Animal-free energy | Electricity made using animal by-products in the mix!

Animal-free energy may sound odd to some, but many vegetarians and vegans avoid animal-ingredients in some of the main key areas. From food to drink to clothes to cosmetics to toiletries. Most vegetarians and vegans though are not aware of animal derivatives being present, (not only in your toilet tissue…..thought I’d just mention it!), but also in your energy supply. So now you know that there is a hidden “ingredient” in your energy supply and if you are like me, you may not like it!

If you are using energy suppliers such as British Gas and SSL be aware that they are using animal by-products in their energy mix. So they are definitely not supplying animal-free energy.  Some companies that claim to be “green” suppliers like Bulb and Octopus also have animal ingredients in their supply chains. So for us vegetarians / vegans / ethically minded going with an animal-free energy supplier could be an important choice.

So what’s the issue?

In the UK we have two main non-vegan sources of electricity. We have AD (anaerobic digestion) and also Biomass of which did you know that both contain animal by-products of animal farming sourced from pigs, cows, chickens, disgusting horrific slaughterhouse waste let alone body parts of diseased fish. So the issue here is that it affects almost 65% of the population.

Businesses and the individual may be supporting the use of animals without even knowing!

Anything animal from animal waste to slaughterhouse waste is combusted to make your electricity at home! Energy suppliers and companies must tell their consumers where it comes from. They have to disclose whether animals as well as their by-products have been used. Knowing about it will let us make better choices. So please look deeper into your supplier. Don’t hesitate to ask and get it in writing.

 

 

 

 

 

NON-STICK COOKWARE! Dangerous and toxic!

NON-STICK COOKWARE! Dangerous and toxic!

NON-STICK COOKWARE is beyond dangerous!

Non-stick cook and bakeware has become enormously popular. Not only because of its convenience. Foods slide right off. NO real cleaning is required. But we pay a HIGH price for such a convenience. As the word convenience already states. It’s a convenience. Just like convenience foods. BAD BAD BAD!

Toxic Fumes from Non-Stick Cookware!

One of your favorite kitchen utensils is probably your non-stick cookware. From pots to pans to bakeware you may use your non-stick on a daily basis. Do you know that you may unknowingly be exposing your family to hidden dangers? Non-stick cookware is also made using a carcinogenic chemical called perfluorooctanoic acid (PFOA). So everytime you use your NON-stick cookware it starts emitting toxic fumes that you inhale every time you cook.

Poly- and perfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) are also used to create these surfaces. They are not only toxic BUT also highly persistent, both in your body as well as in the environment.

PFAS are fluorinated chemicals and it is actually the fluorine atoms that provide that hallmark which is known to us as ‘slipperiness’. I’ve known about the toxicity and the dangers of fluoride-impregnated non-stick coatings for a good 20 years and have never even owned such cook or backeware.

At high temperatures, the coating of non-stick cookware will break down into a chemical warfare agent, which is well known as PFIB. and lets not forget to mention that the coating contains a chemical analog of the WWII nerve gas phosgene.

So, what you think is your best friend in the kitchen may actually be one of your family’s worst health enemy. Did you know that it only takes 5 minutes for non-stick cookware emits at least six toxic gases?

Safety over convenience!

Shocking really if you like your non-stick convenience cooking utensils. They are likely to scratch and break at some point, increasing your risk of releasing poison in your home and your body!

  • cancers associated with PFOA
  • flu-like diseases caused by inhaling fumes from non-stick cookware
  • effects of PFOA to expecting women
  • the deadly illness that causes poisoning in birds and other species
  • toxic for neurology system and other organs

……to name but a few!

I love cooking and preparing meals. It is a labor of love. Using non-stick cookware has turned that labor into a hazard.  We should be taking in the delicious, succulent aroma of food, but instead you are inhaling toxic fumes.

So, the choice is yours and what are you going to do about it?

You can choose to continue using your toxic non-stick cook and bakeware. Or you can get rid of it and start living a healthy lifestyle.

I know what I’d do. Choose my health over convenience.

Check out these products: GREEN PAN 

Dryer sheets, the chemical toxic rip-off!

Dryer sheets, the chemical toxic rip-off!

Dryer sheets added along with your washing to your dryer has become routine for millions of people. Don’t you just love them. Admit it, you wouldn’t think twice about adding a sheet or two. And you believe that it is a harmless way to bring a fresh, clean smell to your washing, think again! Most people associate the apparently ‘fresh’ smell of washing just dried with a dryer sheet as a sign of being clean and healthy. And pulling a warm, fresh washing load of scented laundry out of your dryer may make you feel warm and taking a nice deep breath, there’s likely something not-so-good happening inside of your body.

Unfortunately, if you believe that tumble dryer sheets are the bees knees, you couldn’t be further from the truth. The smell coming off of your tumble dryer with the added dryer sheets, are very detrimental to our respiratory and overall health. Dryer sheets are toxic and so is the laundry from your underwear, t-shirts, trousers to your towels, wash cloth and tea-towels. Dryer sheets emit a detectable amount of toxic chemicals which linger in the room. So  remember that everyone around you is affected by your “fresh smelling” toxic clothes you wear, or the nice fresh smelling tea towel you use to wipe the dishes. YUK! Let alone the poor animals in your household. It makes them sick! (and that includes all the disgusting electric plug in room fresheners. They are ALL else BUT fresh!)

Dryer Sheets. The Chemical Toxic Rip Off! 

Don’t be fooled by the pretty boxes with blossoms and flowers. Its a sales gimmick and reminds us of fresh fields and spring time. Dryer sheets are soaked with ingredients you wouldn’t wish on your worst enemy. Don’t buy them, they are a chemical, toxic rip off.  Dryer sheets are really a toxic rip-off. Just ask yourself why are you paying for a product that could actually be making you sick. I’m talking about carcinogenics, hazardous pollutants, endocrine disruptors and many other things that target your organs in the most horrendous horrible ways.

Let’s look at this for a moment!
  • carcinogenic hazardous air pollutant
  • some include acetaldehyde || 1,4-dioxane || formaldehyde
  • endocrine disruptors
  • synthetic scents causing migraines || asthma attacks || eye & throat irritations || contact dermatitis
  • limited airflow &  pulmonary irritation
  • hormone disruptors
  • toxic fragrance chemicals and compounds like acetyl hexamethyl tetralin, isobornyl acetate and phenethyl alcohol
  • quaternary ammonium compounds
  • routinely used can trigger reproductive toxicity
  • acetone in the sheets can trigger dizzy spells and headaches
  • dryer sheets are considered toxic to wildlife
  • cause skin allergies || eczema || psoriasis
  • very harmful to babies respiratory system
It’s a true fact! 

Dryer sheets didn’t exist before 1969 and the good news is that we don’t really need them. We have washed our clothing forever without all these modern money making ‘modern’ products. Personally I can say that I have not used any and won’t in the future as I like things as natural as they come.

 

Melatonin helps control your sleep and wake cycles

Melatonin helps control your sleep and wake cycles

Melatonin is a hormone produced by the pineal gland. The gland is the size of a pea and found just above the middle of your brain. One of the jobs of the pineal gland is to help your body to know when it is time to sleep and wake up.

Melatonin a hormone secreted by the pineal gland which inhibits melanin formation and is thought to be responsible for regulating the reproductive cycle. Interesting isn’t it?

When do we produce Melatonin?

Melatonin helps control your sleep and wake cycles. A key factor in how your sleep is regulated is exposure to light or darkness. Your body produces melatonin at night. Exposure to light stimulates a nerve pathway from the retina in the eye to an area in the brain called the hypothalamus. Levels tend to rise in the evening usually when the sun sets, which is then released into the blood. The levels in the blood stay elevated for about 12 hours, so really all through the night. When the sun rises in the early hours of the morning the levels of production drop. Your body sets the amount of the hormone it produces according to your own body clock and the amount of light you are exposed to during the day.

Melatonin and sleep!

Melatonin quite often is referred to as the “Dracula of hormones” as it only shows up in the dark. The pineal gland will not produce the hormone unless you are in a dimly lit or even better dark environment. Sunlight and artificial indoor lighting prevents the release of melatonin and stops us from a restful sleep.

Behaviour Changes and Mood Disorders!

Decreased nocturnal melatonin levels in people suffering from depression and panic disorders. Not surprising really that the SAD Syndrome (Seasonal Affective Disorder) is linked to be causing melatonin secretion to be both elevated and decreased at inappropriate times which of course leads to sleepless nights and exhaustion during the day. Light therapy has been used as a very effective treatment in people with SAD.

Foods containing natural sources of Melatonin!

  • cherries
  • bananas
  • asparagus
  • tomatoes
  • broccoli
  • cucumber
  • radishes
  • ginger
  • pomegranate
  • grapes
  • oranges/grapefruit
  • watermelon
  • pineapple
  • mushrooms
  • olives
  • nuts (walnuts/peanuts)
  • seeds (sunflower seeds/mustard seeds/flax-seed/sesame seeds)
  • hummus
  • dark leafy greens
  • tea

There are many Melatonin supplements out there and although I am always in favour for natural sources of everything, but sometimes you need a boost. But be aware. Most supplements out there are not vegan and contain parts of the pineal gland of animals. And many contain Soya and other ingredients I would not want in my body. So beware!

SOYA HEALTH RISKS! Not the healthy wonder-food you think it is!

SOYA HEALTH RISKS! Not the healthy wonder-food you think it is!

Soya health risks, but why has it  been “hailed” by many as healthy food. And the food industry has not wasted any time to claim soya to be an amazing healthy food, lowering cholesterol, support women with menopausal symptoms, help with osteoporosis, and dare I say they have even claimed that soya reduces the risk of some cancers. Unfortunately soya is all else BUT the healthy wonder-food you think it is!

Did you know that soya is present in more then 80% of all supermarket products?

Soya is an invisible ingredient in nearly everything we eat. Soya is used to ‘bulk out’ and bind many processed foods. From sausages, lasagne, beefburgers to chicken nuggets. Soya allows food businesses to make claims of their foods having a higher protein content on the label which in fact is quite misleading!

Soya has risen in popularity for the food industry as a very cheap source of (unhealthy) protein, a filler for many, many food items and also as a very cheap source of vegetable oil. Soya not only destroys forests and small farmers! Soya is also bad for your health! NOT in my body!

No part of the soya bean is wasted!

Every part, every fragment of the bean is used. As a source of fibre in cereals, breads and even snacks the husk is used, which really is considered “waste”. So don’t be fooled by the word “fibre”.

The crushed and extracted soya oil is the most consumed vegetable oil in most parts of the world. The oil is added to margarine’s, salad dressings, and to other cooking oils. So basically the soya oil will simply be listed as vegetable oil.

The invisible market of soya!

The soya bean produces lecithin during the oil extraction. Lecithin is a emulsifier which supports fat to mix with water. So quite a vital ingredient we need for cooking and baking and of course for the confectionery businesses. Lecithin stops ingredients from separating. Food labels of many chocolate bars, cakes, biscuits and crackers will state lecithin as an ingredient without the lecithin being linked to soya. Very confusing really, but in the food industry there are a lot of ‘glitches’.

And don’t be fooled when you find soya milk (it is NO milk) in the chilled cooler at supermarkets. It just gives you the illusion of it being fresh, where it is just a crushed bean juice with added flavouring.

ALWAYS READ YOUR LABELS!!

Your health is at risk!

Soya contains anti-nutrients which are natural toxins. But soya also contains a large number of alarming compounds that may put your total health in danger.

  • Soya contains goitrogens which lead to depressed thyroid function
  • Soya contains phytates which prevent absorption of life enhancing minerals
  • Soya contains phyto-oestrogen which blocks the hormone oestrogen which has adverse effects on human tissues!
  • If over the course of a month a woman drinks 2 glasses of soya milk a day her menstrual cycle will alter.
  • We owe it to the increased consumption of soya in western women for an early start of puberty. The early start of menstruation, early breast development. Acne, eczema and other skin conditions.
  • Babies who are only fed soya formula are exposed to an amount of oestrogen equivalent to five birth control pills on a daily basis! Remember that mega doses of phyto-oestrogen in soy formulas are putting your baby’s normal sexual development at high risk.
  • Soya has been found to damage brain function in men as well as reducing male fertility due to the extremely high amounts of oestrogen found in soya. The more soya a man consumes, the harder it will be in fertilising an egg.
  • Studies link the phyto-oestrogen’s found in soya to form an increased risk of certain types of cancer.

Makes one wonder what the health effects are on humans (and animals) who regularly eat or drink products made or secretly containing soya?

And what about the animals?

Each year 250 million tonnes of soya are produced around the world and 90% are used to feed animals. You name it, from cows, lambs, pigs, chicken to turkeys, fish to birds, no doubt, the meat you eat comes from an animal raised on a soya lifestyle. I don’t eat, so I don’t have to concern myself with having hidden soya in my body! And than there are the chemicals soya is sprayed with. Soya is pure GM Genetically Modified! 

Soya Health Risk, but if you must, make sure it is fermented!

No doubt, but fermented soya products will be better for your health. The following below are all whole food forms of the soya bean. The key to Natto health benefits is that it is fermented. Natto is a traditional Japanese food made from soybeans fermented with Bacillus subtilis var. natto

Natto is made by soaking whole soya beans. Then the beans are steamed or boiled. Afterwards the bacteria Bacillus subtilis is added to the mixture.

  • Soy Sauce
  • Tempeh
  • Miso
  • Natto

NOTE:

Tofu and Soya Milk are not fermented and therefor form a health risk!

One of the main issues is that the soya you are seeing in all the foods is not the traditionally grown crop of Japan. Most of soya that you see in supermarkets is genetically modified or short GMO. Therefor it is not farmed the same way or yielding the same nutrition.

Palm Oil, The Dangerous Silent Killer

Palm Oil, The Dangerous Silent Killer

We all know about Palm Oil and we see it added everywhere. BUT don’t be fooled! Just because it is widely available, the oil has been under criticism for quite a long time now, but not many are aware of its true danger for the environment let alone our health!

Where does Palm Oil come from? 

Most of the Palm Oil which is produced globally comes from southeast Asia with about 80-85% coming from Malaysia and Indonesia. These countries and their wildlife are facing serious problems.

Let’s look at environmental damage!

The palm oil industry needs more crops due to the demanding increasing needs. Deforestation of the beautiful rain forests has taken on a threatening  future.  Every hour areas being as big as 350 football fields are cut down and replaced with pine monoculture (Monocultures, the agricultural practice of producing or growing genetically similar, or essentially identical plants), which release enormous amounts of greenhouse gases that destroy the homes and habitat of countless varieties of animal species with damage that is not reversible. Isn’t that a horrible thought? So what will our future look like and that of our children and children’s children? What world are we leaving behind for the people we love?

By the year 2022 we will not find animal species native to the countries of deforestation as a result of the (greedy!) palm oil industry if this is going to continue!

Let’s look at the effects on animals closer!

In South East Asia well over 300,000 animal species of all sorts live in the rain forest. Can you imagine how many are hurt, injured or even killed due to the effects of deforestation. Many lose their homes and do not know where to go, from orangutans to elephants. Did you know that do to the consequences of the palm oil industry that more than 55,000 orang-utans have lost their lives? The damage is done. The animals suffer! They die a horrendous death suffering. Wounded or killed by machetes. Run over by big machines and if not killed, they are buried alive! And then there are the poachers seeing it all as an opportunity to go further into the rainforest to kill animals for whatever money they can make with them be it dead or alive! The damage is irreversible!

Let’s look at it from a social point of view!

The palm oil industry supports child labour. Children don’t go to school, instead they are forced to help. Climb trees, carry fruit under hot, boiling temperatures for the many countless unpaid hours.  You cannot even imagine. Human rights violation on palm oil plantations. Exploited by large corporations who take land from the indigenous just to grow their profits! Shame on them! We mus

Inform yourself. Read labels (and NOT just once. Labels can change!). CHECK skin care, shampoo, soap, margarines, chips, sweets, cans etc. You will find Palm Oil in more foods (and non-foods) than you can ever imagine as it is one of the cheapest oils to produce.

We all know that we need oils in our diet. Fats are essential for human (and animal!) health. BUT  NOT oils like Palm-oil.

PALM OIL dangers!

  • palm oil contains high levels of saturated fats which turn into trans fats which are a significant threat to cardiovascular health heart problems, high risk of stroke and other chronic diseases
  • trans fats cause growing concern of the risk of type 2 diabetes
  • there are concerning links between the consumption of trans-fats and prostate cancer
  • diets high in palm oil can lead to excessive weight gain
  • ….the list is endless…..

And remember, there is no law that trans fats have to be mentioned on any food labels in the UK. So for an example companies like

  • Warburtons (bread maker)
  • Unilever (maker of Flora margarine, Knorr soups, Pot noodles, Dove Soap are the BIGGEST users of palm oil)
  • Premier foods (makers of Cadbury cakes, Hovis bread, Bisto gravy, Mr Kipling cakes)
  • Nestle (from Quality Street to Aero to Kit Kat, Nestle etc)
  • Kelloggs (small quantities, but the oil is present in a variety of their products)

So CHECK your labels. Not just once or twice, check them every time as you never know if the ingredients have been changed. And don’t be fooled by the words “sustainable sources”. There is NO such source!!

 

TOXIC chemicals in clothing and footwear | Take care of what you wear!

TOXIC chemicals in clothing and footwear | Take care of what you wear!

Toxic Chemicals in old and new clothing are a serious health risk and cannot be washed out of fabric. Makes one wonder why the manufacturing process is even ‘allowed’. The things we just put up with, and do we ever consider the damage to our drinking water let alone wildlife? 

Can old and new clothes give you cancer?

Whatever you do, toxic chemicals such as dye cannot be washed out of fabric. Did you know that it takes 26 seconds for any toxic chemicals to be easily absorbed into your skin? So it’s not rocket science that long-term exposure can cause cancer. And as I said, the health risks won’t stop in the manufacturing process. We also have to consider the laundry products we use as they will be ‘coating’ your clothes with even more cancercausing toxic chemicals. And then there is foot wear. From toxic socks to shoes. Leather belts, wool, rainwear, and have you ever thought about your underwear and the toxic chemicals on your ‘private’ bits?  ALL Fabrics including natural fibers involve toxic processing!

TOXIC CHEMICALS, SUBSTANCES OF HIGH CONCERN!

  • chemical fabric softeners
  • detergents of all sorts
  • imported clothes are now impregnated with long-lasting disinfectants
  • petrochemical dyes | dispersion dyes (causing allergies, allergic reactions and rashes)
  • azo dyes (carcinogenic/mutagenic meaning: changing genetic material)
  • sulphites | triclosan | parabens 
  • printing inks | heavy metals
  • volatile organic compounds or VOCs
  • dioxin-producing bleach
  • chlorinated phenols (PCP, TeCP, TriCP) contact with PCP especially vapour is a skin, eye, mouth irritant. Even low levels of long-term exposure can cause liver, kidneys, blood and nervous system damage. Exposure is associated with carcinogenic, renal and neurological effects
  • Chromium VI (causes contact dermatitis)
  • DMF (may cause extensive eczema which is difficult to treat)
  • phthalates (in PVC/plastic for shoes/rainwear and suspected of being carcinogenic and may disturb the hormone system
  • alkylphenols (used for textile/leather production, a disruptor of the human endocrine system let alone toxic for the environment)
  • formaldehyde (which is a preservative used to embalm dead bodies) to prevent shrinkage. 

Formaldehyde for example doesn’t just preserve dead bodies, it is also used in wood building materials as well as new carpet adhesives. Low level exposure can cause allergies of the skin and the lungs and is an irritant for the eyes, nose and throat. High level exposure can cause fluid build up in the lungs. Formaldehyde is classified as cancer causing toxic substance. And lately I have even done some research on a particular smoothie range where you would never think that they add it to their ‘healthy’ drink. So don’t take a known company name and their word for their product to be of ANY health! Do your research!

Is dry cleaning the answer?

If you think that traditional dry cleaning is the answer, think again. In the cleaning process a liquid solvent called Perchloroethylene (also known as tetrachloroethylene) or in short “perc” is used which is considered a toxic air pollutant known to cause cancer and/or other serious health effects. PERC is a chemical solvent not only used by dry cleaners, but also as a metal degreaser and added in the production of many other chemicals. So just imagine that on your skin, your biggest organ. You take it’s breath away and it will ingest whatever you put onto it.

For you and the environment, non-toxic clothing!

It’s a great start to look for clothing made from organic cotton. Look out for the OEKO-TEX Standard 100 label, which tells us that it has been checked/tested by an independent laboratory that found it to be free of harmful levels of more than 100 toxic chemicals.

Related reading:

Wash new clothing before wearing

FLUORIDE, toxic poison and neurotoxin with worrying toxicity! by Raw Passion, a vegan and cruelty free skincare company specialising in handmade products made with organic, raw and natural ingredients.

FLUORIDE, toxic poison and neurotoxin with worrying toxicity!

Fluoride is poison. A neurotoxin with worrying toxicity. From non-stick pots and pans to pizza boxes, water resistant clothing, drinking water to toothpaste. Fluoride compounds are everywhere!

Toxic Poison

Fluoride is a poison rebranded as a health aid and we have been told that we need it for “healthy” bones as well as teeth, so the poison has been added to our water. We drink it! We bathe in it and through our skin, our largest organ the toxic poison enters our bloodstream. Even in low doses the toxicity is even concerning world scientists. The deadly compound can remain and linger in our body for years. Dangerous to say the least and especially as it is transmitted via breastfeeding to babies.

Fluoride in your drinking water: 

Fluoride is classed as a developmental neurotoxin and has been linked to lowered IQ. Dysfunction of the thyroid. Excessive weight gain, let alone all kinds of depression. Studies have more than once shown that drinking fluoridated water can play a role in your risk of diabetes. Linked to ADHD. Hypothyroidism. Endocrine dysfunction. And if we all knew this and done our homework, nobody would support it knowing the facts. But we have not been given a choice in the matter and if you want this or not. We are told that it’s good for us and many people don’t even think about fluoride being an actual drug. Fluoride wreaks havoc with our thyroid, blood and brain, and it does all else BUT strengthen your bones. QUITE the opposite. Personally, I wouldn’t touch fluoride if you paid me. I make my own bamboo charcoal water and use an organic fluoride free toothpaste. There are many around.

  • Get this toxic chemical, this neurotoxin out of your life.
  • Say NO to your dentist when he claims you ‘need’ it.
  • Make your own drinking water.
  • And make sure you do the same for your dog, cat, or any other animal you may have.

Related info:

The Charcoal People