This might be hard to believe, but there is an upside to the Tide Pod Challenge phenomenon that you've probably seen in the news lately. It has caused scientists, doctors, politicians, newscasters and even Tide itself to publicly announce what our readers have known for a long time, which is that these laundry products contain “highly concentrated, toxic detergent."That’s right, "TOXIC." Those
phthalates
Phthalates in Mac and Cheese: Should We Panic?
Did you guys catch me on The Dr. Oz Show yesterday? I was invited to speak about phthalates in macaroni and cheese. Whether or not you saw the segment, I thought you might want to hear my thoughts on the scary headlines. Real Quick: Here’s What Phthalates Even Are The chemical compounds know as phthalates (pronounced f-THAL- lates) are used to make plastics flexible and as lubricants in
Non-Toxic Rain Gear Round-Up
It’s been a very wet April here in Brooklyn! I hate to rain on your parade, but gear like raincoats, rain pants, rain boots and umbrellas can be made with toxic materials that are bad for consumers, workers, and the environment. In the past, some studies have found worrisome stuff like heavy metals and phthalates in kids’ rain gear. Aren’t I just a ray of sunshine, as usual? ;)Actually,
Are Tetra Paks Nontoxic and Safe?
After my recent blog post about BPA-free cans, and which brands are actually safe (hint: only one brand is!), a lot of you asked about boxed beans, wondering if these are a better bet. We set out to research the materials in these packaging used for boxed beans, and to find out if it’s Good Stuff, or at least Better Stuff for those of us looking to avoid canned products (but who has the time to
UPDATED Nontoxic Deodorant Roundup
Deodorant is probably the very toughest product for me to source for my clients. If you're going to switch to safe, natural deodorant products, you're going to have to accept the fact that none of them will work as well as Secret. I am not a big sweat-er, so natural deodorants work fine for me--I use baby wipes to freshen up once or twice throughout the day, after which I reapply whatever natural
Why Organic Dairy is Toxic
This post originally appeared a guest blog for Dr. Alan Greene’s website.As a quasi-vegetarian, I eat a lot of dairy—dairy that I assumed was healthful, since it is always organic and often comes from grass-fed cows.Unfortunately, in addition to worrying about the nutritional value of the foods we eat, and whether they contain pesticides, and whether they’ve got trans fats or
Phthalates in Food: 7 Ways to Reduce Your Exposure
Maia wrote the following blog post for Dr. Frank Lipman's site.You probably know that some plastic toys—like the now infamous rubber ducky—contain the hormone-disrupting, birth-defect-causing, probably-carcinogenic plasticizers known as phthalates. You may have even heard that this group of chemicals is also found in the fragrance of your favorite personal care products. Most of my clients
How to Avoid Phthalates (Even Though You Can’t Avoid Phthalates)
I recently wrote this article for my Huffington Post blog.If you’re like me, you’re already failing at most of your New Year’s resolutions (I’m still not making my bed every day, and I haven’t been to a yoga class yet in January). One goal that I am tackling in earnest? Banishing phthalates from my home once and for all. I’ve always advised readers to avoid these chemicals, and this year it
Non-toxic Air Freshener Guide
When I started dating Daylon, I loved that his bachelor pad always smelled so nice, thanks to a prominent Glade plug-in in his entryway. Once I learned about what was in that air freshener, I promptly unplugged it. This meant that our apartment began smelling like whatever we’d last cooked—wonderful on the rare occasion when I baked an apple crisp, and less awesome after the more common meal of
