Baofeng Doubles Down on New Handheld Radio

Originally posted by Bob Hawkins in the APN Ham Radio News

News of Baofeng’s newest & latest handheld UHF/VHF Radio, has all of Amateur Radio keying up & queuing up for what looks to be the culmination of the most popular handheld radio around.

Chinese Electronics Manufacturer Baofeng(Pofung),  new BF-F8HP dual band handheld radio, offers more transmit power, a new generation chipset, compatibility with existing battery options, and clearer, more understandable instructional documentation.

John Miklor, with his Miklor.com’s website, has been an invaluable web resource on all things Baofeng, and has good things to say in his initial review of this newest model in the Baofeng Radio lineup.  “Looks like a New Model BF-F8HP is a true 8 watt handheld. It appears Baofeng/Pofung is listening and moving in the proper direction.”

The Chinese Electronics Manufacturer has taken the US domestic Ham Radio market by storm, offering a line of inexpensive handheld 2 meter & 70CM radios. Based upon SDR technology, Baofeng has taken a domestic business band radio, & adapted it for US Amateur Radio use. The UV-3 & UV-5R & variants are leading the wave in sales of affordable handheld radios, popular not just with Hams, but with the survivalist & prepping movement in the US & abroad. 

 Features of the BF-F8HP radio are:

- Tri-Power (1, 4, and 8 watt) 
- New 2nd Generation chipset
- DTMF keypad issue finally resolved (ABCD is actually ABCD)
- Compatible with AA and 3800mAh battery packs
- 76 Page User Guide
- CHIRP programming software compatible

The Miklor.com review shows actual side-by-side power level tests between UV5R, UV82, BFF8+, and F8HP performed using a calibrated Telewave 44A. READ FULL REVIEW HERE

Currently the BF-F8HP is available through Baofeng Tech on Amazon.com.

Why The Earthquake Near San Francisco Is Just The Start Of The Shaking In California

If you thought that the earthquake that struck northern California on Sunday was something, just wait until you see what is coming in the years ahead.  As you will read about below, we live at a time when earthquake activity is dramatically increasing.  This is especially true of the "Ring of Fire" which runs roughly along the outer perimeter of the Pacific Ocean.  Approximately 81 percent of all big earthquakes occur along the Ring of Fire, and the entire west coast of the United States falls within the danger zone.  Over the past few years, we have seen huge earthquake after huge earthquake strike various areas along the Ring of Fire, but up until now the California coastline has mostly been spared.  However, there are indications that this may be about to change in a big way.

Early on Sunday, a 6.1 magnitude earthquake struck the heart of wine country.  It was the largest earthquake to hit northern California in 25 years.  More than 120 people were injured, scores of buildings were damaged and Governor Jerry Brown declared a state of emergency.

It is being projected that the economic loss from this earthquake will exceed a billion dollars.  Since the initial quake, there have been more than 60 aftershocks, and residents are very much hoping that the worst is over.  The following is how the damage caused by the earthquake was described by CNN...

"Everything and everyone in Napa was affected by the quake. My house, along with everybody else's, is a disaster. It looks like somebody broke in and ravaged the place, room by room." said CNN iReporter Malissa Koven, who was awakened by the shaking at about 3:20 a.m.

"Anything and everything that could fall, did," she said.

The damage in Napa is "fairly significant," said Glenn Pomeroy, the CEO of the California Earthquake Authority, who surveyed the area Sunday afternoon.

"The downtown area is hardest hit, probably because of the age of construction down there," Pomeroy said. In the residential areas, he is "seeing a lot of chimneys that've come crashing down."

That sounds pretty bad, right?

But remember, this was only a 6.1 magnitude earthquake.  As Wikipedia explains, a 7.0 magnitude earthquake would be many times more powerful...

The Richter magnitude scale (also Richter scale) assigns a magnitude number to quantify the energy released by an earthquake. The Richter scale is abase-10 logarithmic scale, which defines magnitude as the logarithm of the ratio of theamplitude of the seismic waves to an arbitrary, minor amplitude.

As measured with a seismometer, an earthquake that registers 5.0 on the Richter scale has a shaking amplitude 10 times greater than that of an earthquake that registered 4.0, and thus corresponds to a release of energy 31.6 times greater than that released by the lesser earthquake.

And the earthquake that happened on Sunday would not even be worth comparing to an 8.0 or a 9.0 quake.  In fact, one study concluded that a 9.0 magnitude earthquake along the Cascadia fault could potentially produce a giant tsunami that would "wash away coastal towns"…

If a 9.0 earthquake were to strike along California’s sparsely populated North Coast, it would have a catastrophic ripple effect.

A giant tsunami created by the quake would wash away coastal towns, destroy U.S. 101 and cause $70 billion in damage over a large swath of the Pacific coast. More than 100 bridges would be lost, power lines toppled and coastal towns isolated. Residents would have as few as 15 minutes notice to flee to higher ground, and as many as 10,000 would perish.

Scientists last year published this grim scenario for a massive rupture along the Cascadia fault system, which runs 700 miles off shore from Northern California to Vancouver Island.

And when we think about "the Big One" hitting California, most of the time we think about southern California.  The most famous fault line in southern California is the San Andreas fault, but the truth is that many experts are far more concerned about the Puente Hills fault line.  According to one seismologist, that is the fault that would be most likely to "eat L.A." and cause hundreds of billions of dollars in economic damage...

Video simulations of a rupture on the Puente Hills fault system show how energy from a quake could erupt and be funneled toward L.A.'s densest neighborhoods, with the strongest waves rippling to the west and south across the Los Angeles Basin.

According to estimates by the USGS and Southern California Earthquake Center, a massive quake on the Puente Hills fault could kill from 3,000 to 18,000 people and cause up to $250 billion in damage. Under this worst-case scenario, people in as many as three-quarters of a million households would be left homeless.

So don't get too excited about what happened on Sunday.  Scientists assure us that it is only a matter of time before "the Big One" hits California.

In fact, the 6.1 magnitude earthquake that hit northern California on Sunday was not even the largest earthquake along the Ring of Fire this weekend.  According to the U.S. Geological Survey, a 6.4 magnitude earthquake shook the area around Valparaiso, Chile on Saturday and a6.9 magnitude earthquake struck Peru on Sunday.

As I mentioned above, we have moved into a time when seismic activity is steadily rising.  It has gotten to the point where even the mainstream media cannot ignore it anymore.  For example, just check out the following excerpt from a recent CBS News report…

The average rate of big earthquakes — those larger than magnitude 7 — has been 10 per year since 1979, the study reports. That rate rose to 12.5 per year starting in 1992, and then jumped to 16.7 per year starting in 2010 — a 65 percent increasecompared to the rate since 1979. This increase accelerated in the first three months of 2014 to more than double the average since 1979, the researchers report.

Something is happening that scientists don't understand, and that is a little scary.

As I wrote about the other day, earthquake activity seems to particularly be increasing in the United States.  While the west has been relatively quiet, the number of earthquakes in the central and eastern portions of the nation has quintupled over the past 30 years…

According to the USGS, the frequency of earthquakes in the central and eastern U.S. has quintupled, to an average of 100 a year during the 2011-2013 period, up from only 20 per year during the 30-year period to 2000.

Most of these quakes were minor, but research published by the USGS earlier this year demonstrated that a relatively minor magnitude 5.0 quake caused by wastewater injection after conventional oil drilling triggered a much bigger, 5.7 magnitude quake in Prague, Okla.

“We know the hazard has increased for small and moderate size earthquakes. We don’t know as well how much the hazard has increased for large earthquakes. Our suspicion is it has but we are working on understanding this,” said William Ellsworth, a scientist with the USGS.

What in the world could be causing this to happen?

Oklahoma, which used to rarely ever have significant earthquakes, has experienced over 2,300 earthquakes so far in 2014.

That is absolutely staggering.

And of course volcanic activity has been rising all over the planet as well.  In 2013, the number of eruptions around the globe set a new all-time high, and right now persistent rumbling under Iceland's Bardarbunga volcano has much of Europe on alert...

For more than a week the earth has been rumbling beneath Iceland’s looming Bardarbunga volcano. The almost continuous small earthquakes led the government to activate its National Crisis Coordination Centre this week and block off access to the largely uninhabited region around the Bardarbunga caldera.

Major airlines are making contingency plans for a potential eruption that could throw dust into the atmosphere and disrupt flight paths between North America and Europe.

Some scientists are saying that if that volcano erupts, it "could trigger Britain’s coldest winter ever".

Clearly something is happening.

All over the world seismic activity is on the rise.

That means that the shaking in California (and in much of the rest of the world) may soon get a whole lot worse.

Is ‘Oven Canning’ Safe?

 When learning to can there are certain safety measures we all need to know about to make sure you, (or those around you) do not become injured, sick or seriously scarred.  We learn these safety measures through research, manuals, and other canners’ experiences.  In this article I am going to give you a sensible argument about why it is unsafe to oven can and why it could be considered an impractical way to store dry goods.  We will also discuss alternative methods to storing your dry goods.

Is Dry Oven Canning Safe?

The answer is NO.  As Wise Geek so elegantly explains this…

Oven canning is not safe because it is a dry heat and the jars are not made for that. They can explode. Contamination is the main fear when it comes to dry canning. In order for food to be shelf-stable, it must be heated to a hot enough temperature that any latent bacteria in the food is killed off. The premise behind dry canning is usually sound, as a 200°F oven is generally hot enough to be considered sterile. Not all oven thermometers are accurate, however, and it can be tough for home cooks to know whether the external temperature is actually penetrating the jars.

There is no way for cooks to test the internal jar temperature without removing the lids and compromising the food. Any bacteria that remains in sealed jars can grow into toxins over time, which can cause serious food poisoning once the contents is eventually consumed. Sometimes spoiled food looks discolored or has an unpleasant taste, but not always.

Then there is oil.  Some of the few things that have oil in them are nuts and seeds and even some flours.  The heat from the oven liquefies the oil making the product go rancid faster than if you had left it alone, which defeats the purpose.

Is it practical to use canning jars for dry good?

Lets pretend you have twenty, 1 pound bags of pinto beans and you want to store them air tight for long-term food storage.  Right off the bat you’re going to have to buy, at minimum, two boxes of jars that run about $10-$15 each depending on where you live.  You will also have the added cost of using your electricity/gas to oven can your food.  Depending on how often and how much you can, that can raise your monthly bills considerably.

Assuming you already have a vacuum sealermachine, a 3- 20 foot rolls of bags cost approximately $26.50, however, you will be able to seal and store much more.  Something else you might consider is instead of using the jars and the space they take up dry canning, use them for canning meat items and things you can not otherwise vacuum seal (Mmmmm, like salsa).  If you insist on storing your dry goods in jars then the safest and cheapest way to go would be to use an Oxygen Absorber in the jar and then use a vacuum seal jar attachment to remove air and seal the jar tightly.  If you do not have a vacuum sealer you can still add an Oxygen Absorber and then listen for the *ping* sound we all love about 15 minutes after you tighten the ring. The three most dangerous things you can do to your food storage is expose them to heat, light and moisture.  So why expose your food to heat if you don’t have to?

In our home we use storage totes and five gallon buckets to store our dry goods.  When we vacuum seal the food in the bags we pack them tightly in a storage tote and once full we place the lid on them and stack them up. I love how light the tote is (depending on the food) compared to stacking and moving jars.  We typically use the vacuum sealer for items like crackers, drink mixes, tea bags, dried herbs, coffee, etc.  For things such as rice, beans, flour, and sugar we use the five gallon buckets with Mylar bags.

As you can see, Dry Oven Canning can be more expensive, take up more space and can be very dangerous, as with any canning that does not practice safe, tried and true practices. Keep your family safe and stick to methods that have been tested and proven safe. 

Food Storage I Get, But Water Storage?

It makes sense to have at least three days worth of emergency supplies in your home at all times. Depending on where you live and your particular situation, you may want to keep more supplies than this available, but three days of emergency food storage is a good starting point. The idea of gathering in these supplies may seem overwhelming, but with a little planning, you will soon have what you need.

Select food items that are shelf stable, easy to prepare and things that your family will eat. It is relatively simple to determine how much food to set aside for three days, but determining your water needs are a little more challenging. In addition to having water to drink, you also need water to prepare food and clean up. In general, plan for a minimum of one gallon of water, per person, per day. So if you have a 72-hour kit made for four people, you’ll want 12 gallons of water to go with it. In hot weather, or if you will be performing physical labor, you may need up to twice that amount. When putting together your emergency supplies, make sure to remember your pets, and have an emergency stash of food, bandages, blankets, cloths, cash and prescription drugs.

Storage
To make using stored water as easy as possible, have it stored in a variety of container sizes. Gallon jugs are perfect for food prep and clean up, but having some smaller bottles for drinking means you won’t need to dirty glasses unnecessarily.

Purchasing unopened, sealed water is the safest and least labor intensive way to store water. This can be expensive, and is not necessary as long as you are willing to take some steps to ensure your water is stored correctly.

Wash empty soft drink bottles with soap and water and rinse well. You can now use these to store water. Soft drink bottles are ideal, because they wash out easily and are a convenient size. Juice or other drink containers which are made of PETE plastic are also acceptable, although it can be difficult to get all of the juice residue washed out of the container. Do not use milk jugs, as this plastic quickly breaks down and is not designed for long-term storage.

You can simplify food storage by purchasing items that are shelf stable. Select items that your family will eat, and that you will be able to prep with no electricity. Store a manual can opener with your food supplies.

It is important to store food in an area free of pests. Rodents, insects and other pests can chew through packaging, so check your stores frequently to make sure there are no signs of pest infestation.

The ideal temperature for food and water storage is between 40 and 70 degrees Fahrenheit. Humidity should be low in the storage area, as moisture will increase the risk of mold damage and bacteria growth, as well as speed the breakdown of packaging materials. It is also important to keep food and water supplies away from direct sunlight and heat sources, which can speed the breakdown of both food and packaging.

Water Safety
It can be tempting to use your own tap water and containers to prepare water for storage. It is much less expensive than purchasing water, and you can easily rotate in fresh supplies without feeling wasteful. If your water comes from a clean source, pre-treated with chlorine, which most public water supplies in the US are, you only need to put the water in clean containers for storage. If your tap water is not chlorinated, add 1/2 to 1 teaspoons of unscented household bleach to every five gallons of water. Be sure to use plain bleach, rather than the type with added thickeners. Your water will be safe to use when needed, although it is advisable to rotate through your entire emergency stock of food and water once a year.

5 unusual household items you need to use when packing

Any good traveler knows that packing is an annoying yet crucial task. So to make your experience more effortless, Brittany Jones-Cooper presents the six weird household items to use the next time you pack.

1. Shower cap

When you’re packing, it’s ill-advised to put your dirty shoes next to your clean clothes. My problem is that I don’t own any shoe bags. I mean, who does? Either way, a shower cap can do the job. Just slide each of your shoes inside of a cap and you’re good to go. I usually have a shower cap or two lying around the house, and they’re also cheap to buy. Double bonus: If you’re staying at a hotel, they usually have them in the bathroom amenity kits.

2. Straws

Packing jewelry can be a pain in the you-know-what — especially necklaces. I tend to just throw them in the pocket of my makeup bag, and then when I take them out, they are in a tangled mess. That’s where a straw will come in handy. You simply take a straw, thread the necklace through, secure the clasp on the other end, and bam! — you’re tangle free.

3. Empty pill bottles

Every shampoo known to man comes in a big clunky bottle. And because of the TSA’s three-ounce rule, you can’t put them in your carry-on … so what do you do? Just take empty prescription bottles and use them for your gels and liquids. The seal is pretty strong, plus you typically have to put liquids in little zipped plastic bags anyway, so I’ve never had a problem with leaking.

4. Rubber bands

Depending on whom you listen to, the best way to pack certain items is to roll them. I usually roll my T-shirts. The problem is, if I end up unpacking or repacking, I have to reroll my shirts. That’s why our next travel hack is the simple rubber band. Use them to secure your clothes after you’re done rolling. You definitely have these lying around the house, and ladies, hair ties will work as well!

5. Oven mitt

The last thing I do before I leave my hotel or house is unplug my flatiron, which means that it is usually the last thing I pack, and it’s typically still warm. So, to keep from burning up all my clothes, I’ve been known to solicit the help of my handy oven mitt. You just slip the flatiron in, place the mitt in your bag, and you’re good to go. I don’t cook, so my oven mitts are purely decorative anyway.

20 Ingenious Uses for 7 Common Household Items How these unassuming products can solve tricky problems for you

Clark Kent. Peter Parker. They looked like ordinary guys, right? But underneath their day-to-day exteriors, they were superheroes. In the spirit of Superman and Spiderman, we’ve rounded up our favorite, unassuming household items — products you probably already have on hand — that have amazing versatility. They may not be faster than a speeding bullet, but they can move from kitchen to laundry to medicine cabinet with equal ease, solving tricky probelms with their hidden superpowers.

You probably don’t think twice about the salt that graces your table, but at one time salt was so highly prized that it was used as currency. The Roman army is said to have paid soldiers in salt; the word “salary” has its roots in this practice and it’s why we say someone is “worth his salt.” Salt's hidden uses:

Remove a wine stain: Blot (don’t rub) the spill to remove as much as possible, then cover the stain liberally with salt and let it sit for 10 minutes. Rinse with cold water, if possible, then repeat if necessary. If the spill is on a carpet, you can wait for the salt to dry and then vacuum it up.
 

Make drip-proof candles: Soak new candles in salt water for a few hours, then let them dry. They will burn drip-free.

Not only is corn delicious on the cob or off, it’s the source of white distilled vinegar, which — as our grandmothers knew — can make a salad dressing or clean the walls with equal aplomb. Vinegar's hidden uses:

Revive wilted vegetables: Soak wilted greens or other vegetables in a bath of one tablespoon of white vinegar to two cups of water for 10 minutes.
 

Keep colors from running: Add one cup of white vinegar to the wash to help set the color of new towels or other items. 
 

Prevent cheese from getting moldy: Dampen a paper towel in white vinegar and wrap it around hard cheese to prevent mold spores from forming.

Unless you’re swimming the English Channel, we don’t recommend slathering your body with petroleum jelly. As the name implies, it’s a by-product of oil refining, so a little dab will do you! That said, its been in use since 1870, and it still has many safe and effective uses. Here are three:

Keep car doors from freezing shut: We got this tip from an Air Force mechanic: Put a thin layer of petroleum jelly around the insulation of your car door, and you won’t have to worry about your car doors freezing shut when the next polar vortex hits.
 

Make an at-home mani/pedi look perfect: Use a cotton swab to outline your nails and nail polish won’t stick to your skin. Also, a thin layer of jelly around the tops of your nail polish bottles will keep them opening easily.
 

Keep ants out of the doggy bowl: Coat the outside of Fido or Fluffy’s food dish with a thin layer of jelly and ants will dine elsewhere.

Raw, organic honey is one of nature’s superfoods, and you should definitely keep a jar on hand. If you can, buy honey that is produced locally. Some of the honey sold in supermarkets has been found to contain high fructose corn syrup and red food dye. Besides being delicious, this natural food has some other 'sweet' uses, like these:

Ease a hangover: Next time you’ve overindulged, try a tablespoon of honey. (You can add it to herbal tea or hot water or drizzle it on toast, if you prefer not to eat it straight.) The fructose is thought to help speed up the metabolism of the alcohol, according to the Royal Society of Chemistry in the UK.
 

As a dressing for minor wounds: Honey is antimicrobial and antibacterial, which means the bad stuff can’t grow in it. You can use raw honey as an ointment on minor burns, cuts and scrapes. It also can banish blemishes for the same reason. Just be sure you cover the area with a bandage to keep the sticky stuff off your clothes and furniture.

Next time you buy apple cider vinegar, skip the clear, refined stuff and go raw and organic. Look for a brand that may look a little cloudy, and has bits of sediment in it; those are the enzymes that make it so powerful. Three hidden uses:

Use it to tame a rosacea flare-up: For some rosacea suffers, applying apple cider vinegar diluted with water as a toner can help soothe the redness and burning or itching.
 

Condition your hair: Add a tablespoon of vinegar to a cup of warm water and rinse your hair with it after you shampoo. It will remove any soapy residue and leave your hair shiny and manageable. (Don’t do this if you color your hair, though, as it may interact with or strip away the dye.)
 

Remove fish scales more easily: When your favorite fisherman brings you his catch of the day, rub it with vinegar before you clean it. The scales will come off more easily, and your hands will smell less fishy, too.

Though willow bark has been used for thousands of years to relieve pain and inflammation, it wasn't until 1897 that a German chemist was able to modify its active ingredient — salicin — to create acetylsalicylic acid, which is gentler on stomachs and the basis of modern aspirin. But this “miracle drug” can do more than treat a headache. For example:

Soften your feet: Remove calluses from your feet (or hands) with aspirin. Crush six to eight tablets and mix them with a teaspoon or two of lemon juice, and enough warm water to make a paste. Spread the paste on the calloused area, then wrap in a warm towel and cover with a plastic bag. Leave on for 10 or 15 minutes, then scrub with a pumice stone to remove the callous. (Note: Do not try this if you are diabetic or have impaired circulation.)
 

Make your plants healthier: Aspirin may just be a gardener’s best friend. A solution of one aspirin in a gallon of water can help plants that have been traumatized by moving or replanting to recover and can help new plants to develop strong root systems. Or add a little mild, liquid soap to the aspirin water and spray it on plant leaves to discourage pests. (The soap will keep the solution from just rolling off the plant.) 
 

Banish sweat stains: If a favorite shirt or blouse is marred by armpit stains, crush three or four aspirin and dissolve in a bowl of water. Soak the stained area of the fabric in the solution for two to three hours. If the stain remains, repeat the procedure.

Almost every kitchen has a bottle of this gold-green elixir that can dress a salad or sauté vegetables, imparting heart-healthy fat in every teaspoon. But olive oil (regular or light, save the more expensive — and healthier — extra-virgin varieties for flavoring food) can also make dirty work a little easier. Examples:

Remove paint: Forget the harsh chemicals. To remove paint from your skin, just use olive oil and a little granulated sugar or salt. The paint will come off and your skin will be exfoliated and moisturized, too.
 

Take it outside!: Olive oil can help you do your yard work. Spritz it onto lawn mower blades in the summer to help keep grass from sticking and onto snow shovels in the winter so snow will slide off the shovel more easily. You can use it on other garden tools like hoes and rakes, too.
 

Polish leather shoes: No need to use that nasty-smelling chemical stuff. A little olive oil and a soft cloth will keep your shoes looking great.
 

Get gum out of hair: Apply the olive oil to the gum and the surrounding hair; work it through gently and let it sit for a few minutes. Work a comb through the strands until the gum is gone, then wash with shampoo.

Love thy neighbour, it's good for the heart...

Ever felt like your neighbour's antics could drive you to an early grave?Well, there may be reason for concern, said researchers who reported a link Tuesday between having good neighbours and a healthier heart.

"Having good neighbours and feeling connected to others in the local community may help to curb an individual's heart attack risk," said a statement that accompanied a study published in the Journal of Epidemiology and Community Health.

Heart and blood vessel diseases are the number one cause of death globally, claiming some 15 million lives in 2010, according to the latest Global Burden of Disease study.

Research into neighbourhoods and health had in the past focused on negative impacts through factors like fast-food restaurant density, violence, noise, traffic, poor air quality, vandalism and drug use, said the study authors.

For the latest research, the University of Michigan team used data from 5,276 people over 50 with no history of heart problems, who were participants in an ongoing Health and Retirement Study in the United States.

They monitored the cardiovascular health of the group, aged 70 on average and mainly married women, for four years from 2006 -- during which 148 of the participants had a heart attack.

At the start of the project, the respondents were asked to award points out of seven to reflect the extent to which they felt part of their neighbourhood, could rely on their neighbours in a pinch, could trust their neighbours, and found their neighbours to be friendly.

When they crunched the numbers at the end of the study, the team found that for every point they had awarded out of seven, an individual had a reduced heart attack risk over the four-year study period.

People who gave a full score of seven out of seven had a 67 percent reduced heart attack risk compared to people who gave a score of one, study co-author Eric Kim told AFP, and described the difference as "significant".

This was "approximately comparable to the reduced heart attack risk of a smoker vs a non-smoker," he said.

"This is an observational study so no definitive conclusions can be drawn about cause and effect," the statement underlined.

Limitations of the study included that researchers did not have access to the trialists' family history of heart disease and stroke.

But they had ruled out other possibly confounding factors like age, socio-economic status, mental health and underlying ailments like diabetes.

The mechanism behind the association was not known, but the team pointed out that neighbourly cohesion could encourage physical activities like walking, which counter artery clogging and disease.

"If future research replicates these findings, more neighbourhood-level public health approaches that target neighbourhood social cohesion may be warranted," the team wrote.

10 Toxic Household Items You Should Throw Away Now

By Aly Cohen, MD, FACR, Special to Everyday Health

Could your choice of shampoo or cookware be harming your health?

As a rheumatologist, I am often asked why patients have developed a particular autoimmune disease. I take a holistic view of their illness, so I inquire about the patient’s stress levels, diet and exercise patterns – and any chemicals they may be exposed to. This helps me better understand the role their environment may play in their  health.

A growing body of research suggests that chemicals in everyday products may  put us at risk for health problems – from infertility and birth defects to certain types of cancer. In fact, the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention now monitors a total of 298 environmental chemicals that have been found in humans, including many used in consumer products. These chemicals can gradually build up in the body, potentially making you sick.

While it’s impossible to avoid exposure to all environmental chemicals, there are ways to rid your home of many of these potential toxins. Here are 10 items you may want to avoid buying, toss or replace:

1. Plastic food containers

Ever wonder why clear plastic containers turn cloudy after running through the dishwasher a few times? Plastic breaks down over time, and this breakdown can release dangerous chemicals into your food. Many plastic containers are made from chemicals includingphthalates, which act as endocrine-disrupting chemicals (EDCs).  Switch to glass containers.

2. Prepared foods in plastic containers

You don’t necessarily have to toss these, but don’t heat them up in the plastic. Heating plastic can release chemicals that seep into your food. It’s well worth your time to take a few extra seconds to transfer prepared foods into a glass container before heating them in the microwave.

3. Nonstick pans

Many nonstick pans contain trace amounts of a chemical called perfluorooctanoic acid (PFOA), which has been shown to cause cancer in laboratory animals. The pans’ non-stick lining can scratch or chip off into your food. Instead, use cast iron or stainless steel cookware, and natural, non-stick sprays such as olive oil.

4. Air fresheners

I never allow artificial air fresheners in my home. Anything you breathe in eventually ends up in your bloodstream. Plug-in scents or synthetically scented candles many contain chemicals called phthalates, which have been linked to reproductive problems. Instead, choose candles made with essential oils and fresh flowers to scent your home. Also,  try using baking soda and white vinegar as odor absorbers.

5. Perfumes

The one-word ingredient “perfume” can translate to a product containing upwards of 300 chemical ingredients. (Perfume companies won’t release lists of exact ingredients for fear of divulging secrets to their competitors.) Avoid perfumes and colognes or switch to products that are scented with natural oils.

6. Fabric and upholstery protection sprays

Stain blockers essentially create an invisible plastic barrier over your furniture. This plastic will eventually wear off and be released into your home environment. Instead, simply clean stains as necessary rather than trying to prevent them.

7. Cleaning products

Check the labels of cleaning products for chemical ingredients such as phthalates and chemical surfactants. Natural products like baking soda, Borax, soap powder, vinegar, lemon and hot water work just as well without coating your home in toxins.

8. Cosmetics

From shampoo to lipstick, the average American woman applies up to 12 personal care items, and the average man up to six, to their skin each day. That adds up to roughly 126 unique ingredients, according to the Environmental Working Group, a public health advocacy organization. Opt for cosmetics with mineral-based pigments and natural oils. Choose soaps and shampoos free of synthetic fragrances and chemicals such as triclosan, which has been found in animal studies to alter hormone regulation.

9. Antiperspirants

Many antiperspirants use aluminum-based compounds and other chemicals, which are absorbed into the sweat glands. While there are ongoing studies on possible health impacts of antiperspirants, I advise avoiding any chemicals that are absorbed into the body for non-medical purposes. You can find aluminum-free antiperspirants, and there are many chemical-free brands of natural deodorant sticks and sprays that don’t contain parabens and all ingredients with ‘PEG’ in their name (such as PEG-8 and PEG-40 hydrogenated castor oil).

10. Sunscreens with oxybenzone

Research on animals suggests that chemicals in some sunscreens, including oxybenzone, may cause health problems when they penetrate the skin. The safest sunscreens are made from minerals such as zinc oxide and titanium dioxide, but they can be very expensive. In general, avoid aerosol spray sunscreens, which you can accidentally inhale, as well as sunscreens containing chemical ingredients such as oxybenzone, octinoxate, retinyl palmitate (a form of vitamin A), and fragrances.

Beware of ‘Natural’ Ingredients

When you’re looking  for safer products, keep in mind that term “natural” means almost nothing in the food and cosmetics industry, as it’s not regulated by the FDA. Instead, look for “organic” labeling, because organic ingredients are federally monitored, and really mean something in the food and cosmetics world.

A good start in finding a safer products for yourself and your home is to avoid items containing parabens or -sulfates (such as sodium lauryl sulfate or sodium laureate sulfate) or items labeled “fragrance” or “parfum.”

Of course, it may not be practical for you to toss all of these items at once. Instead, try swapping out one product at a time with a safer version. Even small steps to minimize your chemical exposures can create a healthier and safer home.

Aly Cohen, MD, FACR, a certified rheumatologist and integrative medicine specialist atCentraState Medical Center in Freehold, New Jersey, recently completed a fellowship in integrative medicine at  the Arizona Center for Integrative Medicine. Her book, The Smart Human: Essential Guide to Living Healthy in a Chemical World, is slated for publication in January 2015.

Wanna pay 8-9 bucks a gallon for gas? Think it couldn't happen here?

It’s already happening.

The "Hidden Gas Tax”, buried deep within California's"Cap-and-Trade" program, was tucked away in the fine print of AB 32—a 2006 bill that radically increased government control over businesses in the name of reducing “global warming," and which goes into effect Jan 1, 2015. 

AB32 is administered by the California Air Resources Board (CARB), the board responsible for drafting regulations to achieve the broad and often vague goals of the actual law.  

CARB has elected to expand the devastating Cap-and-Trade scheme to include transportation fuels such as gasoline and diesel. That means refiners and importers will need to buy carbon credits, just like manufacturers, food processors and power plants. Of course, we all know who will pay those added costs.  

Now, even moderate Democrats are sounding the alarm about a problem they created with the help of Republican Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger.  

Earlier this summer, 16 Democrats signed a letter asking CARB chair Mary Nichols to delay or redesign California’s punitive Cap-and-Trade program. In the letter, they make the same point critics have been making all along--namely, that AB32 is nothing more than a capital confiscation scheme.  

"We are concerned about the impact of the AB 32 cap-and-trade program on our constituents," they write, adding that "many of the areas we represent are still struggling with double digit unemployment."

Now, that letter has given birth to a new bill, AB 69 authored by Assemblyman Henry Perea (D-Fresno). AB 69 would delay implementing the hidden gas tax portion of the Cap-and-Trade program for transportation fuels for three years. 

This will be the last opportunity for the legislature to stop the egregious fuel charges that are sure to follow.  

How egregious?  

According to the non-partisan Legislative Analyst’s Office (LAO), retail gas prices will rise by 13 to 20 cents per gallon immediately, and up to 50 cents by 2020, but CARB’s own analysis calls for both diesel and gasoline to rise by 76 cents per gallon. 

In a recent Wall Street Journal article, some analysts said the increase will be far worse:  "The Boston Consulting Group predicted in 2012 that cap and trade and the state's carbon fuel standard would drive up gas prices between $0.49 and $1.83 per gallon by 2020. These green regulations are intended to raise the cost of gas to encourage people to drive less or buy electric cars."

While I commend my Assembly colleague for literally taking the bull (and his Democrat Caucus) by the horns to turn back the "hidden gas tax,” it’s strange that they weren’t concerned about it when it ostensibly only affected larger companies and corporations.  

Naturally those hardest hit are not the wealthy owners, but the little guys who lost their jobs (or never got hired) due to the increase in new fees and taxes that sapped capital for expanding and hiring.  

The Democrats' newfound concern over this issue seems to stem from possible voter backlash. Democrats were so proud of Cap-and-Trade in 2006 when the legislature passed AB 32, the "Holy Grail" of environmentalists.  They ignored science--especially the science of economics--and discounted the tremendous advances in environmental science and technology that have drastically reduced our air pollution by every measure. 

Those of us who support a balanced, sound-science approach to preserving our air quality and natural resources are called insulting names, insinuating we are somehow owned by Big Oil. 

Nothing could be further from the truth. In fact, any increase in the cost of gasoline or diesel hits the little guy, the working poor and the small business owner harder than anyone else.  

I have consistently stood against CARB, even attempting to abolish the agency with my own bill (AB 1332), because in the name of attempting to change the “climate”, this agency has managed to decimate the business climate in what was once the fastest-growing, strongest economy in the country.   

While AB 69 will delay the implementation of this portion of AB 32 for three years, California's economy cannot withstand such a jolt even three years from now.  

I am pleased Assemblyman Perea and his legislative colleagues will drop partisan politics in order to reform one of the most damaging pieces of legislation in California history.  

I will fully support their efforts to oppose the upcoming implementation of cap-and-trade and hope they convince Governor Jerry Brown to join them in our effort. 

For once, let's simply be a friend to our economy and the good people of California, without any surprises in the fine print. Because what you can’t see can hurt you.