Concerned about whether your everyday household goods contain toxic chemicals? You can now visit HealthyStuff.org to find out.
HealthyStuff.org contains test results on 900 common items, from toys to school supplies to women’s handbags. The testing – done by the nonprofit, Ann Arbor-based, environmental organization, the Ecology Center – analyzed products for lead, cadmium, mercury, bromine, polyvinyl chloride (PVC), and arsenic. These chemicals, which build up over time in the body, have been linked to liver toxicity, thyroid disorders, learning disabilities, cancer, developmental disabilities, reproductive disorders, and other health issues.
Among the findings was the presence of “chemicals of concern” in most of the more than 60 common back-to-school supplies (e.g., backpacks, lunch boxes, pencil cases, binders) tested. Nearly 90% contained one or more toxins, 22% contained detectable levels of lead, and “far too many” were made of polyvinyl chloride.
Among pet products – including chew toys, beds, leashes, and collars – which are not regulated by the government, 25% had detectable levels of lead. Of these, 7% had levels greater than 300 parts per million (ppm), the current standard for lead in children’s products set by the Consumer Product Safety Commission.
A surprising finding was the amount of lead in women’s handbags. Of the 100 handbags tested, 64% contained more than 300 ppm lead, and 50% topped 1,000 ppm lead.
The Ecology Center hopes that consumers use the information on this site to make healthy choices and purchases. The site so invites consumers to take action and urge government officials and manufacturers to phase out lead, arsenic, and other hazardous substances from consumer products.
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Tampilkan postingan dengan label Health. Tampilkan semua postingan
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Libraries Throw a Lifeline During These Tough Times
Tough times can leave you feeling overwhelmed and unsure of where to turn.
To help, the Troy Library has joined up with several other area libraries to create Tough Times: Recession Resources. This website has resources that can help you during today’s difficult economy. The site has information on
To help, the Troy Library has joined up with several other area libraries to create Tough Times: Recession Resources. This website has resources that can help you during today’s difficult economy. The site has information on
- Filing an unemployment claim;
- Finding affordable health insurance;
- Finding a job;
- Keeping your home;
- Repairing and maintaining credit; and
- Receiving assistance with utilities, food banks, and general assistance.
New Source of Reliable, Health Information on the Web
Are you looking for reliable health information on the Internet? Check out healthfinder.gov, a new website of the National Health Information Center of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services.
Available in English and Spanish, healthfinder.gov is full of personalized, actionable health and wellness information and tools presented in an easy-to-read format with simple navigation. Some features of the site include:
Available in English and Spanish, healthfinder.gov is full of personalized, actionable health and wellness information and tools presented in an easy-to-read format with simple navigation. Some features of the site include:
- Quick-reference health guides with facts, actions, and Start Today tips;
- Personalized health recommendations based on age and sex;
- Interactive tools like menu planners, calorie counters, videos, and online checkups;
- Information on specific disease prevention topics;
- Lists of questions patients can take to the doctor;
- Links to information from more than 1,600 government and nonprofit organizations;
- Tools to locate health care providers including federally funded health centers that care for patients, even if they do not have health insurance; and
- A calendar of national health observances, useful in promoting health events.
And a Danish To Go
I was enjoying my second cup of coffee this morning, when I spotted this -- admittedly non-technology-related -- article:
Big coffee drinkers hallucinate more: study.
Who said that?
Big coffee drinkers hallucinate more: study.
Who said that?
Health Information on Household Products
Do you want to know health and safety information on any household products? Here is the link that allows you to navigate easily and find out the information on any household products.
Breast Cancer Web Sites
October is Breast Cancer Awareness Month. As with many medical issues today, people turn to the Internet to help them make sense of this illness.
How can you evaluate web-based information? Here are two sources that might help you, according to Suzanne Robinson, Databases Training Coordinator, for the Michigan Library Consortium:
First, Michigan State University has just released a report on the good and not-so-good of breast cancer web sites. A cancer site that the researchers thought was especially helpful was developed at Cornell University: http://envirocancer.cornell.edu.
Second, you can go to the Health and Wellness Resource Center database, which is provided free-of-charge by the Library of Michigan, via the Troy Library's web site. Once there, click on the Trusted Sites tab for some highly recommended health web sites.
To use this database, go to our web site at http://www.libcoop.net/troy/ --> Information on Demand --> Health and Medical -->Health and Wellness Resource Center. Log in by using your Troy Library card number.
As Suzanne adds: "Remember, early detection saves lives. The cure rate for breast cancer detected early is well over 90%. There are over 2.5 million women (and men) who are now breast cancer survivors in the United States."
Good advice.
How can you evaluate web-based information? Here are two sources that might help you, according to Suzanne Robinson, Databases Training Coordinator, for the Michigan Library Consortium:
First, Michigan State University has just released a report on the good and not-so-good of breast cancer web sites. A cancer site that the researchers thought was especially helpful was developed at Cornell University: http://envirocancer.cornell.edu.
Second, you can go to the Health and Wellness Resource Center database, which is provided free-of-charge by the Library of Michigan, via the Troy Library's web site. Once there, click on the Trusted Sites tab for some highly recommended health web sites.
To use this database, go to our web site at http://www.libcoop.net/troy/ --> Information on Demand --> Health and Medical -->Health and Wellness Resource Center. Log in by using your Troy Library card number.
As Suzanne adds: "Remember, early detection saves lives. The cure rate for breast cancer detected early is well over 90%. There are over 2.5 million women (and men) who are now breast cancer survivors in the United States."
Good advice.
Surfing the Net: A Healthy Alternative?
According to a soon-to-be-published article in The American Journal of Geriatric Psychiatry, reported on in the New York Times, searching the Internet may be good for your health!
Scientists at the University of California, Los Angeles, are suggesting that searching the Web may improve brain function, especially in the areas of the brain that control decision-making and complex reasoning.
The researches studied a group of Internet users and non-users between the ages of 55 and 76.
According to Dr. Gary Small, director of UCLA’s Memory and Aging Research Center: “Internet searching engages complicated brain activity, which may help exercise and improve brain function.”
The researchers noted that compared with reading, the Internet’s wealth of choices requires that people make decisions about what to click on, an activity that engages important cognitive circuits in the brain.
Scientists at the University of California, Los Angeles, are suggesting that searching the Web may improve brain function, especially in the areas of the brain that control decision-making and complex reasoning.
The researches studied a group of Internet users and non-users between the ages of 55 and 76.
According to Dr. Gary Small, director of UCLA’s Memory and Aging Research Center: “Internet searching engages complicated brain activity, which may help exercise and improve brain function.”
The researchers noted that compared with reading, the Internet’s wealth of choices requires that people make decisions about what to click on, an activity that engages important cognitive circuits in the brain.
