The tidbit for today is just a little gross fact. I have a teeny tiny bit of a phobia when it comes to germs. This one almost pushes me over the edge. There are too many people out there not washing their hands after they go potty. Now, come on people. My five year old has a handle on this concept, learn from him. It is GROSS to not wash your hands after you have used the restroom.

Here’s a little statistic to prove my point. Americans say they are getting the message, but their actions speak otherwise. While nine out of ten (92%) Americans, in a recent telephone survey, said they always washed their hands after using a public restroom, an observational survey in 5 cities found the actual number to be more like 3 out of 4 (77%). That’s down nearly 10% from a similar study done in 2005, and it’s all the men’s fault. The percentage of males observed washing their hands fell from 75% in 2005 to 66% in 2007. Overall, percentage of females observed washing their hands is only down slightly from 90% in 2005 to 88% in 2007. (stats from www.washup.org)

So, for the love of Pete people….wash your hands and do it well. This means lathering up and scrubbing for at least 20 seconds or for the length of time it takes to sing Happy Birthday twice.

I’m starting something new here called Tuesday Tidbits. I’m going to try and do this every Tuesday. Tuesday Tidbits will just be some little piece of information that I think might be useful. It could be a cleaning tip, cooking tip, a statistic, etc. If you have any little tidbits that you’d like to share on here with other readers please email them to me. Also, be sure to include if you want your name listed with your tidbit or not.

The tidbit for today is…replace your toxic cleaning products by making your own. Not only is this better for the environment, it’s better for your family. I’ve been  making my own cleaning supplies for over 6 months now. The most common ingredient I use is vinegar. I know what you’re probably thinking and yes it does stink, but the smell only lasts for 10 minutes or so . Vinegar can be used alone or mixed with other nontoxic ingredients to clean pretty much everything. I plan on doing a post soon on some of the recipes I’ve found for making my own cleaning supplies. For the few products that I do buy, I get Seventh Generation (you can find their products at health food stores and now Target). I believe in supporting companies that disclose all of their ingredients. If a company isn’t willing to let me know what’s in their product, it’s my opinion they’re hiding something. By making more informed choices you can lessen your own exposure to harmful chemicals, be kinder to the environment, and probably save some money.

To flu shot or not to flu shot?  That seems to be the question this time of year.  I am regularly seeing or hearing of people getting the flu shot for themselves and/or their kids.  I have only got a flu shot one time in my life that I can recall.  My kids have never had a flu shot and I think it’s safe to say that while I have a say in the matter that it won’t happen.  I believe that the only way to stay healthy is by taking care of ourselves and building up a strong immune system.

That’s why my family and I don’t eat out very often since I don’t know what is in their food.  We do eat out, just not much and we try to make healthier choices when we do.  We buy organic foods and try to get them in their most natural and whole form. Lots of fruits and veggies are eaten in our house and we drink a ton of water.  No sugary juice or soda here.  I often tell my boys that water is the best thing to drink because God made it.  Anything made by God in it’s true form is good for us.  We also supplement with good, naturally made vitamins and minerals. 

I have to wonder about the people rushing out to get their flu shots and if they really know what they are getting.  I would think that if they knew what they were putting in their body that they would stop quickly and never do it again.  If you take a few minutes and do some quick research you can find all of the ingredients in different vaccinations right on the Center for Disease Control website.  Here’s just a brief list of some of the ingredients found in the different flu vaccines.  They do, after all, have 5 flu vaccines listed.  Which flu are you being vaccinated for and do you really want any of this stuff in your body? 

- Aluminum – Associated with Alzheimer’s disease and seizures; cancer-causing in laboratory mice.
- Beta-Propiolactone – Known cancer-causing agent; Suspected gastrointestinal, liver respiratory, skin and sense organ poison
- Gelatin – Produced from pieces of calf and cattle skins, de-mineralized cattle bone and pork skin; allergic reactions reported
- Phenol/Phenoxyethanol – Carbolic acid; Used as a disinfectant
- Formaldehyde (Formalin) – Embalming fluid; Poisonous if ingested; Known cancer-causing agent; Linked to leukemia, brain, colon and lymphatic cancer
- Mercury (Thimerisol) - One of the most poisonous substances known; Minute amounts can cause nerve damage; Linked to Autism
- Micro-organisms- Live and killed viri and bacteria or their toxins
- MSG (Monosodium Glutamate) – A neurotoxin; Being studied for mutagenic, teratogenic and reproductive effects
- Polysorbate 80 – Known to cause cancer in animals

Did you know all of that?  There is not one item listed on here that I want in my body or that I would feel comfortable putting in my kids’ bodies.  Like I stated earlier, all of this info can be found at the CDC website. 

I don’t know how many times I hear of people getting their flu shot and they still end up with the flu.  Why do you suppose that is?  It could be because the manufacturers supply for one kind of strain of flu and that strain may or may not be the right one.  These manufacturers are only human and they have no idea what strain is going to appear.  They’re basically taking a crap shot and making money on it, whether they’re right or not.  It could also be that people are literally putting so much garbage in their body that they have no way to fight off any kind of sickness they come into contact with, whether they’ve been vaccinated or not. 

You may get tired of hearing me say this, but do your research.  Don’t just do whatever your doctor, teacher, friend, mom or whoever else tells you to do.  Step away from all of the hype built up about the flu and make the best decision for yourself and your family.  Remember who is pushing  the information into society that you must get flu shots, it’s the pharmaceutical industry.  Also remember who benefits the most from you getting your flu shots, again it’s the pharmaceutical industry.  You may hear it from a doctor that it’s necessary, but who is telling them? “Oh my” it’s the pharmaceutical industry again. 

“Let food be thy medicine and let thy medicine be food.” ~ Hippocrates

Sources: TheHolisticOption.com