Posts Tagged ‘safety’

Fragrance Free Day – 3rd Annual!

Tuesday, July 31st, 2012

How time flies!  We are getting ready for our third – yes third – annual Fragrance Free Day!  Allie and Simon  are here to help me do a shout out to join our Fragrance Free Day panel.

I am hosting our 3rd Annual Fragrance Free Day on Friday,  August 10, 2012, which will include a live  Twitter chat from 1:00 PM – 2:00 PM Eastern Standard Time with our panel of experts using hashtag #fragrancefreeday.  To answer your questions, we will have Dr. Patrick Mahaney, veterinarian to the stars and Dr. Steve Ziman, retired air quality chemist and me, Quincy Yu.

I have been blogging about the health danges of fragrances for many years, but it is slow getting the word out and for people to change their habits.  Did you know that many of us just don’t know that chemical fragrances are completely unregulated by the government yet pose a significant threat to the health of of our families and our pets?

Well….Fragrance Free Day is my continued effort to to  raise awareness about these dangers. We are asking you all to encourgage others to pledge to  go ‘fragrance free’  for just one day,  Friday, August 10, 2012 — that means no perfumes, colognes, scented lotions or harsh cleaning products with added fragrances – for one full day!

To learn more about the day,  visit our facebook page  http://www.facebook.com/events/130312197061856#!/events/301418859956249/

So… join my panel and Simon and get your questions answered – #fragrancefreeday.  Keep getting educated on why you should NOT purchase and use fragranced products in your home for use around your pets and family.

Talk to you on the August 10th!

Quincy

 

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Twitterview with Dr Patrick Mahaney on Going Green

Thursday, May 3rd, 2012

Who better to host our Earth Month Twitterview than Dr. Patrick Mahaney, a holistic veterinarian who started California Pet Acupuncture and Wellness (CPAW) and is part of the Veterinary Cancer Group, an integrative veterinary medicine practice for  dogs and cats in the greater Los Angeles metropolitan area. Patrick also writes a veterinary column and connects to animal aficionados worldwide through Q & A, videos, radio interviews, and Twitterviews this one. 

 

.@PatrickMahaney  Lets get started. Thanks so much for joining us today for an #EarthMonth chat, Dr. Patrick! #greenpetchat

 

.@PatrickMahaney Q1 For pet owners that may not be aware of what “greenwashing” is – can you explain? How do YOU define “green”? #greenpetchat

.@CleanAndGreen A1 #greenpetchat I define “green” as a lifestyle approach with maximal emphasis placed on minimizing daily exposure to toxins

 

.@PatrickMahaney Q2 What do you hear from clients are their biggest issues with looking for #green #pet products? #greenpetchat

.@CleanAndGreen A2 #greenpetchat Understanding what products and ingredients are safe or potentially toxic for pets and why

 

.@PatrickMahaney Q3 You’re big on healthy #pet food. What should people be looking for where food is concerned? #greenpetchat

.@CleanAndGreen A3  #greenpetchat Pet owners should focus on providing human grade based whole foods lacking pet-grade ingredients

 

.@PatrickMahaney Q4 If you have to shop the #pet food aisle at the grocery store, what’s your best bet? #greenpetchat

.@CleanAndGreen A4 #greenpetchat If “stuck” w/pet foods, pick canned options lacking protein & carbohydrate meals, by-products, preservatives

 

.@PatrickMahaney Q5 How important is it to start your #dog or #cat on an organic food product at an early age? #greenpetchat

.@CleanAndGreen A5 #greenpetchat I feel human grade & whole food is more important than organic & start during puppy- or kittenhood

 

.@PatrickMahaney Q6 What advice would you give to pet owners that are thinking of making their own pet food? #greenpetchat

.@CleanAndGreen A6 #greenpetchat Work w/their vet to do a Univ CA Davis Veterinary Nutritional Support Services consultation. Worth the $$

 

.@PatrickMahaney Q7 Let’s talk shampoo. What should #pet owners be looking for where coat-care products are concerned? #greenpetchat

.@CleanAndGreen A7 #greenpetchat Buy shampoo lacking fragrances, colors, sodium laurel sulfate (foaming agents), insecticides, steroids, etc

 

.@PatrickMahaney Q8 What issues have you observed as the result of NOT using an natural #pet shampoo product? #greenpetchat

.@CleanAndGreen A8 #greenpetchat Salivation, vomit, diarrhea, decreased appetite, lethargy result from shampoo ingestion/absorption via skin

 

.@PatrickMahaney Q9 How important is an eco-friendly #pet bed? What should people look for? #greenpetchat

.@CleanAndGreen A9 #greenpetchat Beds made w/fabrics lacking toxic chemicals, including fire retardants, formaldehyde, phthalates, PVC, BPA

 

.@PatrickMahaney Q10 How can pet owners go green with their #pet bed without spending lots of money? #greenpetchat

.@CleanAndGreen A10 #greenpetchat Comparison shop on-line or ask for referral for best prices from eco-minded pet stores

 

.@PatrickMahaney Q11 For pet owners making a change 2 green products, should they be worried about how their pets will adjust? #greenpetchat

.@CleanAndGreen A11 #greenpetchat Watch for signs of illness (vomit, salivation, decr appetite, etc) in pets w/any product use or change

 

.@PatrickMahaney Q12 Should #pet owners also be considering green pet toys? Are mass-produced toys dangerous? #greenpetchat

.@CleanAndGreen A12 #greenpetchat Choose non-toxic, natural material pet toys made in USA.  Mass produced toys possibly contain toxins.

 

.@PatrickMahaney Q13 Why is it so important to use green #pet products? #greenpetchat

.@CleanAndGreen A13 #greenpetchat As diseases are multifactorial in their origins, reduce amounts of toxins entering or being applied to pets

 

.@PatrickMahaney Q14 What is the most important type of green product every #pet owner should have? #greenpetchat

.@CleanAndGreen A14 #greenpetchat Always provide pet foods made from human grade, whole foods & fresh water lacking toxic chemicals

 

.@PatrickMahaney Q15 What is your best advice for #pet owners who want to go green, but don’t know where to start? #greenpetchat

.@CleanAndGreen A15 #greenpetchat Start by looking at your pet’s food & treat labels to eliminate pet-grade ingredients & non-USA made products

 

Simon and Quincy

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Green Festival – San Francisco

Monday, November 14th, 2011

I attended the Green Festival in San Francisco last weekend for the first time, and I was glad I did!

It was great to see so many young people (high school age)  at the show as attendes and as volunteers.  The fact that we are educating people at this stage of their lives just means that we have a chance of making a difference in the next generation.

Green is finally reaching the mainstream.  It wasn’t only the birkenstock crowd attending.  There were old Chinese ladies,  Latino families, suburban families and the birkenstock crowd.

Exhibitors included those you would expect, including Numi Organic Tea, Rainbow Grocery, Ben & Gerry…But I also found companies like Ford Motors, Safeway (O Organics & Bright Green), Calvert Investments…

More to come on what I saw and heard!

Quincy

 

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Air Freshener, Deodorizers, Odor Remover Ingredients to Avoid

Monday, August 1st, 2011

Instead of eliminating odors, chemical-based air fresheners and deodorizers can add dangerous chemicals to the air we breathe.

The key to freshening air is to remove (by cleaning) or dilute (by ventilation) the offending odor, and not to cover it with another chemical.

Air fresheners can be made from a number of chemicals including

  • formadehyde -  a carcinogen and sensitizer,
  • naphthalene -  a suspected carcinogen,
  • xylene -  a neurotoxin and possible reproductive toxin,
  • butane gas -  a neurotoxin
  • strong fragrances – fragrance on a label can indicate the presence of up to 4,000 separate ingredients, most of which are synthetic. Many compounds in fragrance are human toxins and suspected or proven carcinogens.

Some solid eodorizers include

  • paradichlorobenzene –  a carcinogen which can also cause liver and kidney damage.

Again, the key to freshening air is to remove (by cleaning) or dilute (by ventilation) the offending odor, and not to cover it with another chemical.

Quincy and Simon

Simon and Quincy

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Floor Cleaner, Wax and Polish Ingredients to Avoid

Wednesday, July 27th, 2011

Ingredients in conventional floor cleaners, waxes and polish removers to avoid:

  • mineral spirits (or Stoddard solvent) - commonly used as paint thinner and mild solven is neurotoxic and can cause eye and skin irritation
  • petroleum solvents -  commonly used to remove scuff or heel marks are neurotoxic and can cause eye and skin irritation
  • benzene (may be found in petroleum solvents) – linked to aplastic anemia, acute leukemia, and bone marrow abnormalities
  • tripropylene glycol monomethyl ether  -  causes narcosis and kidney injury with repeated and prolonged skin exposure

So, if you find these on the ingredients list, be careful and think twice about the floor cleaner you are using!

Quincy and Simon

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Obesity in pets is almost the equivalent of smoking in human medicine

Monday, February 28th, 2011

I never equated giving an extra few treats to Simon as really harming him.  He is a little heavier than he should be, but I felt he was getting older so he should enjoy a few more treat  So what if he is a few pounds heavier than he should be. 

But…when the study equated the affects of overweight pets to smoking in human medicine, I was, like most of us (pet owners) would be, horrified!  Well, this is how Steven Budsberg, director of clinical research at the University of Georgia College of Veterinary Medicine positoned obesity in animals. “There’s the high cost to people, and it’s self-induced. I never met a German shepherd who could open the refrigerator or food bag and pour himself another bowl.”

A recent study reports that the problem is reaching epidemic proportions, with more than half of U.S. dogs and cats now overweight or obese  — defined as 30% above normal weight.  According to the Association for Pet Obesity Prevention, one-fifth of dogs and cats fit the bill.   The main culprit is us, who routinely overfeed our pets, don’t exercise them enough. Common problems from obesity include diabetes, arthritis, kidney failure, high blood pressure and cancer. Research also suggests that pets fed less over their lifetime can live significantly longer.

One big problem is that our idea of what  is a fat pet is different from what veterinarian’s define as a fat pet. A study by Pfizer Inc.’s Animal Health business showed that 47% of veterinarians felt their (dog)  patients were obese, while only 17% of dog owners agreed.  For instance, a 90-pound female Labrador retriever is equal to a 186-pound woman who is 5-foot, 4-inches tall—a human body-mass index that’s considered obese.  Another example is  a fluffy, domestic short-haired cat weighing 15 pounds;  this  is like a 254-pound man who is 5′ 9″.

Okay, so the problem is us.  We control what we feed our pets, so we control their health.  Feed them less and exercise them more.  I am cutting back on Simon’s treats as of today and committing to taking him out for more exercise starting today.

Hope this opened your eyes.  It did mine.

Quincy

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Valentine’s Day & Pet Safety

Monday, February 14th, 2011

Happy Valentine’s Day!  May all of you have a valentine with whom you will share this day.

Saint Valentine’s Day, commonly shortened to Valentine’s Day, is held on February 14 celebrating love and affection between intimate companions. The day was established by Pope Gelasius I in 496 AD and is traditionally a day on which lovers express their love for each other by presenting flowers, offering confectionery, and sending greeting cards (known as “valentines“).

Now for all of you who also share your home with a pet or whose Valentine has a pet, here is just a little reminder that you need to be careful with all those flowers and confectionery.

Pet-Safe Bouquets 
Lilies (all types) are potentially fatal to cats. When sending flowers, ask that no lilies are included —and when receiving an arrangement, sift through and remove all dangerous flowers. If your pet is suffering from symptoms such as stomach upset, vomiting or diarrhea, he may have ingested an offending flower or plant. 

Don’t let pets near roses or other thorny stemmed flowers. Biting, stepping on or swallowing their sharp, woody spines can cause serious infection if a puncture occurs.   If you send roses, have them de-thorned.  If you receive roses that aren’t de-thorned, do so.

Chocolate and other Candies 
Remember that chocolate, including baker’s, semi sweet, milk and dark are toxic to pets. In darker chocolates, methylxanthines—caffeine-like stimulants that affect gastrointestinal, neurologic and cardiac function—can cause vomiting/diarrhea, hyperactivity, seizures and an abnormally elevated heart rate. The high-fat content in lighter chocolates can potentially lead to a life-threatening inflammation of the pancreas. Go ahead and indulge, but don’t leave chocolate out for chowhounds to find. 

Don’t let pets near treats sweetened with xylitol. If ingested, gum, candy and other treats that include this sweetener can result in a sudden drop in blood sugar known as hypoglycemia. This can cause your pet to suffer depression, loss of coordination and seizures

Careful with the Bubbly 
Spilled wine, half a glass of champagne, some leftover liquor are nothing to cry over until a curious pet laps them up. Because animals are smaller than humans, a little bit of alcohol can do a lot of harm, causing vomiting, diarrhea, lack of coordination, central nervous system depression, tremors, difficulty breathing, metabolic disturbances and even coma. Potentially fatal respiratory failure can also occur if a large enough amount is ingested. 

Enjoy your day and keep the house safe for your (pet) valentine!

Quincy and Simon

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Meow Monday – Holiday Safety Tips for Your Cat

Monday, November 22nd, 2010
With Thanksgiving this Thursday, you are probably ramping up for the holidays.  Before things get too crazy with decorations, presents and visitors, here are a few things to remember to keep your house safe for your cat:
  • Mistetoe and poinsettias are poisonous – so keep these plants away from your cat.
  • Store ribbons and tinsel safely away as they are  frequently the cause for veterinary emergency rooms. 
  • Light cords, when chewed or frayed, are dangerous.  Keep these off the floor and out of reach.
  • Make sure that your cats have a place where they can be undisturbed as family and friends start filling your home.
  • Be careful with holiday sweets!  Remember, chocolate can make your cat sick or even cause death — but they don’t know that.
  • Remind your visitors  to be careful about feeding your cats because they will be tempted to do so.  A tip is to make some holiday cat cookies or treats so that visitors have some healthy to treat your cats.

Let’s keep the holidays fun, but safe for our pets.

Quincy

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Fragrance Free Day — Friday, August 13, 2010

Thursday, July 22nd, 2010

Chemical Fragrance Just Got Unlucky!

At SeaYu, we love animals and we care about the world we live in.  As a mom with a large family, I am always searching for information that will help me keep my loved ones safe, and preserve the earth for my children’s future.

I guess it helps with all the online tools available now, but I am uncovering more information than ever.  Did you know that we should really take a hard look at the safety of fragrances we bring into the house and put on our bodies?

According to the Environmental Protection Association (EPA), fragranced products such as typical household cleaning products, candles and air fresheners are one of the leading contributors to poor indoor air quality. The agency reports that poor indoor air quality can lead to health issues like asthma, and exposure to chemical fragrances has been linked to everything from skin irritation to cancer.

Here at SeaYu, chemicals in the home are of special concern.  I know that animals have faster metabolisms and smaller lungs than humans, and not only are they processing these chemicals at a faster rate, they are also breathing them in more rapidly. And, because animals are closer to the ground, they are more often in direct contact with these harmful substances.

According to the report by the Campaign for Safe Cosmetics and Environmental Working Group in their report, “Not So Sexy, the Health Risks of Secret Chemicals in Fragrances, they found 14 secret chemicals not listed on the labels that are associated with hormone disruption and allergic reactions, and many substances that have not been assessed for safety in personal care products.

As a mom, I want to make sure that my children — both girls and boys — are aware of the possible dangers of using perfumes, colognes, scented moisturizers  and other scented personal care products on their bodies.

There is a growing awareness amongst consumers around the world of a need for greater vigilance in monitoring the products being used in our homes.  

That’s why we’re starting Fragrance Fee Day!  Fragrance Free Day  – August 13, 2010 – gives concerned consumers a chance to help spread awareness by pledging to go “Fragrance Free” via their social networks– no perfumes/colognes, scented lotions or cleaning products with added fragrances – for one full day.

So, what can you do? For one day, help the world breath easier and pledge to not use any products that contain chemical additives and fragrances.   Use your Facebook or MySpace status and your blog to let everyone know “I am going Fragrance Free on August 13th because…”

On Twitter, we’ll be hosting a live Q&A with several experts (including chemical experts and holistic veterinary medicine expert Dr. Carol (http://www.drcarol.com/) on the dangers of chemical fragrances – participate, share your thoughts and what you learn with hashtag #fragrancefreeday to help us spread the word.

Knowledge, as they say, is power, so we are sharing ours with you, so you can share yours and help empower your friends and family to take steps to care for themselves, their family, their pets and our planet!

Quincy and Simon

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