Health + Wellness

California One Step Closer to Banning Microbeads

California One Step Closer to Banning Microbeads

Legislation to ban plastic microbeads commonly used in personal care products from being used in products such as facial scrubs, soaps and toothpaste passed the California State Assembly Friday on a 58-11 vote. The legislation, AB 888, authored by Assemblymember Richard Bloom (D-Santa Monica) and first sponsored in 2014 by LA based environmental organization the 5 Gyres […]

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    Women Apply an Average of 168 Chemicals on Their Bodies Every Day

    Women Apply an Average of 168 Chemicals on Their Bodies Every Day

    Is it any surprise that the lotions, soaps and other products we use to make ourselves look younger or “better” might contain a nasty slew of chemicals? If you’re unsure or want to understand what these chemicals can do to your health, a recent report in The Guardian would be a good place to start. […]

    How the TPP Trade Deal Could Increase Risk of Dying of Breast Cancer

    How the TPP Trade Deal Could Increase Risk of Dying of Breast Cancer

    On the surface, the fear and urgency of a new breast cancer diagnosis seems far removed from a huge international trade deal. And yet, as the executive director of Breast Cancer Action, I am acutely aware of how the highly contested Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP) threatens the health and well-being of women. We must take a […]

    35 Worst Cities (and the Worst State) for Asthma and Allergy Sufferers

    35 Worst Cities (and the Worst State) for Asthma and Allergy Sufferers

    One of the hidden costs of climate change is its health costs. As more pollutants are pumped into the air we breathe, the health impacts mount. They include asthma, which has been increasing steadily especially in poorer neighborhoods, and allergies. Now the Natural Resources Defense Council (NRDC) has released a report, Sneezing and Wheezing: How […]

    How Does Your State Rank for Being Bike Friendly?

    How Does Your State Rank for Being Bike Friendly?

    Thinking about taking your bike out for a spin? Chances are your commute will be a lot smoother if you live in the western U.S. compared to, say, the south. The League of American Bicyclists has released their annual rankings of the most bike-friendly states in the U.S. on a 0-to-100 point scale. Washington sits first on the list […]

    9 Ways to Skip the Pharmacy and Use Superfoods As Your Medicine

    9 Ways to Skip the Pharmacy and Use Superfoods As Your Medicine

    The most powerful tool you have to change your brain and your health is your fork. Food is not just calories or energy. Food contains information that talks to your genes, turning them on or off and affecting their function moment to moment. An optimal diet includes plenty of fruits and vegetables. Photo credit: Shutterstock Food […]

    Is Your Nail Polish Toxic?

    Is Your Nail Polish Toxic?

    It has long been known that exposure to toxic chemicals in many beauty products can lead to an array of negative health conditions. So when The New York Times released the second part of an investigative report on nail salon workers, it confirmed something that many of us know (and perhaps willfully ignore): the beauty industry […]

    The Story of Stuff Tells You How You Can Beat the Microbead

    The Story of Stuff Tells You How You Can Beat the Microbead

    The makers of The Story of Stuff, The Story of Bottled Water and seven other short animated movies released their first new video in more than a year. It’s a two-minute animated “explainer” that tells the story of microbeads. The Story of Stuff Project′s previous videos have become viral sensations, garnering more than 45 million […]

    16 Popular Seafood Choices You Should Avoid Eating

    16 Popular Seafood Choices You Should Avoid Eating

    Most commercial fisheries are in decline. Scientists and economists are concerned that commercial seafood harvesting may end within three decades. If the long-term trends continue, they predict there will be little or no seafood available for a sustainable harvest by 2048. Many commercial fisheries are on the brink of collapse, so it’s extremely important to know if […]