Dish Dallas

By DISH Contributer: Chelle Northcutt 

“I knew it! I knew it! I knew it!”

That was my very intense reaction when my friend and business partner Rachael told me about the story she saw on the local ABC affiliate the other day.  The story was all about the toxics in baby products.  Yes, that includes the lavender scented baby wash we all love to use on the soft little heads of our newborn babies.

I haven’t been paying very close attention to toxic products in our household for very long.  Having children and a husband with a horrible genetic illness has changed my outlook, so I’ve recently started doing some research and the information is astounding. 

Turns out, ALL of that stuff we spend out hard earned money on so we can give our babies the very best, may actually be the very worst.

I searched the tv station’s website and couldn’t find the actual story, however, I found a similar one from February 2008 from the Associated Press and it was an entire 2 page article!  Turns out, a study in the February issue of the Journal of Pediatrics shows elevated levels of phthalates in the urine of babies who’d been recently shampooed, powdered or lotioned with baby products.  In case you’re not familiar with phthalates, they are chemicals used to stabilize fragrances and make plastics flexible. 

Mind you, phthalates aren’t required to be on product labels.  In all fairness, Stephanie Kwisnek of the Food and Drug Administration says they have “no compelling evidence that phthalates pose a safety risk when used in cosmetics.  Should new data emerge, we will inform the public as well as the industry.”

Of course, that’s the same FDA that is now recalling all kinds of drugs that they now say are harmful, after approving them for public consumption.  But now is not the time for my soapbox.

With all this information in hand I was more than a little curious.  So I pulled my own baby shampoo off the shelf.  One of the first ingredients is something I had never heard of before.  It’s called Quaternium-15.  Qua-what??

Quaternium-15.  If you’ve never heard of it, you’re not alone.  Most of us haven’t until we start looking more closely at the ingredients in most of our products.  So I looked it up on the internet.

According to Wikepedia, Quaternium-15 is “used as a preservative in many cosmetics and industrial substances.  It acts as a formaldehyde releaser.”

Hmm.  That doesn’t exactly sound healthy or safe.  But that’s not the end of the definition.

“It can cause contact dermatitis, a symptom of an allergic reaction, especially in those with sensitive skin, on an infant’s skin, or on sensitive areas such as the genitals.”

Greeeeat.

But like the little researcher I am, I continued on.

Search: “Side effects of Quaternium-15”

Pages of information came up.  But the most interesting by far was on About.com: Allergies.  Found lots of info there!  And apparently, baby products aren’t the only products with Quaternium-15 in it.  

The article states, “Mascara also can cause dermatitis, either from formaldehyde/quaternium-15 or from the nickel present in the applicator device.” (Eyelid Rash: Causes of Eyelid Rashes and Allergies, by Daniel More, MD, About.com Guide, Updated January 20, 2010)

But that’s not all.  My search also brought up the book, “Side Effects of Drugs Annual 27” by J.K Aronson, (2004, Elsevier B.V.).  It states that over a 10-year study, there were “several cases of contact allergy to formaldehyde…”  In fact, in the same paragraph, it states the frequency of positive reactions has increased from 0.7% to 3.5% from 1991-2000.

Now, I’m not going to pretend the scientific terms make a whole lot of sense to me.  But I think it’s pretty clear that this stuff isn’t exactly the safest product to be using.  So what do we do? 

Back to that Associated Press report.

They quoted a 2005 CDC report that states, “Although several studies in people have explored possible associations with developmental and reproductive outcomes,…more research is needed.”

Well, while you do the research, CDC, I’ll go find some safer alternatives to use now.  I’m willing to bet most of them can only be found on the internet.  But I’ll take my chances.

In the meantime, thank you, local ABC affiliate, for bringing the information to us! Even if it just made me do more research. 

Now I’m off to shop on the internet…….

For many years there has been debate over whether aluminum has negative effects on the human body. There have been studies that have lead to conclusive proof that there are links to aluminum and breast cancer and Alzheimer's. The more we studied the more we realised it's EVERYWHERE! In cookware, in water, and in our antiperspirant. For a small experiment we as DISH decided to see if it made a difference to try to cut aluminum out of our daily lives. A small experiment mind you means we aren't giving up water or buying new cookware but we did change our deodorant. If you look at the ingredients on your deodorant you will see the active ingredient...the one that makes it work...is aluminum! If you put something on your skin it will be absorbed into your bloodstream so we decided to try out alternative ...READ: aluminum free... deodorants and antiperspirants. The two alternates we used here at the DISH office were Crystal Body Deodorant and Tom's of Maine Long Lasting Stick, Lavender scented.

After a few months, some cold days some warm, workouts and lounge days we all discovered this: It stinks to stink and using alternative methods may make you feel better emotionally or mentally better but physically...WE STINK STANK STUNK! (with a small lavender overtone that went away QUICKLY!)

Conclusion: On cold days these natural alternatives are fine but here in Texas where those days are few and far between the aluminum way is the way to go unless you want to stand down wind from all of your friends which is too much effort for us.

A breakthrough in the fight against AIDS!

For the first time, an experimental vaccine has prevented infection with the AIDS virus, a watershed event in the deadly epidemic and a surprising result. Recent failures led many scientists to think such a vaccine might never be possible.

This is the best news!!! Let's pray together that this comes to life sooner rather than later!

Is there a right way and a wrong way to go to the doctor? Of course there is! When we the patient or as I prefer to call us "medical consumers" go to the doctor we must be as prepared, alert and in control of ourselves as if we were interviewing for that prized corporate position that 100 guys want and only one is going to get.

Sure you don't feel well, naturally you're scared but just as the soldier on the frontline battlefields cannot indulge those feelings, neither can you.

There is only so much time you are going to get once you enter the examining room and you must make every second count.

Let me walk you through the process based on of my own experience.

• Starting from when you make the appointment, get the name of the person you're speaking with and request that any forms that may need to be filled out be faxed to you in advance so that you won't have to deal with that in the outer office.
• Also fax them all of your insurance information and credit card info should any advance payment be necessary. Again, the less of this crap you have to deal with at the time of your appointment the better.
• Make sure you ask if any blood, urine or fecal tests will be taken that may require you to fast for several hours prior to your appointment. Do not expect the person from the doctor's office to be the picture of efficiency. In fact, expect just the opposite and cover as many bases as possible yourself.
• If there is anyway to NOT go on a Friday or right before a holiday I advise you not to as it just protracts the agony of waiting for test results and/or a prognosis.
• If there is a procedure, test or surgery that is pending the results of the exam, ask to pre-book in advance of seeing the doctor. The last thing you want to hear is something looks suspicious but you'll have to wait two weeks to get an opening for that MRI or CT scan, not to mention operating room. These things can always be cancelled but if they're booked, you're plain out of luck.
• If you are getting a second opinion, or being referred to a specialist, get involved in the transport of your previous test results. Imaging tests come on disc, or film or are digitized and I recommend you pick them up from one place and hand deliver them to the other. The less middle men involved the less opportunity for screw ups. Also have copies of all lab work results and doctor evaluations as well.
• Prepare a list of questions that you or your loved ones want the doctor to answer. Don't expect to remember everything becauseyou won't, so start your medical "grocery" list immediately and add to it as you think of the questions.
• Always go to the doctor with at least one other person whom you consider to be strong, confident and in control. Your head will reel with all the information mixed with emotions that this sick person is YOU they are talking about . This person will be your eyes, your ears, your significant other. Don't choose a person for whom you will need to be strong or have to calm down. This experience must be about you and only you. Bring them right into the examining room and never let them leave your side. Give them the responsibility of writing down notes, asking how to spell words and medical terms with which you are unfamiliar. Having a solid caring presence on your behalf to share the load lightens the burden of having to navigate through ominous un-chartered waters by yourself. Heed my warning, don't try to go it alone even if you're sure you can. Every soldier needs a "buddy".
• Don'tomit any symptoms you may be feeling even if you're positive that it has nothing to do with the larger health issue at hand. A good diagnostician needs to see the overall picture before making an informed diagnosis.
• Make certain that you discuss all options with your doctor and don't allow yourself to feel rushed. As a medical consumer you are entitled receive the physician's undivided attention.
• Ask yourself if what you are being told makes sense. Don't underestimate your instincts.
• Look up everything on the internet to better evaluate the information from the doctor.
• Whenever going for a second opinion, and I believe this is an absolute must, go outside of your doctor's hospital to get a totally objective opinion . (BTW the idea of insulting or upsetting your primary physician is B.S. Any worthwhile doctor will expect it and regardless, it's your body, your health, your life so do it!
• If you are diagnosed with cancer, your research must be extremely diligent. The internet will point you towards the medical leaders in the field of your particular disease. The same names will come up again and again in research studies and medical reports. These are the doctors you should be talking to. Call any and every important and powerful person you know or know someone who knows. We are all six degrees of separation from someone who can help you get through to a hard to get to specialist.
• If radiation and/or chemo-therapy is recommended, realize that there is no standard for these treatments and application changes from state to state, city to city and yes even hospital to hospital. So make an informed decision based off of many things but mostly what you "feel" is the right approach for you. The hospital where your surgeon is associated, may not necessarily be where you do your post-op treatment. I had my cancer surgery at Cedars Sinai in Los Angeles, but had I decided to do the radiation, I was going to fly down to MD Anderson in Houston. This decision was based onwhere the most state of the art equipment for the particular form of radiation I would have needed was, as well as each hospitals policy for the frequency and strength of treatment.
  Most important, plan your play and then play your plan. Be Well.

Fran Drescher
Cancer survivor, activist and New York Times bestselling author of the book, Cancer Schmancer.

For More information, please CLICK HERE to visit the Cancer Schmancer website to see how you can help!