Post by Velar Fricative on Apr 24, 2014 9:50:58 GMT -5
I saw a big thread on ML that subsequently made me not want to consume anything ever again and go live in a bubble.
We've talked about HFCS, GMOs, etc. and I *used* to make an effort to stay away from things, but now I'm just lazy and we're all gonna die in World War III soon anyway.
Tell me what we should all stay away from and please post legit, non-Megan Heimer sources. Essentially, the ML thread made me feel like I'm quickly killing myself with the Splenda/Stevia I use in my coffee every morning and storing foods in plastic (and occasionally heating food in them, OMG). And apparently BPA-free plastics might kill me anyway? And should I bother with organic food? I do for DD but I figure my lifetime so far of inconsistent consumption of organic food means that ship has sailed for me.
I read the ML thread and immediately realized my futile attempts of composting and using cloth dish towels are nothing when put up against plastics, gmos, and apparently everything else in the world. I would like the same information so I can stock my bunker properly for the ZA and WW3 pleaseandthankyou.
I've been reading things recently that gmo's aren't necessarily bad. It's the gmo's that are modified to resist round-up, and then the farmers dump round-up onto the fields that create problems.
I took a class on risk assessment and toxicology a while ago. They discussed fun topics like how they determine how much mercury in fish is too much and why mouse models suck for determining carcinogenicity. My favorite topic was how we have no idea what long term effects nano-particles will have on the environment but they're widely used anyway.
Basically, by end of the course we were all ready to live in a bubble. Food, air, water, clothing. It's all going to kill us.*
*This course was taught by someone at the top of his field, not a "Dr" Megan Heimer type.
And may I also ask for links to buy/make things - I'm poor but want to save myself/my family and the environment.
what do you want to buy/make?
I once made, last winter maybe, my own powdered laundry detergent. It was from a thread here. I would like to make it again but can not for the life of me remember the thread (I'm usually good about bookmarking).
I'd also love to find some reusable glass/steel (which is better?) water bottles for my boys to bring to summer camp.
Post by demandypants on Apr 24, 2014 10:07:48 GMT -5
i want everyone to avoid soy. That way, there will be a surge of soy-free convenience foods for my allergic kid. err, I mean for everyone. Cause soy is the devil. Unless it is soy sauce. cause yum.
I make attempts at avoiding processed foods. But even that I suck at. So beyond keeping my kid away from foods that could kill her, I have a hard time making other restrictions on our family diet.
I try to live healthfully within reason, and then there are just some things that I am not going to stress myself out with worrying over, to be frank.
This is my philosophy.
I generally avoid artificial sweeteners because I think they taste gross, but I do average one coke zero a month.
I do heat my lunch up in rubbermaid plastic containers most days because I don't feel like lugging around heavy glass containers on public transit. I figure the benefit of bringing my own, homemade food, instead of fast food is the better choice there.
Honestly, nothing really scares me. I have no problems with actually ingesting GMOs; it's the environmental impact that SOME GMOs have that we should be worried about. I try to stay away from soy and very salty things because of my personal health issues (migraines and high blood pressure). That's kind of where I lean - that your decisions should be made based on your personal reactions to certain things.
All of these blanket statements about organic, GMOs, paleo/Whole 30, bla bla bla...they all seem to assume that there's one Ideal Human Condition that applies to everyone but that's simply not the case, I don't think. We're continually evolving and we're highly adaptive. There's not one ideal to strive towards.
Post by earlgreyhot on Apr 24, 2014 10:36:19 GMT -5
I'm not sure my anxiety can take a thread about all that's bad in the world. I am taking it one small change at a time.
Plastic We replaced 99% our plastic with Corelle and Stainless Steel. I'll be using glass and steel with baby #2. Never EVER do we put it in the microwave. Rationale: It breaks down and leaches into the food. With the prevalence of plastic in our world, I'll try and reduce mixing it with food as much as I can.
GMOs Doesn't keep me up at night, but I avoid just as a practice b/c it's probably something that should be regulated.
Organics We do organic where it makes sense, but don't go overboard. At least for DS and me/fetus, DH juices and does not buy organic at all. Definitely apples, berries, potatoes, and carrots are organic. Am trying to eat less meat, focusing on higher hippie-grades. Local, pasturized, diet will trump organic status.
Processed food This is something avoid pretty well at home. The things we buy are either food (meat, dairy, veggies) or have ingredients that are easily explained. (Bread=flour, salt, yeast). Try to keep our snacks simple (pretzels, applesauce, yogurt, etc). Though we aren't perfect (Thanks, in large part, to the new Trader Joe's up the street!)
In general: It's hard and feels like a losing battle. I try hard to make sure the groceries we buy are quality so provide balance to all the eating out that we also do.
I don't have a problem with ingesting GMOs. I have a problem with the fact that our food supply is increasingly in the control of Monsanto. I'd rather support diverse agriculture, which is why prefer to buy non-GMO products, and why I think food containing them should be labeled.
BPA-free. It's a meaningless term. All bisphenols do the same thing to the human body, ie they mimic estrogenic activity. Other families of chemicals also mimic estrogenic activity, like phthalates It's often just a matter of how they mimic it and to what effect. BPA-free plastics often contain other bispenols, phthalates, and other things causing the same estrogenic activity as Bisphenol A.
I think there's enough evidence out there to suggest that people who are concerned about estrogenic activity are not crackerjacks. Most of the studies in favor of plastics are industry funded. Ultimately, everyone's got to come to their own conclusions on how to balance safety with convenience, etc. But I don't think people with a plastic-phobia are nuts at all. The more I read about it, the more I think I will be on their team sooner than later.
Is there health data out there that compares health outcomes to people in developing countries vs developed countries that controls for "ingredients"?
I'm not sure if it makes sense, but I've thought about it a lot of the past couple years as someone who has spent time in developing countries. In the countries I've been in people typically cook from scratch and don't eat much processed food, don't use plastic to reheat, etc. So obviously life expectancy is high in the US because we have cancer treatment available for all of those that do get cancer to increase life vs in the developing world access to care is poor and will die faster.
So I guess my point is, are these ingredients really killing us and is there data that compares this around the world? Anyone?
Post by Dumbledork on Apr 24, 2014 10:51:12 GMT -5
Parabens in things like beauty products- shampoos, conditioners, make up, lube, etc. Basically, a lot of the crap that you apply and massage into your skin.
IIRC, they think it can lead to certain cancers and/or cause estrogen problems, especially in young girls.
"Not gonna lie; I kind of keep expecting you to post one day that you threw down on someone who clearly had no idea that today was NOT THEIR DAY." ~dontcallmeshirley
Minimizing/eliminating processed foods and sugar, eating less meat and bread, avoiding plastic when I can...this is where I am. If I can maintain that, I'll be pretty proud of myself.
Phasing out plastic containers BUT NEVER HEAT THEM. And no plastic food containers for the little one. Glass bottles only when we were in bottle phase.
Filtered water.
Phasing out parabens in beauty products.
No artificial sweeteners (they give me heart palpitations and headaches plus they are just gross tasting). And we try to avoid HFCSs.
Phased out cleaning products in favor of vinegar and baking soda.
DD sleeps on an organic mattress with NO flame retardants. In fact would love to get all flame retardant free furniture someday but not in the budget now.
Things I don't care about changing: GMOs, organic clothing, homemade or "all natural" beauty products, sugar, some processed food, fluoride toothpaste or fluoridated water (until I see otherwise, the benefits outweigh the negatives, just like vaccines). I still use canned food even though I know they are bad. And I can't let go of my standard probably super toxic deodorant.
Post by meshaliuknits on Apr 24, 2014 11:04:39 GMT -5
I saw "bad ingredients" and I was all ready to rail on and on about the evils of raisins only to find y'all are talking about, like, poison and serious shit.
I saw "bad ingredients" and I was all ready to rail on and on about the evils of raisins only to find y'all are talking about, like, poison and serious shit.
I saw "bad ingredients" and I was all ready to rail on and on about the evils of raisins only to find y'all are talking about, like, poison and serious shit.
"Not gonna lie; I kind of keep expecting you to post one day that you threw down on someone who clearly had no idea that today was NOT THEIR DAY." ~dontcallmeshirley
I saw "bad ingredients" and I was all ready to rail on and on about the evils of raisins only to find y'all are talking about, like, poison and serious shit.
Now I need to know. What's wrong with raisins?
Raisins are a cruel, nasty, unnecessary thing to do to an innocent grape. Grapes have a higher calling of juice, wine and jelly.
Post by Velar Fricative on Apr 24, 2014 11:24:42 GMT -5
About cleaning products - I switched to "green" products but I'm simply just acting like that perfectly gullible customer that these companies yearn for, correct?
About glass baby bottles - wouldn't the nipples pose a problem?
I took a class on risk assessment and toxicology a while ago. They discussed fun topics like how they determine how much mercury in fish is too much and why mouse models suck for determining carcinogenicity. My favorite topic was how we have no idea what long term effects nano-particles will have on the environment but they're widely used anyway.
I am a materials engineer in the area of nano-composites. The use of nano-particles in cosmetics in powder form terrifies me. In order to handle nano-particles in powder form at work, I have to wear a full body suit, latex gloves, and a full-face respirator. And people are sprinkling that shit and breathing it in in their bathrooms. WTMF?! No. Just no.
"Not gonna lie; I kind of keep expecting you to post one day that you threw down on someone who clearly had no idea that today was NOT THEIR DAY." ~dontcallmeshirley
About cleaning products - I switched to "green" products but I'm simply just acting like that perfectly gullible customer that these companies yearn for, correct?
Most of our switch to more "green" products was more to avoid petroleum based soaps.