Could I have a side of BPA with that, please?

Unfortunately for our fetuses, infants and children, bisphenol A, or BPA is rampant in the environment.

According to wikipedia:
"Bisphenol A is an endocrine disruptor, which can mimic the body's own hormones and may lead to negative health effects.  Early development appears to be the period of greatest sensitivity to its effects."

BPA is said to "affect" the prostate gland, the brain, development of fetuses, infants and children, the development of the mammary glands and accelerates puberty in females. Whoa!! By "affect" they are saying that these parts of the body will not develop normally.  Some studies suggest that exposure can lead to cardiovascular disease, type-2 diabetes, liver enzyme problems, cancer and obesity.

Picture: property of http://www.dw-world.de/

So, now we need to seek out where BPA is, so we can avoid it.

• BPA lurks in #7 plastics that are hard and clear (so use glass or stainless steel or plastic that is specifically "BPA-free").
• It is in the linings of canned food (fruits, veggies, beans, soup, tomato sauce, gravy), so buy fresh or frozen or dried beans or cans made by Eden Organic or Wild Planet.  These two brands do NOT put BPA in the linings of their cans.
• It is also in the linings of canned beverages like Coke, V8 juice or beer.
• It is on many of the store and restaurant receipts that we get, so put it away and wash your hands immediately.
• The 5 gallon water bottles that are in many waiting rooms also contain BPA, so bring your own water.

This is one of those times when the media is not helping us, by saying that BPA is safe, so lets take this matter into our own hands and avoid it. Your kids and other small children in your life will be thankful when they are old and healthy.

Cover your mouth!

When my kids were sick last month, they were coughing.  During the day, the coughing was bearable if I kept them hydrated, but when they got into bed at night, the coughing really gets started.  I knew that Triaminic and other over-the-counter cough syrups were toxic. If you don't think it is toxic, read the ingredients and two pages of warning labels. The ingredients include: citric acid, edetate disodium, FD&C blue #1, FD&C red #40, flavors, glycerin, polyethylene glycol, purified water, sodium benzoate, sodium citrate, sorbitol, sucrose. Yuk!

So, I tried honey. It does work for about an hour and if they are not already asleep, they have a hard time getting there. (Keep in mind that my kids are over the age of 1, so honey is safe.)

Then, I was offered to try Boiron's Children's Chestal w/ honey (homeopathic cough syrup).  WOW, it actually works! Not only did both kids like the taste of it, they willingly took the meds.  When they were coughing hard, they took the liquid meds and within 20 minutes, the coughing all but stopped. I couldn't believe it!

Knowing that I can give my kids medicine that works and is not toxic is super. I always felt guilty about letting them cough.

Not only is homeopathy a good solution for what ails you (because it is based specifically on you) but Boiron is a good company because they continually replenish the plants that they use and actually care about and try to protect the environment.

According to http://www.homeopathyworks.com/:
"Homeopathy is safe, effective, affordable, non-habit forming and comprehensive. It can be applied to both acute and chronic health problems with mental, emotional and physical symptoms. It is easily adaptable for self-care."

Sounds like a better option than all the carcinogenic meds on the shelves today...
(By the way, if you want to purchase this item, check here.)