Chemicals in Products

Have I mentioned I have no respect for the FDA or USDA? You can't trust them.  I know, I sound like a crazy, paranoid person, but I am serious.  You have to do your own research and find articles and read labels, etc.  I read two articles yesterday that were quite disturbing.  These don't have to do only with food, but I try to live a healthy lifestyle and these apply to my daily living. 

1: Johnson & Johnson to remove dangerous chemicals

Johnson & Johnson, you know, the ones who make BABY products.  Here's a quick excerpt:

The key chemicals in question are 1,4 dioxane and the preservative formaldehyde, which is slowly released by a chemical called quaternium-15 to kill bacteria. Both 1,4 dioxane and formaldehyde are probable human carcinogens; formaldehyde also is a skin, eye and respiratory irritant.

Remember when I talked about Aspartame and how it turns to formaldehyde in your body?  Well, if I don't want to ingest it, I also don't want to apply it to my skin and certainly not on a baby! 

Carcinogens=cancer...awesome.  If they are dangerous chemicals, why are they permissible in the first place?

2: Beetle Juice!

As for the second article about beetles, well, when I discussed Michael Pollan's Food Rules he mentions a rule is to not buy anything with any ingredients that a 3rd grader can't pronounce.  Here is a perfect example as to why.  Turns out, beetles, listed in their scientific name are often in yogurt, ice cream, and make-up among others.  Spectacular.

Are you depressed yet?  I brought up the Johnson and Johnson article while on the phone yesterday with my veggie loving friend Katie O.  She told me about a new all natural, chemical free cleaning product she just purchased.  I told her she is going to be my first guest blogger.  I know, it's not food related, but hey, we all just want to live long, healthy lives so anything I can learn is beneficial.  Get to cleaning and testing those products out so you can tell us all about it, Katie!