titanium dioxide is listed as safe mineral, the form of ultrafine or namo particles (less than 0.1 microns = 100 nanometers(nm)) can penetrate the cells, leading to photocatalysis within the cell, causing DNA damage after exposure to sunlight. Coarse (less then 10 microns = 10000 nm) or fine (less than 2.5 microns = 2500nm) particles are safe and effective at deflecting and absorbing UV light, protecting the skin.

 This one is what I start to use this summer. Aubrey Organics Natural Sun SPF 30+ Unscented for sensitive skin and children 
So far, the coverage is very good. There is no typical sunscreen smell that I don't like. Lotion is kind of heavy. If you apply on your face and take picture with flash, I think the face will show very white......
There is same thing with SPF15. It is little more creamier than 30+ and less paste like.