Friday, March 20, 2009
How much tuna is safe to eat?
Friday, February 6, 2009
Product Review: Avalon Organics "Vitamin C Vitality Facial Serum"
Today's product review is for Avalon Organics "Vitamin C Vitality Facial Serum" from their "Vitamin C" product line. It's a serum I use fresh out of the shower and under my other face moisturizer on a daily basis.
Feels great going on, and I find it's good for making those dark circles under my eyes less prominent - especially in combination with one of Avalon Organics' other face creams in the Vitamin C line. Plus, unlike products in the lavender line, it doesn't tend to make me break out - a definite plus.
So here is the catch: the Skin Deep Cosmetic Safety database gives it a 6/10, or "moderate hazard" rating.
What I'm trying to figure out is why, given that the highest warning number for any of the ingredients listed on their site is a "4".
Curious to find out more? You can go here to see the rating on the site. See if you can figure out why they're slamming this product, because I'm stumped.
Wednesday, February 4, 2009
Product Review: Avalon Organics Co-Q10 Wrinkle Defense Cream
Sometimes I feel like finding and using a good quality cosmetic product is a losing battle.
A couple of nights ago, while waiting for a prescription to be filled at Shoppers Drug Mart, I came across a face cream by Avalon that I’ve been wanting to try. It regularly runs at more than $20-$25 per unit, even at my favourite lower-priced health food store; Shoppers was selling it off for $16.99. So what the heck. I got it.
Today (filed under the heading “why do I do this to myself??”) I checked on its rating in the Skin Deep Cosmetics Database online. A rating of 4 – “moderate hazard”.
Although a breakdown of the individual ingredients show none at a high hazard level – most of the ingredients are at a low level, in fact – the kinds of hazards cover the complete list: cancer developmental/ reproductive toxicity, “violations, restrictions & warnings”, allergies/immunotoxicity, as well as “Other concerns for ingredients used in this product: Neurotoxicity, Organ system toxicity (non-reproductive), Miscellaneous,Irritation (skin, eyes, or lungs), Contamination concerns, Occupational hazards”.
I suppose it could be worse.
In case you also picked it up, here are the key ingredients to be concerned about:
For more information on this product from the Avalon Organics web site, go here.
Thursday, January 29, 2009
Experiment: Changing Supplements
Friday, November 21, 2008
so ... do vitamins help or not? studies show ...
Factoid #1: Long-term ingestion of vitamins C and/or E don't seem to help prevent cancer.
Factoid #2: Vitamins C and E do not seem to prevent heart disease.
Factoid #3: Vitamin C seems to not only protect healthy cells but cancerous cells as well.
Factoid #4: Vitamin E, especially when taken in combination with other vitamins and/or minerals, seems to actually account for a HIGHER mortality rate (4% if only taking vitamin E -- 6% if taking vitamin E in combination with other vitamins/minerals -- according to one study) than taking nothing at all.
Factoid #5: In one study, people being treated with radiation for neck and head cancer were given doses of vitamin E. It seemed to reduce the side-effects of the radiation, but the cancer recurrence rates seemed to be higher in the group taking vitamin E.
On a positive note ... well, it's not all bad. B12/folic acid is still a good thing if you're a woman of child-bearing age. And taking calcium does seem to help with osteoperosis if you're a woman over the age of 65.
It's a fascinating article - suggest you check it out.
Monday, November 10, 2008
drinking coffee protects your liver? who knew?!?
- improved liver function
- decreased mortality from certain diseases
- ingestion of some great anti-oxidants
Wednesday, November 5, 2008
to vaccinate or not to vaccinate ... interesting article
Given that I have a kid myself - and was torn when it came to vaccinating him - I was curious as to what this particular magazine writer's take would be on the subject. The author of the article, Arthur Allen, has written a book on the subject called Vaccine ... and seems to be saying that the problems associated with vaccinations are unproven, and that the risks of NOT vaccinating are so much higher.
One of the most interesting points he makes are that there is a corollary between educational level received and outbreaks of illnesses which would be otherwise covered by preventative vaccinations. PhD? Chances are better that you chose to not get your child those shots.
Worth a read -- check out the article and let me know what you think.
And if you want to pick up Arthur Allen's book, feel free to get it from Amazon.ca -- it will help support my book habit! :)