The 21 Day "Empty Calorie" Fast

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If you follow me on Facebook or Twitter (@thoughthealth) you are likely aware of the 21 day "empty calorie" fast challenge. For those of you who are not aware here is my Facebook note that gives a brief overview:

"For 21 days we will abstain from consuming any and all empty calories. Sweetened beverages (i.e. soda, sweet tea, lemonade, etc.) and desserts (potato chips, cakes, cookies, ice cream, etc.). Also included would be anything artificially sweetened. Give your body a break from inflammation and rejuvenate your immune system. If you must have something sweet fresh fruit is acceptable." A few advantages of participating may be:

- allergy abatement
- inflammation relief
- deactivate continuous immune system response
- insulin burden relief
- support weight loss or maintenance through calorie reduction
- relieve mineral loss

This 21 day fast is not a gimmick. The purpose of the fast is many fold as suggested by the Facebook note. In addition to the reasons given in the noted highlights I would like to demonstrate through this fast how easy it is to consume foods and other things on the daily basis that only contribute to acidosis and weight gain without providing any nourishment to the body.

In the midst of this fast some people will figure out quickly how out of control we are as it relates to food. This brings me to why the fast is 21 days for there are several reasons. First, psychologically it is said it takes 21 days to break a habit. It is not the intention of the fast to keep you completely away from empty calories forever. Indeed, I only wish to bring into your awareness more often what it is you are consuming. Second, 21 days is enough time to show either weight loss or inches lost as the body basks in the glow of a break from the metabolic nightmare that is our current diet. Third, the liver gets a chance to take a breather which increases metabolism and the ability to cleanse the blood of toxins leading to better health.

In regard to artificial sweeteners it is a goal of this fast to give the liver a break. Artificial sweeteners taxes the liver giving no rest to the weary (liver). There are other issues to contend with to numerous to cover in this post but please refer to my artificial sweetener blog posts. They will tell you how artificial sweeteners actually lead to weight gain.

Naturally I cannot promise anyone that they will lose weight/inches or that your metabolism will increase. What I can tell you is that your weight and metabolism will not get better if you do not start somewhere. Underlying medical issues may prevent seeing physical benefits but internally things will either improve or stop declining. Ultimately the goal is to prove to yourself that you are in control of you and to stop the unnecessary downward health trend.

Contact me at Thoughtfulhealth@gmail.com, on twitter @thoughthealth, on Facebook (search my name Derrell Jones) or Skype derrelljones1

Much Love to everyone and let’s Take Back Our Life!!!!

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Keratin Treatments May Blow Out More Than Your Hair

Damaged hair requires natural healing

Keratin hair treatments have been around for more than a few years now. Many people have raved over its miraculous ability to straighten all types of hair. Apparently kinky, damaged, colored or otherwise distressed hair is no match for the Keratin treatments. And since Keratin is a naturally occurring protein these treatments have been regarded on some occasions as being a natural product. Women from around the country and the world have lined up to get this “natural” straightening marvel as the answer to their "hair hell" prayers. This marvel, however, is often little more than a cleverly marketed deception.

The Brazilian Keratin Treatment, as it is formally known, will cost you anywhere between $150 to $800 USD in a salon and is reported to last approximately 3-4 months. The claim of the Keratin treatment system is that the Keratin protein is responsible for the straightening action but there is another ingredient of great concern at work. That ingredient is Formaldehyde. Recently the U.S. government added Formaldehyde to the list of substances known to cause cancer (refer to my posts from 6/12/11 and 6/16/11 for more regarding Formaldehyde). Many experts believe that it is the Formaldehyde doing most of the heavy lifting as it relates to straightening.

The use of Formaldehyde and its parent chemicals Aldehyde and Aldehyde Salts (more on these in a bit) pose immediate and long term risk to the client, beautician/stylist, and by-standing customers and visitors. When the Keratin treatment is applied it is heated vaporizing some of the formaldehyde allowing it to be taken directly into the lungs. The potential for respiratory distress from the vapors is increased with each inhalation and could be felt immediately or develop over time. In addition, the formaldehyde applied to hair that is not vaporized breaks down over time and can be absorbed through the scalp and skin . The Cosmetic Ingredient Expert review panel has set the “safe” limit (as safe as a poison can be) at .2%. Test were initiated by Allure Magazine on some Keratin treatment products and found 10 times the recommended “safe” amount of Formaldehyde in them. In 2010 the Oregon OSHA and Oregon Health and Sciences University found that one popular treatment called Brazilian Blowout Solution contained 8% Formaldehyde while the company’s website insisted their product was Formaldehyde free.

Splitting Hairs (pun intended)

Many Keratin treatment producers have caught on that their customers do not want Formaldehyde in the products they buy. These companies also know that their products will not work nearly as well without Formaldehyde. What is a company to do? Some have chosen deception for the sake of profit. The deception goes like this: Step 1 - Remove the Formaldehyde to make the product more desirable. Step 2 - Add an Aldehyde or Aldehyde salt to achieve straightening ability. Step 3 - Advertise to the public your product is Formaldehyde free...brilliant! Unfortunately the same potential adverse health effects exist. Aldehyde is the parent chemical of Formaldehyde and possesses the same inherent dangers. Dubious and devious, indeed.

Consumer beware. Straightening your hair should not be detrimental to your health. Seek trustworthy companies that make safe products or seek to go natural. Choose wisely and be sure to tip your stylist (by tip I mean share this post with them).

Damaged hair requires natural healing

Sources:

http://www.orosha.org/pdf/Final_Hair_Smoothing_Report.pdf

http://www.abcactionnews.com/dpp/news/region_tampa/brazilian-keratin-hair-treatment-product-linked-to-formaldehyde

http://www.naturallycurly.com/curlreading/retexturizing/post-keratin-treatment-methods

http://www.carolina.com/category/teacher%20resources/material%20data%20safety%20sheets%20(msds)/msds-%20a-c/acetic%20aldehyde.do

Styrofoam: Is it contaminating your food?

All natural antioxidant support for great health

There was a time not long ago when I thought nothing of heating or reheating my food on a Styrofoam plate in a microwave. Today I seldom microwave anything at all (the reason will be addressed in another post). Before curbing my microwave habit I stopped using Styrofoam plates in them. It seems I read something or other a few years ago about the ability of Styrofoam to leach chemicals onto the food. It turns out that heeding the advice and not using Styrofoam in the microwave was a pretty good idea. Just last month (June 2011) the US Department of Health and Human Services made a bold, yet necessary, decision to add the chemical styrene to the list of substances reasonably known to cause cancer in humans. It is has been known to cause cancer in animals for years.

Styrene is a chemical used in the production of Styrofoam, some rubber products and cigarettes. In fact the majority of exposure to styrene is thought to come from smoking or inhaling second hand smoke. Second to smoking would be the use of Styrofoam products for containing or holding foods and beverages as a chief mode of exposure. With either heat in general or the aggressive manipulation of molecules through microwaving comes the breaking down of Styrofoam allowing chemicals like styrene to attach itself to our foods.

It has been established that long term exposure to styrene through ingestion or inhalation can be very hazardous. The Material Safety Data Sheet (MSDS) for styrene explains these hazards clearly. The acute (immediate) concern for styrene exposure is that it can irritate the skin, eyes, and respiratory system causing inflammation and pain. The chronic (long term) health concerns include nervous system toxicity, upper respiratory tract toxicity, targeted organ damage and cancer.

Using Styrofoam has become a way of life for most people. If used sporadically one lessens their risk from the long term damaging effects of styrene. Avoid using Styrofoam in microwave ovens or for serving hot foods and beverages. In fact, perhaps the best advice is to avoid any use associated with food all together.

Sources:

http://abcnews.go.com/US/styrofoam-chemical-styrene-added-possible-carcinogens-list/story?id=13815600

http://www.sciencelab.com/msds.php?msdsId=9925112

All natural antioxidant support for great health

Formaldehyde is not for the Living: Part 2

Flawless cosmetics without poisonous ingredients

Formaldehyde is an extremely nasty substance. At just 0.1 parts per million, which is not very much, it can cause eye irritation and significant breathing problems. If a person is asthmatic formaldehyde can be a nightmare triggering an asthma response without ever being fingered as the culprit. Continued exposure has caused cancer in animals and has long been regarded to cause cancer in humans. Studies of mortuary workers have revealed an increase in rare nasal cancers after being exposed to high levels of formaldehyde.
Does anyone remember the FEMA trailers used after Hurricane Katrina? After many complaints and hospitalizations of the occupants the trailers were all but abandoned with some choosing to live on the street instead of the trailers. Why? Formaldehyde was making the people sick causing a plethora of medical conditions. If the hurricane didn’t get them then the formaldehyde did.

The Chemical Industry
As you can imagine the chemical industry is incensed. There is nothing wrong with formaldehyde they say. This will cost American jobs they say. The science does not bear out the findings they say. Interestingly in 1999 the Canadian government, using science, labeled formaldehyde a toxic substance. And to this date many European nations have completely banned the use of formaldehyde based on scientific studies. It seems the only science the chemical industry likes is their own manipulated version (which is not science) with all other science being wrong. As far as jobs are concerned the job market in the European nations did not collapse do to the banning of this toxin.

Reducing exposure
There isn’t much a person can do about their work environment or the home that is already built. However, what follows are some things you can do now and in the future to avoid formaldehyde:
1. Avoid all personal care products that contain formaldehyde. Look at nail polish and any other nail care product. Also pay attention to all hair treatments and conditioners.
2. If you are having a new home built be sure the material used are labeled as U.L.E.F. (ultra-low-emitting formaldehyde), N.A.F. (no added formaldehyde) or C.A.R.B. (California Air Resources Board) Phase 1 or Phase 2 compliant.
3. Ventilate new cars as much as possible. This will assist in ridding the car of excessive formaldehyde accumulation do to off-gassing. New car smell is hazardous to one’s health.

We should be encouraged by our government finally stepping up on behalf of ‘we the people’. I would not be surprised one bit, though, if the government bends to the will of the chemical industry in the name of profit and recants its position. Regardless, we now know what most of the world as known for some time. Go in good health and prosperity.

Interested in a complete line of non-toxic personal care products and beauty aids including nail polish and make up? Visit mysisel.com/thoughtfulhealth.

Sources:
http://healthland.time.com/2011/06/11/why-the-federal-government-finally-acted-on-chemical-safety/

http://ntp.niehs.nih.gov/go/roc12.

http://www.dailyfinance.com/2010/08/28/the-awful-odyssey-of-femas-hurricane-katrina-trailers/

Flawless cosmetics without poisonous ingredients

Formaldehyde is not for the Living: Part 1

Flawless cosmetics without poisonous ingredients
http://thoughtfulhealth.mysiselpro.com/v1/Products/beauty/mineral_pressed_foundation.aspx

Just recently the U.S. government finally issued a safety warning about formaldehyde and placed it on the list of known carcinogens. It would seem that the U.S. is catching up to the rest of the world even if it is years after the fact. But why is formaldehydes new designation important to us?
Formaldehyde is a widely used substance and can be found in the products we interact with the most. Chief among these products are our homes, automobiles and personal care items.
The plywood used in home building is usually treated with formaldehyde. Automobile upholstery and other components are also treated or manufactured with formaldehyde. So the next time you are enjoying that new home or new car smell please know that it is the carcinogen (cancer causing) formaldehyde off-gassing right into your lungs. One exposure will probably not do too much damage but how long have you been inhaling these noxious vapors…10, 20, 30 years?
If you have ever been in a nail salon (or anywhere else where nails are done) you probably noticed the nail technician using a mask to cover their mouth and nose. It is not because they are afraid of your germs. They cover themselves to avoid exposure to particulates containing formaldehyde (as well as other harmful chemicals to include parabens). You may have also noticed who doesn’t have their faces covered. That would be the customers and anyone else who is with them like husbands, friends and children.
Hair salons are not exempt either. In fact, the exposure can be even more hideous since a good bit of heat steams the formaldehyde through any potential filters (read nasal cilia aka nose hair). Even certain treatments regarded as safe can contain formaldehyde or its parent chemical aldehyde (more on this in an upcoming post).
Part 2 will be posted within the next few days with important information on the chemical industry and how to avoid or minimize exposure to formaldehyde.
Interested in a complete line of non-toxic personal care products and beauty aids including nail polish and make up? Visit mysisel.com/thoughtfulhealth.

Flawless cosmetics without poisonous ingredients
http://thoughtfulhealth.mysiselpro.com/v1/Products/beauty/mineral_liquid_foundation.aspx

Sources:
http://healthland.time.com/2011/06/11/why-the-federal-government-finally-acted-on-chemical-safety/
http://ntp.niehs.nih.gov/go/roc12.
http://www.dailyfinance.com/2010/08/28/the-awful-odyssey-of-femas-hurricane-katrina-trailers/

If Swallowed Call Poison Control Immediately

When we think of ominous statements the title of this post ranks right up there at the top. It conveys a sense of urgency that should make one ready to spring into action to save life and limb in case disaster strikes. The disaster, as it were, in this case would be to do something as simple as swallowing toothpaste. All fluoride containing toothpastes carry this warning. Don’t believe me? Please go check. To be exact the warning goes like this: “Keep out of reach of children under 6 years of age. If you accidentally swallow more than needed for brushing seek professional help or call poison control immediately”. There are not many products on the market today that we are supposed to put in our mouths that carry a poison warning.

Commercially used fluoride is a by-product (read waste) of the organophosphate fertilizer industry. This is what manufacturers put into toothpaste. Fluoride has the ability to accumulate in our body’s overtime and is thought to lead to chronic illnesses and ironically brittle teeth through fluorosis. While fluoride in toothpaste work its long term damaging effects on adults our children can suffer immediately. All that is required to kill an average weight 2 year old is for them to ingest 60 mg of fluoride. The average tube of toothpaste contains twice that amount(it can average between 120 and 150 mg). Half a tube of fluoridated toothpaste can kill a 2 year old while an entire tube can kill a 9 year old. To be fair there aren’t many kids out there eating vast quantities of toothpaste but there are many consuming more than their fair share. When put into perspective the conclusion must be that there is no such thing as a safe amount of poison. Remember, fluoride has a cumulative effect. This toxin also has the ability to attract and then bind to heavy metals most notably aluminum. Once bound together the body has a notoriously difficult time ridding itself of either without specific detoxification protocols. Essentially, the poison that doesn’t kill you today will hang around and hover over your head like a toxic sword of Damocles. This is what we give our kids and continue to take ourselves on the daily basis.

At this point the collective groan of some reading this post can be heard saying: “We need fluoride for healthy teeth…or so we’ve been told”. As a matter of fact Western European nations have the same rate of tooth decay or lower when compared to America. The point is that most of the communities in these nations have long stopped fluoridating their water and use non-fluoridated or extremely low fluoridated toothpaste. Refusing to bath our teeth in sugar baths daily (sodas, chips and other highly processed sugary snacks) combined with proper nutrient intake and brushing with non-fluoridated, non-toxic toothpaste will lend us a better outcome.

The industrialized nations are beginning to wake up from its toxic slumber to reclaim health and vitality. Let us be more conscious of what we partake in and what we allow others to do to us against our own best interest. Our health is ours and it is up to us to reclaim it.

If you are looking for non-fluoridated, non-toxic toothpaste that is effective and safe for you, the kids, and your loved ones follow or copy this link (http://www.mysisel.com/vip/thoughtfulhealth/productscategory.htm?categoryId=83) for your answer. You can also find other great non-toxic dental products for your family to enjoy.

Sources:
http://fluoridealert.org/toothpaste

Akiniwa, K. (1997). Re-examination of acute toxicity of fluoride. Fluoride 30: 89-104.

Gessner BD, et al. (1994). Acute fluoride poisoning from a public water system. New England Journal of Medicine 330:95-9.

Levy SM, Guha-Chowdhury N. (1999). Total fluoride intake and implications for dietary fluoride supplementation. Journal of Public Health Dentistry 59: 211-23.

Spak CJ, et al. (1990). Studies of human gastric mucosa after application of 0.42% fluoride gel. Journal of Dental Research 69:426-9.

Shulman JD, Wells LM. (1997). Acute fluoride toxicity from ingesting home-use dental products in children, birth to 6 years of age. Journal of Public Health Dentistry 57: 150-8.

Whitford GM. (1987). Fluoride in dental products: safety considerations. Journal of Dental Research 66: 1056-60.

Is Vitamin Water Bad for Your Health? Well...It Won't Help It

How innocuous is Vitamin Water? Its water and vitamins, right? What is the harm? When you watch the comical commercials you would think Vitamin Water was some sort of miracle tonic from yesteryear. Up all night clubbing and drinking? Down a Vitamin Water. Playing hard on the court or ‘ye old’ ball field? Pep up with Vitamin Water. After all, the water hydrates you and all those vitamins are great for energy and rejuvenation. A closer look, however, reveals a beverage that is at best mediocre and at worst an outright detriment to health.

Let’s start with what should be obvious about any type of water. Water has no color yet Vitamin Water does. This fact is often overlooked but is very important. The Coca Cola Company, having made $700 million last year distributing Vitamin Water, adds artificial dyes to the water. These chemical dyes have been linked to ADD/ADHD and other adverse health conditions.

Then we come to the sugar content. Vitamin Water is sweetened with crystalline fructose, a version of High Fructose Corn Syrup. Consuming Vitamin Water can inevitably lead to spikes in blood sugar which ultimately crashes. It is the spike that makes you feel ‘energized’ giving you a false sense of energetic elevation. Unfortunately the crash leaves you needing another sugar fix or you must face the wrath of lethargy and poor performance. While we are on the subject of wrath, let us consider all of the sugar that is in Vitamin Water. It contains approximately 30 grams or 6 ½ teaspoons of sugar. By contrast a Hershey Bar has 24 grams of sugar. Along with the spikes and crashes the toxic nature of processed sugar must be considered. Over consumption of sugar hinders the body’s immune system by adversely interacting with the white blood cells changing their shape, number and function. Processed sugar has no place in a beverage that claims to be beneficial to the body.

Calorically Vitamin Water can sabotage a workout. The nutritional label, an oxymoron in regards to this product, explains that there are 50 calories per serving. Unfortunately, there are 2 ½ servings per bottle for a total of 125 sneaky calories. When you consider what processed sugar does to the immune system combined with blowing up your workout due to calories or adversely affecting your athletic performance (sugar crash) it hardly seems worth it.

In addition to everything that has been mentioned the true crime are the vitamins. People who think of Vitamin Water somehow think vitamins are in it. That’s probably because the name is ‘Vitamin Water’. In nature there are many vitamins ranging from A to K and the B complexes are numerous but Vitamin Water only contains five – C, B3, B5, B6, and B12. To add insult to injury these few vitamins (and the electrolytes as well) are synthetic. Synthetic vitamins are not always bioavailable. In other words, the body may not recognize the synthetics as vitamins. So, Coca Cola only uses five vitamins in their product and they may not be assimilated in the body. Brace yourself because the insults continue. If the body doesn’t recognize the synthetics as vitamins they are attacked by the immune system as a foreign substance. This taxes the immune system in addition to sugar’s role in adversely affecting it. No wonder chronic illness is so prevalent with the dubious nature of products marketed in a way that makes us think they nourish us.


If you are working out, playing hard or just wanting to recharge drink some purified water and eat a small healthy snack. You could also insist on an all-natural, non-toxic beverage. They do exist. Be aware of what you consume and let LeBron and 50 Cent (avid spokesmen for Vitamin Water) consume this nutritionally suspicious product.

For a great non-toxic, all natural and rejuvenating beverage checkout SISEL Splash at: http://www.mysisel.com/vip/thoughtfulhealth/productdetail.htm?id=2022