Oprah, Dr. Oz & Fussy say Stop Poisoning Yourselves!

My homeboy, Dr. Mehmet Oz and his amazing eyebrows, were back on Oprah to teach us how to stop poisoning ourselves.

The show started with two supa-unhealthy people. They followed Dr.Ozzie's instructions on how to stop killing themselves get healthy. Voila, now they are healthier and happier. ~Yawn~ It wasn't exactly titillating, hence the lack of photos for ya'.

The good part was when he gave great tips that we can do immediately to stop killing ourselves! Excited? Good, because this was a good episode after all.

Take Your Shoes Off Inside!

     Mothers of the world- pump your fists in the air! Whoop, Whoop! Let's do an 'I told you so' dance.

I always worried about dog poop in the house, but apparently all the toxic lawn care products are even worse. Yikes! Ozzie said that the chemicals get trapped in our carpet. Babies will ingest them, and they become airborne when we walk over them. Dog poop- OK. ChemLawn- Not so much.

Never Heat &/or Microwave In Plastic-

 

  Oh, Sweet Redemption, I've been annoying people informing the masses forever. Plastic wrap over food and heating plastic containers releases chemicals. These plasticizers and PBas are endocrine disruptors. They mimic Estrogen in our bodies.

Only nuke your food in glass! Use a plate to cover the top. Melty plastic wrap that touches your hot food? Yikes, you are just begging for breast cancer. Stop it, now! California just passed a law banning toxic plastics in children's products. Good Job! Hopefully, more will be done to stand up for our health.

Have y'all read my post about plastics? "Exposure in even small amounts (plastic) has been linked in some studies to early puberty in girls, genital defects and reduced testosterone production in boys and impaired sperm quality in men, although the chemical industry disputes the strength of the studies.

Under the new law, any product made for young children that contains more than one-tenth of 1% of phthalates (pronounced "THA-lates") cannot be made, sold or distributed in California beginning in 2009."

Clean Without Poisoning Yourself-

Most cleaning products are full of toxic chemicals that build up in our homes and cause serious damage to our health. Have you seen commercials for Clorox Spray Disinfectant? We are lead to believe spraying that chemical gumbo on our kid's highchair and toys is a good idea? Not only do the chemicals we clean with build up on hard surfaces, but they become airborne.

Dr. Oz also mentioned how it is the teeny tiny airborne particles that do the most damage. Our homes are built airtight and these toxins just build up in the air we breath! We should open up our windows for a bit everyday to release the chemicals and particles we are breathing.

I have found White Vinegar works on my hardwood floors. I also love rubbing alcohol to clean with. Toxic? Don't drink it, but the inhalation of a bit of alcohol fumes aren't carcinogens like you have in household cleaners. Unless you are sniffing it in a closet, you should be OK.  If you have been sniffing it in a closet, you have worse issues, go get some help.

Check Your Basement.

Do the smell check. If it smells, then you probably have mold. Toxic mold is some nasty stuff. Go buy a dehumidifier and keep it going.

Also, keeping cans of paint, varnishes, et cetera- are supa-dangerous. If flammability doesn't give you pause, the fact that, even when closed, the toxins leak out into the air- should scare your pants off! If you keep them, then store them in a well-ventilated area, like your garage. Now, go put your pants back on. Yes, you too!

Dry Cleaning Doesn't Have To Kill You-

Normal dry cleaning solvent is a carcinogen. Bring it in your home, hanging it in the closet, and then taking the bags off is the worst thing to do. The out-gassing release of the chemical solvents will just build up in your supa-energy efficient home. Then we breathe in the chemicals for 6 8 hours every night!

I found a "Natural" Nontoxic chemical using cleaner for hubby's shirts. It is no more expensive and he can't tell a difference. Trust me, if it were any different, Mr. Smartypants would know. A quick peek in the yellow pages should show who goes "green" when dry cleaning.

Because I'm avoiding laundry duty of my high journalistic standards, I wanted to show y'all what I discovered in my fridge....

Unsafe plastics-

#3- PVC

#6-PS

#7-Polycarbonate

Look for-

#1-PETE

#2-HDPE

#4-LDPE

#5-PP

Love to all y'all,

Fussy

Comments

[JessicaAPISS]

Wow, Gerber needs to change it's plastic! Great to know if God sends us another bebe - kid will be safe and APISS will get to traipse into Whole Paycheck for Earth's Best, all thanks to the Fuss-ster. xoxo

[Michelle@Life with Three]

Thanks for passing on the great info in a very entertaining way, as usual! What/how do you clean with rubbing alcohol? Do you stick it in a spray bottle or something?

[Summer]

Always great info Fussy!

[Karen B]

Thanks for this post...some I knew and didn't have printable back-up (NOW I do!) and I didn't know about all right container letters/abbreviations...thanks.

[lindsey]

just another reason to make your own baby food. yay for safe and frugal baby food!

Vinegar and baking soda have become cleaning staples in my home. When I did use toxic cleaners I used to love the fresh lemon-y clean smell they gave the house...so I added lemon essential oils to my cleaning mixtures - lemon-y fresh and non-toxic! I also add lavender essential oils for the bedrooms.

Unfortunately, I don't take my shoes off in the house all the time - I require them in the kitchen when any cooking is being done. I do have a pair just for that though, that only have touched the deck when I've gone to cut herbs.

I love how Mehmet Oz insists on wearing scrubs whenever he appears on a show. Like he just got out of surgery or something. Would it kill him to throw on a suit once in awhile?

[michele]

best post. couldn't agree with you more. stop the toxins people! i shudder at the clorox commercials that are telling folks to use poison on their kids stuff. eeks! def. everyone should print this post out--kids or no kids. and how many kids have asthma? i bought natural cleaners from a woman who told me when she stopped using the toxic chemicals her kids stopped being asthmatic. amazing. that sure convinced me it was worth it.

[Frantichomecook]

Ok, I'm seriously freaked out now. But thanks for the recap. Good to know.

Although Dr. Oz is seriously heading into Dr. Spock territory.

[Adventures In Babywearing]

I love Dr. Oz. And I love this post, as usual! : )

Steph

[Jackie W transplanted Okie]

Wonder how long it takes Gerber to upgrade ?

[Alli `Mrs. Fussypants]

So happy that y'all liked the post!

How do I clean with Rubbing Alcohol? I normally pour it on a paper towel. I never use spray because I don't want the kids to think it's a toy.

[~Amy]

good post...yes, his eyebrows are scary. He looks like dr. spock to me.

I use rubbing alcohol also

[EMama]

You know everything, Fussy. Thanks for teaching us!

[Jenn]

This is a great post. I can't believe Gerber sells baby food in containers that aren't safe!! I won't be buying those again. Thanks for the heads up.

[MommasTantrum]

I heard somewhere that the #7 plastic not being safe was not totally true. That it just meant that it wasn't yet classifiable under the current types of recyclable plastics. Either way why not? Don't they know what they are making it from? I love it...Dog Poo OK. Chemicals NOT OK! I think I will make a sign for the door!

[Valarie Lea]

Oh great now let me go home and check all my stuff out and open up the windows. :o)

[Sarcastic, Funny and Brutally Honest]

I don't know what I'd do with out you fussy! Thanks for the info!

[Colleen - Mommy Always Wins]

I Dr. Oz, but I'm so glad you wrote this. I DVR'd the episode but now I can take my kids to the Zoo to play instead of watching it. :O) (Actually, would do that today regardless.) Thanks FUSSY!

[Anon Girl]

Snopes claims that the rumors about microwaving plastic aren't true, but I think Snopes is wrong. (Gasp! Can I admit that!) Microwaves and plastic don't mix.

[Marianne]

I'm a big believer in opening the windows for fresh air...my dh likes to kid me about it, but it makes a big difference.

I'm not so good at using non-toxic cleaners, but when I do clean (and I assure you, I'm no Neatnik Nancy), I always open the windows then, too.

Fussy, love your blurbed photos!

[Troye Stadler]

You are right about the plastics. I was always bothered by the fact that when I reheated spaghetti in a plastic container, it looked like part of the container was missing when I finished. I know it is not always possible, but, also try using the oven to reheat things. Your food will taste better, and you will reduce the other dangers of the microwave.
If you want to reduce toxins in your environment and your body, start worrying about the coffeemate and the sports drinks too. Check out all of the ingredients that you can't even pronounce mcuh less describe.

[Best Yellow Pages Websites Guide]

The content on Visitthebest. Was superlative.Got to know new things keep going….

[Lisa @ Stop and Smell the Chocolates]

Guess I have a few things to change! Well, at least changing one thing at a time is improvement, right?

[Jane]

Thanks for the info! Gerber baby food - who'd have thought?

[sari]

I found you from Jo at Musings of a Housewife!

I find it ironic that Gerber has organic food for my baby in baby-killing plastic containers. I guess homemade is better.

[To Think Is To Create]

You rock. Can you either adopt me or be my best friend? Or both?

[TLC]

You are so good at fun graphics. Loved the info, glad that you are getting it out there. Another thought? Water bottles. We switched to the Sigg bottles over the plastic grocery store bought ones. Greener and safer, too. (hey maybe there is a blog post there! If I do it, I will link you as inspiration).

T.

[Jennifer Taggart]

@Mommastantrum - Not all #7 is bad. #7 means other plastic (not one of the plastics identified as #1 - #6), so it includes polycarbonate plastic, which is what leaches bisphenol A (BPA), but it also includes bioplastics and plastics that are combinations. But, it is an easy rule to remember that #7 is bad, although not completely accurate.

@anon girl - Cling wrap and similar stuff used to be made of PVC, so the PVC definitely leached phthalates and other stuff when microwaved. But, nowawadays, most cling wrap (except for commercial) is PVC free - so no phthalates (phthalates are used as plasticizers in PVC, not other plastics), so Snopes says it is okay. BUT, other chemicals still leach out of other plastics, and most environmental health advocates recommend that you don't heat in plastics.

And #7 on the Gerber is NOT polycarbonate - it is a blend, with polyethylene touching the food. So it is okay (NO BPA).

Jennifer
www.thesmartmama.com

[Roxanne]

Very informative article. Thanks! We've long instituted the no-shoes-in-the-house rule, but my teenager will break the rule when he's in a hurry. I have to share this with him. He'll FREAK!

Didn't know about the plastics in the microwave. Yuck!

[Christine @ Serenity How?]

When I first heard about the microwave/plastic problem I went out and got some really cute nesting Pyrex type bowls - hey, any excuse to go shopping LOL! They come with plastic lids, which I don't use in the nuker. I use them for storing food in the fridge though.

Sometimes instead of a plate to cover the glass containers I use a paper towel or waxed paper. I haven't heard anything bad about those.

Someone else commented that snopes.com said it's okay to use plastic wrap in the microwave, but I'm with her. I'd rather not take the chance.