Food Inc.

A nice trailer that gets you contemplating about where your food came from - from seed to supermarket. Go borrow the video from our public libraries islandwide in Singapore, search for this call number: AV English 338.19 FOO -[BIZ].

Also, I recommend reading this book on "What your doctor doesn't know about nutritional medicine may be killing you". Search for this call number English 613.28 STR -[HEA].

Aftethought: They say, "You are what you eat" so go for food with integrity :)

BRT

Following up from my experiment on HUFT earlier, I'm pleased to announce that grandpa has been certified to have a clean bill of health after daily therapy with HUFT so much so that he bought the machine for the family to use at home :)

I'm now experimenting with Bioresonance Therapy recommended by my director. What I like about this is that it does not require one to strip (like how it is typically done during health screening at a medical centre) and there is no injection of needles to draw blood out of you for the health screening and testing (it simply requires you to just spit into a tissue and that will be used to test your DNA... so simple... the beauty of technology!).

As for the treatment, you just need to sit pretty for 1.5 hour, reading your favourite book, enjoy a warm cup of health tonic or simply doze off, as the therapist goes about checking the health of your vital organs or treating them where strain or toxins are discovered.

Bottomline, it comes back to how you intelligently manage your diet, lifestyle habits, exercise routine and stress. I'd like to point out that this is not to say that you should not heed your doctor's advice; rather you have the power in you to seek for the truth especially in this knowledge economy - read up authoritative and credible materials that are available in abundance, thanks to the Internet, don't be shy to seek second opinions from homeopathic vs. allopathic - before making an informed decision. I'll end this post with this trailer about "Healing Cancer from the Inside Out":

Say "No" to GMO

This is an eye-opener on Genetically Modified Food and why we need to say "No" to it. I've just provided the first part of a series of the talk. If you are concerned about the well-being of your family and loved one, seek more facts to make an informed decisions or you want to wait for the 'tipping point'?

Lips Against Lead

Over time, those who wear lipstick containing lead are at risk of absorbing high levels of a neurotoxin that may cause behavioral, learning and other problems.

There are no F.D.A. standards limiting lead and other toxins in lipstick. It is up to manufacturers to decide which safety and efficacy tests to perform on their products. Cosmetics companies are required to list their “intended” ingredients on labels but lead is considered an “unintended” by-product of the manufacturing process!

The Environmental Working Group (EWG) has a consumer database where it lists the ingredients in more than 42,000 products. Its Campaign for Safe Cosmetics did an independent study in 2007 and found that one-third of 33 lipsticks had lead in excess of 0.1 parts per million (p.p.m.), the federal limit for candy. Now, price had nothing to do with lead levels - less expensive brands have been found to contain no lead, whereas a branded tube contained 0.21 p.p.m.

When asked if consumers should be worried about lead in lipstick, doctors, including Dr. Sean Palfrey, a professor of pediatrics and public health at Boston University and the medical director of the Boston Lead Poisoning Prevention Program, said, “Yes, these are small amounts and if you licked your lips once you probably would not cause damage — at least not to adults,” he said, adding, “Lead is a substance that builds up in the body over time, so small amounts applied daily can add up and stay in our bodies.”

Dr. David Bellinger, a researcher at Harvard Medical School and the Harvard School of Public Health who has conducted studies on the health risks of very low lead exposures, agreed that “no level of lead exposure appears to be ‘safe.’ ”

Personally, Canadian government should be commended as an exemplary authority that takes the welfare of its nation into its governance holistically. Read how Canada is addressing this here.

Also, consumers should demand their right to health as well. Doing this adds pressure to manufacturers to be more ethically responsible. For a start, cautious consumers can turn to organic personal-care products and support the “Lips Against Lead” campaign to ban lead in lipstick. Read the full article here.

Eat 2 Save Yr Life

I love this program - Eat to Save Your Life. It is a great wake up call or constant reminder for us to eat healthy. Here is a preview of part 1 of 8:

Why do we need to be concerned and start changing our food purchase and consumption? Because this body we have is on rent... it does not truly belong to us. It is on rent from Allah SWT (if only majority of us realise that).

The sole purpose of our existance on earth is to do ibadah for the love of the Almighty. Now, how can we do that effectively if we are overweight or have a whole lot of bodily issues either physically or internally? Aren't we not doing injustice to ourselves, not to mention Allah SWT? Think about it... It is not too late to make the change. Start today.

Afternote: I've just started a daily routine of eating figs. "Wa tin, wa zaitun..." [Surah at-Tin]

Genetically Modified Organism

Reading the article in the local news recently about the authors 'promoting' Genetically Modified Organism (GMO), I felt queasy. As far as I've read about such, its more bad than good. Read about the key player, Monsanto and make your own opinion if it is really that bad.

Should we care? The answer should be a resounding "Yes!". Why, you may ask? Here is a list of the influential presence of GMO in our food chain - sugar (e.g. aspartame or nutrasweet), milk and beef (cows injected with Bovine somatotropin aka rBST and rBGH), soya bean (use of Roundup Ready soya), vegetables and fruits (sprayed with herbicides 2,4,5-T, DDT, Agent Orange and using Terminator seed technology), canned food (lined with chemical bisphenol A so learn how to identify resin identification code)... not to mention how some of these toxic chemicals, if not properly disposed off, will find their way into the very water we drink, the soil we use to plant our greens and the air we breathe.

The reality is, today's economy is driven by oil. Talk about monopoly, besides Monsanto acquiring some major pharmaceuticals, I discovered that Food and Drug Administration (FDA) members toggle between positions at Monsanto and FDA (talk about ethics and governance!)

Alot of informed consumers are saying "No to GMO" and majority of them who are againts Monsanto decide to go organic. Read about the pros and cons of GMO and make an informed decision for yourself. Be a responsible consumer. Learn how to avoid GMO food, read this. For a start, be mindful that GMOs and all products produced using GMOs are required to have mandatory labelling so look out for it. Better still, buy GMO-free products.

Healthy Face

Using the zones and the Face Map as a guide, you are able to conduct a quick analysis of your facial landscape to preliminary determine the current state of your health, Subhan Allah:

Zones 1 & 3: This zone is the "sister" to the bladder and digestive system. If you breakout frequently in this area, it means you need to drink more water and eat more "whole" foods.

Zone 2: The middle of the forehead, between the eyebrows, is related to the liver. Congestion in this zone indicates over consumption of alcohol, rich foods, and possibly a food allergy (such as lactose intolerance).

Zones 4 & 10: The ears are related to kidneys. If you notice that your ears are very hot, you might be stressing them out - drink plenty of plain water and cut down on caffeine and alcohol.

Zones 5 & 9: The cheeks often give an accurate glimpse into any respiratory distress. Smokers or people suffering from allergies generally experience fine, broken capillaries or congestion in this area.

Zones 6 & 8: The eyes are truly a window to the body's health because they're related to the kidneys. Dark circles under the eyes, signal dehydration and poor elimination of toxins.

Zone 7: A reddened nose can indicate heightened blood pressure, or the early stages of rosacea. Congestion around the upper lip can occur if you use comedogenic lipsticks or liners.

Zones 11 & 13: If you've had extensive dental surgery done, you might notice a breakout in the jaw area.

Zone 14: Include your neck in your daily regimen - its skin is just as fragile as that on your face, so it definitely needs to be taken care of.

[Source: Dermalogica]

Halal Skincare

Alhamdulillah... you'll now be able to see more halal skincare or cosmetics advertised in the papers or media. This shows that Muslimah consumers are getting more knowledgable about the need to remain pure in order to extend sincere ibadah to Allah SWT.

One high-end brand that is getting rave review from UAE and Canada is One Pure Skin Care. I actually contacted them to suss out the viability of them distributing their products in Singapore.

And recently, another halal skincare equivalent, Jerneh was introduced in Malaysia. Personally (not that I'm bias), it has an edge over One Pure simply because it is tailored to Asian skin.

Out of curiosity, I'm keen to experiment and see how similar or different they are, including the cost! I'll probably get a sample for the One Pure set and seek the help of my cousins in KL to get the Jerneh set for mum. Will let you in on the verdict after I complete my experiment so stay tuned!

Afterthought: And then there's SimplySiti from Malaysia and Wardah from Indonesia. Muslimah in the region are 'spoilt for choice'. It is recommended that we be mindful of tabarruj (Display of beauty) and what is permissible in Islam. Wallahu'alam bissawab (Allah Knows best).

H-U-F-T

Of late, I've been to regular sessions of Emtech Electromagnetic Therapy. It involves a combination of 4 types of energy potentials to influence the body energy balance:

• High Electric Potentials: Revitalises Body Cells, Improves Metabolism, and Balances pH value of blood, Purifies blood, and Adjust autonomic nervous system
• Heat Potentials: Dilates blood vessels, Clears blood clot, Increases blood flow.
• Far Infrared Potentials: Revitalizes skin cells, Reduces Fatigue, Lessen inflammation.
• Ultra Long Magnetic Potentials: Improves blood circulation, Rejuvenates cells, Boost immune systems, Reliefs pain

Touted to be a holistic approach to stimulate the mind and body's own healing response that may result in spectacular outcomes, as well as the maintenance of health and well being. Read the testimonials.

I got interested after reading articles by Harun Yahya (Adnan Oktar) about the miracles of the atom, cell and immune system. I learned that in order for our body to function efficiently and effectively, it needs minerals and figs contain the highest content of the essential minerals our body needs (even the Prophet Muhammad SAW said "If I should wish a fruit brought to Paradise, it would certainly be a fig").

I'll continue to go for this session so stay tuned for my verdict :)

Fruit & Veggie Cleaner Spray

The chat with mum in the kitchen today resulted in this post. It takes awhile to get on the organic bandwagon especially since it is a case of demand and supply - the more people demand for organic food, the more pressure our grocers will be to carry in more stock and with increased demand and supply, the costs will go down and benefit all in the supply chain.

The good thing is, anyone can start with some easy small steps. If for any reason you can't buy organic produce, you need to ensure that you wash your fruits and veggies thoroughly as they typically contain high level of pesticides and toxins. Use this spray to ensure your fruit and vegetables are squeaky clean.

The ingredients include:

• 1 cup water
• 1 cup distilled white vinegar
• 1 tablespoon baking soda
• 20 drops grapefruit seed extract*

*Grapefruit seed extract is available at your local health food store.

[Source: Sophie Uliano]

 

Steps include:

1. Combine all ingredients then transfer to a spray bottle with a pump.
2. Spray mixture on produce and wait 10 minutes before thorough rinsing.

Why do this?

Here is a list of side effects of pesticides: 

• Asthma or breathing problems
• Birth defects or death
• Blood and/or brain disorders
• Cancer
• Fatigue and/or headaches
• Hormone disruptions or reproductive damage
• Liver and kidney damage
• Nausea
• Neurological effects
• Skin irritations
• Vomiting

Read this for examples of pesticide poisoning. But seriously, why go there when prevention is as simple as a cleaner spray at home? If you encounter a pesticide poisoning symptom, read this first aid instructions.

Toxic

As we visit the local pharmacy, do we really take the time to read the labels or ingredients before buying a product? I used to just go with the flow, whatever is 'IN", I'll unknowingly get it, partly swayed by the influential informercials and partly coz I did not take the time to really understand what's in the product (this lack of mindfulness is partly due to my 'blind faith' in the FDA equivalent in my country to do its job judiciously).

Of late, there has been countless stories from friends and family about acquaintances or loved ones being plagued with modern ailments such as cancer, lupus, etc and they are becoming a daily ritual per se.

At the back of my head, I always wondered, "Why? What is wrong with the world today? Could it be the food we are eating that is tainted with chemicals or could it be products we slap on our skin and with the long term use, have side effects?"

Anyway, if it helps, here is a list you might find useful to start becoming an informed consumers the next time you visit your pharmacy for your personal care products:

• Toxic 12 List
• Harmful chemicals
• SLS and its effects
• Paraben and its effects
• What to look out for in everyday products
• Be an informed consumer. Take this simple step
• Check out the level of hazards in your products through this database

Personal care products

Following up from my earlier post, I'd like to emphasize that sure, a couple ingredients in your shampoo clean your hair. But the rest are toxic dump on your head, ouch! A recent study reveals this:

Findings
In May, 2008, Jane Houlihan c/o the Environmental Working Group reported on the dangers of cosmetics and personal care products, majority are the biggest source of human exposure to dangerous chemicals.

According to her, "companies are free to use almost any ingredient they choose in personal care products, with no proof of safety required." And consumers are not properly warned of possible dangers because of a "lack of standards and labeling loopholes." So, let's just say that the less you hang out with any of these chemicals, the better off you are, we all are.

In addition, Mount Sinai Hospital reports that 2.5 billion pounds of toxins are released in the U.S. annually, the equivalent of 37,100 tanker trucks of noxious chemicals. A lot of these are released from homes daily. Daily, 45 billion gallons of wastewater go down the drain to be treated at one of the 16,000 water treatment plants in the U.S. But wastewater plants are designed to handle ONLY the major pollutants. They can't remove the rest of the chemicals that humans flush every day.

Marketing gimmick at our expense?
There are 2 types of ingredients in shampoo - one type cleans your hair, the other type strokes your emotions. In a typical bottle of the world's most popular shampoos, of the 22 ingredients in this shampoo, only 3 clean hair. The rest are for the psychology of the consumer using the shampoo, put there just to make us feel good. Why do soap manufacturers do that?

Simply because the world spends an estimated $230 billion on beauty products annually. Of this, $40 billion go to shampoo purchases. To get the big share of the lucrative pie, soap manufacturers are more concerend in convincing consumers that their soap adds value to the consumer's life. So they include extra ingredients to make the soap 'perceptually' more "luxurious" or "effective". 

Conclusion
So folks, for the sake of your well-being and your family's, be an informed and ethical consumer. Clean your hair by all means but don't expose your body and our environment to unnecessary risks. Take action today if you must. Write a petition. Long live informed consumers :)

Go here for the full article.

What's in a shampoo?

The most common shampoo ingredients are ammonium lauryl sulphate or ammonium laureth sulphate, which make your hair clean (stop the greasies or oil). The rest are feel good ingredients, part of the 'marketing ploy' to convince consumers that something beautiful happens to their hair.

These are shampoo's factors for 'feel good' effect:

• Shine: Mildly acidic substances such as citric acid are added
• Thickeners: Salt, glycol distearate, cetyl alcohol, and ammonium xylene sulfonate are added
• Lather: Chemicals like cocamide MEA (a toxic that works with the plastic PEG-7M)
• Colour: Some like red dye no. 3 have cancer-causing tendency (problem for humans/environment)
• Smell: Not specifically labeled, a combination of ingredients could be harmless/noxious
• Conditioner: Dimethicone is used to coat the hair (this is also found in herbicides)
• 'Special' ingredients: "Infused" with beer, exotic proteins, vitamins, antioxidants, or extracts are added
• Preservatives: All the above ingredients would go bad if not for sodium benzoate (it kills every living thing that might start to grow in a shampoo bottle)

Consumers be informed!
These chemicals are tough to track down because tracking chemical names is tricky as they have aliases and fake IDs, play a role in many different products, and are shifty when caught and questioned even if they have long toxicity records or are suspects in a range of problems.

Some argue that these toxins are permitted for use because of the small quantities used. In the long term with continued exposure, no one knows what is gonna happen. They also claim most of the ingredients "may" cause health concerns. The word "may" is used because most chemicals have NEVER been tested. Of the more than 80,000 chemicals registered and used in the U.S. since World War II, fewer than 500 have ever been properly studied for their effects on humans and the environment. So it's hard to say exactly how dangerous it is to use shampoo every day. Geez!

What is the big deal anyway?
When a man rinses his hair, all the ingredients wash down the drain, carrying the grease to boot. And as one man's shampoo travels down the pipe, it meets up with a woman's, and so on, and so on, and so on. At least 350 million gallons of shampoo and its unregulated ingredients flow down U.S. drains every year. And many of these chemicals flow straight into our freshwater systems! Now, think about it, how often are our freshwater systems maintained thoroughly? I rest my case.

Harmful health effects
Shampoo contributes to high levels of estrogen and estrogen-like substances (endocrine disrupters) in freshwater downstream of sewage treatment plants that damage fish populations and cause male fish to grow ovaries! One study by Calgary, Canada identifies more than 200 chemicals that are still present in wastewater even AFTER treatment! We're inadvertently dumping chemicals into the environment that have never been studied.

A good practice in Canada
Health Canada proposes concentration limits for two common shampoo ingredients, siloxanes D4 and D5, aka, Octamethylcyclotetrasiloxane and Decamethylcyclopentasiloxane that make hair easier to dry, silky soft, and easier to work with (also used when making plastics and paint!).

How can we work with authorities?
One suggestion is to do a petition (collective power, people!) to get authorities to restrict such harmful ingredients from ending up in the ingredient list of shampoos our beloved family use almost daily 24/7, 365 days a year for practically a lifetime (as we are such nice loyal consumers to a particular brand we like right?).

Halal Logo

Following up from my earlier post on halal, haram and syubha, below are some halal logos you could look out for the next time you visit your local grocer or when you travel abroad:

[Note: Copyright of images belong to the source]

For the love of Allah, I can't stress enough the importance of always keeping to halal food. One quick way to find information on halal food in a certain location or country is to:

• google for information e.g. via Zuula
• surf Technorati for blogs on such information
• post a request via online forum e.g. Tripadvisor
• correspond with local muslims there via Web 2.0 platforms e.g. Twitter, Delicious
• contact the travel bureau
• request help from the area's Islamic association

As they say, where there is a will, there is a way. Truly, Allah knows what is best for you :)

Sustainable Home

Following up from my earlier post about energy efficient home, I did a simple experiment to verify if phantom electricity exist and could be reduced.

Before I started, I checked my monthly utility bill. Then I implemented the tips on how to decrease phantom electricity at home. Then, I monitor my utility bill for the next 3 months.

Some articles claim that phantom electricity makes up about 10% of a household's utility bill. In my case, I found that I could save up to 40% of my utility bill if all my family members are equally vigilant about reducing phantom electricity at home. A simple act of pulling the plugs off the wall sockets could save you some moolah!

Also, determine your electricity loads by estimating your appliance energy consumption. Doing this provides you with informed decision when you decide to invest in a more energy-efficient appliance in the future. Learn how to do it here.

Change in Buying Pattern

I've toyed with the idea for so long and I'm just glad I finally created this blog. It will be a platform for me to share what little I know about the changing consumer behaviour in our world today with friends and family.

For a start, let me share a video on socialnomics (people-focused economics), pushing consumerism (consumer buying behaviour) to the forefront:

Also, a nice infographic with you. Now, what are you waiting for? Join the bandwagon. Start becoming an informed consumer ;)