No More Stained Cloth Diapers!

Shaklee Laundry Review: No More Stained

 Cloth Diapers!

I'm super excited about finally getting all of my toddler's cloth diapers looking brand spanking new and so bright! All the old stains are gone in every single one, even in the cotton prefolds that I've been using for almost a year. And no, I didn't use any bleach or Rockin Green, which I'd been happy with until I found something even better. I just had to tweak my routine a little, but I've got it now! All I need are three products: "Nature Bright Laundry Booster & Stain Remover", "Fresh Laundry Concentrate (Powder) Fragrance-Free", and diluted Basic-G, all from Shaklee. I bet they'd do a great job with getting those old white socks looking bright again, gotta try that next!
Here's how I did it (every time I'm trying less and less detergent):

To freshen up once a month, I do an overnight soak of about 20 diapers in 3 gallons of HOT water with 3 TBSP (1.5 scoop) of Nature Bright, then a prewash/hot wash/cold double-rinse (Whitest Whites plus Stain Treat) cycle with 1/3 cup diluted Basic-G (just 8 drops) in the bleach tray and add 1 TBSP (half scoop) of Nature Bright plus 1 TBSP of Fresh Laundry Powder Fragrance-Free together in each the prewash and the wash trays.

For in-between routine laundry (I wash all diapers about twice a week), I just skip the soaking part. FYI, I have an HE front loader, which is a particular tricky situation, since it uses much less water (sometimes I add 2 big wet towels to add more weight and friction). I also have a water softener. If you have a different washer or hard water, you may need more or less detergent to get those diapers clean and stain-free.

For Toxic Free and great Laundry go here.

Healthy Snackd

Low-Glycemic* Shaklee Protein Balls
By Suni Ferrer

Makes 24 balls total or 12 snack servings (2 balls per serving)
Gluten-free & Dairy-free

• 4 scoops vanilla or any flavor Shaklee Life Shake Mix (non-GMO plant-based protein powder with probiotics and Omega-3s)
• ½ cup natural peanut butter or any nut/seed butter (the oily kind you need to stir)
• ¼ cup honey or less
• 1 cup rolled oats (use gluten-free oats if gluten-intolerant)
• If necessary, add enough purified water to be able to shape into balls without crumbling (add 2 Tbsp water at a time).

Want it sweeter?… Add a few drops of liquid stevia to taste. Safe organic brands: Sweet Leaf and Trader Joe’s.

Optional toppings and mix-ins… My favorite toppings are crushed freeze-dried strawberries, blueberries & chocolate, cinnamon, and coconut. Easy toppings to roll balls on are: cinnamon mix (1 tsp cinnamon plus 1 tsp vanilla Shaklee Life protein), coconut flakes, any crushed freeze-dried fruit (strawberry, blueberry, jackfruit, apple, etc), raw cacao or cocoa powder, chia seeds, sesame seeds, melted natural chocolate chips , orange creamsicle mix (1 tsp Performance Orange plus 1 tsp vanilla Shaklee Life protein), any crushed nuts, or any super seed/grain blend. You can also simply roll in more Shaklee Life protein to make them look like donut holes.

Directions (and free therapy, LOL): In a bowl or large rectangular mold, mix all ingredients except water with hands to form a smooth stiff dough. If too crumbly, add water to entire mix, 2 Tbsp of water at a time until you can easily form balls that don’t fall apart. Shape into balls using 2 teaspoons of dough for each ball. Roll the balls on a small amount of topping. Place on prepared pan, and refrigerate. Store in the fridge for up to 4-7 days.

*Nutrition per serving (2 plain balls if you rolled 24 balls): 140 calories, 7g protein, 15g carbs, 3g fiber, 8g sugar, 6g fat, 160 million CFU of patented probiotics to support digestive and immune health. 

Detoxify your Home

There are so many chemicals in our homes and around our children today and then you wonder why there are so many sick people all the time.  Your body can only take so much and getting the chemicals out of our home is a great starter.

Thanks to my friend Suni for all of this detailed information.

The following information is useful when inquiring at your children’s school about the possibility of replacing bleach with Basic-G, a safer alternative. Basic-G is EPA-approved (EPA Registration No. 47371-129-7294) and contains quaternary ammonia as its active ingredients (Didecyl Dimethyl Ammonium Chloride and n-Alkyl Dimethyl Benzyl Ammonium Chloride), therefore it qualifies with the statement below (this is a quote from a licensing specialist from the Bureau of Child Care Services in WI):
“[In order for a disinfectant to be approved for use at our facilities] The product would need an EPA seal of approval and need to contain a quaternary ammonia product which is any of a group of compounds in which a central nitrogren atom is joined to four organic radicals and one acid radical, used as antiseptics and disinfectants. Benzalkonium chloride, dimethyl benzyl ammonium chloride, and dodecyl dimethyl ammonium chloride are names of some common ammonium compounds that might identify a product as a quarternary ammonium product.”

To sanitize, coarsely spray hard surfaces (bathroom sink, toilet, etc) with Basic-G solution (mix ½ tsp Basic-G with 16oz water and use within 24 hours). Let it sit for 10 minutes and it will leave a residue that keeps on killing germs for 72 hours (Clorox kills for only 24 hours and Lysol stops killing once surface is dry). Food prep surfaces and toys that could be mouthed by children should be rinsed with water, after the 10 minutes. For a larger cleaning job, dilute 1 TBSP Basic-G in 1 gallon of water.

~ Suni

P.S. Below there are some more facts and usage details about Basic-G that I’ve found from several sources.

*******

When disinfection is necessary and a “green” approach is desired, consider a biodegradable product like Basic G that does not contain phosphates, highly caustic or acidic pH, added fragrance or dyes, harmful VOCs, or ingredients such as butyl cellusolve or nonylphenol ethoxylate.
Basic G is highly concentrated, so it’s very economical, one quart makes up to 64 gallons, and it’s also EPA registered. It kills 99.9% of E. coli and Salmonella bacteria, as well as over 40 other microbes (bacteria, fungi and viruses.) Basic G is great for tubs, sinks, diaper pails and other places like trash cans that need disinfecting.

CLEANING TOYS
To sterilize toys, use your spray bottle of Basic G (½ tsp per 16oz bottle) and spray your toys, and let it sit about 10 minutes then rinse. OR, soak them in warm water with Basic G (1 TBS per gallon of water), then rinse.
You can use 1-2 drops of Basic H2 concentrated cleaner and hot water for the teething toys…soak them in a big bowl, then rinse with water.
Shaklee also makes Basic G Wipes for convenience. You would just wipe down the toys and then wipe them with a wet towel.

LAUNDRY
For washable toys, you can add ½ tsp Basic G in with the laundry detergent, (1TBS for regular clothes load, if someone has been sick.) Alternately, mix those quantities of Basic G with 1/3 cup water and pour on tray where the bleach would go. I use hot water in the wash cycle and follow with a double rinse. [Also works great to sanitize cloth diapers. See my other FB Note on cloth diapers, titled “No More Stained Cloth Diapers!”

A Special Note about the Swine Flu
Basic-G® Germicide is effective against Influenza A – but it has not been tested against the Influenza A H1N1 virus – and we cannot make an explicit claim of effectiveness for Basic-G against this pathogen.
However, the Environmental Protection Agency recently stated on its website that “EPA believes, based on available scientific information, that the currently registered influenza A virus products [e.g., Basic-G] will be effective against the 2009-H1N1 flu strain and other influenza A virus strains on hard, non-porous surfaces.”
For safe and effective use of Basic-G, always follow label instructions, paying special attention to the dilution rate and contact time. Please note that Basic-G is not to be used on the skin or to be taken orally.
Diluted Basic-G is a very safe solution, but remember that vinegar is 100% natural, but you wouldn’t pour it in your eyes or drink a gallon of it. Borax is 100% natural, but you wouldn’t rub it all over your skin. A natural germicide should still be treated with caution!

INGREDIENTS
Below are the ingredients for the two disinfecting products from Shaklee, without the fumes, as they’re bleach-free and alcohol-free.

Basic-G Concentrated Germicide, 32oz ($17.30 MN)
Tough on Germs
Bacteria, fungi, and viruses can wreak havoc on your family’s health and safety. Used as directed, Basic-G tackles over 40 of these pesky microbes, including several animal viruses. That makes it an excellent choice for use in the kitchen, bathroom, or pet area. In addition to being economical - one quart (32oz bottle) makes up to 64 gallons - it’s also EPA registered.
Active Ingredients:
DIDECYL DIMETHYLAMMONIUM CHLORIDE … 10.14%
n-ALKYL DIMETHYL BENZYL AMMONIUM CHLORIDE … 6.76%
INERT INGREDIENTS (not active) … 83.10%
TOTAL … 100.00%

Germ Off Fragrance Free Disinfecting Wipes ($7.75 MN)
35 count, 7”x8” wipes, bleach-free and alcohol-free, fragrance-free and no fumes.
(These wipes are made with diluted Basic-G).
Kills odor-causing bacteria* found on hard, non-porous household, kitchen, and bathroom surfaces. Great for cleaning around the toilet. Leaves your bathroom and kitchen fresh and clean. The smart way to clean and disinfect.
*Kills 99.9% of Salmonella choleraesuis(ATCC*10708), Escherichia coli(ATCC*11229), and Escherichia Coli 0157:H7(ATCC*43895).
Active Ingredients:
OCTYL DECYL DIMETHYL AMMONIUM CHLORIDE … 0.03990%
DIOCTYL DIMETHYL AMMONIUM CHLORIDE … 0.01995%
DIDECYL DIMETHYL AMMONIUM CHLORIDE … 0.01995%
ALKYL DIMETHYL BENZYL AMMONIUM CHLORIDE … 0.05320%
INERT INGREDIENTS (not active) … 99.86700%
TOTAL … 100.0000%

PATHOGEN SHEET
Basic-G® Germicide is effective against the following pathogens:
Bacteria
Pseudomonas aeruginosa1
Staphylococcus aureus1
Salmonella enterica
Acinetobacter calcoaceticus
Bordetella bronchiseptica
Chlamydia psittaci
Community Associated Methicillin-Resistant Staphylococcus aureus (NRS384) (USA300) Community Associated Methicillin-Resistant Staphylococcus aureus (NRS123) (USA400) Enterobacter aerogenes
Viruses
*Adenovirus Type 4
*Herpes Simplex Type1
*Herpes Simplex Type2
*Human coronavirus
*Influenza A / Hong Kong Flu Virus* *Respiratory Syncytial Virus (RSV) *Rotavirus
*Rubella (German Measles) *SARS Associated Coronavirus *Vaccinia (Pox virus)
Animal Viruses
*Avian Influenza (H5N1)
*Avian polyomavirus
*Canine distemper
*Feline leukemia
*Feline picornavirus
*Infectious bovine rhinotracheitis *Infectious bronchitis (Avian IBV) *Newcastle Disease *Pseudorabies (PRV)
*Rabies
*Transmissible gastroenteritis virus (TGE)
Fungi
Aspergillus niger
Candida albicans
Trichophyton mentagrophytes (Athlete’s Foot Fungus)
1 ATCC & antibiotic-resistant strain 2 Antibiotic-resistant only
* Virucidal
Enterobacter cloacae
Enterococcus faecalis – Vancomycin Resistant (VRE)
Escherichia coli1
Fusobacterium necrophorum
Klebsiella pneumoniae1
Legionella pneumophila
Listeria monocytogenes
Pasteurella multocida
Proteus mirabilis
Proteus vulgaris
Salmonella enteritidis
Salmonella typhi
Salmonella typhimurium
Serratia marcescens
Shigella flexneri
Shigella sonnei
Staphylococcus aureus – Methicillin resistant (MRSA)
Staphylococcus aureus – Vancomycin Intermediate Resistant (VISA)
Staphylococcus epidermidis2
Streptococcus faecalis1
Streptococcus pyogenes (Strep)

For safe and effective use of Basic-G, always follow label instructions, paying special attention to the dilution rate, precautions, and contact time. Please note that Basic-G is not to be used on the skin or to be taken orally.
Pathogen Sheet Revised May 2009

Do Your Supplements Contain Carcinogens?

Are Your Supplements Giving You Cancer?

Author: Dr. Stephen Chaney

 

Most of us take supplements to improve our health. We count on those supplements being pure and effective. We don’t expect the supplements we take to contain carcinogenic (cancer causing) contaminants. However, that expectation appears to be unfounded. A recent study found that 72% of supplements tested were contaminated with a particularly dangerous class of cancer causing chemicals called polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs)

Where Do PAHs Come From  and Why Are They Deadly? 

Polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) are produced by incomplete combustion of organic materials. Major environmental sources of PAHs are incomplete burning of gasoline, coal and other fuels. Unfortunately, automobile exhaust, coal burning power plants, and exhaust from factories are almost ubiquitous in today’s world, resulting in significant PAH contamination of our air, water, and soil. The unfortunate truth is that we all live in an increasingly dirty and toxic environment.
 
As you might imagine, cigarette smoke is the #1 source of PAHs in humans. However, foods are a major route for PAH exposure in humans as well. There are many food sources of PAHs. For example,

• Grilling, roasting and frying foods, especially meats, at high temperatures creates PAHs.
• Smoking fish or meats creates PAHs.
• Barbecuing meats creates PAHs.
• Even plant-based foods can contain PAHs if the soil, air or water they were grown in was contaminated.
• PAHs can be introduced into supplements if any of their ingredients are dried at high temperatures as part of the processing procedure.

By now you are probably realizing that it is not just our environment that is increasingly being contaminated with PAHs. We are all becoming contaminated with PAHs as well. Our bodies are becoming toxic waste dumps.
 
Unfortunately, PAHs are not innocuous chemicals. Perhaps the best studied and deadliest of the PAHs is a compound called benzo[a]pyrene. It is classified as a class 1 carcinogen and mutagen by the IARC (International Agency for Research on Cancer). Perhaps some explanation is in order:

• The IARC is an international organization that is charged with evaluating the scientific evidence for the carcinogenicity of various chemicals. It also sets upper limits for safe exposure to those chemicals.

• Class 1 carcinogens are compounds that the IARC has classified as definitely carcinogenic to humans. Simply put, the IARC considers the scientific evidence to be overwhelming that those compounds are carcinogens.

To date only 118 compounds have been blacklisted by the IARC as class 1 carcinogens and benzo[a]pyrene is one of them. However, many of the other, less studied, PAHs are classified as probable carcinogens by the IARC.
 
Unfortunately, in most countries of the world (including the United States), PAH limits in food and supplements are unregulated. Because they are unregulated, many supplement companies don’t even test for them. That is unfortunate because a recent study shows that many supplements are contaminated with high levels of PAHs, and their manufacturers didn’t even know it.

Do Your Supplements Contain Carcinogens?

The European Union has taken the lead in regulating PAH levels. They have used the IARC guidelines to create upper allowable limits for PAHs in food and supplements. Separate standards were set for benzo[a]pyrene and the total of the four most common PAH contaminants (benzo[a]anthracene, benzo[a]pyrene, benzo[b]fluoranthrene, and chrysene). Those new regulations just went into effect April 1^st 2016.
 
To gauge the impact of these new regulations on the supplement industry, the EU asked the European Union Reference Laboratory to measure the levels of PAH contamination in supplements sold in the EU prior to the implementation of the new regulations. Because vitamin and mineral supplements are seldom contaminated with PAHs, they were excluded from the study.
 
The EU Reference Laboratory started collecting a wide range of herbal and botanical supplements, fish and edible oil food supplements, and propolis and other bee supplements sold in the EU in 2013. The Reference Laboratory analyzed 94 different supplements for PAH contamination, and the results of these analyses were published in October 2015 (Z. Zelinkova and T. Wenzyl, Food Additives & Contaminants: Part A, 32: 1914-1926, 2015).
 
[In case you, like me, were wondering what propolis is, it is a resin like substance that bees use as a glue to hold their hives together. WebMD states that it may have some use as a topical agent for cold sores, genital herpes, and after mouth surgery, but that any other uses are unproven. However, if you visit websites for propolis products you find it in capsules and liquids for internal consumption. You are told that it cures bacterial and fungal infections, cures viral infections like AIDs, cures cancer, and removes warts.]
 
The results of their analysis were pretty scary:

• 72% of the supplements tested exceeded EU limits for the four most common PAH contaminants, and 52% exceeded EU limits for benzo[a]pyrene.

• Propolis and spirulina were the most heavily contaminated supplements. Valerian and St. John’s Wort had moderately high levels of contamination, and some samples of bee pollen, sea buckthorn oil, barley greens, Echinacea, and Ginko far exceeded EU standards.

• If consumers took the recommended dosage of the two most contaminated products (Premium Spirulina and Propolis Intense) they would more than double their daily intake of PAHs and far exceed what the IARC considers safe.

• Fish oils generally had low levels of PAH contamination. The authors speculated this may be because fish have the ability to metabolize PAHs. However, other edible oils, particularly sea buckthorn oil and a mixture of garlic oil with soybean and sunflower oils did exhibit significant PAH contamination. The authors speculated that this PAH contamination may have been introduced during the processing of these oils.

Why This Is Even Worse News Than You Thought

You might be thinking what could be worse than 72% of supplements being contaminated with cancer causing PAHs? Here is some food for thought.

• PAHs are just the tip of the iceberg. Many supplements are also contaminated with PCBs and heavy metals. For example:

• • Fish oil is often contaminated PCBs.

• • Rice protein and other rice-derived ingredients are often contaminated with lead and/or mercury.

• The US regulates PAHs in our water supply, but does not currently regulate PAHs in our supplements. That means that manufacturers that make products primarily for consumption in the US have no incentive to test their products for PAH contamination. Most of them have no idea whether their products are safe or not.

• There is no guarantee that even products labeled Certified Organic and Non-GMO are free of PAH contamination. For example:

• • Organic certification just means that the crop was raised using organic methods. No analysis of purity is required to assure that the crop had not been inadvertently contaminated. The same is true of non-GMO certification. No analysis of purity is required.

• • Organically grown, non-GMO crops that are used as ingredients for supplements can still be contaminated if the air, soil or water is contaminated from any nearby pollution source. For example, ground water pollution is the major source of the heavy metal contamination often seen in rice-derived ingredients.

• • Organically grown, non-GMO crops can even become contaminated by PAHs if they are grown next to a busy highway.

• • Even if the ingredients are pure to begin with, PAH contamination can be introduced during processing.

What does all of this mean to us? It means that it is absolutely imperative that we do our due diligence and only choose supplement manufacturers whose quality control standards far exceed what is required of the industry. Our health just may depend on it.

The Bottom Line

1)     A recent study has reported that 72% of herbal and botanical supplements, fish and edible oil food supplements, and supplements derived from bees sold in the EU were contaminated with high levels of cancer causing polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs).
 
2)     The levels of PAHs in many of these products far exceeded standards recently enacted by the EU. If those supplements were taken as recommended, the daily intake of PAHs by people consuming them would also far exceed the safe limits of exposure to these toxic chemicals set in place by the International Agency for Research on Cancer.
 
3)     While all of this sounds bad enough, the news is even worse for most of us living in the US.

• PAHs are just the tip of the iceberg. Many supplements are also contaminated with PCBs and heavy metals.

• The US regulates PAHs in our water supply, but does not currently regulate PAHs in our supplements. That means that manufacturers that make products primarily for consumption in the US have no incentive to test their products for PAH contamination. Most of them have no idea whether their products are safe or not.

• There is no guarantee that even products labeled Certified Organic and Non-GMO are free of PAH contamination.

4)     What does all of this mean to us? It means that it is absolutely imperative that we do our due diligence and only choose supplements manufacturers whose quality control standards far exceed what is required of the industry. Our health just may depend on it.

 

     These statements have not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration. This information is not intended to diagnose, treat, cure or prevent any disease.

 

Dr. Steve Chaney

Getting my Life Back

This is an amazing story from someone a friend of mine has helped. Enjoy...

So many of you have been asking what I did to get these results...

First off, I am not wearing make-up in the first pic below, and in the second one I am, I do still have small break outs occasionally but no swelling anymore and my body is still healing and at least going in the right direction! I am not going to claim that what I did will help all of you, but this is the basics that should help you to feel better if nothing else. My contact person who knows even more than I do, who helped me through all of this with the help of Shaklee products, exercise, a better diet and of course prayers!

I am allergic to dairy and am self diagnosed celiac. My symptoms were:
Dairy: Terrible stomach cramps for about an hour every night followed by puking and/or yucky bowel movements, once out I was fine, just traumatized. tongue emoticon
Celiac: Low/No Energy, Serious Brain Fog (felt stupid cause I knew what I needed to do but I couldn't think long enough to take action), Acne/Boils that would swell up and ache from the pressure, slow/no bowel movements, flu like symptoms on worst days, weight gain, mood swings/panic attacks/aggression, sleeping almost all the time and waking up still feeling like I got none. I think this is all of the physical issues but don't forget how it impacts your self-esteem and confidence too, some of those more intangible attributes.

What I did:
 I take Herblax, use my Shaklee Enfuselle Shower Gel, Hand Cream on my face and body (got rid of my eczema years ago) or Body Lotion on body. I use their laundry care products and cleaners, which last a longggggg time! I have taken Vitalizer, probiotics and more in spurts, but they worked wonders. Ask us 

 to help you figure what will work best for your symptoms! She's awesome and nonjudgmental, just there to help you feel better!

Eliminated ALL dairy! Then step 2 was eliminating gluten (wheat, barley, etc.). Shop gluten/dairy free at Kroger or similar store and now Aldi! Aldi has some great products and Pamela's Baking Mix is a great value and quality gluten free flour, Rudi's bread is my favorite besides Aldi GF bread. I switched to Earth balance butter, and DF Tofutti products for sour cream, cream cheese, and Daiya shredded cheeses. I almost never use DF products though and lost some weight and don't miss it a ton! Drink lots more water, almost all water all day long! Exercise and even staying active as much as possible helps with blood flow/circulation which helps your body to heal and function better. Eat TONS of veggies and/or fiber foods, some fruit and meats (most chicken/fish). Try to eat very little carbs from breads, rice is good though. Stay away from processed foods, fast food (very hard to eat out at all unless it's a Casual Restaurant where they can cook it from scratch), sugar foods (includes pop), you get it...all the junk.

I think this about wraps it up....I hope this helps and is not overwhelming for you. I did take it step by step and didn't do all of this overnight (although I wish I had, bawhahaha!). J Lewis