Posted By: emmaspirit on

Sunday, October 28th, 2007, 10:59 am

I have had a re-occurring nightmare since childhood where I'm foaming uncontrollably at the mouth. And then animals and people come at me with their mouths engrossed in a white foamy mess. To this day, I simply cannot watch someone brush their teeth without being overcome by a deep rooted sense of fear. After much analysis, it seems that my unusual reaction is perhaps connected to being 10 years old and chased and bitten by a potentially rabid neighborhood dog or perhaps it is a premonition of the health dangers of foaming, chemical laden Sodium Lauryl Sulfate toothpaste.

As an eco-conscious Adult, I've learned that next to eating organic foods, the second best Green thing I can do for my preventative health is to brush with natural, Fluoride-free and Sodium Lauryl Sulfate-free toothpaste.

Why avoid fluoride? Hasn't this mineral been proven to lower our risk of dental decay? Well, not exactly. In fact, when scientists have closely evaluated the epidemiological "proof," that fluoride blocks dental decay, the data seems at best sketchy, with some claiming that areas with little fluoride in the water have less decay overall than highly fluoridated regions.

Fluoride can actually be quite toxic, hence the warnings on toothpaste cartons about swallowing the stuff! It has been linked, ironically, to stained teeth, weakened bones, even, in some animal studies, cancer. So why has it been so widely promoted as the answer to dental decay? Industrial processing yields huge amounts of fluoride or fluroro silicic acid, a highly toxic substance. Chemical companies, sadly working with government officials, thought the best way to dispose to the material would be to dump it into the water supply and claim it as a gift for our health. The widespread fluoridation of water actually represents one of the greatest human pharmacological experiments ever conducted with some claiming the end result will be massive degenerative disease.

What is so bad about Sodium Lauryl Sulfate (SLS)? This detergent and foaming agent is often used in personal care products to create foam to properly disperse the ingredients and ensure easy rinsing. People have been conditioned to believe that the foamy suds are part of the cleaning process. However, SLS has been linked to cancer, liver and kidney damage and cataracts. The Environmental Working Group states in their Skin Deep Report that SLS may possibly be contaminated with 1,4-dioxane.The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency considers 1,4-dioxane to be a probable carcinogen.

Now I'm not a scientist. I simply prefer the no risk, no cancer option of a chemical-free toothpaste to clean and protect my teeth and gums. And whenever in doubt, I'll listen to my premonition.

Best Natural Dental Care Products:

Kiss My Face: Offers fluoride-free and SLS-free products with no animal ingredients, no artificial colors or unnecessary chemicals and their products are not tested on animals.
• Wake Up: Certified Organic Aloe Vera Toothpaste, Skin Deep score: 1
• Triple Action AloeDyne Toothpaste, Skin Deep score: 1
• Whitening AloeDyne Toothpaste, Skin Deep score: 2
• AloeDyne Fresh Breath Mouthwash: Skin Deep score: 2

Jason Natural: A Hain Celestial Group company, their natural and organic toothpastes are fluoride-free and SLS-free. Healthy Mouth: Tea Tree Toothpaste (Skin Deep score: 3) is my favorite.    

Auromere: Auromere provides Ayurvedic products that are pure, authentic, cruelty-free and their toothpaste contains no fluoride or SLS.  I love their non-foaming, Cardamom and Fennel herbal toothpaste.                                    

Tom's of Maine: A Colgate-Palmolive company, Tom's of Maine sits on both sides of the fence. They offer SLS and Fluoride products as well as SLS-free and fluoride-free toothpastes with glycyrrhizin, derived from licorice root, to foam and disperse ingredients. Skin Deep scores are not available for these specific recommended products but other Tom's of Maine products scores range from 0-5
• Natural Clean & Gentle Care SLS-Free Antiplaque plus Whitening Fluoride-Free Toothpaste
• Natural Sensitive Care SLS-Free Toothpaste
• Naturally waxed, anti plague, unflavored, flat dental floss

Finding the right natural toothpaste for your personal needs isn't easy. I've often spent more than 30 minutes at a time in the natural beauty aisle reading the detailed toothpaste ingredients. Some "natural" products sneak SLS in as one of the last ingredients. Others list sorbitol, a sugar, as one of the first ingredients. Though sorbitol, unlike common sucrose, isn't suppose to cause dental decay, why would I want to brush my teeth and gums with sugar? Aren't I brushing to get rid of the sugar that causes tooth decay? Manufacturers add sorbitol to appeal to the sweet tooth and sugar addictions of consumers.
We can be smarter and not fall for these tricks. We can take our toothbrush into our own hands and stop foaming at the mouth.

Posted By: emmaspirit on

Sunday, October 21st, 2007, 4:59 pm

I'm just back from London where I had the opportunity to experience their eco-friendly efforts first hand. Eco-friendly might be a little too gentle for the more activist "Eco-warriers" that abound in London. While mainstream America is just waking up to the climate crisis, Londoners have been protesting environmental abuse for many years. I heard tales of these Eco-warriers protesting the building of new streets and slashing the tires of SUVs. Being an island, water conservation isn't a main concern but better not to be cavalier about jumping a quick flight to Europe for the weekend and burning unnecessary fossil fuel in the process.

I was only in town for a few days so my green scouting trip wasn't exhaustive but it was enlightening. First a brisk walk to the brand new, three story cavernous Whole Foods Market on Kensington High Street. Just opened in June 2007, this previous Barkers' department store is immense and covers over 80,000 square feet. I was salivating as I toured the dining room offering sushi, sake, oysters, pizza, fresh juice and gelato, then on to the cheese room, the wine bar and the organic coffee shop. In addition to all the fresh, natural, organic food you would expect (and more) they have holistic treatment rooms and sell every type of American and European green beauty product you can imagine.

Next, I jumped a #19 bus to The Organic Pharmacy where they don't allow any carcinogens or harmful chemicals in their products. In addition to seeing some of my favorite natural beauty brands: Jane Iredale and Dr. Hauschka, I bought their own Organic Glam High Shine Lip Plump in a fabulous Petal pink since all proceeds went to No More Breast Cancer, a UK Breast Cancer organization.

Finding a healthy meal in London isn't easy with meat pies and fish & chips at every turn. However, just a #11 bus ride away, Daylesford Organic restaurant was a true green discovery. Based on a desire to turn their family land in the Cotswolds and Staffordshire over to sustainable, organic farming, a 20 year project was born. Their passion: to grow crops naturally, and rear healthy animals, for local people; and to feed their children better. Their mission: to reverse the industrialization of our food, and the pollution of the land that nurtures it. At Daylesford Organic, they grow, produce and cook real food, organically. And it tastes delicious. They practice organic, sustainable farming without using dangerous pesticides and herbicides on their crops. No artificial growth promoters, antibiotics and drugs on their animals. Sitting in their sidewalk café on Pimlico Road eating an organic cheeseburger with homemade chutney and locally grown tomatoes, I thought I'd gone to heaven.  

At dinner one night, I noticed a pleasant surprise. My hotel (the Atheneaum) served organic foods and highlighted on their menu that all their food purveyors practiced "good animal husbandry". I think that means they are kind to their food before they kill it.

With the ease and popularity of London's public transportation system, I frequented the tube and buses. This made me feel so much better when I taxied off to Heathrow for my 7 hour plane trip home. While not exactly an Eco-warrier, I am now more conscious of how much further we have to go in the US to address our personal impact on the environment. And now I'm back in NYC and dreaming of a Daylesford Organic theme restaurant chain.

Posted By: emmaspirit on

Sunday, October 7th, 2007, 9:15 am

Bamboo, technically a grass, is one of the fastest growing plants on earth. It is a darling of the eco-friendly movement because it is highly durable, quickly renewable and a great strong, sustainable alternative to wood.

I recently visited a Long Island home with a backyard of tall bamboo shoots. The area was dense with 6 and 8 foot high bamboo reeds that had grown there in just the past month! Given bamboo's rapid growth, it can be quickly harvested in just 3-5 years as compared to the average 15 years of a typical tree. Bamboo not only grows quickly, but can be put to many uses in construction, in furniture manufacturing and as a fuel. Its stalks can be converted into fabric and clothing, and bamboo sprouts even make for a tasty edible dish. Few natural products can serve so many masters, so it's not surprising that bamboo has become an important natural resource for our eco-friendly lifestyle.

Now don't worry, I'm not going to show you how to cook bamboo, but I will let you know some great ways to cook with it and where to get the best bamboo products.

bambu is a very impressive "renewable ideas company" with a wide array of stylish organic bamboo kitchen products that affirm a commitment to innovative design, social responsibility, as well the environment. At every step of the manufacturing process, the company thinks not just of profit, but of the welfare of those who've help make their products possible, from the harvesters to the finishers in their factory. Their concern for the environment shows true as a member of 1% of the Planet, a group of business who each pledge a least 1% of net sales toward preservation and restoration of our natural world. Consumers should take heart knowing that with each bamboo purchase, you not only bring convenience and beauty into your home, but you're contributing great benefit to our environment.

My favorite bambu products:
- Chop, Scoop and Serve cutting board - an organic bamboo multitask board with scooped out area to pile the chopped scraps and then flip it to use as a serving board/cheese board with cracker well, these boards absorb little moisture which means less shrinking, warping or likelihood of bacteria growth. $32

- Veneerware - an organic bamboo alternative to a paper plate, it is sturdy, disposable and biodegrades on 4-6 months, 8 plates for $5.50

- Spoontulas - versatile half spoon, half spatula so you can stir, taste, spoon and mix to your green heart's content $15.95 (set of 3)

Green is often about making better choices. In the case of bamboo, we can choose to purchase high quality organic bamboo products and in turn help the planet. Sounds like a win win to me.