Health + Wellness

9 Benefits of Arugula

9 Benefits of Arugula

Arugula’s aromatic, peppery flavor adds a wonderful dimension to a salad, to your health and maybe even your sex life. Arugula has been used as an aphrodisiac since the first century. Photo courtesy of Shutterstock Arugula is also known by other names such as salad rocket, garden rocket, roquette, rucola, rugula or colewort. The scientific name […]

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    Why You Should Avoid PVC Products

    Why You Should Avoid PVC Products

    Ok, so you know about the potential health implications of BPA in plastic and you do your best to avoid it. But what about PVC in plastics and other products? Plastic drinking straws. Photo courtesy of Shutterstock PVC—polyvinyl chloride, or vinyl—is found in a range of products, from children’s toys to building materials to food […]

    Illinois Breaks Ground With Country’s First Microbead Ban

    Illinois Breaks Ground With Country’s First Microbead Ban

    Other states have discussed it, but Illinois is the first to put action behind words. This week, the state became the nation’s first to enact a ban on microbeads, the small plastic particles found in beauty and cosmetic products. Gov. Pat Quinn’s legislative signing bans the manufacturing or sale of products that contain the beads. Companies add microbeads […]

    11 Health Benefits of Chia Seeds

    11 Health Benefits of Chia Seeds

    By Kris Gunnars Chia seeds are among the healthiest foods on the planet. They are loaded with nutrients that can have important benefits for your body and brain. Chia seed pudding. Photo courtesy of Shutterstock Here are 11 health benefits of chia seeds that are supported by human studies. 1. Chia Seeds Deliver a Massive […]

    How Big Ag Infiltrated EPA and Made a Mockery of Science

    How Big Ag Infiltrated EPA and Made a Mockery of Science

    Earlier this year, in an exposé in The New Yorker, Rachel Aviv detailed the story of Syngenta, an agribusiness firm that was sued by the community water systems of six states in a class-action lawsuit over the firm’s herbicide atrazine. Photo courtesy of Shutterstock Atrazine is the second most commonly used herbicide in the U.S. and is used […]

    New Guide to Flame Retardants in Baby Products

    New Guide to Flame Retardants in Baby Products

    Toxic flame retardants have been making headlines again this year—from a chemical company suing California over its new flame retardant law to Coca-Cola removing chemicals linked to flame retardants from its beverages. Always of concern is the presence of these toxic chemicals in products designed and manufactured for babies, from mattresses to swings—basically the major […]

    Michael Green Takes on Toxic Chemicals

    Michael Green Takes on Toxic Chemicals

    There are 84,000 chemicals in commerce. How can you keep your family safe in light of so many potentially toxic exposures? The truth is, we all have chemicals in our bodies and our bloodstreams. “What’s happening is that there’s an experiment going on, on all of us right now. There’s a big, planned, but uncontrolled […]

    Interactive Map Tracks Factory Farm Operations in Michigan

    Interactive Map Tracks Factory Farm Operations in Michigan

    Today’s large-scale industrial agriculture relies heavily on Confined Animal Feeding Operations (CAFOs) that house large numbers of livestock in cramped quarters. As has been well documented, violations and questionable—even illegal—practices seem to run rampant on factory farms, the consequences of which have a negative impact on public health and the environment. Center for Food Safety (CFS) […]