9/6/10

Recent studies on lab rats by the Food and Drug Administration's National Center for Toxicological Research and the National Toxicology Program have shown that the chemical retinyl palmitate, a derivative of vitamin A added to sunscreen as a moisturizer, may increase the risk of cancer when worn. While further research is needed, the good news is this: Only 40 percent of sunscreens contain this ingredient. So when shopping for UV protection read the labels carefully, and consider a retinyl palmitate-free brand the next time you have fun in the sun.

9/5/10

If you can't afford to buy all-organic fruits and vegetables, buy the ones that really count. Ideally, thin-skinned fruits like strawberries, grapes and apples should always be organic. Berries absorb pesticides and herbicides like sponges. Apples are cultivated with high levels of pesticides, so scrubbing each apple and peeling it is important. And because grapes have been found to be heavily sprayed as well, immerse them in water, using a special soap spray to clean them. You can even peel each grape for safer eating.

9/4/10

A product that hails itself as "all natural" really doesn't mean anything at all since there are no regulations in place that define what "natural" actually means. Anything from a bottle of water to arsenic can be called "all natural" since H2O and the poisonous substance are both found in nature. As with anything, buyer beware; check the ingredients list and not just the boldface marketing on the front of the box.