Sometimes it's nice to get all "dolled" up for a night on the town, but buyer beware!

According to a report today on the Mercola.com healthy news website, the toxic synthetic chemicals in make-up can cause skin irritation, premature aging, and even cancel. It's estimated that women who use make-up on a daily basis can absorb almost five pounds of make-up per year.

"Some of the compounds present in make-up have been linked to side effects ranging from skin irritation to cancer. One class of cosmetic chemicals which can be dangerous are parbens. Traces of parabens have been found in breast tumor samples" the report claims.

Another chemical, sodium lauryl sulfate, can cause skin irritation. Nine out of ten women also use out-of-date lipstick and mascara, which can be a breeding ground for harmful bacteria. Many women use more than 20 different beauty products a day; the effects of these multiple combinations of chemicals is largely unknown.

As always, if there's speculation that there is a problem with a product, it's best to research and make educated decisions based on your own findings.

To read more about this and other helpful health tips, log on to www.Mercola.com

Did you know?

• 67 million pounds of pesticides are applied to roughly 30 million acres of lawns int he U.S. each year.
• The #1 most water intensive crop in the U.S. is lawn grass. The average lawn is doused with 10,000 gallons of water each year (in addition to rainfall).
• Synthetic fertilizers run off into streets and local waterways choking aquatic life and polluting our water.
• The EPA estimates that a lawn mower emits as much pollution in one hours as a car emits in driving 20 miles.
• Numerous studies haver linked common household herbicides and pesticides to asthma, cancer, reduced fertility and neurological harm to fetuses, infants and children. Source: www.organicconsumers.org

What to do?

Well, I for one have never used any chemicals on my lawn and it is so green, the neighborhood bunnies love it! My trick? Don't get your knickers in a knot if you spot a few weeds. If you cut your grass regularly, the weeks get cut too, and the really big once can easily be pulled out. Once you start to get a handle on how really harmful pesticides are, you'll dis those chemicals forever. For more information go to: www.beyondpesticides.org.

Or, like we do at our summer home, we've opted for a "sand" front yard with minimal dune grasses, etc. I am, however a water-the-plants nut, so I've been researching the rain barrels that collect water each time it rains, then the attached hose let's you pump out fresh water, straight from nature! For More Information on rain barrels, click HERE.

What to do?

If you cut calories by just 100 a day (about 1 Tablespoon of butter or 8 fluid ounces of soda), you can lose 10 pounds in one year!

If you save $2,000 a year (at an 8 percent interest rate) your money will grow to $246,691 in 30 years.

If you recycle ONE aluminum can you'll save enough energy to run a TV for 3 hours. Recycling one ton of aluminum saves enough energy to power the average home for two years.

If your destination is less than a mile away, walk instead of driving. A mile of walking takes 15-20 minutes and burns about 100 calories. It's an easy way to sneak in a little heart-healthy esercise while reducing the use of greenhouse-gas producing fuels

Watermelon is not only great on a hot summer day, this delectable thirst-quencher may also help quench the inflammation that contributes to conditions like asthma, arteriosclerosis, diabetes, colon cancer, and arthritis. It's being touted as so healthful it should be stored in your medicine chest. DietPower.com has declared watermelon one of "The 10 Best Foods."

Sweet, juicy watermelon is packed with some of the most important antioxidants in nature. It is an excellent source of vitamin C, and is also a very good source of vitamin A, notably through its concentration of beta-carotene. These powerful antioxidants travel through the body neutralizing free radicals. Free radicals are substances in the body that can cause a great deal of damage.

Another fun way to enjoy watermelon is to juice it, rind and all; it's a quick way to really absorb it's beneficial nutrients!

Enjoy,

Beth Aldrich
Founder