The human skin wraps and protects our bodies. It constitutes a living, dynamic tissue system. It has the remarkable ability to absorb applied products, partially or completely, into the bloodstream. In fact, up to 60% of the products we use on our skin are absorbed and deposited into the circulatory system (Fairley, 2001). For instance, the average woman absorbs 30 pounds of the ingredients contained in moisturizers over sixty years (Dr.Hauschka).
These new understandings of how the skin functions reveal concerns about the possible long term effects due to the combination of chemicals used in cosmetics, often termed the “chemical cocktail effect”. Several chemicals which are used in common, popular cosmetics are known irritants and carcinogens. Concern stems from the knowledge that most of these ingredients are derived synthetically or from petroleum. Avoiding these substances serve to decrease overall exposure to harmful or irritating cosmetic ingredients.
Ingredients to Avoid
Forms Found in Cosmetics and Possible Negative Side Effects
Aluminum
- Thought to contribute to Alzheimer’s Disease.
- Found in almost all antiperspirants.
- Works by blocking pores so sweat cannot be released by the skin.
Artificial colours
- FD&C, derived from coal tar.
- For example, Azo dyes are a risk to asthmatics, eczema sufferers and people sensitive to aspirin.
- Causes hyperactivity in children, severe headaches, blurred vision and itchy/watery eyes and nose (Antczak, 2001).
Benzoates
- Benzoates Benzoic acid, sodium benzoate or parahydroxy benzoate.
- Used as a preservative in cosmetics and fizzy drinks.Causes gastric irritation, numbing of the mouth and aggravates asthma (Antczak, 2001).
Certain essential oils
- Rosemary is harmful to epileptics.Sage is not recommended for pregnant women.
DEA, MEA, TEA
- Causes allergic reactions, irritating to eyes and dries out hair and skin (Fairley, 2001).
Dibutyl phthalate
- Found in all persons tested by the CDC (Center for Disease Control, USA) in a 2000 Fall study.
- Highest levels were found in women of reproductive age.
- Causes birth defects in animals, and damaging to the male reproductive system (ABC News, Internet Ventures 2000).
- Used in cosmetics to assist the absorption of other ingredients.
Formaldehydes
- A preservative.
- Causes skin reactions.
- Imidazolidinyl urea is the second most identified preservative causing contact dermatitis ( American Academy of Dermatology: Fairley, 2001).
- DMDM hydantoin
- Quaternium 15
- Diazolidinylurea
- 2-bromo-2-nitropropane-1
- 3-diol
Fragrances
- Can contain up to 200 undeclared substances (Fairley, 2001).
- Major cause, in addition to artificial colours, of skin irritations and allergies (Antczak, 2001).
- May cause dizziniess, skin irritation and hyperpigmentation (Fairley, 2001).
Genetically Modified Organisms
- Soy, Corn
- Effects still undetermined.
Isopropyl Alcohol
- Drying agent, from petroleum.
Keratolytic chemicals
- Such as hydroxyl acids, retinoic acid.
- Corrosive, used in skin peels.
- Dissolves the stratum corneum of the epidermis (outermost layer), making skin more sensitive to sun damage.
- Accelerates production of dead skin cells; the skin thickens to repair its surface so that vulnerable skin cells underneath are protected from the effects of skin peeling.(Antczak, 2001).
Methylisothiazolinone
- Causes allergic reactions and irritations (Fairley, 2001).
Parabens
- Petroleum product.
- Triggers skin irritations and may be an xerestrogen (Fairley, 2001).May play a role in falling sperm counts and rising breast cancer rates (Fairley, 2001).Used in 99% of all cosmetics (Fairley, 2001), and in many so-called ‘natural’ products.
Parraffin
- Derived from petroleum.
- In the form of wax, mineral oil or petrolatum.
- Comedogenic, i.e.blocks pores.
Propylene Glycol
- When derived from petroleum.
- Increases the amount of acid in the body, resulting in metabolic problems.
- Large amounts are needed to produce this effect (Agency forToxic Substances and Disease Registry or ATSDR, 2003).
Sodium laureth sulfate, sodium lauryl sulfate
- Forms carcinogenic nitrogen compounds when combined with specific ingredients.
- Irritating to eyes, skin and lungs (Antczak, 2001).
- Harmful if swallowed and may cause damage to eyes (Antczak, 2001).
Tallow
- Animal fat.
- Not suitable for vegans, and may be a skin irritant.
Toluene
- Found in many nail products and nail polish removers.
- Produced during the process of making gasoline and other fuels from crude oil or coal.
- Evaporates into the air when products containing toluene are opened.
- May affect the nervous system, and/or cause tiredness, confusion, weakness, nausea, or loss of appetite.
- Symptoms disappear when exposure is eliminated (ATSDR, 2003).
In Canada, not all cosmetics list their ingredients on their labels, but most have toll free telephone numbers which link you to their customer service departments, where inquiries about ingredient lists can be made. Reading labels and recognizing problematic ingredients are necessary skills for a consumer who intends to choose products that are completely natural. The cost of a cosmetic is not a reliable indicator of either its quality or natural characteristics. Most cosmetics, from the lowest priced, to the most costly brands, are composed of identical base ingredients (Begoun, 1991).
Cosmetics do not stay on the surface of the skin without penetrating to some degree. Lipstick wearers, for example, consume 1.5 to 4 tubes in a lifetime (Aveda). If one considers the ingredients being internalized by the body, absorbing plant oils and waxes, mineral pigments or essential oils is a healthier alternative than absorbing petroleum by-products and synthetic chemicals. The ability to choose the right cosmetics for you depends on accurate ingredient knowledge, personal needs and market choices. Caring for one’s whole body includes skin care choices that support and contribute to a healthy lifestyle.
Natural cosmetic products and make-up are safer, healthier alternatives especially when these products are composed of all natural ingredients. A natural product is described as one that contains mostly or completely naturally derived ingredients (Antczak, 2001). It also indicates that the product is free from, or contains minute amounts of artificial chemical additives. Caution is required when products claim to be natural. For instance, they may contain small amounts of plant extracts, but the bulk of the product is petroleum based and loaded with fragrances. Instead, consider switching to completely natural products, which perform to the same standard as their non-natural counterparts. The Organic Make-up Company offers a wide range of simple, affordable and high quality products. Our cosmetic products are carefully formulated from plant waxes, plant oils, essential oils from flowers, barks and spices, as well as richly coloured mineral pigments.
Switching to all-natural cosmetic products and make-up can help you to avoid feeding your skin harmful chemicals. Many skin problems, such as acne, contact dermatitis, irritations and allergies may disappear once petroleum or synthetic ingredients are removed from your skin care regimen. Using fully natural products can contribute to healthy skin and a healthy body in the long term.
We invite you to give our natural products a try. They are completely natural, vegan and an excellent alternative to conventional cosmetics and make-up.
To view our products, please visit our website at http://www.organicmakeup.ca.
References:
- Antczak, Dr. Stephen and Gina, (2001). Cosmetics Unmasked, Harper Collins, London.
- Begoun, Paula, (1991). Don’t Go To The Cosmetics Counter Without Me, Beginnings Press, Seattle.
- Fairley, Josephine, (2001). Organic Beauty, DK Publishing, London.
- www.abcnews.com, ABC News Internet Ventures, 2000.
- www.atsdr.cdc.gov, Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry, April 2003.
- http://www.naturalcosmetics.ca
Lori Stryker has been researching and developing all natural skin care and make-up for the purpose of offering men and women safe, natural cosmetics for everyday use. She brings to her research a specialist in human biology from the University of Toronto, coupled with a professional home economics degree and an education degree from the University of British Columbia, fusing chemical and biological knowledge with food, family and textile sciences.
You may use this article but any modification or publication of this article for fiancial gain must be approved of by the author. The author’s name, Lori Stryker and her company’s name, The Organic Make-up Company, needs to by noted when used.
Lately I have been trying to limit the e-mails in my in-box to those immediately readable on screen, so I don’t have to scroll down. I have achieved it a few times, but it always seems to start spreading again immediately!
I’m sure I’m not the only one fighting against an ever-rising e-mail tide, so I have asked around for colleagues’ favourite tips and these came out top:
1. Discipline yourself to only download and read your e-mails 2 or 3 times a day - mid-morning and mid-afternoon would be good times.
2. Some can then be deleted straightaway, or at least put into appropriately named folders for later use. Only keep in your in-box e-mails which require action or to remind yourself you are waiting for a reply. Only keep the latest message in an ongoing exchange.
3. Take care with Subject box - be very specific and use dates if necessary, or later you could find yourself trawling through a long list of ‘Meeting’s or ‘Update’s to find the one which contains that vital information you need right now.
4. Draft standard responses if you receive lots of similar enquiries.
5. Sometimes the phone is faster and less confusing, for example if you are trying to change arrangements and need to make sure everyone affected is aware.
6. Don’t be tempted to use e-mail to avoid personal contact, particularly if there is already a difficulty - chances are that someone will misinterpret the written word without the benefit of accompanying verbal tone and body language, and you could end up having a drama to resolve.
7. Always re-read e-mails before sending them, including the Subject box - not only will you pick up spelling mistakes, but you may find the message reads differently to the way you intended.
Andy Britnell specialises in sales and customer service training for both the private and public sectors. Go to http://www.andybritnell.co.uk/ and you can sign up for my FREE short monthly newsletter and FREE e-mail coaching.
I coach corporate and SME clients who wish to achieve better results - see http://www.executive-coaching-for-business-growth.com/
Now that we’ve covered the “dos,” here come the “don’ts.” Although these questionable tactics have worked well in the past, the search engines absolutely hate them. If they catch you using any of these tricks, they may go so far as to drop you from their listings like a hot potato!
1. Beware irrelevant links!
Yes, it’s a good idea to get a lot of different links pointing to your site, but the search engines only like RELEVANT links. If they find sites that have nothing in common with the content on your site linked to your web site, they’ll lower your relevancy rating.
2. Beware irrelevant keywords!
Search engines hate finding irrelevant keywords on your site — especially in your meta tags. If they catch you using keywords that have nothing to do with the actual content of your site, they’ll penalize you for it.
3. Don’t “keyword stuff” your meta tags!
In the past, people used to repeat their keywords in their meta tags over and over again. This used to get them a high ranking with the search engines — but not any more! Search engines are on to this trick and will punish you for it by dropping your ranking.
4. Don’t create “link farms”!
“Link farms” are the evil cousins of the “information pages” we discussed above.
In the past, some spammers used to build multiple “doorway” sites that existed only to multiply the number of links pointing to their sites.
Unlike content-rich information pages,these doorway pages would usually only include a string of keyword terms that would earn them a high ranking with the search engines.
The search engines have caught on to this tactic, however, and will drop you from their listings if they find you using it.
5. Avoid “free for all” link pages!
Don’t bother placing links to your site on pages where everyone and their dog is invited to put up a link. Such sites have extremely low relevancy ratings and will cost you points with the search engines.
Essential tools and resources to optimize your site and stay n top of the search engine game
There are a lot of great tools out there that can help you optimize your web site while ensuring that you stay on the good side of all the search engines. Here are a few of our favorites.
Tools:
Wordtracker: This great online tool helps you select specific keyword phrases that will direct more traffic to your site. Free and paid versions are available.
SitePromoter: This useful software program helps you create individualized submissions to the different search engines.
Optilink: A lot of search engine optimization experts swear by this software. It’s a “link reputation analyzer” that helps you determine a site’s reputation and why the search engines like it or dislike it. It certainly comes in handy when you’re checking out the competition or looking for reputable sites to link to yours!
WebPosition Gold: This is a great piece of search engine placement software that generates Web pages designed to rank high on the major search engines. It also analyzes your existing Web pages, providing suggestions for improvement, and tracks your ranking on different search engines.
Resources:
Search Engine News: Planet Ocean’s online resource, “The Unfair Advantage Book on Winning the Search Engine Wars” is updated monthly and provides excellent optimization tips and information on the Search Engine industry.
Search Engine Watch: This free site is another rich source of tips and information on the Search Engine industry. Paid memberships are available for more advanced content.
Search Engine Guide: This free site contains a lot of useful information about the smaller search engines on the Web, and who you should submit your site to in order to get a better ranking with the bigger search engines.
Final thoughts
Recent research by search engine optimization experts suggests that there is a surprising lack of overlap between the results produced by the major search engines. All too often, sites that are ranked high on Google get a much poorer listing with Yahoo! and vice versa.
This could mean that webmasters are focusing their optimization efforts solely on one search engine while neglecting to improve their ranking with the other. They might be using optimization tactics that work for Google on Yahoo!, without being aware that Yahoo! uses different criteria to index a site.
Either way, sites that aren’t optimized for both Google and Yahoo! are missing out on a lot of potential visitors.
And don’t forget, MSN will soon be throwing its hat into the ring and switching from Yahoo! to its own search engine technology. When that happens, you should be sure to submit your site to MSN as well.
No one really knows what the future holds for the search engine industry, but one thing’s for sure: Businesses that don’t stay on top of the changes are going to find themselves slipping behind. Don’t let that happen to your business!
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Don’t save cranberries for your Thanksgiving feast! They’re way too valuable to limit to just once a year. A mainstay of this traditional American feast, cranberries count among just three fruits indigenous to North America.
The Pilgrims named the red berries, but Native American Indians used them long before Europeans set foot on the new land as a healing agent and a dye for fabric.
Sailors ate cranberries to ward off scurvy and bartered with them for other goods.
Today, commercial growers raise cranberries throughout the northern United States and Canada.
HEALTH BENEFITS
Loaded with antioxidants, flavinoids, and polyphenols, this little red berry reigns as nature’s medicine chest.
Long known to fight urinary tract infections, cranberries combat potent bacteria such as Helicobacter pylori and Escherichia coli.
Cranberries inhibit the growth of oral bacteria that causes periodontal gum disease and stomach ulcers.
The highest antioxidant-containing fruit, cranberries offer a healthy, natural defense in the battle against heart disease and cancer.
Cranberry flavinoids inhibit the accumulation of bad cholesterol in the arteries, known as atherosclerosis.
Recent research finds cranberry seed oil rich in tocotrienols, a form of vitamin E, as well as omega-3 and omega-6 fatty acids. Cranberry seed oil claims the lowest level of saturated fat of the most commonly used edible oils.
New studies determine that cranberries may even fight the loss of coordination and memory common in the aging process, resulting in dementia and Alzheimer’s disease.
Extreme tartness prevents the cranberry from achieving “perfect fruit” status, at least for most palates, necessitating sweetening of juices and jellies.
HOW TO EAT CRANBERRIES
Juice accounts for most cranberry consumption, with jellies close behind. Pies, muffins, and other baked goods make tasty use of cranberries.
But how about Turkey and Cranberry Panini, or Cranberry Apple Scampi with Sweet Peppers? For an exhaustive source of cranberry recipes and cranberry preparation tips, visit Ocean Spray’s web site: http://www.oceanspray.com.
Think “Ocean Spray” and you think cranberry juice. Actually an agricultural cooperative owned by more than 650 cranberry growers, Ocean Spray boasts the best-selling brand name of canned and bottled juice since 1981.
Health food stores carry cranberry powder and extract, as well as cranberry flower tea.
FESTIVALS
Many communities celebrate the cranberry with festivals:
- Warrens, Wisconsin is the “Cranberry Capital of Wisconsin”. Residents of this Wisconsin community welcome 100,000 visitors to one of America’s biggest festivals. Events include a parade, shopping, and an arts and crafts festival. http://www.cranfest.com
- The Cranberry Festival in Chatsworth, New Jersey is the third largest cranberry festival in the United States. http://www.cranfest.org
- Bala Cranberry Festival in Bala, Ontario, Canada offers entertainment, attractions and vendors. http://www.balacranberryfestival.on.ca
- Harwich Port, Massachusetts Cranberry Festival features a crafts tent, food booths, carnival, entertainment, and fire works. http://www.harwichcranberryfestival.com
- The Stone Lake Cranberry Festival in Stone Lake, Wisconsin, population 544, hosts over 30,000 guests. http://www.stonelakecranberryfestival.com
CRANBERRY CHRONICLES
The cranberry claims it own
This small, versatile, and amazing berry deserves a place in your daily diet.
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