Beating Back Cancer: April 2012

Sunday, April 22, 2012

Vote for your favoite Kiss Lead Goodbye Video

Below are the three finalists in the Kiss Lead Goodbye Video Contest. You can vote for your favorite by clicking this link.

Here are the top 2 in no particular order. Definitely worth watching.
Entry 1: Get The Lead Out

Get the Lead Out from Alana Steinberg on Lead Stick Beware!

I just voted. Will you?

Kiss Lead Goodbye in your Lipstick!

Did you know...that most lipsticks contain lead. Let's join the Campaign for SafeCosmetics campaign to raise awareness. Want to get involved? Here's how:

Take Action
Stay Informed: Comment on Blogs and News
Action Alerts for Safe Cosmetics
Send an E-Card (select from 9)
Change in your Community:

Share Safe Cosmetics Materials
Table at an Event
The Complete Makeover Kit: host a safe cosmetics party
Legislative Toolkit
Ask Organizers to Endorse the Campaign.

At the simplest level, just stop wearing lipsticks with lead. Make wiser choices. Read labels. 400+ lipsticks contain lead. Let's kiss it goodbye!

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Wednesday, April 18, 2012

Real Reform NOW!

Sustainable agriculture, organic, the "good guys"

Self-regulation of a billion dollar industry simply does not work. Given that caveat, I am upset that industry labels at large cannot be trusted, which is why I continue to shop with small businesses like organic South River Miso who have an eco-certified digital footprint (Twitter, YouTube Channel, Facebook, and website). For 3 decades I have watched their eco-footprint, applauded their wise land management and production, and continue to support them.

But unfortunately, billion dollar business cannot be trusted with self-regulation, as this most recent and shocking informations shows. Enter the bad guys--because they lie with their labels. From the Campaign for Safe Cosmetics:

Did you hear the news? On Tuesday, California’s Department of Toxic Substances revealed that a variety of nail polishes contain high levels of hazardous chemicals despite product labels claiming otherwise. These chemicals, dibutyl phthalate and toluene, have been linked to birth defects, asthma and other chronic health conditions.

Labels shouldn’t lie, and whether you’re a nail salon worker or taking your daughter out for a mani-pedi, you should be able to trust that the products you’re using are safe.

This is yet another example of industry self-regulation gone wrong—tell Congress it’s time to fix our broken cosmetics laws now!

The good news: Congress is finally paying attention. Last month the House held the first hearing on cosmetics safety in 30 years and is considering updating our 70 year old cosmetics laws.

The bad news: The big cosmetics companies are pushing hard and spending big to keep the broken status quo in place—and we need your help to push back! Help us tell Congress, enough is enough! We need real reform now! Our message is simple: Any new laws must get rid of the worst chemicals in cosmetics that can cause cancer or reproductive harm. They must also require companies to be transparent and honest about what’s in their products and they must include a strong safety standard to make sure decisions about ingredient safety protect the most vulnerable populations – babies, children, pregnant women and workers. New laws must also ensure that states, like California, keep their right to regulate toxic chemicals to protect people’s health.

P.S. We’re a lean, mean, grassroots-powered machine but are in the midst of a David and Goliath battle in DC--can you chip in $10 today to help us push back against the cosmetics industry’s multi-million dollar campaign to stop real reform in its tracks?

Check out the video that began the campaign. AND check out their YouTube Channel. Game changer, I promise you. Not to overwhelm you, but your cleaning products are toxic too, likely. But that's another post.

ONE INGREDIENT--ARGON OIL! GET SMART!

So here's the skinny. Make safe choices. In a tight economy, it might be hard to send $10 to a watchdog organization that works to make cosmetics safe. But you can make wise choices and choose to use cosmetics that ARE safe. I recommend Josie Maron's 100% pure Argon Oil; been using it for half a year and look younger than ever. Get over the industry's hype about oil; whether you have oily skin or acne, the oil works to balance, smooth, and improve your skin's overall texture. Begin simply and start throwing out the toxins you spread on your largest organ--your skin.

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Thursday, April 5, 2012

Countdown to Chemo with South River Miso

SOUTH RIVER MISO in Conway, MA

With the certainty of sunrise and sunset, I know that on April 17, 2012, I will begin my journey to remission via chemotherapy. While doctors suggest that there is no connection between my wrist surgery and a cancer flare, I am not a believer in coincidence (read too many John Corey novels). Cancer spike and surgery--a definite link. With a clock counting down to C-day, I have been getting my life in order on the possibility that the experience won't be a good one. And I've begun to realize just how large my life really is, how much there is to get in order, even in retirement (which btw has been a good busy).

The River, the logo, and the concern for the human spirit

When I was diagnosed with Non-Hodgkins Lymphoma 3 years ago, I began in earnest moving toward organic living (again), something I had dallied with throughout my life. We live on a farm so every decision impacts the land and neighbors in our distant periphery. I began studying the toxicity in our life choices at every level and then returned to tried-and-true standards from the inside out. South River Miso has been a part of my life (almost) since their beginning. Found them in my then favorite health food store and never looked back. Buying all of their products, I can guarantee that their products are wonderful, organic, and healthy. While you can cook with them, and I do, I also enjoy drinking them as an AM hot beverage or a PM pick-me-up.

SOUTH RIVER MISO ON FACEBOOK

What I love about South River Miso is a company with roots to the land and their philosophy of manufacturing their product. Their ecological footprint shows a wisdom in land sustainability. A self-contained business that begins, grows, matures, and is harvested on their farm has endured and thrived for 33 years with consistency in product output.
AND THEY ARE CERTIFIED ORGANIC! But what I truly admire beyond all of the above is their smart use of social media. You can find them on Facebook, Twitter (@southrivermiso), and YouTube.

Martha Stewart took a field trip to SRM in 2001 and remarked that stepping foot onto their land was like stepping into another world in another time. See if you agree.

You can watch and learn from their Rice Planting at South River Series. Here's the first in the series.

For the rice in flower, watch this video.

Harvesting the rice is a fascinating video.

You could spend hours watching the series of videos related to the production of South River Miso, and admittedly I have skimmed over the process, but I heartily encourage you to watch the videos on their channel.

So, by the post's title, you may be wondering if there is a connection to beating back cancer with miso. The research is certainly not conclusive (but suggestive), nor am I promoting that using it will cure any cancer. But what I AM supporting is simple: chemotherapy robs your body of just about everything, or so I have heard from friends who have survived treatment. Putting something as wholesome as South River Miso in your body during before, during, and after this time is definitely helpful. I will continue to monitor and write about my journey, but I can tell you now that SRM will be an integral part of my life and I wouldn't have it any other way.

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