Unfortunately, you can. Aspartame and Sucralose, synthetic sweeteners that can harm your body, are found in some of the so-called, healthy, supplemental drinks and foods mentioned above. Aspartame breaks down into two dangerous chemical compounds in the human body: formic acid and formaldehyde. Formic acid is an irritant – the same chemical produced by fire ants – and doesn’t belong in the bloodstream. Formaldehyde is a known carcinogenic (cancer causing) preservative. It causes allergies, contact dermatitis, headaches, and chronic fatigue. The noxious vapour is extremely irritating to the mucous membranes of the eyes, nose and throat.

NaturalNews (NaturalNews.com) informs us that scientists from Brigham and Women’s Hospital in Boston have revealed results from a study outlining some of the effects of artificial sweeteners on the body. Conducted on a group of 3,000 women, the results indicated that those who drank two or more artificially-sweetened beverages a day doubled their risk of more-rapid-than-normal kidney function decline. The 11-year study evaluated the effects of all sweetened drinks on progressive kidney decline and discovered that two or more diet drinks leads to a two-fold increase in rapid kidney decline incidences.

When [the artificial sweetener] aspartame was first approved in the 1970s under the name “NutraSweet”, studies were submitted as supposed proof that the artificial chemical was safe. The FDA initially approved the chemical in 1974 for use in a limited number of foods based upon the studies submitted by G.D. Searle Co., the company that invented aspartame.

A discovery made shortly thereafter by a research psychiatrist found that aspartic acid, a primary ingredient in aspartame, caused holes to form in the brains of mice. Investigation revealed that aspartame had caused tumours, seizures, brain holes, and death in many of the studies. All negative findings had been altered or scrubbed from the final reports delivered to the FDA when aspartame was first reviewed.

A study published in the January, 2008 issue of the Journal of Toxicology and Environmental Health revealed that the newer artificial sweetener, sucralose, alters gut microflora and inhibits the assimilation of dietary nutrients.

The EU Food Commission, Canadian health officials, and the U.S. FDA all rejected the initial studies submitted by McNeil Nutritionals, the marketers of sucralose, because of the negative results. However they encouraged the company to continue researching until they “got it right”. McNeil simply lowered the levels of sucralose used in their studies until an acceptable limit was found. After several tries, sucralose was finally approved.

Stevia, a sweet herb from South America, has been proven to be a safe sugar substitute. Stevia is 330 times sweeter than sugar, so a little goes a long way. Claiming inadequate safety research, the FDA had long refused the herb from being included on the “generally recognized as safe” (GRAS) list. Up until last year, all forms of stevia could only be sold as dietary supplements.

Once the parent companies of both Pepsi and Coca-Cola discovered how to manipulate and patent stevia, however, it suddenly became safe to use as a sweetener and is now sold on grocery store shelves in packets similar to the artificial sweeteners. The FDA reluctantly added the natural stevia extract to the GRAS list as well.

If you are feeling betrayed by food companies that claim to have your best health in mind, you should be. The question to ask is why these harmful chemical additives are being added to what is being advertised as “healthy foods” and “smart choices” to begin your day.

And remember, our kids are consuming these supplemental drinks and foods too, and we’re sticking them in their lunch boxes thinking we’re doing something loving and nurturing.

What is the bottom line for a company who manufacturers and sells potentially dangerous products under the guise of “health drinks and food” ? Is it your health or their bank accounts?

OUR bottom line is to get you and your loved ones healthy!

Vegetables, fruits, berries, legumes, grasses, grains, beans, peas… Miessence nutritional products are certified organic and free from all chemical impurities.

In-Liven Probiotic Superfood, Fast-Tract Gluten Free Probiotic Liquid and Berry Radical Antioxidant Superfood are powerful and potent with no added sweeteners.

That means you can use them as is or add your own safe sweetener of choice – the perfect way to start your day or get through that afternoon slump without caffeine!

Ways to enjoy Miessence Nutritional Products:
- Dissolve Berry Radical in hot water, sweeten to taste, add your own non-dairy milk of choice, and sip as a tea, or add to your favourite smoothie recipe
- Add In-Liven to pineapple, orange, or your favourite juice or smoothie
- Fast-Tract is enjoyed straight from the bottle

Click here to view MiEssence Certified Organic Nutritional Supplements!

You may feel so good after regular use of our nutritional products that you will want to add even more chores to your day. Resist! Try taking a relaxing walk, jogging with your dog, or playing with your children instead.

TESTIMONIAL:
“I have just been trolling though the testimonials and found there are not many on BERRY RADICAL. I wonder if people are trying to keep it a secret – because it is such an amazing product.
I have been having my daily “hit” of Berry Radical everyday – rarely miss out and I have not had one sniffle since the day I started. In the past I would get at least 3-4 colds a year, since Berry Radical – not one. I work on a minesite and commute 3 hours by plane 4 times a month – that is 12 hours cooped up with everyone else’s bug circulating – not one sniffle. I have also taken a number of overseas and interstate trips – not a sniffle. Last flu season I survived my daily clinics at work with some pretty nasty flu bugs doing the rounds – not a sniffle.
Of course I also take my daily IN-LIVEN which is of course a factor and use ALL of the other products – so my system is not being bombarded with chemicals. On a recent overseas trip I forgot to pack my TOOTHPASTE and had to resort to a well known brand – after a week my teeth had a film over them. I could go on a lot more, but I?m sure you get my drift.
I CAN’T IMAGINE LIFE WITHOUT MIESSENCE – I love everything about it. An ever faithful customer for life.”
Ann, Australia

“Fragrance” can actually include complex mixtures of hundreds of chemicals — some of which have been linked to allergies, skin reactions, endocrine and hormone disruption, and possibly even birth defects.

Companies are not required to test cosmetics for safety before they are sold, and the FDA does not systematically review the safety of fragrances. Instead, the fragrance industry regulates itself, a practice that has led to widespread use of chemicals that can cause health problems, including:

•    Phthalates: These plasticizing ingredients have been linked to birth defects in the reproductive system of boys and lower sperm-motility in adult men, among other problems. Phthalates were present in nearly three-quarters of 72 products tested by the Environmental Working Group, although the word “phthalate” never appeared on any label.

•    Musks: Artificial musks accumulate in the body, and have been linked to skin irritation, hormone disruption, and cancer in laboratory studies.

•    Allergic reactions: Fragrances are among the top five known allergens, and can cause asthma and trigger asthma attacks.

The scientists carrying out the study are based at the USDA’s Genetic Improvement of Fruits and Vegetables Laboratory in Beltsville, Maryland, and at Rutgers University in New Brunswick, New Jersey.

The team found consistent and significant differences in nutrient content. The organic blueberries contained 46 ORAC units, a measure of total antioxidant capacity, while the conventional berries contained 31 ORAC units.

Accordingly, the organic berries had over 50% more total antioxidant activity. They also contained about 50% higher levels of total anthocyanins, the natural plant phytochemicals that give blueberries their dark colour.

The organic blueberries also had 67% more total phenolics. The authors’ concluding sentence reads: “Blueberries produced from organic culture contained significantly higher amounts of phytonutrients than those produced from conventional culture.”

Source: S.H. Wang et al., “Fruit Quality, Antioxidant Capacity, and Flavonoid Content of Organically and Conventionally Grown Blueberries,” Journal of Agricultural and Food Chemistry.

Try MiEssence Berry Radical certified organic anti-oxidant for organic blueberries and more!

Great. So what are they?

If you’re like most people, you haven’t a clue what enzymes are. Enzymes are highly complex protein molecules. They work together with oxygen to help us digest food. This is important because unless food is digested properly, it is not usable by the body.

Enzymes and oxygen are destroyed whenever food is cooked or highly processed. Eating cooked and/or processed foods puts a tremendous burden on your body. Instead of the necessary digestive enzymes coming directly from your food (as nature intended), your body must now call upon its stored reserves to properly digest that food. These reserves are limited. Once the body’s digestive enzymes become depleted, your body has no choice but to draw upon its reserve supply of metabolic enzymes.

So what’s the big deal? The big deal is, if these metabolic enzymes have to be used to digest your food, a series of unfortunate events are set in motion in your body’s metabolism as these metabolic enzymes are now taken away from other important activities.

Consequently, numerous bodily functions are disrupted. Your immune system weakens, making you more susceptible to disease. Your energy level drops. In fact, the functioning of every organ system in the body, including the brain, begins to stress out – all because enzymes have been diverted to digest food.

What’s worse? We only inherit a certain enzyme potential at birth. However, if we depend solely on our body to produce all the enzymes we need, our enzyme potential will be depleted at a much faster rate than nature intended. To fortify your enzyme potential, you must eat raw foods as much and often as possible. Failure to do so may result in serious illness and/or premature aging!

InLiven is a certified organic blend of whole raw superfoods and probiotics (which help the body produce enzymes).

Some of these cleaners promise that they contain natural (instead of synthetic) agents, break down quickly in the environment, or pose less of a toxic threat to humans and ecosystems. But critics caution that just because the ingredients in green cleaners are plant-based or natural doesn‘t necessarily mean they‘re safe.

Although green cleaners may purport to list all ingredients, the market is largely unregulated — which means consumers still must be wary of what‘s in the bottle. Even cleaning products labeled “natural” may contain some fraction of synthetic chemicals.

Or they may contain natural ingredients consumers would rather avoid, such as petroleum distillates, some of which can cause cancer. And just because a cleaning product is biodegradable and made from plant-based sources doesn‘t mean that it is without potential adverse effects on health.

Plant-based ingredients included in some green cleaners include the foaming agent coconut diethanolamide (DEA) — which can cause allergic dermatitis. And a recent study of natural and nontoxic consumer products found the suspected cancer-causing chemical 1,4-dioxane in roughly half of 100 tested products — including several dishwashing liquids with words such as “Earth friendly” and “eco” in their brand names.

Consumer advocates have pressed for stricter labeling rules, but the industry has resisted, arguing that long lists of ingredients would create a distraction on product labels, drawing attention away from important safety information.

Dare to compare!  MiEssence Dishwashing Concentrate proudly discloses all its gorgeous ingredients!  View all MiEssence cleaning products here!

Like Santa’s reindeer there’s Blusher and Concealer and Glosser and Lotion, Polish and Fragrance and Shadow and Bronzer… And unless you’re using the purest products on the planet, i.e. MiEssence body and skin products, then you’re most likely absorbing a minefield of health compromising chemicals in the effort to look and feel beautiful.

Here are some of the alarming facts about the average number of chemicals found in everyday personal care products, including some of the worst offenders:

Product	Chemicals	Most worrying chemicals & some of their effects
Shampoo:	15	Sodium Lauryl Sulphate; Tetrasodium and Propbylene Glycol – possible eye damage
Eye Shadow:	26	Polythylene terephthalate – linked to cancer
Lipstick:	33	Polymenthyl methacrylate – also linked to cancer
Nail Varnish:	31	Phthalates – linked to fertility issues and problems in developing babies
Perfume:	250	Benzaldehyde – linked to kidney damage
Fake Tan:	22	Ethyl/Methyl/Propylparabens – possible hormonal disruption
Hairspray:	11	Octinoxate, Isophthalates – possible hormonal disruption, linked to change in cell structure
Blusher:	16	Ethyl/Methyl/Propylparabens – possible hormonal disruptions
Foundation:	24	Polymethyl methacrylates – possibly disrupts immune system, linked to cancer
Deodorant:	15	Isopropyl Myristate, ‘Parfum’ – possible respiratory problems
Body Lotion:	32	Methyl/Propylparabens, Polyethylene Glycol, also found in oven cleaners – possible hormonal disruption

If you did your math, you discovered that after your nice shower or bath that’s supposed to cleanse you of waste, dirt and pollution, you could be adding up to 475 toxic chemicals to your body! And remember, your skin absorbs what’s put on it. And that’s just after one shower or bath. Most of us apply lotions and lipstick and other products throughout the day, and wash it all off at the end of the day, and then reapply the lotions and potions and creams. Unfortunately, many of the absorbed, potentially toxic chemicals aren’t flushed out of the body, so they build up day after day, year after year, compromising your health. The good news is that MiEssence doesn’t contain ANY toxic manmade, synthetic chemicals – not ONE! Every product is vital and pure. But they do have side-effects: soothing, restoring and beautifying skin and hair, evening skin tone, adding a rosy blush to cheeks… Beauty the way it used to be… Beauty the way to still can be… Beauty the way it should be… That’s MiEssence!

]]> http://yourcertifiedorganicproducts.com/blog/?feed=rss2&p=301 0 http://yourcertifiedorganicproducts.com/blog/?p=298 http://yourcertifiedorganicproducts.com/blog/?p=298#comments Sat, 01 Oct 2011 04:58:47 +0000 Bonny Belanger http://yourcertifiedorganicproducts.com/blog/?p=298 A steaming cup of tea is a dawn-breaker, a stress‑reliever and a lets-get-together beverage.

Simple but true, antioxidants promote well-being. In fact: the more the better to boost your body into the disease prevention realm. Many studies are now showing that drinking tea may help to prevent heart disease and cancer with a dose of antioxidants in beverage form. On your next adventure, hydrating your body could take on a whole new meaning.

History records tea as long ago as when Chinese Emperor Shen Nung was boiling drinking water and the leaves of a nearby
bush fell into the pot creating the first pot of tea. In the new millennium, scientific evidence is supporting the link between tea and health benefits.

Research shows that the major antioxidants in tea, called flavonoids, neutralize the “free radicals” in the body – helping to maintain healthy cells and tissues. There are many different terms for the antioxidants in tea: flavonoids, tannins, polyphenols and catechins.

Flavonoids are special groups of antioxidant phytochemicals found in black and green tea, apples, onions, and other fruits
and vegetables. The amounts and types of flavonoids found in tea depend on the variety, the manufacturing process, and the
brewing conditions. The majority of the flavonoids are released after 2 minutes of steeping. Antioxidant levels remain the same whether the brewed tea is hot or cold. Research is still being done on whether adding milk, lemon, sugar or artificial sweetener to tea will impact the antioxidant benefits.

For a powerful anti-aging anti-oxidant, try the MiEssence Berry Radical!

Source: http://amolife.com/healthy-food/all-about-tea.html and http://lifeinthehealthlane.blogspot.com/2007/08/tea-more-than-just-beverage.html

Artificial musks commonly added to fragrances and personal care products can be absorbed through skin or inhaled, and concentrate and persist in our bodies – so our many small exposures can add up fast. Synthetic musks have also been found in human breast milk and fatty tissues, and are present in wastewater and rivers.

Trade Secrets

The cosmetics industry and other industries that use “fragrance” in their products use a whopping 9,000 tons of synthetic musk annually. Preliminary research raises concerns: musks may disrupt hormones and are toxic to aquatic life.

Because of a loophole in labelling law, the ingredients in “fragrance” are considered trade secrets, so companies don’t have to tell us what’s in their scents.

Dozens or even hundreds of synthetic chemical compounds like synthetic musks are linked to cancer, infertility, behavioural and developmental illnesses.

So what can we as concerned consumers do about this?

Certified Organic: The safest way to keep our bodies free from toxins and from transferring toxins in the womb is to make sure that all our botanical products are certified organic.

Carefully Read Labels: Many products contain harsh chemicals and synthetic fragrance along with a featured natural or even certified organic ingredient. Don’t be fooled by a label that tries to draw you in with a compelling ingredient.

Be Proactive: Contact the manufacturer of a cosmetic or skin product that lists “fragrance”, “perfume” or “musk” on the ingredient label and ask the company to use non-toxic ingredients and fully disclose all ingredients on products labels.

Online Resources: Consult the list of companies that have signed the Compact for Safe Cosmetics and use EWG’s Skin Deep database to run an advanced search of products without synthetic fragrance.

MiEssence has solved the “artificial fragrance” dilemma with exquisite certified organic Botanical Perfumes. Hand-blended from rare and potent botanical extracts, absolutes and essential oils proven to warm, calm, uplift, and energize.

Try sample sizes of Love, Wild, Free, Brave, Calm, and Delicious in our perfume Sample Collection, or order full sizes in beautiful showcase bottles.

Get inside help when tackling your paperwork or making important decisions. Inhale MiEssence pure, certified organic lemon oil in a bath, through a diffuser or inhale the fragrance from a tissue.

Try lemon oil yourself; you may be amazed by the improvement!

P.S. Lavender, jasmine and peppermint oils also have beautiful fragrances proven under test conditions to help concentration and study.

CLICK HERE to find out more about these and other MiEssence internationally certified organic essential oils!

Air fresheners are made from a number of toxic chemicals; including formadehyde – a carcinogen and sensitizer, naphthalene – a suspected carcinogen, xylene – a neurotoxin and possible reproductive toxin, butane gas – a neurotoxin, and strong chemical fragrances. Some solid deodorizers include the pesticide paradichlorobenzene, a carcinogen which can also cause liver and kidney damage. Aerosol air fresheners release chemicals as tiny particles which can be inhaled deeply into lungs and transferred into the blood stream. Plug in air fresheners break chemicals into even smaller particles.

The key to freshening air is to remove or dilute the offending odour (by cleaning, ventilating or absorbing), not to cover it over with another chemical.

With MiEssence’ Rainforest Air Freshener, you can create a lush rainforest environment in your own home with the crisp and invigorating aromas of blue cypress, lemon myrtle and blue mallee eucalyptus. Yes, aromas of organic cold pressed plant extracts instead of chemical nasties from a test tube! MiEssence Rainforest Air Freshener comes in an environmentally friendly non-aerosol pump spray!