When I heard the news about the lab test results on baby formulas here in the US, I freaked out.  If I remember correctly FDA said that there is no acceptable limit for Melamine in infant formula.  To be accurate, here is the quote:

"The Food and Drug Administration said last month it was unable to identify any melamine exposure level as safe for infants"

"FDA has concluded that levels of melamine alone or cyanuric acid alone, at or below 1 part per million (ppm) in infant formula do not raise public health concerns."

Now they are saying that we shouldn't be worried too much about it because they found only a tiny "trace" amounts of melamine which is perfectly safe for any baby.

"Parents using infant formula should continue using U.S. manufactured infant formula. Switching away from using one of these infant formulas to alternate diets or home-made formulas could result in infants not receiving the complete nutrition required for proper growth and development. "

I just have one thing to say to FDA.  FDA, You Are Incompetent! That's all.  And no thanks, I'm sticking with Baby's Only Oraganic formulas.

Let's hear what these companies have to say about melamine.  Here is a quick list:

Enfamil (Mead Johnson)

The U.S. FDA Reaffirms the Safety of Enfamil® Infant Formula

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has confirmed that no melamine has been detected in Enfamil infant formula products and that recent media reports indicating that trace levels had been detected were inaccurate. continue reading..

Similac (Abbot)

Abbott Nutrition Statement on Melamine and Infant Formulas

Abbott Nutrition infant formulas are completely safe and we stand behind them.  Abbott has not detected melamine in any of our infant formulas using the US FDA method.

Both Health Canada and Abbott's internal tests are using a more precise testing method -- the most sensitive, rigorous method in the world -- which is capable of detecting very low background levels commonly found in the environment and in foods.

We regularly monitor and test our ingredients used to make our infant formulas including our milk or milk proteins which are not sourced from China. We have not detected any levels of melamine in our ingredients.

Good Start (Nestle)

Nestlé Nutrition Statement Regarding Melamine

We are aware of recent media reports regarding trace, or extremely low, levels of melamine found in some infant formula products sold in the US. We would like parents and caregivers to be aware that only one Nestlé Good Start® product is affected by this issue, specifically, Good Start Supreme ARA/DHA, liquid formula sold in 8.45 ounce cans. Other Nestlé Good Start infant formula products, including powdered formula, other product sizes, and packaging types of infant formula are not affected.  continue reading...

For the FDA's melamine test results on infant formula made in the US, click here

Researchers tested more than 2000 people between the ages of six and 85. And 93 percent of them tested positive for BPA, according to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. - Source : Scientific American

I want to recommend two web sites where you can learn more about bisphenol A. To understand better, I think you need to hear both sides of the story. The first site on the list will tell you why bisphenol A is not harmful and why we shouldn't be worried too much about it. But the second site will tell you the opposite. Spend some time on both sites and learn more about bisphenol A.

1 - Bisphenol A Information & Resources

2 - The Bisphenol A FREE Portal

Then I found this great blog the other day called "Live Lighter" by Stephanie. There is a post about detox drink recipes where she shares 6 different recipes that she personally used to lose 25 lbs in 3 months. I found it very interesting as I'm also on my journey to lose 40 lbs in 40 weeks.

I can definitely use these detox recipes for myself and I suggest that you try also. They look easy enough to follow. Here is a list of detox drinks listed there: Potassium Juice, Ginger Root Boost, High Blood Pressure Reducer, Yummy Green Drink, Homemade V8, and Cleansing Veggie Broth. Check it out!

Identifying lead poisoning is very hard, especially with children. They can appear perfectly healthy and fine, and yet they can have high levels of lead in their bodies. The accumulation occurs gradually over a long period of time. The obvious symptoms appear when levels become extremely high.

So what are the symptoms of lead poisoning in children, and how can we detect them?

Usually the first sign of high, toxic dose of of lead poison appear as abdominal pain and cramping. Then followed by vomiting, constipation, loss of appetite, and rapid weight loss. After that, your child may suffer from loss of sleeping and energy, feeling sluggish all day long.

Other not-so-obvious symptoms of lead poisoning include behavior or attention problems, slowed body growth, reduced IQ, irritability, loss of previous developmental skills, and reduced sensations.

The best way to protect your child from lead poisoning is prevention. Find possible sources of lead contamination and remove them. Here is a short list of places where lead is found :

• Toys painted before 1976
• Toys made outside the U.S.
• Lead fishing sinkers, lead bullets
• House paint before 1978
• Water source from contaminated pipes and faucets
• Art supplies
• Batteries
• Pewter pitchers and dinnerware
• Soldering

This is just a short list.  If you know any other sources of lead that we are exposed to, please let us know by using the comment form below.  Thanks for reading.

These dogs suffered badly from kidney failure. Melamine-tainted feed created kidney stones according to Dr. Zhang, who performed a necropsy. So why do people keep using melamine in food? Simple. It is enormously profitable. It is much cheaper to put melamine in as a nitrogen source than to put a real source in.

Did you forget?

These crooks would do anything to make more profit, even if it means killing people. I really hope we stop using anything that comes from China to send them a clear message.

20 Most Contaminated Fruits & Vegetables

• Peaches (Worst)
• Apples
• Sweet Bell Peppers
• Celery
• Nectarines
• Strawberries
• Cherries
• Lettuce
• Grapes - Imported
• Pears
• Spinach
• Potatoes
• Carrots
• Green Beans
• Hot Peppers
• Cucumbers
• Raspberries
• Plums
• Oranges
• Grapes - Domestic

20 Least Contaminated Fruits & Vegetables

• Onions (Best)
• Avocado
• Sweet Corn - Frozen
• Pineapples
• Mango
• Sweet Peas - Frozen
• Asparagus
• Kiwi
• Bananas
• Cabbage
• Broccoli
• Eggplant
• Papaya
• Blueberries
• Watermelon
• Sweet Potatoes
• Tomatoes
• Winter Squash
• Grapefruit
• Honeydew Melon

Source : EWG
So when you shop, try to buy organic for the most contaminated fruits & vegetables and save money on the least contaminated.  Will washing and peeling help? not really.  While washing and rinsing may reduce levels of some pesticides, it does not eliminate them.

More scary thing about the melamine scandal is that it is on a massive scale. Apparently many farmers fully understood how to mix melamine (not water-soluble) with milk. In order to mix melamine with milk, it must be mixed with formaldehyde or another chemical before it can be dissolved in milk.

So how did these farmers know how to play with melamine in the first place? I'm sure some chemical companies sent reps to these farmers and lobbied them. China should investigate these chemical companies as well, if that was the case.

I want to explain the science behind this toxic chemical, melamine, but I will leave that to you. Just Google it. What I want to do with my post is to inform which products are melamine-tainted and bring the latest news on it. I will probably create a separate page for the list of melamine-tainted food around the world. That would be fun.

I want to end this post with some stats and facts about melamine. Thanks for reading.

Chinese Melamine Stats

• Melamine killed 4 babies in China
• Melamine sickened about 52,857 children
• More than 5,800 children are still receiving hospital care

Melamine Uses

• Melamine is used to create countertops, dry erase boards, fabrics, glues, housewares and flame retardants.
• Melamine is used as superplasticizer for making high-resistance concrete.
• Melamine is used as fertilizing agent.
• Melamine is used for leather tanning.
• And much more...

Melamine Toxicity

• When combined with cyanuric acid, it can cause fatal kidney stones.
• Can cause reproductive damage.
• May lead to bladder cancer.
• And much more...

Thanks China.  You've done it again.

Dark Green would indicate the detoxification of one’s gall bladder, orange indicates joints, red flecks would mean blood clot material had been flushed out, White cheese-like particles would indicate yeast being flushed out, white foam would mean mucous from the Lymph system had been flushed out, and Yellow-Green would indicate the bladder, urinary tract, kidneys and the female/prostate area had gone through the detox process.

NEW IONIC DETOX PRO ION AQUA FOOT BATH CHI SPA CLEANSE US $144.88

IONIC DETOX FOOT BATH ION SPA CHI AQUA CLEANSE FIR BELT US $149.95

NEW 10 IONIC DETOX FOOT ION AQUA SPA CHI CLEANSE ARRAYS US $79.95

IONIC DETOX FOOT BATH ION SPA CHI AQUA CLEANSE FIR BELT US $149.95

NEW ION CELL DETOX IONIC AQUA FOOT BATH CHI SPA MACHINE US $144.95

The thing with Aqua Chi and aqua detox therapy is that there aren’t any clinical results to prove that it actually does what it claims to do. Aqua Chi, aqua detox machines, along with the other devices which are marketed in association with aqua detox therapy, are all entries into the roster of questionable medical devices.

Bottom line, understanding the nature and stance of Aqua Chi goes beyond simply understanding the Aqua Chi color chart. For all that is known, all the item does is clean one’s feet. Or it actually does what it claims to do.

Not resembling, or in effecting, anything to that of a shiatsu massage, the Aqua Chi Model 5400 is an item which facilitates the aqua detox therapy process. Aqua detox therapy is basically the result of studies conducted by Dr. Royal Rife, and is a type of therapy which detoxifies one’s body from toxins, as well as relaxes one’s feet, making it a “relaxation” method in itself.

Aqua detox therapy works on the premise that the human body is exposed to positive and negative ion frequencies coursing through and by it’s cells. Through Aqua detox therapy, the cells in one’s body are rebalanced, as the toxins which have built on them over time are exited, resulting to the whole point of aqua detox therapy.

What happens is that a person’s feet is bathed in a solution of water and salts. Electric current is then coursed through, completing the aqua detox therapy cycle. The Aqua Chi Model 5400 is an item, along with many other items, which successfully implements the aqua detox therapy process, with no problems.

NEW IONIC DETOX PRO ION AQUA FOOT BATH CHI SPA CLEANSE US $144.88

IONIC DETOX FOOT BATH ION SPA CHI AQUA CLEANSE FIR BELT US $149.95

NEW 10 IONIC DETOX FOOT ION AQUA SPA CHI CLEANSE ARRAYS US $79.95

IONIC DETOX FOOT BATH ION SPA CHI AQUA CLEANSE FIR BELT US $149.95

NEW ION CELL DETOX IONIC AQUA FOOT BATH CHI SPA MACHINE US $144.95

The thing with aqua detox therapy is that it hasn’t yet come up with clinical tests to prove its stand as a successful detoxifier. Users have nothing to say regarding any physical improvements after using aqua detox therapy gadgets, which the Aqua Chi Model 5400 is one of, and the United States Food and Drug Administration hasn’t passed out results regarding it.

But as a relaxing “in home foot spa machine”, the Aqua Chi Model 5400 is quite the item. It comes packaged with an analog power supply to match the main water module of the item, as it works based on the principles of Bio Electirc Field Enhancement systems. It also comes with a five year warranty, making its purchase fully covered, should one be interested in purchasing it.

Though most of its “claimed” medical benefits are being questioned, the relaxation factor of the Aqua Chi Model 5400 is quite proven. For relaxing, or a simple foot spa in your own home, the Aqua Chi Model 5400 ideally fits the bill for your foot spa needs.

In addition, vitamins and minerals are processed in the liver for the use of other body organs. These nutrients are released whenever a certain part or organ in the body needs it. The liver is also needed for storage and metabolism of fat, synthesis of protein and sugar, lipoprotein, cholesterol production and the manufacture of glucose that is used by insulin for blood sugar regulation. Nevertheless, the most notable function of the liver is for filtering toxins from our bloodstream.

This just shows how important it is to drink a liver detox tea to have a healthy liver. The aim of a liver detox tea is to remove all toxins that are gathered by the liver. If too much toxins are stored in the liver there is a big possibility that the liver will become “congested”. If this happens, the liver could get damaged and will eventually lead to other illnesses.

Drinking a liver detox tea also aids in detoxifying a slow-moving system. It can improve blood circulation which is essential for a healthy body. A liver detox tea typically contains Burdock root, Black Peppercorn, Dandelion root, Cardamon seed, Fennel seed, Clove bud, Juniper berry, Cinnamon bark, Orange peel, Horsetail herb, Dandelion leaf, Parsley leaf, Ginger root, Uva Ursi leaf and Sassafras root. You can purchase a liver detox tea from health food stores or you can also prepare it on your own.

Ingredients and steps to prepare a liver detox tea:

Liver Detox Tea Recipe

Ingredients :

• 10g Burdock root
• 10g Dandelion leaf
• 5g Ginger root
• 5g Fennel seed
• 5g Mugwort
• 5g Milk thistle

How to Prepare :

• Combine all herbs and put at least 2 cups of clean water.
• Let it boil for 20 minutes and then let it stay for 10 minutes after removing it from heat.
• Use a strainer to remove all herbs.
• Drink half cup of liver detox tea for at least 3 times a day.

If you are too lazy to make your own liver detox tea, you can purchase it on any organic stores. One of these good tasting liver detox teas is Peach DeTox. Peach Detox does not just eliminate toxins from the body; it also counteracts the existence of toxins in the system! So, the tea serves two purposes!

The formula of the Peach DeTox tea is actually comprised by what is called “the three pungents”. This is the extraordinary combination of organic black pepper, long pepper, and organic ginger. The combination of these three herbs is very effective in the elimination of excess fluids from the body. By drinking this good tasting liver detox tea, you can help the major filtering systems in your body, which are the liver and the kidneys, perform their jobs at the optimum level. By getting rid of the excess fluids, you will get rid of that bloated feeling we all feel sometimes. And you will give your body the much-needed opportunity to rejuvenate.

Another good tasting liver detox tea is the EveryDay Detox tea. This is also an herbal tea that is free of caffeine, with 15% of its ingredients organic. EverdDay Detox tea has a tinge of licorice and star anise, for that sweet tang to it. But before you do start taking this liver detox tea, you must be ready to be vigilant. This is because you would have to take in EveryDay Detox tea every single day. With each day you drink this tea, its effects become stronger and stronger, and your body’s filtering systems will improve over time as well. So, it would definitely be towards your best interest if you do not stop taking the tea quite suddenly.

Liver detox tea is not a magic potion.  It is meant to help the whole detox process that your body is already doing.  So drink this great cup of tea regularly to get the maximum result.