I have never been more certain in my life that it is imperative for us to remove all toxins for our daily lives!

In 2001, I lost my father to pulmonary fibrosis...a terrible lung disease.  Pulmonary fibrosis doesn't run in our family.  In fact, both of his parents lived very long, healthy lives.  However, he was diagnosed with this disease, as well as several other people in the building where he worked.  No....he wasn't in construction.  He wasn't an engineer, a home builder or in any other job where you think he would be subjected to harmful toxins.  He was an accountant and worked in a building with about 50 other employees.

The doctors were not able to tell us for sure what caused this.  This is a rare disease and it's hard to determine the cause.  However, they thought it may have come from mold in the building where he worked.  Why else would a handful of workers in the same building end up with a rare lung disease.  They must have all been breathing toxins, huh?  Well, he unfortunately lost his fight.  He had a double lung transplant at Duke University and made it for about a year, but his body just didn't accept the lungs as we were hoping.  Unfortunately, all the other workers in that building lost their fight too!

Recently, we found out that my aunt has the same lung disease.  The doctors are dumbfounded and don't understand why she has pulmonary fibrosis, but they don't think it's hereditary.  Maybe there was mold or some other toxic substance in the home where they grew up.  I mean, doctors say that a disease like this doesn't attack your body until your 50's.  So that would make sense, right?

On http://bodyandhealth.canada.com/condition_info_details.asp?disease_id=109, you can read the causes of pulmonary fibrosis, which include:

The following factors can cause the formation of scar tissue in the lungs:

• diabetes
• rheumatoid arthritis
• scleroderma
• lupus (rarely)
• tuberculosis and some fungal, parasitical, and viral infections (most recently post-SARS [severe acute respiratory syndrome])
• mineral dusts - coal, silicon, asbestos (asbestosis), metals
• organic dusts - bird droppings, moulds; this is known as farmer's lung
• poisonous industrial gases such as chlorine and sulphur dioxide
• radiation to the chest
• poisons - particularly paraquat
• many medications - including those commonly given for rheumatoid arthritis, medications for arrhythmias, some antibiotics, and tricyclic antidepressants

Okay, so this tells us that all of these things....many of which are in our everyday lives....cause a potentially deadly disease????  Need I say more??

So, if this isn't enough to scare us....my 9 month old keeps getting horrible skin rashes.  The doctor rights it off as eczema and says it will NEVER go away, but gives us a prescription to keep it under control.  Really?  That's the answer?  I'm sorry, but that's not good enough for me.  So, I did some research...only to find that eczema can be caused by toxins in our body products as well as our clothes.  (see previous blog on toxins in our baby body products) Hmmmm.....

So, I have switched her products to fully organic, natural lotions and shampoos...free of toxins.  The rashes have drastically gone down and her skin is so much better now.  The only time I see a flare up is when she is crawling around on the floor and her skin is rubbing up against clothing that isn't organic.  So, we are slowly removing all non-organic clothing and replacing it with all 100% organic clothes.

What more should I say????  I see proof on a daily basis that we need to remove ALL toxins from our daily lives.  This includes our clothing, cleaners, body care products, make-up, home decor items, etc

If removing all of these harmful toxins now and keep us healthy are free from horrible diseases, why don't we take the step and clean up and "green" our lives now...while we still have the chance???

All countries around the world define the term "Organic" in different ways, and the citizens of those countries do not always agree on the definition that is being used. For all intensive purposes, the following quote from USDA presents a fair structure for the movement.

“What is organic product? Organic product is produced by farmers who emphasize the use of renewable resources and the conservation of soil and water to enhance environmental quality for future generations. Organic meat, poultry, eggs, and dairy products come from animals that are given no antibiotics or growth hormones. Organic crops are grown without using most conventional pesticides; fertilizers made with synthetic ingredients or sewage sludge; bioengineering; or ionizing radiation.

Before a product can be labeled ‘organic,’ a Government-approved certifier inspects the farm where the food is grown to make sure the farmer is following all the rules necessary to meet USDA organic standards. Companies that handle or process organic products before it gets to your local supermarket or restaurant must be certified, too.”

Organic vs. Conventional:
Seed Preparation:
Organic: Natural untreated GMO free seeds.
Conventional: typically treated with fungicides or insecticides. Possible GMOs.

Soil Preparation:
Organic:  Healthy soil through crop rotation.  Retains moisture in soil from increased organic matter.
Conventional:  Synthetic fertilizers, loss of soil due to mono-crop culture, intensive irrigation.

Weed control:
Organic: Healthy soil creates natural balance.  Beneficial insects and trap crops               used.
Conventional:  Aerial spraying of insecticides and pesticides.  9 of the most commonly used pesticides are know cancer-causing agents.

Harvesting:
Organic:  Natural defoliation from freezing temperatures or through the use of water management.
Conventional:  Defoliation induced with toxic waxes.

Production:
Organic: Safe peroxide is used.
Conventional:  Chlorine bleaching creates toxic bi-products which are released into the environment.

Softening:
Organic: Natural soybean softening.
Conventional:  Petroleum- based softening.

**From www.miyim.com.***

We know it's important to buy organic products for our little ones.  Well, now you can buy organic baby toys and support mommies!  Organic cotton toys that are designed with a purpose!!! 

Say hello to the Pink Collection from Dandelion.  A portion of the proceeds from each toy in this collection go toward Breast Cancer Research.

All toys from the Pink Collection are made with renewable corn products and organic fabrics. They are machine washable and packaged in 100% recycled packages.

Just another way we are working toward a better future; for our children and the women who love them.

I am extremely excited about a new product we have just found!!!  It is called the Tie Chair....and it's like a highchair....but SO much better!  This is a cloth TIE chair: It's like a tie that holds your child/baby in place and attaches to just about any chair!  And, they have an organic fabric Tie Chair!!!  Wow!!!!  Read this description from their website:

"About the Tie Chair™

Convenient. Functional. Safe. Stylish. Simple.

The simplicity and timelessness of a tie. The Tie Chair™ is all fabric, with no hard plastic or metal buckles. Safely secure your child without them feeling detained.

There are many places parents take their children where they do not have high chairs available. Friends houses, family members' houses, and some restaurants often do not have this convenience. This is why we created the Tie Chair™, to make life easier.

The Tie Chair™ is a portable, washable high chair that works just about anywhere, and the best part is that it folds up and fits right in your diaper bag. Ties easily in the front or in back.

The Tie Chair™ fits most dining chairs, and can be used as soon as children are able to sit up on their own. It also comes in several fun fabric choices. (Dimensions: 26 1/2" x 35 1/2")

As with high chairs, never leave your child unattended."

You can check their website and look at all the different fabric selections at www.tiechair.com.

You can purchase this awesome new product right here on our website:

http://seedinthecenter.com/index.php.

Ooh, I think this is going to be a fantastic seller!!!!

Kids are the future! If we're to create a brighter future for our world, we need to instill environmental awareness in our children.

Green toys teach kids to think about where things come from and where they'll go—an early lesson in environmental responsibility and responsible buying.

ImagiPLAY, one of our best selling toy manufacturers,  is committed to the development and distribution of open-ended educational toys and children's accessories that inspire their imaginations, introduce them to the wonders of the natural world around them, and nurture their sense of discovery. They are equally committed to producing only high-quality products using materials and processes that show respect for our planet and all the people and creatures upon it.

Every toy they produce is earth friendly, child safe and people kind. That is our commitment to our children and their planet.

Everything that Imagiplay produces is made from renewable and sustainable materials.

Check this link to read further details on their commitment to their products and the environment....

http://www.imagiplay.com/abouttoys.php.

We think they are a fantastic company!  We love their toys and have sold them to many happy customers!!!!