What got me fired up on the Sabbath?

A handful of poison

I took a 4 hour nap yesterday. Because it was the Sabbath, I didn't feel the least bit guilty about it. I was obviously tired. My daughter lost her 51-year-old mother-in-law on Saturday night. To cancer. I can't tell you how many people I've known over the last several years who have lost their lives to this insidious disease. Yet, when I try to tell people about the dangers of disposable diapers, fabric softener, aspartame, cleaning products, etc., etc., they don't want to hear it. "We all gotta die of somethin'," they tell me. Yeah, we all do. But accelerating toward an early grave because of the choices we make, not only for ourselves, but for our children and grandchildren, seems foolish and irresponsible. After all, while you might be ready to die, chances are good that those around you are not ready to let you go. And willfully exposing children to the toxins that just may cost them their lives, or at the very least, their health, in future years, is just not cool. 

I took Laura to the restroom to wash her hands yesterday and picked up the liquid soap to read it. The only active ingredient was triclosan. Triclosan!! I didn't even want her to wash her hands, and I kicked myself for not having my Earth Mama Angel Baby Hand to Toe Wash in my purse. Triclosan is a dangerous chemical that children should not be exposed to. Period. 

According to cancer prevention expert, Samuel S. Epstein, Professor Emeritus, University of Illinois School of Public Health:

Unexpected volatility has been documented when the triclosan in liquid soaps and other household products comes into contact with water, as would happen during common use. At Virginia Tech University, a team of researchers in April 2005 reported that some toothpastes and soaps create a chloroform gas when the triclosan in these products reacts with chlorinated tap water. Triclosan also interacts with free chlorine in tap water and degrades under sunlight to produce chloroform, which is both toxic and carcinogenic following inhalation or skin absorption, particularly while bathing in warm water.

In addition to endocrine disruption, triclosan is also linked to allergies, asthma and eczema. Seriously speaking, how many of you are struggling with trying to get allergies, asthma or eczema under control with your kids, while naively scrubbing their hands with antibacterial soap in order to "help" the situation. Rather than helping, the triclosan in the soap might actually be hindering them, or even causing the problem altogether!

And don't fall back on the "Well, it's approved by the FDA" crap. Do you really trust the FDA?!

I know I usually write about my Sabbath Experience on Mondays, but following Brenda's death on Saturday, I'm even more riled up than ever about the toxins all around us. Especially those affecting our kids. Perhaps that's the real reason I slipped into a Sunday afternoon mini-coma ... just to escape for awhile.

So, here's my challenge for you: Read the ingredients. If your soap, toothpaste, mouthwash, detergents or cleansers contain triclosan, get rid of them. If you work in a place that has triclosan-laced antibacterial soap in the restrooms, please replace it, especially if children will be using it to wash their hands. Please.

That's all I want to share today. I'm getting myself all worked up again, and let's face it, that's not going to do anyone a bit of good.

Sharing my Sabbath thoughts with you,

Hana