7 Things to Keep Away From Toddlers

Organic Baby Mattress shoppers maybe interested to know that some common place household items that we take for granted other than the obvious things can also pose a threat to our little ones. With toddlers loving to play with anything other than toys, it is important to consider that items such as latex balloons, batteries, magnets and tin foil maybe harmful to them. Read the whole article hear http://shine.yahoo.com/parenting/7-unexpected-items-keep-away-toddler-220700498.html

The Organic Baby Mattress Guide to Sleep Safety

As well as buying an organic baby mattress and organic baby bedding, there are other key steps in ensure your baby sleeps safely. Here are some useful guidelines, based on reducing the risk of cot death, or SIDS (sudden infant death syndrome). 1.Put your baby on his back to sleep 2.Place your baby in the cot in a 'feet to foot' position so there's less chance of her slipping down beneath the bedding 3.Do not smoke in the same room as your baby 4.Do not use a duvet, quilt or pillow even if it’s organic until your baby is over one year old, best to use organic sheets and an organic baby blanket in the mean time 5.Keep baby's head uncovered indoors (or whenever you go into warm places) 6.If baby is unwell, seek medical advice straight away 7.Keep your baby in the same room as you for the first six months. 8.If baby shares your bed, ensure her safe by not letting her get too hot. It's very important you don't let your baby's head get covered by the duvet, covers or pillow. 9.Avoid medication that makes you sleepy, or if you've been drinking a lot, don't bring your baby into your bed. 10.If you sleep with Baby in your bed, remember to use a bed guard as your bed isn't made for your baby and she could fall out. Make sure there are no sharp corners or hard edges where she could hurt herself. 11.Don't fall asleep with her on a sofa, as this has been shown to be risky. It's possible to roll on to your baby this way, or for her to get trapped between your body and the side or back of the sofa or its cushions.

Even Your Till Receipts Contain BPA!

OMG! What's safe! Health concious shoppers maybe interested to know that a recent study by the EWG ( Environmental Working Group) has found high levels of the endocrine-disrupting chemical bisphenol A (BPA) on 40 percent of receipts taken from major American businesses and service providers. Included in the list is outlets of McDonald's, CVS, KFC, Whole Foods, WalMart, Safeway and the U.S. Postal Service. It wasn't all bad though and receipts from Target, Starbucks, Bank of America ATMs and other important enterprises were BPA-free or contained only trace amounts. Who would think to test till receipts! It goes to show that we take our health for granted and that toxins are an intrinsic part of our society now. At least more companies may check their till receipts now!

Why its Good to Raise Your Children on a Farm

Organic Baby Mattress fans will be interested to know that researchers have found that it’s best to raise children on a farm if you want them to have a strong immune system. Immunological diseases, such as eczema and asthma, are on the increase in westernised society and represent a major challenge for 21st century medicine.

Dr Marie Lewis, Research Associate in Infection and Immunity at the School of Veterinary Sciences, who led the research, said: "Many large-scale epidemiological studies have suggested that growing up on a farm is linked to a reduced likelihood of developing allergic disease. However, until now, it has not been possible to demonstrate direct cause and effect: does the farm environment actively protect against allergies, or are allergy-prone families unlikely to live on farms?" The study found an increase in the number of regulatory T-lymphocytes, the cells that damp down the immune system and limit immune responses in a group of piglets raised since birth on a farm compared to those raised in isolated hygienic conditions. Goes to show that our western obsession with over cleanliness can be worse for our children than letting them be exposed to nature a bit more. Miessence sell a fabulous house cleaning fluid made of natures probiotics, which simply increase healthy bacteria in the environment rather than killing all bacteria. A much healthier way to live, in buyOrganics opinion!!!

Fumes more dangerous than House Fires

Organic Mattress Lovers will be ecstatic to read about an article that came out on the Gizmodo website in Australia on 28th March. The Article "If Flames Don't Kill you, The Fumes Will" is an excellent article pointing out the dilemma faced by the American Chemical Society during their 243rd National Meting in San Diego.

Research being shared at the conference highlights that Bromine or 'Halogen based' fire treatments increase carbon monoxide and hydrogen cyanide in the air during combustion. The number one death in house fires is not from burns but instead from fumes.

Research by the University of Lancashire points out that Mineral based fire retardants maybe safer. which during a fire swell creating a barrier that flames cant penetrate.

Altough PBDE is being phased out in Europe, the alternative fire retardant of choice seems to be HBDE which is still a Halogen based fire retardant, in our opinion it seems wiser to spend more money researching mineral based and natural fire retardants and invest in fire safety education.

I personally would much rather my family be safe from fumes in their everyday life and thereby avoid long term illness or reduced quality of life than surround myself in chemicals in the fear that a one off fire may choke us to death rather than burn us to death anyway!

Not everyone's choice but at buyOrganics we understand that people want to invest as we do, in their families safety from unnecessary toxic chemicals!

Full article: http://www.gizmodo.com.au/2012/03/if-the-flames-dont-get-you-the-flame-retardants-will/

Why Running Maybe Causing Your Neck Pain

Even if you sleep on an organic pillow and invest in an organic mattress, persistent neck pain can cause poor sleep, concentration loss and anxiety as well as lowering our ability to function normally. So for individuals who are trying to live an active and healthy life, problems such as these can be seriously debilitating and trying to solve them can be confusing when you think you are doing everything right.

Canary Wharf Monday lunch time, and all the runners are out, top execs in their running gear doing the running circuit, burning calories and fighting stress at lunchtime.

Not just a pass time of the executives, running is for everyone, so whether your training for a marathon or just trying to keep fit, the road can be a very peaceful and therapeutic place to wind down.

Even very fit people can suffer from pains though, and some symptoms can be confusing, a recent story came to light about a college student in New York who was suffering from neck pain without being able to find the cause.

"she would get a cramp in the back of her neck followed by pain and numbness in her right arm. EKG and stress tests ruled out any heart conditions. She continues to have these symptoms every time she runs a little more than a mile. We have had physical therapy, chiropractic care, foot orthotics, ultrasounds, all come back inconclusive"

The Doctor reviewing the case suggested that "cramping, pain and/or numbness and tingling down one arm and sometimes decreased strength usually comes from a pinched nerve coming from the neck or brachial plexus in the axilla"

So the usual tests were unlikely to help, what the Doctor suggested was the following tests that may help identify which nerve was being trapped

*Cervical x-rays with flexion and extension views looking for instability.

* Cervical MRI to look for a herniated disc in the neck.

* Axillary MRI to look at the brachial plexus nerves and see if they are being impinged.

* A simple chest x-ray to see if there is something impinging the nerves.

* EMG: an electro study looking at nerve conductions to see if there is an abnormality in a nerve and which one and where it is being impinged.

* Blood work to look for inflammation of a nerve and electrolyte and Vitamin D abnormalities.

* Upper extremity ultrasound and Doppler to check blood flow.

Now don't expect to get all these tests on the NHS, but its well worth being informed about other possible causes of your neck pain if you're a runner. Happy Running!!

Read more: http://www.nydailynews.com/sports/more-sports/running-doc-questions-find-neck-pain-running-article-1.1054633#ixzz1qyuTq6d8

Bare Faced Beauty- Lady Gaga’s New Look?

Organic cosmetics lovers It is not very often you get to see Lady Gaga without all her theatrical makeup, hair and styling, however the October Issue of Harpers Bazaar shows a new Bare Faced Lady Gaga with straight hair and not even the slightest hint of makeup.

Natural makeup is not Lady Gaga’s thing, although she states for the magazine that everything she is, without and without makeup and eccentric styling is natural for her as she’s still the same person inside.