Barefoot Sun

We believe your home should be the safest place in the world.

2012-01-02T06:04:00.001-08:00

Go to your cupboard right now. Pick a cleaner. Did you know many traditional cleaners contain stuff listed in this video? Now look at the tiny small print.

Education is key to making better choices.

Here's a "Clean Clincher" for ya.. Did you know one bottle of Shaklee Basic H2 equals the cleaning uses of 5,824 bottles of windex?

An unbelievable amount of supersafe, really powerful, grease-busting clean comes out of these bottles. Talk about cost effective... You can use it to clean oil on driveways, barbecue grills, ovens and so much more.

Simple Spinach Pie Recipe

2011-12-26T05:50:00.000-08:00

This is a great, light meal I like to serve with toasted nut bread and fresh fruit.

3 Eggs, lightly beaten
1 pound Cottage Cheese
10 oz. Package Frozen Spinach (thawed and drained)
8 oz. Cheddar Cheese, shredded
1/4 cup Butter, Melted
3 Tablespoons Flour
Salt blend to taste

Combine all ingredients. Pour into a 9"pie plate. Bake at 325 degrees for one hour. Cool slightly and cut into wedges.

The Healthy Christmas Snack Protein Balls

2011-12-07T05:09:00.000-08:00

As we roll into holiday cooking activities, I thought I would share with you a healthy nutritious snack that's fun to prepare with little ones.

The Healthy Christmas Snack Protein Balls

Prep Time: 30 minutes (15 minutes to mix, 15 minutes to roll into balls)
Basic Ingredients:
1 c. Natural Peanut Butter
1 c. Honey
1 c. Shaklee protein powder (cocoa protein powder makes the balls especially yummy) find at www.barefoot-mom.com

Add-In Ingredients (4 cups total, create your own combination!):
Sunflower seeds
Peanuts
Chocolate chips
Granola
Oatmeal
Raisins
Dried cranberries
Oat bran
Wheat germ
Flax seed (ground or whole)

Directions:
Mix together the basic ingredients in a large bowl: peanut butter, honey, and protein powder. Add 4 cups total of the add-in ingredients. (Peanuts, oatmeal, and chocolate chips are a delicious classic.)

The more dry ingredients you add, the stiffer the mixture gets. You want the protein balls to stick together when you roll them, but you don’t want them to be so sticky that they won’t hold shape. Add more oatmeal, wheat germ, or oat bran if your mixture is too goopy. Add more honey if your mixture is too dry.

Roll the mixture into balls about 1 inch in diameter. This is the tedious part—so get the kids involved! Refrigerate the balls (or freeze any extra). You can stack them in Tupperware and separate the layers with waxed paper.

~Pop a couple throughout the day when you feel concentration and motivation are low~

Baby Shower Gift Idea

2011-08-03T11:40:00.000-07:00

When I first glanced at this picture on my laptop I thought the onesie was real. Actually it was designed and produced by Kristen McAsey. She does have a degree in fashion design but it's the message on both sides of the card (onesie) that is so powerful. This is such a great idea I thought I would share it.

"According to the American Cancer Society, prior to the 20th century, only 1 out of 8,000
people in the United States were stricken with cancer.

Since the Industrial Revolution the introduction into our lives of a myriad of chemicals, the incidence of cancer has increased to a startling 1 out of 3 people.

Since World War II, we have developed more than 80,000 chemicals for use in cleaners,
pesticides, plastics, personal care products, industrial products and other modern day conveniences.

We know very little about the effect of these chemicals on a child's development" -
http://www.greenheadsusa.net/toxic.htm

Kristen can be contacted via her website at http://mcaseys.com

Shaklee Introduces New and Improved Get Clean Soft Fabric Concentrate

2011-06-24T06:27:00.000-07:00

It's such a good feeling to have supersoft clothes with out the strong perfume smell many over the counter softners contain. Shaklee has just introduced a new special plant-based ingredient that adds extra softness to fabrics and to top it off it's HE compatible and biodegradable!

Now you can make that next load of laundry silky soft and clean-smelling with new, improved Get Clean® Soft Fabric Concentrate. A special plant-based softener adds the cozy goodness your family will love and leaves clothes virtually static free. (No more socks hiding under sheets!)

Get clean-smelling, silky soft clothes with Get Clean® Soft Fabric Concentrate. This new and improved HE compatible formula, with a special plant-based softening agent, delivers even more softness while reducing wrinkles and static cling.

Shaklee Get Clean products are safe, powerful, green and smart. As always, this biodegradable formula is concentrated and made with sustainable ingredients from natural sources. It contains no phosphates, nitrates, borates or dyes. Get Clean Soft Fabric is great on fabrics and better on the environment, with extra softness everyone will love.

•Improved performance, just as effective as Snuggle® and Suavitel® in softness and static reduction**
•Superconcentrated—32 ounces soften 64 loads
•Naturally softens, reduces wrinkles, and controls static cling
•Biodegradable
•HE compatible
•Perfect with Get Clean Fresh Laundry Concentrate and Get Clean Soft Fabric Dryer Sheets!

Looking Green for 2011 the Vehicle that could steal your Heart.

2010-12-27T08:19:00.000-08:00

Looking towards the new year I've decided it's time to start focusing on finding a better fuel efficient vehicle. I hadn't really looked into hybrids, living on a farm I always felt I needed a vehicle with power enough to be suitable for hauling supplies. My current vehicle is a 4WD Jeep Liberty even though it's not a "big" vehicle the back seats lay down and it can hold a substantial amount of feed and supplies.

I discovered this site on how Hybrid Vehicles Work: http://www.fueleconomy.gov/feg/hybridAnimation/swfs/hybridframe.html I was amazed how many of the vehicles had better fuel mileage in the city than on the highway. Most of my drive time is on the highway so I should weigh my options before purchasing.

One of the benefits of a Shaklee Distributor is qualifying for a new vehicle paid for by Shaklee and since they offer more money for hybrids it just makes sense to shop Hybrid.

Here is the run down on what Shaklee Pays it's distributors for car payments

After a quick search on google. I found one of the top rated SUV Hybrids was the new Ford Escape. I remember looking at them when I purchased my Jeep, back then they just didn't seem as durable as the Jeep. You may know I'm a complete techie at heart and I just can't help but be drawn to Ford's "sync" technology. Even more amazing is Active Park Assist technology available on 2010 Ford Escape. Take a quick look..

How cool is this!!!

I've gotta say I'm close to being hooked and I haven't even kicked the tires yet.

Poison Control told us the BEST thing on the label was SHAKLEE

2010-11-19T10:21:00.000-08:00

The following story is shared by Ann Cristie:

“I’m writing to share my story so that the many homes in North America can be safer for our precious children. As a mother of 3 active children (6, 4 and 10 months) I have used Shaklee for its economy, strength and safety. But on Friday evening, I was thankful I used Shaklee for another reason... my 10-month old
daughter, Jordan, ate the Scour Off Heavy Duty Paste Cleanser! I was out of the house and dad was keeping an eye on the children. Jordan found the jar and stuck those fat little fingers in the pink stuff and yummy, yummy for about 2 minutes. She then threw up and began to cry. I walked into the house as this chaotic event was occurring.

My first thought was to panic and get help NOW! We called poison control and informed them of our misadventure. The FIRST thing the kind woman said was this ...

“Well, the best thing on the label is Shaklee."

You won’t have any major problems. The agents in their products are safe. She went on to explain the nature of the cleaners and what symptoms we mightexpect. “A little stomach distress, some vomiting, some gas, etc. BUT, no hospital, no burning of the esophagus, no stomach lining problems, no lung stress, no mouth irritation.” I didn’t realize what we had averted until I spoke about this at a Shaklee meeting on Monday. Then it hit me; anything else could have killed or seriously injured her! I will tell this happy ending to anyone who will listen. I encourage you to share my story with your friends to get our safe products into their homes!"

Simple way to Get Gum out of Fabric

2010-10-24T06:46:00.000-07:00

To show how our products are SAFE FOR CHILDREN.

I use well chewed bubble gum- smash it into my shirt.
Show them it's really in the fabric.
Place a few drops of Basic-H on the gum "rub around" show them gum is still stuck
Add water and rub a little "pick gum away from fabric" then put gum back into your mouth and begin chewing. THIS ONE GETS THEM EVERYTIME!!

Tell them the ingredients that make this product work so well comes from corn and cocoa nuts... safe for us and safe for the environment. Just don't put in your eyes.

Order Basic-H Online Here

Do we live in a Toxic World? You be the judge..

2010-10-07T05:59:00.000-07:00

Abilene Reflector-Chronicle - Anita Hummel of Hope is an all around good cook

2010-09-30T07:01:00.000-07:00

Congrats to my Aunt Anita! Here is a link to our local newspaper article. Love the recipe's included in the article... I remember making some of them for the harvest crew many years ago.

Abilene Reflector-Chronicle - Anita Hummel of Hope is an all around good cook

Franchise Business on Healthy Aging

2010-09-15T20:35:00.001-07:00

This is a testimony from Jan C.
My husband Jim called today after meeting with his lipid specialist in Minneapolis. Once again his cholesterol numbers have significantly dropped! At the time of his cardiac arrest 20 years ago, his cholesterol was over 400. For years the number gradually went down. Two years ago it was 179 and last year, after a year of being on Vivix, it was 138. That's when his statins were cut in half. Today Jim's total cholesterol is 97.

Jim has struggled with the LDL (bad cholesterol) the most. He has a genetic condition that causes his body to produce too much of it. Originally the LDL was 240. For years he worked to get it to 140 and then to 120. It needed to be less than 100. After a year and a half on Vivix, it dropped to 90. Today it was 58 !!!!!

Jim's doctor made this comment: Nobody wants to deal with the problem. They just want to take a pill to have it go away. When that doesn't happen they get upset." He and his office staff consider Jim their poster child. Jim complies and does what's needed to be healthy, and we support him.

What Jim does each day:

1. Takes Vitalizer, Vivix, Nutriferon, CoQHeart, Liver DTX Complex, and Joint Health Complex (had me order the new Cholesterol Reduction Complex right away, too!)

2. Runs 5 miles (has never missed a day of running in 20 years)

3. Drinks tea instead of coffee (Was addicted to coffee but switched to tea several years ago and dropped 30 points off his cholesterol total)

4. Is his own boss - so he can run and rest as needed (Quit a 20 year corporate job at time of cardiac arrest 20 years ago and located his office at home)

5. Makes decisions that eliminate as much stress as possible from his day.

Our youngest son Matt was 2 when Jim had the cardiac arrest. He got married on June 11 this summer. Twenty years ago, I never imagined that with 3 arteries 100% blocked and the 4th blocked 70%, that Jim would even live to see his youngest son grow up. It's good to note, too, that our three sons and I have supported all of Jim's efforts, and as a result we are healthier ourselves. Our family experience is proof that great health is primarily in the hands of the individual and the choices he or she makes. We've always chosen Shaklee nutrition, for example, and that has paid off royally for us. ~Jan

Prescription For A Healthier Life

For More information visit: http://barefoot-online.com

Spray Cleaners Pose Poison Hazard to Toddlers

2010-09-10T20:12:00.000-07:00

Liz Szabo
USA TODAY
Spray cleaners send thousands of babies and toddlers to the emergency room each year, a new study shows.

Nearly 12,000 children under age 5 go to the emergency room each year because of injuries caused by household cleaning products, according to a study in today's Pediatrics. About 40% of those injuries - or nearly 4,800 cases - are caused by spray bottles, which typically don't have child-resistant caps, according to the study of 267,269 children
.

Although some spray nozzles can be turned to an "off" position, parents often leave them in spraying mode, says study author Lara McKenzie of Nationwide Children's Hospital in Columbus, Ohio. And nimble children can turn the nozzles themselves.

Spray cleaners can contain a range of hazardous chemicals, from ammonia to bleach, McKenzie says. More than 740 of all small children injured by cleaning supplies in 2006 had symptoms that were life-threatening or caused long-term disabilities, the study says.

"People don't realize that the handle can be activated by a small child," says pediatrician Carl Baum of Yale-New Haven Children's Hospital. "Kids will put their mouths on the nozzle and drink it in." McKenzie says spray bottles naturally attract children.

They usually have bright packaging, with fruity or flowery scents and bright colors, and the spray handles make them feel like squirt guns, she says. Given that toddlers' curiosity and climbing skills usually outstrip their judgment, McKenzie says, it's easy to see why children younger than 5 account for more than half of all poisonings a year.

Poison control centers handle calls about 1 million children under 6 each year, says pediatrician Jamie Freishtat, a spokeswoman for Safe Kids USA, an advocacy group, who wasn't involved in the new study.

Although she's concerned about the risk from spray bottles, Freishtat says she's encouraged that other safety improvements - such as less hazardous ingredients - have helped to cut the overall number of children who are injured by cleaning products by 46% since 1990.

Tamara Ensign says it took only a few moments for her 1½-year-old son, Keegan, to get into some dish soap while the two were outside "playing carwash" with his toys.

When her back was turned, "he let out a wail that I had never heard from him before," says Ensign, 29, who lives near Columbus. "Whenever he cried and tried to talk, his voice was raspy and he let bubbles out."

Ensign got no answer from the emergency number listed on the detergent bottle but did reach a poison control center. She decided to take Keegan to an urgent-care clinic, where a doctor examined him and sent him home.

"You think you're as prepared as you can be as a parent," says Ensign, whose son had no lasting problems related to the scare. "You don't realize how scary a situation it can be, even with just dish soap."

Shaklee Introduces Get Clean Water Filter

2010-08-11T04:34:00.000-07:00

PLEASANTON, CA -- Shaklee Corporation, a leading provider of natural nutrition, personal care and environmentally friendly home care products, announced today the release of Get Clean® Water, a revolutionary new water filtration pitcher system certified by the Water Quality Association (WQA) to reduce up to 99 percent of lead, as well as more than 50 contaminants that may cause health problems.*

According to the Environmental Protection Agency, lead is a toxic metal now known to be harmful to human health if ingested. Lead is often present in drinking water due to the corrosion of household plumbing and is estimated to contribute up to 20 percent of lead exposure in young children. Chronic lead exposure can result in lowered IQ, behavioral problems and learning disabilities.

Multi-patented Get Clean Water uses a solid block of carbon to filter and clean water. Each Get Clean Water filter is certified to reduce contaminants from 80 gallons of water, twice as much as Brita® and PUR® pitcher filters, and each filter is made from sustainable coconut shell carbon using a zero-emission process. As the first pitcher with a refillable carbon-block filter system, Get Clean Water also reduces landfill waste.

"A study has shown a total of more than 300 agricultural and industrial pollutants in the tap water of 45 states with more than half of those pollutants having no drinking water safety standards," said Dr. Jamie McManus, Chairman of Medical Affairs, Health Sciences and Education at Shaklee. "Get Clean Water is certified by the Water Quality Association to reduce over 50 contaminants, and each filter has double the filtration capacity of Brita and PUR pitcher filters. These benefits make Get Clean Water an ideal solution for consumers interested in a fresh take on clean water."

To try Get Clean Water from Shaklee, visit http://barefoot-online.com/products.htm.

*Contaminants reduced not in all users' water. See product performance data sheet for complete contaminant reductions.

All trademarks are the property of their respective owners.

About Shaklee
Founded in 1956, Shaklee Corporation is the number one natural nutrition company in the United States. A leading provider of premium-quality natural nutrition products, personal care products, and environmentally friendly home care products, Shaklee has more than 50 patents and patents pending worldwide. With more than 1.2 million members and distributors around the globe, Shaklee currently operates in the U.S., Mexico, Canada, Japan, Malaysia, Taiwan, and China. In 2000, Shaklee became the first company in the world to be Climate Neutral™ certified to totally offset its CO2 emissions, resulting in a net-zero impact on the environment.

Do cleaning products cause breast cancer?

2010-08-02T05:24:00.001-07:00

Women who report greater use of cleaning products may be at higher breast cancer risk than those who say they use them sparingly. Researchers writing in BioMed Central's open access journal Environmental Health asked more than 1500 women about their cleaning product usage and found that women who reported using more air fresheners and products for mold and mildew control had a higher incidence of breast cancer.

Julia Brody, from the Silent Spring Institute, USA, worked with a team of researchers to carry out telephone interviews with 787 women diagnosed with breast cancer and 721 comparison women. She said, "Women who reported the highest combined cleaning product use had a doubled risk of breast cancer compared to those with the lowest reported use. Use of air fresheners and products for mold and mildew control were associated with increased risk. To our knowledge, this is the first published report on cleaning product use and risk of breast cancer."

The researchers questioned women on product use, beliefs about breast cancer causes, and established and suspected risk factors. They found that cleaning products, air fresheners, and insect repellents were associated with breast cancer, but little association was observed with overall pesticide use.

Women with breast cancer who believed that chemicals and pollutants contribute 'a lot' to the risk of developing the condition were more likely to report high product usage. Speaking about this potential bias to the study, Brody said, "When women are diagnosed with breast cancer, they often think about what happened in the past that might have contributed to the disease.

As a result, it may be women with breast cancer more accurately recall their past product use or even over-estimate it. Or, it could also be experience with breast cancerinfluences beliefs about its causes. For example, women diagnosed with breast cancer are less likely to believe heredity contributes 'a lot', because most are the first in their family to get the disease."

In order to avoid possible recall bias, the researchers recommend further study of cleaning products and breast cancer using prospective self-reports and measurements in environmental and biological media.

Reference: Journal article abstract and full pdf article: http://www.ehjournal.net/content/pdf/1476-069x-9-40.pdf

How much do you spend on cleaning products per year? If it's more than 24 to 50 bucks a year you might want to rethink what products your using. Shaklee Get Green Cleaners are safe, always work, 100% guaranteed. Dust, mop, scour, clean fruits and veggies, wash the dog/car/kids, and more. all for $25-$50 for the year. Laundry for only 20 cents per load and so safe, if children ingest it no worries.

Did you know? Shaklee's Basic H2 was chosen by "Real Simple Magazine" as the "longest lasting concentrate" on the market.

Discover more about Shaklee's safe natural products

Announcing: New Get Clean Water

2010-07-27T14:08:00.000-07:00

It's New, It's Clean, and It's Green... The new Get Clean Water filter is certified to remove up to 99% of lead--compare that to the competition! It's refillable solid carbon block filter (a first in a water pitcher) is made from sustainable material using a zero-emissions process, and it handles the equivalent of 600 bottles (16.9 oz.) of water. It's clean, it's green, and it's only at Shaklee.

A fresh take on healthier water, Get Clean Water is a new multipatented water filtration system. Unlike other water pitchers, Get Clean Water uses a solid block of carbon to clean your water, reducing some pretty nasty contaminants—including up to 99 percent of lead.1

Get Clean Water is the first pitcher to use a refillable carbon-block filter system so there's less plastic to throw away. And it filters 80 gallons of water per filter—twice as much as Brita® and PUR®.2
Cleaner, healthier water and a cleaner, healthier planet?

We can all drink to that..

Check out all of Shaklee's healthy, safe, products online at: http://barefoot-online.com/products.htm

How NOT to be a mosquito-magnet

2010-07-13T20:01:00.000-07:00

Nontoxic remedy to keep em away!

Shaklee's all purpose cleaner Basic H makes your grass greener while conserving water. It also wipes away pesticide residue on your summer fruits and veggies.

And, it keeps away those pesky critters far from your skin.

Apply a ¼ tsp. of Shaklee’s Basic H into a spray bottle and dilute with water. Spray Basic H on areas of your skin where you do not wish to receive bug bites.*(keep away from eyes)

While you may doubt how well a “nontoxic” insect repellent works, first consider what a more conventional repellent may be doing to yours and your family’s health.

Though the EPA states that DEET (the active ingredient in conventional insect repellents, developed for the army in the 1940s) is safe when used according to the label’s instructions, other studies suggest it may have some toxic effects.

According to a study completed last year by BioMed Central (BMC) Biology, DEET slows or even stops the body’s production of the acetylcholinesterase enzyme.

Without this enzyme, side effects include: headache, exhaustion and mental confusion with blurred vision, salivation, chest tightness, muscle twitching and abdominal cramps.

Children and pregnant women are especially at risk.

The Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry shares that the cases reported in which pregnant women used DEET during their pregnancies resulted in multiple birth defects including heart problems, with one case being congestive heart failure.

And in 1995 alone, the National Poison Control Center received over 6,700 reports of repellent exposure. Two-thirds of those reports were children under the age of 6 (source: Quantum Health).

Shaklee’s nontoxic Basic H formula is an insect-repelling alternative for anyone wary of applying chemicals to their skin or their children’s. It also relieves the itch or sting from bites as well.*

* Disclaimer: The mixtures and usages are from folks just like you and me and are not from the Shaklee Corporation. Follow all product directions. No product claims or guarantees... just what many Shaklee folks have experienced for over 50 years.

Washing your Fruits and Vegetables

2010-07-02T12:29:00.000-07:00

Here’s how to get them at their organic cleanest.
The Environmental Protection Agency estimates that over one billion tons of pesticides are used annually in our country. While the EPA states these chemicals have passed tests in which they do not a pose an “unreasonable health risk” to humans, any risk should be enough to avoid them all together.
Jay Feldman, director of the National Coalition Against the Misuse of Pesticides, states, “Not only is American produce sprayed with a combination of pesticides, much of the fertilizer plowed into the fields is toxic. Our food is often sprayed again on its way to market and once again at the market. Because the current research points to and suspects pesticide poisoning as being carcinogenic and hormone-disruptive, the American public is being forced to think about other ways of doing things.”
Children are at greater risk.
Since they are of a smaller body weight, chemicals have a more magnifying impact on their bodies. The EPA acknowledges that adult bodies are four times more effective at detoxifying insecticides or pesticides than children.
A simple solution to reducing your contact and children’s contact with chemicals is to buy organic and wash your food, especially fruits and vegetables.
Here’s how you can wash them better and maintain their 100% organic seal:
With Shaklee's Basic H2®!
The Veggie & Fruit Wash recipe:

Apply ¼ tsp of Basic H2® to 4 cups of cold water.
Stir thoroughly.
For firm fruits and veggies, use a brush for cleaning. For softer fruits, dip them in the solution and then rinse with water in a colander.
Not only does it remove any bacteria and pesticides, it also removes dirt easily.

The Center for Disease Control recommends that all fruits and vegetables be washed even those with a thick peel. While you may feel washing an orange is a bit overzealous, bacteria and chemicals can come in contact with the edible part of the fruit when it is being peeled. It’s better to take an extra step and be thorough when it comes to your food’s cleanliness.
Also, to see if you’re eating enough fruits and veggies based on your age, gender, and activity level, you can find out with the Center of Disease Control’s “Fruit and Veggie Calculator”: http://www.fruitsandveggiesmatter.gov/index.html

What sets Shaklee apart from other Natural Product Companies?

2010-06-01T05:39:00.000-07:00

We think that, at the end of the day, you can largely judge a company by its people.

And every year hundreds of Shaklee distributors are interviewed, and we hear hundreds of amazing stories, sometimes unsolicited, often unexpected, and we'd like to share one of those with you.

These are the stories of cops, teachers, nurses, engineers, construction workers—all kinds of people who believed they could change their lives, using Shaklee as their vehicle.

Along the way, they touched thousands of other lives, and that's what Shaklee is truly about...

Discover more over at http://barefoot-online.com

Non-toxic methods to deter Rabbits from your Garden

2010-05-17T07:01:00.000-07:00

Rabbits may be cute but when they start eating your fresh organic produce before it picked it's not cute at all!

There's a few things you can do to deter bunnies aside from, or in addition to, the usual rabbit fencing...here's some suggestions...

Use their fear of their natural predators (cats, dogs, foxes, owls, humans) as deterrents...
~ If you have a cat or dog, brush them and spread their hair around the garden. Human hair works too. Ask your local hairdresser to save clippings.
~ Spread used kitty litter about the garden.
~ Buy fox urine at a hunting supply store and spread it around the garden (human urine works too if you have a cooperative male willing to volunteer for the job. LOL:-)
~ Place a statue of an owl in the garden.

Plant garlic bulbs close together all around the outside garden perimeter so that it forms a living 'garlic fence'.

Make up a spray using hot peppers. It's a similar concept to birdseed mixes containing hot pepper powder such as cayenne...doesn't affect the birds but deters squirrels from eating the seed.

To make the spray, in a blender, place...

~ a handful of habañero peppers or scotch bonnets (2 of the hottest peppers on the planet!)
~ a full head of garlic with cloves separated but not peeled
~ a handful of marigold leaves, if available
~ add water to top of blender jar and liquefy

Strain out solids and place liquid into a sprayer jar and spray your plants.
Throw the strained remains onto the garden as well.
*mixture must be reapplied after every rain

Healthy Child, Healthy World

2010-04-29T06:03:00.000-07:00

Discover why... be Inspired ....

Small acts can MAKE A DIFFERENCE!

Happy Anniversary, Shaklee Basic-H®

2010-04-08T13:55:00.000-07:00

We're celebrating the 50th Anniversary of Basic-H® with great promotions. Earth Day is right around the corner. Help us celebrate! Be kind to the environment. Try one of the safest, most effective cleaners available today. Shaklee Basic H

For over 50 years Shaklee has been green. Back when Basic H was first produced folks didn't realize the long term effects harsh chemicals would have on the environment. But DR Shaklee did. He was a man of vision.

Do your research. There is a wealth of information on this blog if you digg a little in the archives.

Buy one Basic H2 Organic Super Cleaning Concentrate (16 oz.) and get a three-pack of limited-edition spray bottles featuring the 50th Anniversary logo for 50% off.

Buy Shaklee Products Online and Save

Potent Produce: Foods that Fight Cancer

2010-03-04T14:36:00.000-08:00

Pistachios
Pistachios are high in a form of vitamin E called gamma-tocopherol that has been shown to be protective against certain types of cancer, including lung.Â Participants of a recent study who ate roughly two ounces of pistachios a day for four weeks showed a significant increase in gamma-tocopherol.Â Your best bet is to try to have a few handfuls daily.

Onions
When researchers compared the 10 vegetables that are most frequently consumed in the US, onions had the 3rd highest level of phenolic compounds, which are thought to be among the most potent anticancer substances in foods. A Finnish study of men who frequently ate onions and other foods high in phenolic compounds showed that they were 60% less likely than those who ate smaller amounts.

Tea
A recent study showed that people who drank two or more cups of either black or green tea daily reduced their risk for squamous cell carcinoma by 30%. This effect seems to grow over time, as some study participants who had drank tea daily for up to 47 years reduced their risk by 51%. It is believed that anti-oxidants in tea can counter free radicals that are triggered by sun exposure.

Pumpkin
All varieties of winter squash are extremely high in beta-carotene. A long running Japanese study of over 57,000 people found that the participants who ate the most pumpkin had the lowest rates of gastric, breast, lung, and colorectal cancers. Alternatives to pumpkin are carrots, broccoli, and all winter squashes, including butternut, acorn, and spaghetti squash.

Home Sweet Home are you in one of America's most Toxic Cities

2009-11-09T06:41:00.000-08:00

Where we decide to hang our hat at night is really ultimately our choice. I feel very blessed to live in Rural America. Sometimes we must deal with crop spraying from neighboring farms, but for the most part the air we breath is clean, crisp, and fresh.

Here's a listing where you don't want to be No. 1. Forbes.com, which is fond of doing lists, has come up with "America's most toxic cities." The business news site has ranked the nation's 40 largest metro areas by the dirtiness of their air and water, the number of places spewing toxic pollution and the number of Superfund hazardous waste dumps.

Atlanta earns the dubious distinction as forbes.com's most toxic city. It lacks the smokestack industries one might typically associate with pollution, but the sprawl capital of America has some of the worst air quality, thanks to all the motor vehicles cruising its spaghetti bowl of pavement.

Following Atlanta are Detroit, Houston, Chicago, Philadelphia, Cleveland and Los Angeles.

Everyone needs a safe haven away from the toxins in this world if your in one of the more toxic places in america, you really should do what you can to clean up your home and make a safe environment indoors at least.

A Get Clean Healthy Home Pack from Shaklee will help you get this task accomplished.

Blue Butterfly Program - Raises Awarness for Healthy Children

2009-10-24T07:14:00.000-07:00

This is a great video that raises awareness for growing healthy kids.

Order Kids Safe Cleaner: http://greenclean.barefootmom.com

Why are Bees are Vanishing?

2009-10-01T04:06:00.000-07:00

According to a new film soon to be released in Britain next month, the culprit is the latest generation of pesticides. Read the whole story

I don't know about you but my heart sunk a little deeper when I read this startling discovery. Listen to this video and think about our future generations.

Every one of us can take small steps to make a difference in the outcome. What can you do today to prevent this from getting worse?

Discover how you can make a difference

Is Your Home Poisoning You?

2009-08-07T04:26:00.001-07:00

Our home should be a safe heaven a place to relax, kick off our shoes and breathe easy.

Find out whether disease-causing agents are lurking behind your front door

Take the Quiz over at Real Age to sniff out the culprits and healthy-up your home.

We believe the small act of scouring the sink can be a giant act of changing the world. When you use Get Clean you're never simply cleaning. While you make your home cleaner you make your family healthier. You also make the planet healthier for other families as well.
And if you think like we do Get Clean works great and tell others imagine the ripples you can create just by scouring the sink.

One of the nice things about using Get Clean is that once you get rid of all those undesirable cleaners you may have in your home, you won’t have to replace them with 27 more. This multi-talented set is all you need to start cleaning your way to a healthier home. With our 100% money back guarantee, you have nothing to lose.
Except dirt and a whole lot of toxins.

Top 5 Reasons to Grow your Own Organic Food

2009-08-05T14:09:00.000-07:00

1. GET THE NUTRITION YOU NEED & ENJOY TASTIER FOOD!
Many studies have shown that organically grown food has more minerals and nutrients that we need than food grown with synthetic pesticides. There’s a good reason why many chefs use organic foods in their recipes—they taste better. Organic farming starts with the nourishment of the soil, which eventually leads to the nourishment of the plant and, ultimately our bodies.

2. SAVE MONEY
Growing your own food can help cut the cost of the grocery bill. Instead of spending hundreds of dollars and month at the grocery store on foods that don’t really nourish you, spend time in the garden, outside, exercising, learning to grow your own food.

3. PROTECT FUTURE GENERATIONS
The average child receives four times more exposure than an adult to at least eight widely used cancer-causing pesticides in food. Food choices you make now will impact your child’s future health.

“We have not inherited the Earth from our fathers,
we are borrowing it from our children.”
– Lester Brown

4. PROTECT WATER QUALITY
Water makes up two-thirds of our body mass and covers three-fourths of the planet. The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) estimates pesticides - some cancer causing - contaminate the groundwater in 38 states, polluting the primary source of drinking water for more than half the country’s population.

5. KEEP CHEMICALS OFF YOUR PLATE
Many pesticides approved for use by the EPA were registered long before extensive research linking these chemicals to cancer and other diseases had been established. Now the EPA considers 60 percent of all herbicides, 90 percent of all fungicides and 30 percent of all insecticides carcinogenic. A 1987 National Academy of Sciences report estimated that pesticides might cause an extra 4 million cancer cases among Americans. If you are growing your own food, you have control over what does, or doesn’t, go into it. The bottom line is that pesticides are poisons designed to kill living organisms and can also harm humans. In addition to cancer, pesticides are implicated in birth defects, nerve damage and genetic mutations.

5 Home Remedies for Natural Garden Care

2009-07-12T05:54:00.000-07:00

Our garden is flourishing this year between ideal weather conditions and my secret Shaklee formula I use to feed my plants with. Being a Shaklee distributor has it benefits if you follow how I have built my business you would have on hand both products I use in my secret formula. Basic H and Liquid Lea.

For the rest who haven't discovered Shaklee here are 5 remedies that you can use.

Here's common household items you would find in your pantry that can help maintain a beautiful blossoming green garden without using harmful and expensive chemicals from the store.

1. Grubby Gardening Hands: no matter how hard you scrub, do your hands still look like you’ve been digging in the dirt all weekend long? Try rubbing some olive oil and sugar between your palms which can get rid of those soil stained hands.

2. Flower Fertilizer: tired of harmful chemicals? Why not make sure of your own banana peels by sticking them just below the surface of the soil. They will rot quickly and provide your plants with magnesium, calcium, sulfur, phosphorus, sodium and silica.

3. Another great at home fertilizer is ground coffee. Coffee is high in nitrogen and can particularly help with your rose bush care. Still a small sprinkle is all your garden needs.

4. Indoor Garden Care: If you have an indoor garden and are worried about the state of your indoor plants, try using castor or mineral oil as a massaging lotion on their leaves. This will leave them looking green and healthy.

5. Brown Be Gone: gardenias and camellia’s are beautiful flowers for your garden. However, in many instances the leaves will turn brown leaving your garden looking a little dull and uncared for. A simple solution to this is table salt. That’s right, just sprinkle a little bit on the plants and the brown will go away.

BUY Shaklee Products Online

For a limited time only free membership (15%-25% Savings) Call Cindy for details 888.272.6701

Shaklee in the News: Acterra's 2009 Business Environmental Award

2009-07-05T07:11:00.000-07:00

Have we become too Clean?

2009-06-05T08:39:00.000-07:00

It seems the more advanced our society becomes and the
cleaner we get, the more prevalent food and other
allergies become.

The occurrences of common allergies are much higher in
more developed countries than in their lesser
developed counter parts. And the numbers are
increasing as industrialization spreads through out
the world.

According to the hygiene hypothesis, the modern
methods of cleaning and sanitizing get rid of too many
germs. The body’s natural immune system doesn’t have
enough to do.

In children, it doesn’t develop the way it should. And
since allergies are an incorrect response of the
immune system, childhood and adult allergies have
become more prevalent.

Studies also show that common allergic diseases like
hay fever, eczema and food allergies are found less
often in children from large families.

Apparently being exposed to infectious agents (germs)
by brothers and sisters is a good thing. It helps the
immune system learn what it’s supposed to protect our
bodies from.

Antibiotic usage during a baby’s first year and the
growing use of antibacterial cleaning products has
also been linked to an increase in asthma and other
allergies.

The hygiene hypothesis explains that the antibacterial
cleaning products and antibiotic drugs limit our
immune system’s exposure to infectious diseases,
parasites and other bacteria.

This limits the immune systems development. Because of
the lack of dirt and germs, the immune system doesn’t
learn what it’s supposed to be protecting the body
from and goes after the wrong things.

Toxins the Silent Killer

2009-06-04T10:18:00.000-07:00

The future of a strong healthy family must start with us controling the toxins in our environment right now. Many times folks don't think about the issue's that may arise in their health or family's future health because of toxic chemicals they were exposed to many years ago.

This is an educational video that explains a few way's we may be exposed to toxins and not even know it.

Bottom line there is so much we can do to get the toxins out of our body and environment now that we know what's causing the overload.

Simple detox and cleanse system to remove toxins from the body.

Keep as many toxins as possible out of your environment by educating your self about common household toxins visit: http://greenclean.barefootmom.com

How to Control Weeds and Pests without using Chemicals

2009-06-02T15:21:00.000-07:00

Would you like to know what one of the best ways is to
get rid of pesky weeds and pests and some diseases as
well? It is to solarize your soil.

This technique is largely used in areas that have
abundant sunshine and high temperatures. However, it
can be adapted for cooler areas as well. The results
may not be quite as effective, but it can do wonders
in your battle against weeds.

What exactly is solarization? It is a technique that
does not use chemicals, but it captures the sun’s
radiant heat and energy which, in turn, causes
physical, biological and chemical changes in the soil.

These changes are able to control or eliminate soil
borne plant pathogens including bacteria, fungi,
pests, and nematodes along with weeds.

In order to solarize the soil, you must cover it with
a clear plastic tarp for approximately 4 to 6 weeks
during a time of the year when it is very hot and when
the soil will be able to receive maximum direct
sunlight.

The soil heats up to temperatures that are hot enough
to kill some soil inhabiting pests including root rot
fungi, wilt, noxious weed seed and root knot
nematodes.

Soil solarization also stimulates the releasing of
nutrients from organic matter that is present in the
soil. It is very effective in treating garden soils
where it is intended to plant herbs, vegetables and
flowers.

Now that you know what soil solarization is, you may
want to give it a try to your soil rather than using
different chemicals to control weeds and other pesky
little critters!

Non-Toxic Tip

2009-05-24T05:59:00.000-07:00

You can protect yourself and your family from the harmful effects of lead with proper nutrition. Since lead mimics calcium, it tricks our bodies to store it as such. Some lead leaves the body via the bladder and bowels. What remains enters the blood system and ends up stored in the brain tissue and bones.

Eating right reduces the amount of lead that gets stored in the system. Some lead-smart eating guidelines include:

eating regular healthy meals (lead is more readily absorbed on an empty stomach)
eating foods rich in iron vitamin C, and calcium
avoiding fatty foods
avoiding canned foods from foreign

Learn more about the harmful effects of LEAD from the book:

Lead Babies: Breaking the Cycle of Learning Disabilities, Declining IQ, ADHD, Behavior Problems, and Autism (available at amazon.com)

Earth Day 2009: Shaklee Plants One Million Trees!

2009-04-24T09:11:00.000-07:00

Listen to Presentation

Shaklee Chairman & CEO Roger Barnett, the Honorable Arnold Scharzenegger, Governor of the State of California and 2004 Nobel Peace Prize Laureate Wangari Maathai pitched in to plant the millionth tree in Shaklee's Million Trees. Million Dreams. campaign!

Hundreds of Shaklee Distributors from California and surrounding states, along with local dignitaries, environmental leaders, and eco-entrepreneurs, witnessed and celebrated this milestone event.

Gov. Schwarzenegger praised the efforts of the Shaklee Family, "It is wonderful that you have taken on the leadership here in planting this million trees and continue inspiring so many people," acknowledging the incredible accomplishment of having planted enough trees to "fill up Disneyland 18 times!" In addition to his familiarity with the quality of Shaklee nutritional supplements from his days as a professional body builder, Gov. Schwarzenegger expressed that "Shaklee is about inspiring others," uniting people in a common cause. He mused, "How many schools had to participate, how many neighborhoods had to participate, groups and individuals, parks? It's great when people come together."

Dr. Maathai congratulated the Shaklee Family on the success of this campaign, and the power of Social Marketing to make a difference:

"Shaklee led the way in achieving carbon neutrality in 2000 and has mobilized its networks to plant a million trees for the planet, which is not only a great achievement, but an inspiration to all of us."

In addition to the historic millionth tree, 11 more trees were planted by Shaklee employees and Distributors, as well as 32 plants in their demonstration gardens, representing botanicals used in Shaklee products.

A New Commitment A Million Healthier Lives in 2009

As part of the company's continuing efforts to improve the health of people and the planet, Roger Barnett CEO announced the company's newest campaign to create A Million Healthier Lives in 2009. He also announced that, because of the current economic crisis, for the next 30 days through May 22nd, Shaklee will continue to offer free membership in Shaklee, so folks may start their own business today, in an effort to provide an economic opportunity for one million Americans to provide for their families while also taking care of our planet.

"Shaklee has tried to show the world that companies can build long term successful businesses by helping millions of people have better health and more income, while making a meaningful impact on the world. Shaklee is very proud to provide more than 750,000 members and distributors with an opportunity to do well by doing good which has helped them not just survive, but thrive through every single recession in the last 50 years."

Green Clean: How Clean are Your Products?

2009-03-19T05:29:00.000-07:00

When it comes to the most common brands of household cleaners, you may ask yourself how safe are these products for your home, your family, and your environment?

The answer is "not very." Even "simple" cleaners like bleach contain harmful chemicals that are dangerous for you and your family to inhale, even while you're just cleaning. Bleach is the #1 most common chemical involved in household poisoning. Keeping a clean home is an act of love for your family, but in the same way, you should use cleaning products that won't harm you or your loved ones. With Shaklee's all natural cleaning products, you can clean with confidence, keeping you and your family away from breathing in the noxious fumes that have been linked to the rising rate of asthma in children.

Did you know that over 90 percent of exposures to poison happen at home? Just as you monitor the foods your family eats, taking all the necessary precautions to make sure you're cleaning with safe cleaning products is just as important, if not more so. In fact, children are even more vulnerable than adults when it comes to the toxins in the water they drink, the foods they drink, and the air they breathe.

Shaklee offers products you can feel good about- they contain no hazardous chemicals or harmful cleaning compounds, and they're even hypoallergenic. Whether you're using Shaklee Dish Wash Concentrate to wash the dishes from your dinner party, using Fresh Laundry Concentrate to wash your bed sheets, or using any other Shaklee cleaning product, you can clean knowing that the safe, conscientious products you are using are brightening and cleaning without undoing all the good you've done. Guaranteed!

5 Simple Ways to Go Green

2009-03-10T16:02:00.000-07:00

Going green doesn’t need to be difficult or complicated. Even small steps count, and what you do every day can help keep your family and the planet healthy.Thanks to the thousands who have chosen Get Clean, look at the difference made over the past 12 months!

Kept 10,230,732 pounds of packaging waste out of landfills.
Eliminated 23,492,792 pounds of greenhouse gas.

1. Clean Up Your Cleaning Products

Some conventional cleaning products can contain questionable chemicals like phthalates, butyl cellosolve, sodium hydroxide, ammonia, or formaldehyde. Why would you endanger your health or the health of the planet with harsh chemicals and toxic substances when you can choose natural and healthier alternatives?

Switch to Get Clean®. Get Clean offers choices that are safe, nontoxic, and natural, and they work wonderfully. Many Get Clean products are formulated using sustainably sourced ingredients from natural sources, like activated enzymes or biodegradable cleaning agents derived from corn and coconuts. When you welcome Get Clean products into your home, you’re not exposing your family to many of the dangerous chemicals found in conventional cleaners.

A great way to start is with the Get Clean Starter Kit—everything you need to clean your home. To order yours, contact Cindy McAsey visit us at barefootmom.com, or call 1.888.272.6701.

2. Start Using your Dishwasher!

Using the dishwasher is actually better for the planet than washing dishes by hand. The average energy-efficient dishwasher uses just 4 gallons of water per cycle, saving nearly 5,000 gallons of water per year compared with hand washing—as well as $40 in energy costs and 230 hours of washing time, according to the Environmental Protection Agency.

Make sure to use a phosphate-free detergent. Phosphates spur algae blooms and are a major source of water pollution.

Get Clean Dish Wash Automatic Concentrate is one of the first phosphate-free automatic dish wash detergents. Learn more

3. Ditch the Anti-bacterial Hand Soap

Triclosan, a common ingredient in antibacterial soap that kills microbes, ends up in our water sources and, at specific levels, is acutely and chronically toxic to aquatic life. Moreover, overuse of antibacterial and antimicrobial soap can help create antibiotic-resistant bacteria, which may weaken the effectiveness of currently useful antibiotics. Antibacterial soap doesn’t offer any better protection against illness than vigorous hand washing with plain soap and warm water.
Get Clean Hand Wash Concentrate is a great antibacterial-free alternative. It’s soap free, pH balanced, hypoallergenic, and has biodegradable surfactants. Learn More

4. Bring your own Bag

Okay, we’ve all heard this one, but it’s true. Neither paper nor plastic is the ideal choice. Paper is accepted in more recycling programs, but only approximately 20% is recycled, and most bags can end up in landfills. Plastic bags not only can take a thousand years to decompose and but use up nonrenewable resources. The best choice? Bring your own reusable bag. A sturdy, reusable one can take the place of hundreds or maybe even thousands of single-use bags over its lifetime.

5. Buy from Socially Responsible Companies

Buy from Socially Responsible Companies

Use your consumer power to support companies that are environmentally responsible and offer products that are safe for you and the environment. Shaklee has a long history of environmental responsibility, including introducing one of the first biodegradable cleaners in 1960.

Shaklee is the first company in the world to obtain Climate Neutral™ certification and totally offset its greenhouse gas emissions.

Green Stimulus: How to Retrofit Your Home and Receive Big Tax Credits

2009-02-26T13:23:00.000-08:00

President Obama's new stimulus package is now signed into law. Here's how it affects the green-minded home owner:

1) New incentives and tax credits are now available for households for energy conservation and alternative energy. Homeowners investing in energy-saving insulation, replacement windows, duct seals, or high-efficiency heating and cooling systems can now receive a tax credit worth 30 percent of the upgrade cost (maximum credit value: $1,500). The previous tax credit was 10 percent of an upgrade cost, up to a maximum of $500.

2) If you have been thinking about switching to sustainable energy, now is the time. Solar panels, geothermal heat pumps, and windmills also qualify for a 30 percent tax credit. For example, a $24,000 investment to make a home solar-powered would generate a federal tax credit worth $7,200. Previously, the cap was $2,000 for geothermal and solar; $4,000 for wind. Add state and utility credits to this and consumers will see significant discounts in these purchases.

3) New hybrid cars now qualify for tax credits worth anywhere from $2,500 to $7,500, while plug-in conversion kits for old hybrids, now generate tax credits worth 10 percent of the kit's cost (maximum credit value: $4,000).

For questions about home energy conservation and renewable energy options, you can contact a contractor trained by the federal Home Performance with Energy Star Program

Green to Gold Author Dan Esty Speaks about Shaklee

2009-02-24T14:28:00.000-08:00

Dan Esty of Yale University shares a great testimonial for Shaklee Corporation. When we have authors speaking for us it kind of turns heads doesn't it.

Bottomline Shaklee has been around and stood the test of time. A company doesn't stay in business over 50 years if they aren't doing something right. There is a reason the average Shaklee user uses the products 17.5 years. Yes you that number is a fact that came from Shaklee Corporate itself. What's more Shaklee product users re-order the product 80% of the time.

I've personally use all the Shaklee products and have for over 12 years now. My focus on this blog is on the environment and using safe products that won't harm the environment. The Shaklee cleaners are the top of the line. If you look through some of the articles posted on this site you will find many testimonials, uses, and great content about the Shaklee "Green Cleaning" products.

Buy Green Cleaners Online go to: http://greenclean.barefootmom.com

While Everything Else Stops, Green Still Means Go

2009-01-25T06:33:00.000-08:00

The tide has turned, and I believe virtually every sector of society is waking up to the fact that being green means greater efficiency, greater prosperity, all moving toward a world where our lifestyles become far more sustainable.

This is an excellent article from http://www.greenbiz.com documenting the fact going green does effect you bottomline. http://www.greenbiz.com/feature/2009/01/19/green-still-means-go

This change in public perception was far pre-dated by Dr. Shaklee's vision of a company in harmony with nature. I think all Shaklee Distributors can be very proud to have been leading the way for this shift toward greater sustainability.

We have a lot of work to do... I like the idea of spreading the word and sharing ideas with others. For a comprehensive view of where we are and where we need to go, I highly recommend Thomas Friedman's Hot Flat and Crowded. Here's a Cliff Notes version: http://www.thomaslfriedman.com/files/hot_flat_and_crowded_guide.pdf

Are you ready to make a difference? Call me Cindy McAsey 888-272-6701 Let's Talk!

Goin Green in 2009

2009-01-08T03:45:00.000-08:00

Twas the Season to consume. More than any time of year, we use and consume massive amounts of disposable items, from party supplies to wrapping paper, to buying the take-out meal for the family on the way home from the mall over the holidays. It's the time to party and celebrate, but now it’s also a time for making resolutions for the future. And in tough economic times, it’s a great time to look for ways we can consume less and save the environment at the same time.

Pick a green resolution to focus on in the New Year. Here is a quick list of a some small changes to get you thinking.

1. Change your trip to the coffee bar by bringing your own mug or using an in-house mug. If you make 3-4 trips to the coffee shop a week, you’re saving 200 cups and lids a year. It’s a small change that makes a difference (I hear Starbucks gives a nice little discount for bringing your own mug!).

2. Refuse to use the disposable cups, bowls and utensils at your business. Buy a cheap set of dishes at the grocery store and use em again and again instead of the paper plates, cups and utensils you may have been using. You’ll save your company money in the process.

3. Cut down on drives around town. Buy a bike if you live in a bike-friendly community and refuse to drive anywhere that is closer than 2 or 3 miles. It’s a fact... a bike ride within short distances is generly as fast as driving your car.

4. Turn off your lights when you’re not in the room, unplug appliances and electronics that aren’t in use. Nearly half the nation’s CO2 emissions come from the energy we consume at home and work (via our power plant system), so wasting less unnecessary electricity at home is a tiny change that can have a massive effect.

Thanks again for reading. We hope you’ve enjoy our green tips and that 2009 is your greenest year ever.

Always Save, Always Green, Buy Green Cleaners Online ~ http://greenclean.barefootmom.com

The Happiness Effect - TIME

2008-12-29T04:50:00.001-08:00

Here is an article well worth reading and thinking about. It seems obvious, but here is proof positive of our responsibility to ourselves and our fellow men/women learn and practice the art of happiness, regardless of circumstances. I think also this is why the positive, commited, enthusiastic and forward-looking business relationships are so attractive to us. Let me know what you think!Cindy McAseyBarefoot in the Gardenhttp://cindymcasey.comCindy McAseyBarefoot in the Gardenhttp://cindymcasey.com

read more | digg story

Educational Video: Contaminated Without Consent

2008-12-11T11:35:00.000-08:00

Everyone should watch this video and be aware of your surroundings. How many chemicals are you exposed to everyday? How about your children? I feel I must do everything I can to educate the world about being contaminated without consent. I now suffer from the chemicals I was exposed to many years ago as a cosmetologist. I feel very fortunate to be educated and understand about making safer choices.

My mission is to help educate you, so you can too make better choices for you and your family.

Safe Natural Products for over 50 years can be found at: http://www.barefootmom.com

What would you do with another 25 years?

2008-10-25T13:15:00.000-07:00

Let the Good Times Roll...

A fast-paced, fun video of young celebrities trying our anti-aging tonic for the first time, and answering the question, "How Would You Like to Feel 25 Years Younger and Live 25 Years Longer?? (Doesn't everyone dream of feeling younger and living longer?)

Did you see something in this video that interested you? www.barefootbus.com

#4 Rule for Happiness and Contentment

Happiness is an attribute of love; therefore, you can never be happy until you give your love to others. Let your emotion of love warm the heart of someone and see an ample supply of happiness reflected upon you. A selfish person may depend on gaining possessions to bring happiness, but soon will find that such possessions reflect only their own selfish thoughts.

Sow the Seeds of Happiness in Others, and You Will reap A Joyful Harvest.

Why did we choose the Green Cleaners we did?

2008-10-20T19:27:00.000-07:00

This video explains so well why we choose the company we did to market products for.

Big News: Take Control and Protect your Cells

2008-08-11T12:16:00.000-07:00

Even though you may doing everything possible to control the toxins in your environment. You now have options to do more to take control of your health.

Patent Pending Blend or our anti-aging tonic is based on the latest scientific studies and research. Learn More

Take the toxins out of your life, then try this tonic!

2008-08-09T07:32:00.000-07:00

How would you like to feel 25 years younger and live 25 years longer? My answer to this question is a restounding YES... this isn't the type of content I generally post on this blog, but thought if you are like me you might be interested in learning about it so here it is...

Introducing a REVOLUTIONARY BREAKTHROUGH in Cellular Anti-Aging.
Liquid Anti-Aging Tonic

Wow... the impact of 3,000 glasses of red wine can you imagine... A 30 day supply of this anti-aging tonic delivers the equivalent amount of resveratrol found in 3,000 glasses of red wine, and the ingredients are 10 times more powerful in slowing a key mechanism of aging than resveratrol alone.

Just one of the ingredients in this anti-aging tonic alone has been referenced in over 2,000 research publications, including multiple studies conducted by Harvard University, at the National Institute on Aging, at the National Cancer Institute, and the National Institute of Environmental Science.

10 times more powerful... This anti-aging tonic ingredients are more powerful than resveratrol alone in slowing key mechanism of aging & AGE protein formation.

All Natural.. Patent Pending. Clinically Tested Key Ingredients. Exclusive to Shaklee Distributors, Members and Customers.

Shaklee Distributors and Members can learn the details now by going to http://www.shakleeuniversity.com and click on the MY STUDY PLAN tab. You will need your ID number to enter this site.

Not a member yet? check out http://gap.barefootsuccess.net for membership options.

Very soon our NEW REVOLUTIONARY BREAKTHROUGH in Cellular Anti-Aging. Liquid Anti-Aging Tonic will be available at www.barefootmom.com

I personally can't wait to sip my way to youthville!
Cindy McAsey....

Goin Green: "Green Goes with Everything" New Book Release

2008-07-17T07:16:00.000-07:00

Simple Steps to a Healthier Life and a Cleaner Planet
By Sloan Barnett

Imagine if your best friend gave you vital information that could
protect you and your family, and save you money, and help the
planet. Imagine if you were given clear, simple choices, small
changes that could have a big impact on your life. And you could
still wear leather shoes and deodorant. You'd listen, right?

Well, think of Today show contributor Sloan Barnett as that friend.
A mother of three, a dedicated consumer advocate, Sloan gives us a
fast, simple, down-to earth primer on the ways our homes are making
us sick, and what we can all do to transform them into the safe
sanctuaries we want and need them to be.

Sloan exposes the toxic truth behind the household products we use
every day -- from laundry detergent to toothpaste to lipstick. She
explains how these and other seemingly benign stuff can harm us and
our children. She offers an array of alternatives, and inspires us
to see that we're never helpless: Every day, we have the power to
make better, smarter, safer choices.

Packed with common sense and sass, product picks and practical tips,
Green Goes With Everything is for everyone who wants to live a
healthier life. Look for this book in stores Sept. 23rd.

Take Action do something today to GO GREEN: http://greenclean.barefootmom.com

Herbal Remedies for Pets

2008-07-09T03:50:00.000-07:00

"Those of us who have pets will tell you that they are like members of the family. So, for those with furry family members - and some that may not be so furry - here are a few natural remedies for some common pet problems.

Ear Infections and Ear Mites - Apply garlic-mullein ear oil, 3-4 drops, twice daily. And because dogs and cats have especially long ear canals, make sure to massage the ears well to get the oil all the way down the canal.

Fleas - here are several natural remedies:
Herbal bedding - Dry mix dried peppermint, eucalyptus, bay leaf herbs, marjoram, eucalyptus, rosemary, sage, and clove buds. Crush the botanicals well and fill a muslin bag with herbs and put in the pet's bed or if your pet has a cedar filled pillow, just add the botanicals to the cedar chip mixture.

Herbal flea collars - dip a heavy string into a combination of essential oils containing eucalyptus, citronella and sage, let dry, then securely wind the string around your pets collar.

Natural flea and tick dip:
2 cups, packed, of fresh rosemary and/or peppermint
1 quart boiling water
4 quarts warm water
Pour the just boiled water over the fresh herbs and let steep, covered, for 30 minutes. Strain and add the liquid to 4 quarts of warm water, saturate the animal and let it air dry.

Herbal Flea Spray - spray your pet with an herbal mixture of: chamomile, valerian, licorice and witch hazel. Prepare an infusion using one tea bag of each herb, and when it's cold, mix with witch hazel.

Worms - prevention and removal
Garlic is a good preventive for parasites. Chop it into your pet's food (or use a powder form). Usually if given when your pet is young, they will develop a taste for it.
Adding a few drops of wormwood tincture or Black Walnut Tincture into the food or water bowl can remove parasites, too.

Dr. Janet Starr Hull

Buy Green Cleaning Products Online - Save

POSITIVE SOLUTIONS-- FROM PANIC TO ORGANIC

2008-07-07T13:12:00.000-07:00

While consumers struggle to fuel their cars and put food on the table, oil companies (like ExxonMobil, BP and ConocoPhillips) and seed companies (like Monsanto, Cargill and ADM) are raking in record profits. In a fiery essay posted on the Common Dreams website and circulated widely on the internet, The Organic Consumers Association's National Director, Ronnie Cummins, shows how the food, climate and energy crisis are connected and how the time for positive change is now:

"Fortunately, there are hopeful signs that we can move beyond crisis to positive solutions. Connecting the dots in our food-climate-energy crisis, millions of green consumers are voting with their dollars for foods and products that are healthy, locally produced, energy efficient, and eco-friendly. A growing number of politicians, mainly at local and state levels, are also waking up. Organic food and farmers markets are booming. Chemical-free lawns and gardens, green buildings, solar panels, wind generators, "buy local" networks, and bike paths are sprouting. A critical mass of organic-minded Americans are waking up to the fact that we must green the economy, drastically reduce petroleum use and greenhouse gas pollution, and heal ourselves, before it's too late."
Read the full essay

At our house the garden is flourishing. I feel so blessed to live off the land (to a certain extent) and have our own fresh vegetables. Learn more about my and why I do what I do at www.cindymcasey.com

Buy Green Cleaning Products Online http://greencleaners.barefootmom.com

What are you Children Being Exposed to?

2008-06-23T09:42:00.000-07:00

A Home Schooling Mom's Journey of Discovery. Amy K. Jefferson, GA

"Being a concerned mother of nearly four, I do care about the wellness of my family and the toxins in my home. But this concern has taken different action over the past years. When I had my first baby, I gave cleaning products a great deal of thought and tried to make as many as I could using earth friendly ingredients and recipes I found online. Then, after the arrival of my second baby, I needed convenience and so I tried some of the green cleaners found at health food stores. They were expensive so at times I had to just use the chemicals that choke you from the cleaning aisles of grocery stores. And finally, after my third baby, I needed maximum convenience and minimum price. So I started to use Clorox wipes, among other things. (I have to be honest, even though I hate to admit it.)

Unfortunately, I was doing more harm than good. A friend of mine suggested I watch Toxic Brew, a news segment produced by a Canadian news station. After watching this video, the reality of what I was bringing into my home began to "dawn on me."
[Ed. Note: View Toxic Brew online at http://www.barefootmerchant.com.htm.]

"Only a month or so later, I heard of the work of Dr. Doris Rapp, who researches the effects of harmful chemicals on children's health. (You can find her books, including Is This Your Child's World? at www.amazon.com or www.drrapp.com)

In one of her studies, she tested the effect of bleach on six-year-olds handwriting. I looked at the printed results, and was amazed at the evidence. Before a bottle of bleach was opened, students wrote their names fairly well. Then, with just an opened bottle of bleach in the room and the fumes wafting through the air, the children wrote their names dramatically different. Some wrote messy, some too small to read, and one even wrote backwards.

Being the devil's advocate that I am, I thought: Well, "they just printed up the worst case scenarios. Certainly it wouldn't affect my kids this way." So, I determined to do the same test at home. I didn't tell my kids what I was doing. I only told them to write as neatly as they could. They printed their names on a sheet of paper. Then, I told them to hold up their papers while I wiped the table off with a Clorox wipe. As soon as it was dry enough, I had them put their papers down and write their names again. I was shocked!

My daughter's writing was visibly messier; instead of letters being tight and connected, they were loopy and crooked. My son was completely distracted by something while he was writing his name! (This is uncharacteristic of him. He has no attention difficulties.) When he realized that he was talking about something else, he stopped mid-sentence and said:"Wait, I'm supposed to be writing my name!" The next letter he wrote was upside-down (which my son had never done before). I took it to the next level and had my children move to another room where there were no Clorox fumes. They wrote their names again and proved that without being "under the influence" they could write just as neat as the first time. I could clearly see that the chemicals were affecting both writing ability and focus.

My children are home-schooled and we do chores every morning before school starts. Since they have direct exposure to cleaners, I was burdened by thoughts of how the cleaning chemicals were affecting them in other ways. To make a long story shorter, I promised myself from that time on that I would not subject my children's minds to danger again, not to mention their lungs and skin.

And I am very pleased with the alternatives that Shaklee Distributors offer! The Green Clean products are very powerful, environmentally friendly, cost-effective cleaning products that contain no toxic chemicals and no dangerous fumes! What more was I looking for? I have totally clean, residue-free dishes; totally clean, irritation-free clothes; and totally clean, fume-free chore time! I LOVE IT and I want to spread the word so that every mom can give her children the priceless gift of a toxin-free home."

Shaklee Distributors Green Clean line offers fantastic alternatives to everything you use to clean your home. And now the Green Clean Starter Kit has added Germ Off Wipes to the kit, which is an excellent alternative to Clorox Wipes.

A message from...
Cindy McAsey-Mom with 2 kids, a husband and a farm full of animals

Treating Foot Fungus

2008-06-16T06:56:00.000-07:00

As I was working through my customer thank you's today I ran upon a question about our germicide product. I thought I would share my answer with you...

"Can you help with the amount of your G product to water for foot fungus?"

I don't know if there is a "right" amount of mixture, but I can share with you what we used at our house when the boy's struggled with athlete's foot. I just mixed up 1 teaspoon per 16 oz. of water. We just used a spray bottle and they would squirt their feet when they came out of the shower.

The amount that is right for you Dad may be a little less or more depending on his foot sensivity or the severity of the fungus. It's best to do a little testing and adjust the amount that works for him. I heard people who soaked their feet in a solution, but my boy's never would take the time to do that. If soaking I would definitely have him wash his feet thoroughly after a soak.

We also have used a this (1t. to 16oz water) mixture of G to rid our dog of a skin like fungus. What we would do is wash them in all purpose H and then spray on the g mixture and let it set for 3 to 5 minutes then thoroughly rinse and re-wash with all purpose H to make sure to get any residue off.

Creating Healthier Lives,
Cindy
Barefoot in the Garden
www.barefootmerchant.com

P. S. This statement has not not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration or any official authority...
These products are not intended to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent any disease.
Rather the statements made are what some folks have experienced personally.

Goin Green Clean - Have you seen my Green Clothes Dryer?

2008-05-22T06:09:00.000-07:00

With all the hype about green, companies going green, cars that are environmently friendly and fuel efficient... does anyone think about how our ancestors took care of daily tasks.

I remember going to my grandma's house and watching and "helping" her with her daily routine. She had a HUGE garden (imagine that) and most of the food they consumed came from the garden. She canned all sumer long (or at least it seemed to me she did). Her basement was lined with shelves full of home canned fruits and veggies.

The other 2 items in my grandma's basement were a washer and a clothes line. Grandmas just used the indoor clothes line during really nasty snow storms. The remainder of the year (like 359 days out of the year) the clothes were dried on what we today would call a GREEN clothes dryer.

Now my grandma was very picky about wrinkles.. she would put pants in a form that hung out on the line so when they were dry they looked like they had been ironed. In KS we didn't have to worry about stiff clothes very often either. Whipping in the KS wind made the towels soft as a baby's behind.

Now don't get me wrong I love the technology we have available to us today, but on our farm in KS there are some traditions I just won't let go of. I love my clothes line! There is nothing better than sleeping on freshly dried sheets in the breezy Kansas wind.

Simple Goin Green Strategy

2008-05-01T07:44:00.000-07:00

I'm sure by now the goin green movement and flashed across you in some way or another. I even noticed on my weekly trip to town that the local discount store had green t-shirts!

In the next two minutes you are going to learn a very simple goin green strategy that you can say hey.... "I'm goin green too" if you follow through and do it that is. Watch as Sloan Barnett and BGTV's Kevin Contreras share this simple strategy.

There you have it. This is a very simple change you can do to make a difference.

Learn more about our green clean products at http;//greenclean.barefootmom.com

Goin Green - Ridin the Wave

2008-04-24T07:37:00.001-07:00

Green Clean has been seen by close to 150 million people, and has been recommended by cultural giants like Oprah and Rachael Ray, as well as best-selling authors from David Bach to Colin Cowie. You may have seen us in hundreds of places including magazines such as Better Homes & Gardens, TIME, Real Simple, Family Circle and FAST COMPANY or on news programs like “TODAY”, “CBS 2 Chicago” and “KTLA FOX Los Angeles.” In fact, according to Nielsen Buzzmetrics,

OUR COMPANY is one of the most popular brands currently discussed in connection with sustainability!

WHAT A DIFFERENCE We'VE MADE!
Just through the sale of All Purpose H alone, we’ve eliminated 3 billion bottles of conventional 26-ounce window cleaner -- if placed end-to-end, these bottles would wrap around the earth more than 19 times!

Time Magazine says Oprah had this to say about All Purpose H (11/20/07)
"I really love the All Purpose H Organic Cleaning Concentrate. And the reason why I love the H is because you just use a drop, just a little drop and it cleans like what you would normally be using a half a bottle of stuff for. So it sounds expensive, but it's concentrated and saves the environment."

Rachael Ray: Lara Spencer’s “The Dish” (3/28/08)
"These products are called Green Clean and the reason why we love them is because they provide the best combination of really great cleaning power but also they’re non-toxic, they are economic, and they are safe for you, your home, and most importantly, the planet…so we just ask that you consider giving Shaklee a try - for me, for Rach."

New York Times Magazine (3/16/08)
"So 'our company' eco-friendly 'Scrub-out' Heavy-Duty Paste is tempting: it promises to disappear oven drippings and not 'burn off your nose hairs in the process.' That works for me."

InStyle (March 2008)
"They can’t leap buildings in a single bound, but these non-toxic 'our company' products are super-powerful when it comes to fighting grime."

Domino (March 2008)
"'our company' did the best job (by far) on our stain test. It uses enzymes, not phosphates or solvents, to power out grime, and the formula is so concentrated, it replaces three bottles of mere mortal varieties."

Oprah Show Educates about Toxic Cleaners

2008-04-09T09:54:00.000-07:00

This is a very educational video segment of Oprah's Earth Day Show.
Green Cleaners, Safe for you safe for your family, and the world we live in.
Shaklee Distributor-Buy Online SAVE!

50 Simple Ways to Save the Earth and Get Rich Trying

2008-03-30T06:19:00.000-07:00

Go Green - Live Rich a new book to be released April 8th is sure to shake some trees and give an eye opening inspiration to many searching for the next big financial wave to riches.

Most people think that "going green" is an expensive choice they can't afford. Who better than America's Money Coach, David Bach, to tell you that you can have both a life in line with your green values and a million dollars in the bank? From driving the right car to making your home energy smart, David Bach offers ways to improve the environment, spend less, save more, earn more and pay fewer taxes. Best of all, he shows you exactly how to take advantage of the "green wave" in personal finance without the difficult work of evaluating individual stocks

David Bach- also wrote a book titled "Start Late - Finish Rich" in which he recommends Direct Selling as one of your options. He has a CD with the same title available from Networking Times Magazine. It's very good.

Let David Bach show you a whole new way to prosper—by going green

Internationally renowned financial expert and bestselling author David Bach has always urged readers to put their financial lives in line with their values. But what if your values are a cleaner and greener earth? Most people think that “going green” is an expensive choice they can’t afford. Bach is here to say that you can have both: a life in line with your green values and a million dollars in the bank.

On the same green clean note, I just heard Vice President Chaney's office called to ask that the VP's home be converted to our Green Clean Products. Then Roger (company CEO) read them an email on his phone from the White House asking that it too be converted to GREEN Clean too! How 'bout that! The word from Roger and Oprah is getting out there--Remember, Roger has a big Goal for Shaklee Corporation to be
the First Corporation to win the Nobel Peace Prize!!

Want to check us out? Take a Look at http://www.barefootsuccess.net or give me a call Cindy McAsey 888-272-6701

Go Green Clean Retire Early Links

100% Guaranteed Powerful Green Clean

2008-03-14T07:13:00.000-07:00

Here is a great testimonial to the cleaning power of our New Green Cleaning Products. I thought I would share..

Cindy,Thank you for your concern.
Yes, I got my order and I have never found a product like yours anywhere. It cleans my windows without streaking, which no other product that I have tried has done. Even Windex isn't streakless like they claim......I have used this product on everything proving it, and it hasn't failed me. I even cleaned my storm door while the sun was shining on it, and it never looked cleaner. I am very satified with it. Thanks to my daughter, who give me some of hers to try, I am a customer for sure.
Joann Stephens

If you knew there was something better on the market than what you are currently using, it had 100% money back guarantee, AND it was safeer for you, your family and the earth.... wouldn't you want to try it? Oprah did.. and named these new green cleaners one of her favorites!

Check us our NEW GREEN CLEANERS at http://greenclean.barefootmom.com

Spring Cleaning... Can it make you Sick?

2008-03-07T06:50:00.000-08:00

Are you the type of person that likes to deep clean your house reaching every little nook and crany in the spring? This year before you start spring cleaning take the time to educate yourself about the toxins in most household cleaners. I recorded this short 3 minute video that will help you make a more informed choices to keep you and your family safe.

Learn more about the hidden toxins in your home.

Stay well and have a squeeky clean home!

Can you Save Money on Gas?

2008-02-29T06:55:00.000-08:00

I asked myself this question yesterday when I was filling up my Jeep. Wow do I live in a secluded world out here on the farm! I generally only fill need to fill up my gas tank about once a month. Not that my Jeep is that good on gas mileage... I just don't have a need to drive it much. Generally about once a week we go to town to eat out and get supplies that the UPS man can't deliver.

OK back to saving money on Gas... Probably the most obvious answer is to get another vehicle that either gets better gas mileage, or one of those new hybrid vehicles.. OR my answer is just not use a gas powered vehicle as much. Our ancestors before gas powered vehicles were invented were able to live and survive. Don't get me wrong I love technology and living in the era we live in. I wouldn't have the luxury of working from home if it weren't for today's technology.

I published an article this morning on the Barefoot MLM Training Tips and Tools Blog that closely relates to the gas dilemmia. Called "Good Times or Depression"

During the winter saving money on gas isn't too tough unless we have big snows that require gas in the tractor to clean the drive. Heaven forbid if the UPS truck couldn't deliver! I guess you could say my way of "saving money on gas" is using technology with a twist!

For ‘EcoMoms,’ Saving Earth Begins at Home

2008-02-16T09:01:00.000-08:00

The media is catching on to the green clean wave. This morning in the New York Times front page is and article that is so inline with what this blogs is all about I just had to post a link. CLICK HERE to read the New York Times Article.

NEW Green Cleaners: The REAL DIRT on House Cleaning

2008-02-08T05:57:00.000-08:00

There is so much miss information out there about what is and what isn't safe for you and the environemnt. Our manufacturer has made available 4 very educational videos that I feel are very educational and a great addition this blog.

Part 1- The Real Dirt on Clean

Part 2- The Real Dirt on Clean

Part 3 .. safe, effective, green cleaners.

Part 4 Real Dirt on Clean

10 Reasons to Love Barefoot's All Purpose Safe Cleaner

2008-02-02T12:52:00.000-08:00

1. Stop living in a toxic home
Some of the most questionable chemicals used regularly
in household products are ammonia, chlorine bleach, phenol,
butyl cellosolve, and formaldehyde—all of which can be
found under your kitchen sink. All Purpose Safe Cleaner is nontoxic and safefor your family.

2. Everything and the kitchen sink
All Purpose H cleans it all from kitchens and bathrooms to
appliances, woodwork, mirrors, painted walls, and floors—
it even does windows. So, toss those single-purpose
cleaners like sink and tile cleaners. Mix ¼ teaspoon in 16 oz.
of water in a Green Clean spray bottle for all purpose cleaning,
and 2 drops in 16 oz. of water to clean windows.

3. Eliminate your ammonia-based window cleaner
All Purpose H cleans windows without streaking while being a great alternative to leading brands. All Purpose H window
cleaner is equivalent in performance to Windex® Original.

4. Removes the impossible
From lipstick on a linen napkin to crayons on a painted wall,full-strength All Purpose H comes to the rescue.

5. Great for cutting grease
Tough on greasy barbecue grills, ovens, and even oil spots
on concrete. Mix 2 oz. per gallon of water for a superdegreaser
formula.

6. Does odd jobs
One tablespoon of All Purpose H in a bucket of hot water lifts off
old wallpaper. One and a half teaspoons in a half gallon cleans
sticky paintbrushes. Just soak for 24 hours and rinse with
hot tap water.

7. Saves money
One 16 oz. bottle of All Purpose H2 diluted per label directions
makes 214 bottles (28 oz.) of ready-to-use all-purpose cleaner.

8. Camping and traveling companion
Take along a small size of All Purpose H to keep clothes, dishes,
and everything else clean. And you’ll help by keeping the
great outdoors unpolluted.

9. Easy on the planet
Biodegradable and environmentally friendly, All Purpose H handles
even hard-to-clean jobs without phosphates, borates, nitrates,
or other stuff the planet doesn’t appreciate.

10. Less in the landfill
All Purpose H is superconcentrated, so you’ll use fewer bottles
of cleaning products throughout the year.

Green Cleaning Products: Cleaning Glass Top Stoves

2008-01-18T04:55:00.000-08:00

Over Christmas we purchased a new Glass Top (smooth top) stove. It has a black shiny glass top with a lighter grey area marking where the burners are. For most spillovers we use the all purpose H mixture for degreaser. For the really nasty stuck on ones we use the crushed cherry pit cleaner. It works like a charm! There are no scratches on the surface or anything. Just slick shiny black glass.

These products are all part of Oprah's favorites for 2007. Actually our company has a "Special Edition" special going on from no till the end of the month. You can get this kit for $89.60 (it normally sells for over $100) This is a huge value of green cleaners. If you were to purchase in a store that much cleaning power it would cost you over $3400. Now that is value!

Take a look at the Oprah Special: http://www.shaklee.net/barefoot/product/59262

I've got a couple of other posts about our amazing product I call the crushed cherry pit cleaner that explains why I call it that. It works for cleaning glass fire place doors too. Takes the soot and black stuff right off.

Google jumps on the "Green" Bandwagon

2007-11-29T06:37:00.000-08:00

Google Inc. is expanding into alternative energy in its most ambitious
effort yet to ease the environmental strain caused by the company's
voracious appetite for power to run its massive computing centers.

http://abcnews.go.com/technology/wirestory?id=3922073&page=1

Seems like our Barefoot Secret Company and Google should be talking to each other.

One of Oprah's Favorites and a Powerful Gift of Health

2007-11-20T17:39:00.000-08:00

I just finished watching the Oprah Show. All I can say is WOW wouldn't it have been great to be part of that audience are receive all of those "favorites" as gifts. As I look back over all the favorites I know that our "Green Cleaners" probably offer the best gift of all. No it wasn't the most expensive gift by far. The refrigator by LG (Living Good) was. Funny I have an LG brand cell phone and never knew what the acronum was till today.

The "Green Cleaners" in the Healthy Home basket might not have looked as appealing. I know if everyone who receives a basket will take those toxic chemicals they are currently using, get rid of them and start using the green cleaners they will see their health improve. Just think about it. If you had a choice between a new fancy refrigator or not developing respiratory illness that may cost you thousands of dollars over the next several years. I don't think there is anyone would would choose the fancy frig.

The gift of health is a powerful gift.
Unfortunatly once we are sick and in treatment we generally don't get that second chance to look back and make different choices in our life. Just in case you missed it here is the link to a 5 minute clip of Oprah talking about the real dirt on clean: http://www.shaklee.net/pws/library/flash/getclean-tv2.html

A couple months ago I posted a video on this channel called the toxic brew. Just in case you missed it you can view it at: http://www.barefootmerchant.com/environment.htm

It's really too bad more parents aren't informed about these toxic cleaners. Oprah has done her part in promoting safe healthy green cleaners. Today was the 3rd time this year that she talked about our green cleaners.

Just yesterday I got word about another great article published in Time Style and Design Magazine. Every year the Time Style and Design magazine is eagerly waited for my millions of readers. The article is in "The Luxury Index: a Complete Guide to the Best Products, People, and Places of 2007" For your convience here is the article: Time StyleDesigner Winter 2007 Shak*ee Green Clean

When I read this article it make total sense why a powerhouse like Ripplewood holdings would decide to keep Shak*ee a private direct selling company. Our distributor base is huge and VERY educated who better to spread the word to all corners of the world than satisified consumers!

Is your home Toxic?

2007-10-05T15:26:00.000-07:00

Three out of four mothers with young children if educated would have to say YES I have a toxic home. The real problem is they don't even know it is. What mother in their right mind would put their precious little child in danger.

I've added a short movie to my website called "The Toxic Brew" I encourage every mother of small children to listen to this short 2 minute clip.

So what is the solution?

Safe, Effective Cleaners. Yes there are green cleaners that will work just as well as all of those toxic chemical cleaners. Even better if you feel the need as I do to pass the word around we will pay you up to $125 everytime you share a Green Clean Mission Package with other mothers.

Everytime an order goes in for a Green Clean Mission Package our manufacture will plant 5 trees to off set the emissions of packaging and shipping. Keep your family in a safe toxic free environment and help educate other Mom's to do the same.

Get your Green Clean Mission Package Now

Got Grease?

2007-10-03T03:23:00.000-07:00

I think one of the hardest messes to clean up is grimy grease. Wether it's on your kitchen stove or on an oil spill on the garage floor. Sometimes oily greasey messes just happen. Yes there are many toxic cleaners you can use to clean up that muck, but do you know about our safe environmentally friendy alternative?

In a recent test our green grease cleaner mixure out performed the leading product that wad produced just for those greasy messes.

Testing shows that 2-oz. of Green Grease Cleaner mixture diluted in water outperformed 2-oz. of Industrial Strength Cleaner in degreasing a variety of surfaces. A follow-up blind usage test the Shaklee Distributor Challenge - confirmed the findings:

Green Clean H2 outperformed "I" on 10 out of 12 measures, and performed equally with "I" on 2 out of 12 measures.

Green Clean H2 is non-toxic and natural, you don't need to wear gloves when using it, and is a better fit than "I" with our current household positioning of safe and non-toxic.

How to Use:

For heavy-duty degreasing and cleansing: Add 2-oz. of Green Clean H2 to a gallon of water. Spray on or apply with a mop or cloth. Let soak for a few minutes if stains are ingrained on surface. Scrub with a sponge or brush if needed. Wipe or rinse off with a mop or cloth if desired.
For smaller jobs: Add 1½ teaspoons of Green Clean H2 to 16-oz. of water in a Get Clean spray bottle. Spray on, scrub with a sponge or brush if needed, then wipe off with a clean cloth.

Learn more about our environmentally safe green clean products visit: http://www.shaklee.net/barefoot/prodHou

Water or Coke

2007-09-08T07:18:00.001-07:00

This is really fascinating....

Water or Coke?

Could not believe this..... Very interesting
WATER
#1. 75% of Americans are chronically dehydrated. (Likely applies to half the world population.)

#2. In 37% of Americans, the thirst mechanism is so weak that it is mistaken for hunger.

#3. Even MILD dehydration will slow down one's metabolism as 3%.

#4. One glass of water will shut down midnight hunger pangs for almost 100% of the dieters studied in a University of Washington study.

#5.Lack of water, the #1 trigger of daytime fatigue.

#6. Preliminary research indicates that 8-10 glasses of water a day could significantly ease back and joint pain for up to 80% of sufferers.

#7.A mere 2% drop in body water can trigger fuzzy short-term memory, trouble with basic math, and difficulty focusing on
the computer screen or on a printed page.

#8. Drinking 5 glasses of water daily decreases the risk of colon cancer by 45%, plus it can slash the risk of breast
cancer by 79%., and one is 50% less likely to develop bladder cancer.
Are you drinking the amount of water you should drink every day?

COKE

#1. In many states the highway patrol carries two gallons of Coke in the trunk to remove blood from
the highway after a car accident.

#2. You can put a T-bone steak in a bowl of Coke and it will be gone in two days.

#3. To clean a toilet: Pour a can of Coca-Cola into the toilet bowl and let the "real thing" sit for one hour,
then flush clean. The citric acid in Coke removes stains from vitreous china.

#4. To remove rust spots from chrome car bumpers:
   Rub the bumper with a rumpled-up piece of Reynolds Wrap aluminum foil dipped in Coca-Cola.

#5. To clean corrosion from car battery terminals: Pour a can of Coca-Cola over the terminals to bubble
away the corrosion.

#6. To loosen a rusted bolt: Apply a cloth soaked in Coca-Cola to the rusted bolt for several minutes.

#7. To bake a moist ham: Empty a can of Coca-Cola into the baking pan, wrap the ham in aluminum foil, and bake.
Thirty minutes before ham is finished, remove the foil, allowing the drippings to mix with the Coke for a sumptuous brown gravy.

#8... To remove grease from clothes: Empty a can of Coke into the load of greasy clothes, add detergent, and run
through a regular cycle. The Coca-Cola will help loosen grease stains. It will also clean road haze from your windshield.

FOR YOUR INFORMATION:

#1.     the active ingredient in Coke is phosphoric acid.
It will dissolve a nail in about four days. Phosphoric acid also leaches calcium from bones and is a major
contributor to the rising increase of osteoporosis.

#2.   To carry Coca-Cola syrup! (the concentrate) the commercial trucks must use a hazardous Material place
cards reserved for highly corrosive materials.

#3. The distributors of Coke have been using it to clean engines of the trucks for about 20 years!

Now the question is,
would you like a glass of water? or Coke?

Plastics for water bottles: What is safe what isn't!

2007-09-05T19:45:00.000-07:00

Featured in: Nutrition & Life

Choose your water bottles very carefully in order to prevent chemicals in the plastic from leaching into your water.

Plastic water bottles are very convenient for carting water around when we are on the go, as they don't break if we drop them. However, it is worth paying attention to the type of plastic your water bottle is made of, to ensure that the chemicals in the plastic do not leach into the water. If you taste plastic, you are drinking it, so get yourself another bottle.

To be certain that you are choosing a bottle that does not leach, check the recycling symbol on your bottle. If it is a #2 HDPE (high density polyethylene), or a #4 LDPE (low density polyethylene), or a #5 PP (polypropylene), your bottle is fine. The type of plastic bottle in which water is usually sold is usually a #1, and is only recommended for one time use. Do not refill it. Better to use a reusable water bottle, and fill it with your own filtered water from home and keep these single-use bottles out of the landfill.

Unfortunately, those fabulous colourful hard plastic lexan bottles made with polycarbonate plastics and identified by the #7 recycling symbol, may leach BPA. Bisphenol A is a xenoestrogen, a known endocrine disruptor, meaning it disturbs the hormonal messaging in our bodies. Synthetic xenoestrogens are linked to breast cancer and uterine cancer in women, decreased testosterone levels in men, and are particularly devastating to babies and young children. BPA has even been linked to insulin resistance and Type 2 Diabetes. For more of the science on the effects of BPA on our endocrine system etc. see these studies: Environmental Health Perspectives Journal. Nalgene, the company that manufactures the lexan water bottles also makes #2 HDPE bottles in the same sizes and shapes, so we have a viable alternative. Order one at Nalgene.

Unfortunately, most plastic baby bottles and drinking cups are made with plastics containing Bisphenol A. In 2006 Europe banned all products made for children under age 3 containing BPA, and as of Dec. 2006 the city of San Franscisco followed suit. In March 2007 a billion-dollar class action suit was commenced against Gerber, Playtex, Evenflo, Avent, and Dr. Brown's in Los Angeles superior court for harm done to babies caused by drinking out of baby bottles and sippy cups containing BPA. To get safe plastic baby products, try BornFree Natural Baby Products, or use glass bottles.

Check the recycling numbers on all your plastic food containers as well, and gradually move to storing all food in glass or ceramic.

Store water in glass or brass if possible, and out of direct sunlight.

Chek, Paul; How to Eat, Move and Be Healthy! Chek Institute, San Diego, CA, 2004.

Alonso-Magdelena, Paloma; "The estrogenic effect of Bisphenol A disrupts pancreatic β-cell function in vivo and induces insulin resistance" Environmental Health Perspectives Vol. 114, No. 1, Jan. 2006.

Hunt,Patricia;"Bisphenol A Exposure Causes Meiotic Aneuploidy in the Female Mouse" Current Biology, Vol 14, 546-553, 1 April 2003.

vom Saal, Frederick and Hughes, Claude; "An Extensive New Literature Concerning Low-Dose Effects of Bisphenol A Shows the Need for a New Risk Assessment" Environmental Health Perspectives, Vol. 113, No. 8, August 2005.

Schonfelder, Gilbert et al.Parent Bisphenol A Accumulation in human maternal fetal placental unit Environmental Health Perspectives Vol. 110, No. 11, Nov. 2002.

How are you Kids doing in School?

2007-08-29T08:41:00.000-07:00

Check out the following testimonial, its shocking what a serious and immediate effect chemicals we use everyday can have on our childrens' brain function.

Are Your cleaning products hindering your child's
academic performance?

Someone suggested we watch Toxic Brew, a news segment produced by a Canadian news station. (This can still be seen online at www.barefootmentor.com/environment.htm ) After watching this, the reality of what people were bringing into their home began to dawn on me. Only few months later, we heard about Dr. Doris Rapp, who researches the effects of harmful chemicals on children’s health. In one of her studies, she tested the effect of bleach on six-year-olds’ handwriting. I looked at the printed results, and was amazed at the evidence. Before a bottle of bleach was opened, students wrote their names fairly well. Then, with just an opened bottle of bleach in the room and the fumes wafting through the air, the children wrote their names dramatically different. Some wrote messy, some too small to read, and one even wrote backwards.

Doesn’t it make sense to investigate safer Products?

Why We Should Avoid Chlorine Bleach

2007-08-13T08:01:00.000-07:00

Most people use a wide variety of cleaning
products, many of which contain toxic chemicals.

Chlorine bleach is potentially carcinogenic and
can damage the respiratory system.

Among its by-products are chlorinated hydrocarbons,
chloroform and trihalo-methanes, all of which
act like weak estrogens and cause breast cells
to divide more rapidly.

These by-products have been shown to cause
breast tumors in animals.

Mitchell Gayor, MD
Cornell University

Visit our website to see the advantage of using Shakle*'s disinfectant:
http://www.shaklee.net/barefoot/product/00525

Germ wipes:
http://www.shaklee.net/barefoot/product/00312

The ingredients in most household cleaners--
including corrosives, ammonia, bleach, phosphates,
and petroleum--pose a variety of threats to your health

Green Cleaners in Better Homes and Gardens

2007-07-22T06:29:00.000-07:00

I was suprised to thumb through the August issue of Better Homes and Gardens and see some pictures of our green cleaners on page 86 & 87. This is the best example of somebody's cabinet with all kinds of cleaners --- some that other people are very familiar with --- also
has Shakle*.

There are several Shakle* items in the cabinets. This is the perfect example
we talk people how to Shakleeize their homes --- that everybody has
cleaners, but when you have Shakle* "Green Cleaners" all the way in the cleaners, you're going to have superior
green products, but guess what? You're also gonna earn money back from Shakle*
through bonuses, so this is a really good example to show that
there are other cleaners that do other things, but nobody pays you back for using
that, not like Shakle*. And we do have superior products and we are again listed and shown as being a real company and a real product along with other many others
advertise a lot.

So I must ask you would you like to get a check back at the end of the month? Take a look at www.barefootsuccess.net

I wanta check you for TICKS!

2007-07-06T10:52:00.000-07:00

That's the title of a famous song written and sung by Brad Paisley. If you live in the area we live in ticks are an everyday occorance. It's just part of living on the farm and Mom and taking care of kids and animals. I know for some people ticks really give them the creeps, but I've been around them so much that is a normal part of life. I don't even need tweezers anymore. There are reasons for that .. you see at one time we had over 200 greyhounds on the farm. Believe durning tick season we were very used to pickin off ticks.

If you don't have the same experience as I do you might want to try putting a dab of dishwashing liquidon a cotton ball. I guess ticks don't like the clean dishwashing liquid and will back right out and get caught in the cotton ball.

Did you know that 80% of what touches your skin is asorbed? When you reach for that dishwashing liquid make sure it's save as can be like our Nontoxic
Natural, Hypoallergenic,Biodegradable, and No phosphates DISHWASHING LIQUID

Create a Happy Healthy Home the Maximum Living Way

2007-06-22T05:47:00.000-07:00

Creating a green and healthy environment for you and your family starts in your home. From healthy drinking water to non toxic cleaners, just a few simple steps and easy education can get you on the road to a healthy and happy home in no time.

Did you know you can actually buy plants at your local nursery that will clean the air in your home? That's right, and these plants live in both high and low light conditions. Here is a list:

Aloe Vera, Aglaonema Aglaonema species, Arrowhead Vine Syngonium species,
Bamboo Palm Chamaedorea erumpens, Chrysanthemum, Dracaena, English Ivy,
Peace Lily Schefflera or Umbrella Tree, Snake Plant Sansevieria, Spider Plant Chlorophytum comosum.

Also, many people don't realize that many of the cleaners we use in our homes carry a warning from the EPA. They can cause everything from skin irritation to asthma, besides the fact that they are toxic to our environment. So what should you look for when buying a product? My suggestion is to find a product that is organic, biodegradable, and all natural. Yes it may be hard to find, but the products I have found and use in my everyday work comes from Shakle* and you can find more information about them on www.shaklee.net

Another way to help our environment is to buy products that are concentrated. This helps us to buy less and get more while at the same time keeping less manufactured plastics and bottles out of our landfills.

Most people think that just by themselves they really can't make a difference in this world, but you actually can. Buy just starting with yourself and what you use to keep your home clean will actually start a movement and awareness among your circle of influence that actually can grow and change the world.

Keep healthy and start on your path to a happy healthy home today!
Remember...YOU CAN DO IT!

The Fluoride Deception- You need to be aware of

2007-06-16T06:26:00.000-07:00

I just had my annual check up at the dentist. I'm one of those lucky people who has never had any cavities and have very healthy teeth. Personally I've avoided fluoride for years. I just have this thing about putting chemicals of any kind in my body. At our house we purify the water so there is no fluoride in it for drinking. I use an orgainc dentrifice toothpaste.

Award-winning journalist Christopher Bryson, a former producer at the BBC, discusses the findings of his book The Fluoride Deception in the incredibly important video below.

If you still think fluoride is good for you, or if you want to know more about the dangerous deception surrounding the widespread use of this toxic chemical in the United States, this video is a must-see.

You may also want to check out the exclusive interview that was conducted with Christopher Bryson. “The Fluoride Deception” is much more than a book about the dangers of fluoride -- it reveals a multi-tiered effort, or as Bryson says an abuse of power, by military and industry scientists and public health officials to shamelessly promote fluoride to the dentistry field and the American public with little regard to the implications it would have on human health.

We are so lucky to have the technology of the internet to help educate us. Now the choice is ours we can make our owh informed decisions about what we want to put in our bodies.

Green Before Green was Cool...

2007-05-26T09:36:00.000-07:00

Do you remember the song Barbara Mandrell sang I was country before contry was cool. Well that's saying can really relate to our Barefoot Secret Biz too. For over 50 years now Barefoot Secret Biz has been creating healthier lives one step at a time. Lately however Roger Barnett the CEO of Barefoot's Secret Biz has created lots of press. A little over a month ago Roger and his wife Sloan were on Oprah durning her green earth day special. {I've got a clip of it in my online web conference room if you would like to see it. Go to www.barefootsuccess.com and click to enter the web cast room once you are in my conference room just click on recorded trainings and look for the link that says Oprah.}

Talk about a boost for business!!!

Roger isn't done with his biz buzz yet. Just this last week Fortune senior writer Marc Gunther sat down for a two-hour lunch with Roger. He captured in one article what most people would take a whole magizine to capture. Here is a link to the artice that came from that conversation: http://money.cnn.com/2007/05/17/news/companies/pluggedin_gunther_shaklee.fortune/index.htm

As you can see by this article Barefoot's Secret Biz was really Green before Green was COOL!

New Green Cleaners Featured on The Oprah Show

2007-04-27T06:30:00.000-07:00

The response to The Oprah Show specials has been such a hit I've decided to set up a specail web page to make it simple to have access to the "Oprah Green Clean Special"

If you know anything about me, you know that I am passionate about health and a safe environment. Protecting the Earth isn't just about global warming it's about your family's health as well. The choices we make as consumers can make a positive impact.

~ The Oprah Winfrey Show ~
Green Cleaning 101 Special
On this year's special Green Clean Oprah show, Oprah featured Shakle*s Green Clean household cleaners. Oprah loved them so much that they quickly became one of her "FAVORITE THINGS" and she gave this Green Clean gift basket to her entire audience.

They offered some special discounts on the show, and I'm extending those to you.

Take at Look at our Green Clean Special Discounts

Whether you're a newcomer to our product line or already a member, you can take advantage of these specials. Just contact me via my live online assistance button on the right or give me a call at 888.272.6701. You'll receive the "Oprah" special price, we'll handle the details, and your Green Clean products will be shipped right to your door.

Not registered as a member yet? You can receive a free membership with your Green Clean order, now through May 20th.

Cindy McAsey | Phone:888.272.6701
Barefoot Marketing System
Web Conferencing Service

Eco-Socialites Make Cleaning Green a Priority

2007-04-21T10:37:00.000-07:00

Wow the buzz is out. I just read an article posted on the New York Times website.

THERE is nothing like the specter of a bathtub ring to mobilize even the most pedigreed homemaker. Sloan Barnett was counting on it when she invited some 40 friends to her five-story Georgian town house on the Upper East Side of Manhattan. She meant to introduce them to her family-owned line of eco-friendly household cleansers, and to persuade them to do their part to save the planet.

Read the whole article

Learn more and Purchase a NEW GREEN CLEAN KIT

Going Green Clean: Are you living in a Toxic Home?

2007-04-19T09:18:00.000-07:00

What do Sheryl Crow, Matt Damon,Oprah and Me..Cindy McAsey a shaklee independent distributor have in common? We are all into green environmentally safe green cleaners.

Learn more about what you can do to keep your home and family away from chemicals at: http://www.shaklee.net/barefoot/getclean/index

Should you flush old medications?

2007-04-14T07:53:00.000-07:00

Trash Meds Safely

What's the best plan for getting rid of old or leftover medicines? Answer this multiple-choice question to find out.

A. Keep them at home as a backup.
B. Give them to friends or family with similar conditions.
C. Flush them down the toilet.
D. Return them to a healthcare provider or pharmacy.

Returning leftover or old medicines to a doctor or pharmacy is your best bet for safely disposing of them. For years, some doctors advised flushing medicines, but we now know that's not good for the environment. Same goes for rinsing them down the drain. Eventually, those medicines may make their way into lakes, rivers, and even tap water. Unfortunately, about half of people dump their old meds in the toilet.

Pharmacies that accept old meds will incinerate them -- the most environmentally friendly way to dispose of them -- or treat them as medical waste. But because of state laws, not all pharmacies will accept old meds.

So what's the next best option? Don't just toss them in the trash. Contact your local waste-management company for guidance. They may have an incineration facility for medications, or they may treat certain meds as hazardous waste.

Think about it, if these medicines are so unsafe to dispose of what are they possibly doing to your body. Now I realize sometimes there isn't any options... but prevention is the key to life long health. It's amazing what the body can do to heal itself if given the right nutrients. A good place to start in Barefoot's Basic Foundation Package

Environment Safe Cleaners: The Hazards of Chlorine Bleach

2007-03-30T12:34:00.000-07:00

Here is what Mitchell Gayor, MD of Cornelll University say's about clorine bleach...
Most people use a wide variety of cleaning products, many of which contain toxic chemicals. Chlorine bleach is potentially carcinogenic and can damage the respiratory system.

Among its by-products are chlorinated hydrocarbons, chloroform and trihalo-methanes, all of which act like weak estrogens and cause breast cells
to divide more rapidly. These by-products have been shown to cause breast tumors in animals.

Barefoot Secret Products have a Basic Germicide that is more safe and effective than Chlorine Bleach. Check it out at:http://www.shaklee.net/barefoot/product/00525

The ingredients in most household cleaners, including corrosives, ammonia, bleach, phosphates,and petroleum, pose a variety of threats to your health.

Note: Barefoot Secret cleaners are completely toxic free and totally safe for you and your family

Go Green and Make Some Green

2007-03-28T13:09:00.000-07:00

Alternative energy. Trash to treasure. Green is the new black. Green is the new red. Organic foods go mainstream. These are just some of the catch phrases buzzing around the planet. From flowers and cotton to food and fashion, eco-friendly is where it's at these days.

Yes folks the world is going green and now is the time to cash in and start your own eco-friendly green business. Want to know which green businesses are best? Look no further. We've got the scoop on the top 10 green businesses to start in 2007. Go green and make some green. It's only going to get greener, er, better from here!

Top 10 Green Businesses to Start in 2007

Natural and Organic Foods
Natural and organic foods are hot commodities despite the naysayers who don't believe it's any better for you than conventional foods. Even Wal-mart's selling organic foods these days. If they can, you sure can.

Organic Clothing and Accessories
Eco-fashions made from organic and dye and pesticide free fibers (think cotton), and sustainable fibers like soy silk and bamboo fiber are catching on. Even famous designers are cashing in.

Natural Beauty and Personal Care Products
Ever heard of mineral makeup? It's a natural beauty product containing no dyes, perfumes, or any other artificial substances--and it has caught on like wildfire. With more studies cropping up every day about how soaps, body washes, shampoos, and makeup contain substances that are not good for us, the market for natural skincare and other products has risen dramatically in recent years.

Green "Home Depot"
Home improvement continues to be a big trend, but more people are demanding eco-friendly building products that are formaldehyde-free, made with renewable resources like bamboo or cork, and use recycled materials to make floor tiles and other eco-friendly products.

Organic Flower Grower
According to a group of California flower growers, 2007 is going to be the year that the public finally catches on to organic or "green" flowers. Organic flowers are grown using sustainable practices and without pesticide, look just as good, cost about the same, and smell even better than conventional ones.

Hydroponic Herb Grower
Hydroponic herbs are grown in water using fairly simple equipment, no soil required. You've probably seen hydroponic herbs at the supermarket, those really fresh and healthy looking basil, oregano, and parsley still in their pots. Think health conscience consumers who want fresh produce and you've got your target market.

Eco-friendly House Cleaning Service
Nowadays who doesn't hire a housekeeper or use a cleaning service? Beat the competition with a housecleaning service that only uses non-toxic, people, pet, and eco-friendly cleaning products.

Household Recycling Units
Kitchen waste, garden waste, plastic bottles, cans, and cardboard all take up space in landfills—and we're running out of room. Capitalize on the need to recycle by selling self-contained household recycling units that crush and compact plastic and metal, or composters that turn kitchen waste into compost for the garden without any odors.

Green Rental Car Agency
Green rental car agencies rent "green" cars like the hybrid Toyota Prius. The corporate environment is getting greener with every passing year. Who rents cars? Business people. What better way to show that a company cares about the environment than to make a "green" car rental a priority?

Residential Wind Power Generators
This may not be the "coolest" business idea on the list (no pun intended), but the potential for growth is enormous. Residential wind generators capture the power of the wind and turn it into electricity for home use. Consumers can save money while saving the planet. And, in some municipalities, electric companies will even buy back any extra electricity that's generated by consumers.

What do you think our Earth will look like in 200 Years

2007-03-01T14:40:00.000-08:00

As I was watching Star Trek this morning on TV land it dawned on me that in 200 years from now the earth could look a lot different than it does today. Sometimes that show really gets you to thinking. Even though most of the episodes are re-runs and lots of the "futuristic stuff" looks dated there is still lots of good content to get your mind thinking.

Some how I just can't help but believe that by promoting and marketing our Barefoot products that in a small way we are makeing a huge impact on what our world will look like in 200 years.

I know there is some controversy on global warming, but I still think the more chemicals and bad stuff we can keep off the planet the better off everyone will be.

Do you part to help our plant be healthy in 200 years and keep the chemicals out of you house. Try our GREEN CLEAN Products Today!

Barefoot's NEW Clean Products Gets Rave Reviews!

2007-02-09T07:08:00.000-08:00

Barefoot's new line of organic, non-toxic household cleaners is going over big and is receiving terrific write-ups all around the nation. There is no complete line of cleaners on the market today that is comparable to our new CLEAN Products.

Clean--For the 3 P's

If every home in America would replace their cleaning products with Barefoot's Clean products, the healthy impact for People, their Pocket books, and the Planet would be stunning beyond measure.

Here is another great 3rd party write-up about Barefoot's NEW Clean Products...
Ecofabulous.com is an environmentally focused blog written by green expert Zem Joaquin - and she recently included a very favorable review of the Get Clean Starter Kit. " While cleaning products don't usually garner excitement, I was downright giddy when I got a delivery from Shakl**." Joaquin stated.

Joaquin is no ordinary consumer of Shak** products. She is certified by Builditgreen as a green building professional, has an eco-consultancy business and is green editor for House and Garden -- in addition to her musings on www.ecofabulous.com.

Read the entire review at www.ecofabulous.com

Write- Ups Coming in Magazine Publications this Spring...
Redbook Magazine March Issue
Renovation Magazine March Issue
Country Home Magazine Spring Issue
Mothering Magazine Spring Issue
Natural Health Magazine Spring Issue

Crushed Cherry Pits for Cleaning Fireplace Windows

2007-02-08T03:47:00.000-08:00

Who would think that a natural product like crushed cherry pits would be such a powerful cleaner. I've always been told that the main ingredient in Barefoot's Scour Paste was crushed cherry pits. Now it doesn't say that on the label.. It just says natural abrasives.. but hey it even smells like cherries!

I've been using this special crushed cherry pit cleaner as I call it for over 10 years. It will stand up to the BIG boy tough chemical heavy cleaners anyday.

Living on a farm in Kansas it gets pretty cold and during the winter we heat the main part of our home with a wood burining insert fire place with glass doors. Well you can imagine what the glass on those doors looks like after about 2 or 3 days of continuious use! My wonderful cherry pit cleaner takes on this task with ease.

What I do is first spray the windows with Barefoot's all purpose H mixture just to loosen up the grime. That all purpose H makes water wetter and can penetrate and loosen up about anything. I let that sit for a few minutes... then with a damp sponge I smear a little cherry pit cleaner on the windows and wipe clean. Sometimes I need to squirt a little more all purpose H on to activate and spread the paste, but it works like a charm everytime. The best part is NO HARSH CHEMICALS!

Check out Barefoot's non-toxic cleaners at: http://www.shaklee.net/barefoot

Groovy Green Review's Barefoot Secret Cleaners

2007-01-23T05:54:00.000-08:00

I just read this cool review of Barefoot Secret Cleaners with great interest.

Check it out you will be pleasantly suprised. Groove Green...A Clean Review

What really sparked my interest was his "about me" box.. I guess he is fighting the system and trying to raise chickens in town. I just had to sit back and smile at that one. If you notice I did place a comment on his site asking him to look into Guines as a natural form of pest control. I'm sure the city officals would raise a fit but if more people would realize the power of guines for natural pest control we sure wouldn't have to use the chemicals most cities do to keep bugs away.

What is your Focus for 2007?

2007-01-09T06:51:00.000-08:00

One of the things I always do when a new year starts is decide on what my focus for the new year will be.

Most of you know I have a soft place in my heart for taking care of the environment. Barefoot's New Get Clean line of cleaning and laundry products will make your heart smile with relief that you aren't contributing to a big problem of using harsh chemicals and at the same time you will have a squeaky clean house and clothes.

Order Barefoot Safe Cleaners Online

Our Company makes Wall Street Journal

2007-01-02T08:44:00.000-08:00

Barefoot Secret Company is referenced in an editorial today in the Wall Street Journal regarding our environmental efforts. The article is by Dan Esty, a professor of Environmental Law and Policy at Yale University, who is co-author of the book Green to Gold, and Director of the Center for Business and the Environment at Yale. I'm not sure if the article listed below is the final one that ran, but if people can pick up the Wall Street Journal today they will be able to see the full editorial and have for their clippings.

Barefoot Secret Company is also referenced in an advertorial in January 8th issue of Forbes Magazine which hit newsstands on December 25th. This is also a great credibility piece about the companies environmental efforts.

What a great way to start the New Year!

By Daniel C. Esty

Ford's announcement last month of a major financial restructuring, on top of earlier news of third-quarter losses of $5.8 billion as well as plans to lay off one-third of its 47,000 salaried workforce and shutter 16 facilities, shocked many people. The company's disintegration should not, however, come as a surprise. Fords blue-and-white logo once embodied Americas industrial might. It now stands as a symbol of short-sighted management.

In particular, Ford executives misjudged the strategic importance of a cluster of energy and environment issues. The company continued to bank on gas-guzzling SUVs and light trucks even as fuel prices shot up, tailpipe emissions loomed larger as an issue, and consumer tastes shifted toward more fuel-efficient cars. Meanwhile, Toyotas brisk trade in green vehicles like the hybrid Prius and a cool and eco-friendly reputation leave it enjoying record profits and poised to overtake GM as the worlds largest auto maker.

Ford isn't the only company to have been blindsided by the "Green Wave" washing over the business world. But it is ironic that just-departed CEO Bill ord, who was known for his environmental interests, never succeeded in getting his leadership team to understand the need to make the environment a core element of the company's business strategy.

Today, no company can afford to ignore the challenges posed by pollution control, natural resource management and energy consumption. Business leaders in manufacturing and services, big companies and small, must prepare for a world of tighter supplies of fossil fuels (and resulting high prices), greenhouse gas emissions controls, limited water and rising resource costs. Businesses also face demands from an array of new environment-oriented stakeholders including bankers, market analysts, customers, employees and communities, in addition to the traditional pressures from regulators, environmental groups and other NGOs.

While every business must manage the risks and costs of environmental protection, some are also finding an upside to going green. With its ecomagination thrust, GE has positioned itself to respond to society's environmental problems. CEO Jeff Immelt envisions billion-dollar businesses selling wind turbines, more efficient jet engines and drinking-water purification systems. From Ikea to Coca-Cola, companies are finding ways to differentiate their products, create new lines of business, win customer loyalty and enhance their brand value by taking up their customers' environmental interests and values.

Even Wal-Mart has emerged as a major player in the world of corporate sustainability. CEO Lee Scott has promised to cut his company's energy use by 30%, reduce waste by 25%, and become the world's leading seller of organic products.

So what went wrong in Detroit? And what are the lessons for the business community more generally? Three main points can be drawn from Ford's collapse, which has a number of causes, including skyrocketing health-care costs and burdensome retiree benefits, but a fundamental link to mishandled environmental strategy.

First, the Green Wave is real. Companies need to learn how to manage environmental challenges or they will be taken under. It is not enough to sponsor beach clean-ups and contribute a few dollars to the local environmental group. Corporate leaders need to look at their operations through a green lens and fold environmental thinking into their core business strategy.

Second, to target their environmental efforts, companies need to map their ecological "footprint." Ford had eco-initiatives, but they failed to address the company's real vulnerabilities. In fact, Ford's redesigned River Rouge manufacturing facility had state-of-the-art environmental features including a grass roof and natural ventilation. And the company contributed millions of dollars to rainforest protection. But Ford's problem wasnt pollution at its factories, and it certainly wasn't deforestation of the jungle. No, Ford's strategic focus needed to be on its vehicles. The market shift toward more eco-friendly and efficient cars caught Ford flat-footed with a product line heavy on fuel-chugging and pollution-spewing behemoths like the Expedition and Navigator.

Every business needs to understand its environmental exposure. If you're Coca-Cola, you need to face up to water issuesas CEO Neville Isdell is doing. If youre an auto maker, fuel efficiency and tailpipe emissions have to be at the heart of your strategy.

Third, there is money to be made solving society's environmental problems. If GE's multi-billion dollar bet on ecomagination is not a sufficient signal of this reality, Toyota's success surely is. Dozens of other companies are finding opportunities to turn green to gold. Shaklee the company, for example, has built a thriving business selling nutritional supplements and eco-safe cleaning supplies with a focus on living in harmony with nature. To back up its green image, the company has promised to offset all its carbon emissions and to plant a million trees in Africa.

The bottom line is clear: Environmental factors have emerged front and center in business. Ford is paying a high price for missing this development. No company can afford to ignore this object lesson.

Mr. Esty is the Hillhouse professor at Yale and the author, with Andrew Winston, of "Green to Gold" (Yale University Press, 2006).

Check out our Environmentally Safe Cleaners

Global warming featured on Oprah Today

2006-12-05T09:02:00.000-08:00

Today Oprah will be featuring Global Warming 101 with Al Gore. As quoted from Oprah's website, "It's an urgent crisis we cannot ignore and YOU could be part of the problem. What is it? Find out before it's really too late! Simple changes you can make that will make a big difference. We'll show you what going "green" really means. A huge eye-opener--what Al Gore wants you to know right now! And why he says our future depends on it."

Did you know that Roger Barnett the owner of Shakl** the manufacturer of our products is featured at StopGlobalWarming.com site? Actually you can sign up to do a global march with him, me and many others.

As the website says, ""There is no more important cause than the call to action to save our planet. This is a movement about change, as individuals, as a country, and as a global community. We are all contributors to global warming and we all need to be part of the solution. Join the 539,093 supporters of the Stop Global Warming Virtual March, and become part of the movement to demand solutions to global warming now."

"The Stop Global Warming Virtual March is a non-political effort bringing Americans together to declare that global warming is here now and it?s time to act."

Roger Barnett
Location: CA - 94588
Marching Since: May 18, 2006
"I am joining this march because I believe that we each have a personal responsibility to do our part to make the world a better and safer place for our children and for future generations. As Chairman and CEO of Shak Corporation, I also believe that the business community has a responsibility to help achieve positive social change. Shakl** has taken a leadership role in the area of global warming, becoming the 1st company to be certified as having a net zero impact on climate change by the Climate Neutral? network. We continue to look for ways that we can reduce emissions and offset our C02 production, and have launched our biggest global environmental campaign "A Million Trees. A Million Dreams" to call attention to this issue. I believe that every action by every individual can make a difference, and that environmentally responsible companies can be part of the solution for people and the planet."

Top 10 Marchers
Laurie David (128,603)
David Whiteside (5,493)
Leonardo DiCaprio (5,185)
General Wesley Clark (4,394)
Robert F. Kennedy, Jr. (4,030)
Andy Stern (2,162)
Reverend William Sinkford (1,939)
Roger Barnett (1,520)
Gary Hirshberg (1,363)
Jon Fishman (917)

Monsanto Brings Small Family Dairy to Court

2006-12-01T05:20:00.000-08:00

Oakhurst Dairy has been owned and operated by the same Maine family since 1921, and Monsanto recently attempted to put them out of business. Oakhurst, like many other dairy producers in the U.S., has been responding to consumer demand to provide milk free of rBGH, a synthetic hormone banned (for health reasons) in every industrialized country other than the U.S. Monsanto, the number one producer of the rBGH synthetic steroid, sued Oakhurst, claiming they should not have the right to inform their customers that their dairy products do not contain the Monsanto chemical. Given the intense pressure from the transnational corporation, Oakhurst was forced to settle out of court, leaving many other dairies vulnerable to similar attacks from Monsanto.

When I read this I knew people should be informed about what some of these large chemical corporations are doing. My question to you are you supporting a company like this? The Barefoot Secret Company had a situation a few years back when they couln't find a pure supply for their products with ginseng in them. Well guess what they stopped producing those products till they could get a pure raw product. None of their competiters batted an eye and just kept producing product.

We are about doing what is right even if it hurts the bottom line!

Buy Natural Environmentally Safe Cleaning Products from Barefoot Secret Company.. it's all about doing what is right!

Obesity Secret Ignored

2006-11-29T10:47:00.000-08:00

This was written by:Dr. Russell Blaylock

I am convinced that one of the leading causes of obesity is being totally ignored by both by public officials and the media, despite the fact that there is tremendous scientific evidence confirming its role.

In 1969, neuroscientist Dr. John Olney discovered that feeding newborn rats MSG (monosodium glutamate) caused them to become grossly obese.

Each time he repeated the experiment, he saw the same thing. Subsequent studies have shown that this phenomenon occurred in most animal species, indicating that it wasn't something peculiar to the rat.

The effects of MSG are now so well established that the substance is routinely used in experimental obesity studies on animals.

In fact, scientists have also discovered how it was producing the obesity.

For over fifty years, researchers knew that a pinpoint injury to certain parts of the hypothalamus portion of the brain would cause an animal to become grossly obese. What they would later discover was that MSG itself actually destroys the same area in the hypothalamus.

An intensive 1995 review of MSG toxicity by the Federation of American Societies for Experimental Biology (FASEB) concluded that infant formula contained a dose of glutamate (the toxic ingredient in MSG) in the form of caseinate (cow's milk protein) that would sufficiently produce the very same brain injury seen in experimental animals.

Disturbingly humans are five times more susceptible to MSG toxicity than even the most sensitive lab animal. And babies are four times more sensitive than adults. It is this early exposure to MSG and other excitotoxins that leads to gross obesity.

Actually, the problem is much worse than that.

Recent studies have shown that obese animals actually have the metabolic syndrome, which is now seen in 50 million adults in the United States. You will remember from my previous newsletter "The Diabetes Solution" that the metabolic syndrome is the cause of type-2 diabetes as well as hypertension and atherosclerosis.

Essentially, science proves that excitotoxins can trigger the metabolic syndrome and obesity.

And we know that the level of excitotoxins added to our food is at least equal to (and sometimes exceeds) the amount needed to produce the metabolic syndrome in animals. Yet only a handful of scientists are addressing this alarming association.

Recent studies have shown that glutamate (MSG and other excitotoxins) can powerfully stimulate the insulin-producing cells of the pancreas.

Excess insulin can cause atherosclerosis, hypertension and the type-2 diabetes ? by stimulating chronic inflammation. And remember that insulin resistance can also lead to high insulin levels. Of course, the obese MSG animals experience all this as well.

It all fits in with what we are seeing in human beings. And one other part of the obesity puzzle has recently been pieced together.

In discussions about obesity, you may have heard about something called leptin. This enigmatic chemical is produced in the fat cells and controls many things, including fat accumulation.

Normally, when leptin surges into the blood, it enters the brain and acts within a specific group of neurons inside the hypothalamus to powerfully suppress the appetite and increase fat burning, thereby making us thinner.

But MSG and other excitotoxins damage the very nucleus of brain cells needed to do this. Those cells are known as the arcuate nucleus.

In fact, this vital collection of neurons is the area of the brain most sensitive to excitotoxins. In experiments, MSG rendered leptin ineffective, causing the animals to become grossly obese. Scientists call this leptin resistance, an occurrence linked to obesity in both children and adults.

Also, excitotoxins like MSG cause more glucose to enter fat cells, preventing it from being burned in muscle cells as it should. As a result, more fat accumulates ? especially around organs and within the abdomen (visceral fat).

You may recall from the diabetes newsletter that this visceral fat is the root of all the of the metabolic syndrome's bad effects. The bottom line:

We see that the excitotoxins added to our food can induce gross obesity through a number of mechanisms.

And we must remember that while it is soon after birth that a child is first exposed to foods containing MSG and other excitotoxins, the effects persist for a lifetime.

Unbelievably, dietitian, medical doctors and many public institutions are promoting the use of "diet" soft drinks and other foods sweetened with aspartame (NutraSweet?, Equal?, etc) as the answer to the problem of obesity.

Aspartame is made up of three components: phenylalanine, methanol and aspartic acid. Aspartic acid (aspartate), like glutamate, is an excitotoxin.

It is just as capable as glutamate of doing damage to cells and brain nuclei.

In fact, one of the acknowledged effects of aspartame is weight gain.

The FDA even lists increased weight as one result of using the sweetener. Like glutamate, aspartame stimulates the pancreas to secrete insulin, making you hungry ? especially for sweets. And the more you drink, the hungrier you get. Just like glutamate, aspartame destroys the arcuate nucleus, which in turn produces leptin resistance. As a result, you get fat.

Have you heard about Cinch? It's a plan for the rest of us. Why not take a look..
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Did you know? Women who work at home have a 54% higher death rate from cancer than those who work away from home.

2006-10-16T07:13:00.000-07:00

This from a 15-year study presented at the Toronto Indoor Air Conference. The study concluded that this was a direct result of the increased exposure to toxic chemicals, many of which are found in common household products.

More than 9 out of every 10 suspected poison exposures occur at home with household products. Source: Barefoot's NEW Clean site.

Safe? There really is a big deal about toxins and you can read all about it at the CLEAN site. Find out where they are in your home and more importantly, how to replace them.

Effective? Chances are the CLEAN products beat out what you are using. Check out the results of the testing.

Economical? You bet. The CLEAN kit is comparable to $3,400.00 (yes that's the right figure) worth of 'other' brands of products.

CLEAN products use biodegradable cleaning agents, which means they break down easily instead of hanging out in the ground for hundreds of years. They also have no phosphates, borates, nitrates, or other stuff the planet doesn't appreciate. And by making them superconcentrated, you just add water - subtract waste. This has tons of implications. Literally. Less weight to ship. Less products to use. Less packaging to throw away. So you can get that clean feeling about your house, knowing you're keeping the planet clean too.

When you buy some common cleaners, a lot of what you're buying is water. CLEAN products are more economical because they are concentrated, an awesome value for you the consumer. Smaller bottles should not fool you. There's a whole lot of CLEAN in there saving you money, ounce for ounce. You might be willing to pay extra for safe, powerful, green cleaners. But it's nice to know you don't have to, and that you are actually making a positive impact on your budget as well as the planet.

Worth taking a look? YOU BET!!! Shaklee Distributors won't be the only excited users! You can buy CLEAN online.

The Chemical's Within Us.. Great Article Review

2006-10-09T17:55:00.000-07:00

Have you had a chance to get the Oct. issue of National Geographic yet? I just picked up several copies yesterday....WOW! You can read some of the pages at: http://www3.nationalgeographic.com/ngm/0610/feature4/index.html

On page 116 there is an article called The Chemicals Within Us. A National Geographic writer named David Ewing Duncan did this major article.

Check out page 129 and see if the half page picture of a women walking down the supermarket household products aisle with a protective mask over her mouth doesn?t just say it all. The caption on the picture reads? A whiff of household products sends Betty Kreeger into fits of wheezing, nausea and confusion. Like other people who say they suffer from multiple chemical sensitivity, she flees fragrances when she can and dons an air-filtering mask when she can't.?

Learn more about envronmentally safe chemical free cleaners.

Can chemicals in our home cause deformities?

2006-10-03T07:03:00.000-07:00

Growing numbers of boys are being born with malformed genitals. This condition is called hypospadias - a birth abnormality where the hole in the penis lies underneath the shaft, or in more severe cases, at the base of the penis or underneath the scrotum. In some cases the penis is very bent and will grow back on itself, in the shape of a doughnut. In severe cases, it is difficult to identify a penis at all. At best the problem is largely cosmetic and can be rectified in a single operation.

At worst boys are left infertile and unable to have sex. Of every 150 to
200 boys born in the UK, one will have hypospadias - and doctors believe
that cases have doubled over the past 25 years. It happens during the
first three or four months of pregnancy and is a result of incomplete
masculinisation. During the development of babies with hypospadias,
something disrupts the hormonal changes a foetus goes through to become
male.

Research in Denmark points to a group of chemicals - phthalates -
found in objects such as plastic, carpets, fabric, make-up, food
packaging, perfume, cosmetics, milk, vegetables, pesticides and sun
cream. They are known as endocrine disrupters and are believed to upset
the balance of hormones during the early stages of pregnancy. Professor
Richard Sharpe of the Medical Research Council’s Human Reproductive
Sciences Unit suggests that there’s a link between incidents of
hypospadias, undescended testes, low sperm-count and testicular cancers.
“We don’t yet know the exact cause of these problems, but they are all
inter-related. It seems that the increase in these abnormalities is to
do with environmental and lifestyle factors. It is something that has
only happened recently,” Sharpe says.

Aivar Bracka, a consultant genito-urethral plastic surgeon at Russells
Hall Hospital in Dudley, operates on hundreds of cases of hypospadias
every year and says that he would be surprised if there was not an
environment cause for the condition. “In particular, it explains cases
of identical twins where one is born with hypospadias and the other
isn’t. This means that genetics doesn’t account for everything.”

Although hereditary factors do, however, play a part in some cases. It
is not unusual for more than one male in a family to have hypospadias.
Studies have shown that boys with hypospadias tend to have a slightly
lower sperm-count and 1 in 10 boys are also born with undescended
testicles. If one testicle descends there is, again, a small but
significant increase of infertility.

If both fail to descend, that likelihood shoots up to 80 per cent.
The European Parliament will be
finalising legislation this autumn on the use of toxic chemicals in
household products. Greenpeace wants to see the use of phthalates, a
group of chemicals that may be responsible for disrupting hormones
during pregnancy, restricted and safer ones used. It also wants the
chemical content of products to be clearly stated on labels so that
consumers know what to avoid. Even if Greenpeace succeed in their bid,
it is unclear whether the rise in conditions such as hypospadias can be
reversed. But it does seem clear that some lifestyle and environmental
factors must be addressed.
The Independent News, 12 September 2006
http://www.independent.co.uk

We have a solution as a Shaklee Distributor I'm very proud to announce
the new cleaning products. Get the
details.. http://www.shaklee.net/getclean

Key Secrets to a Healthier Environment

2006-08-25T05:57:00.000-07:00

The 50th Celebration was one most will never forget. I know for our country bumpkin family it was quite an experience going to the "City" much less being a part of a huge celebration like we experienced with over 10,000 distributors. One presentation that really inspired me was Roger Barnett's the CEO of "Barefoot Secret Company"

Roger talked about statistics and shared his vision and passion on how the entire planet with BETTER HEALTH AND BETTER ENVIRONMENT would completely stop all fighting and we could have world peace and a healthy world to live in. It's amazing thought when you think about it... if everybody in the world knew about Barefoot Secret Company took 2 multi-vitamin and used the environmently safe cleaners in the NEW KIT how it would END hunger, poverty, and global warming and bring peace...

This was the first conference to be held that had ZERO inpact on the environment. Barefoot Secret Company has completely off set the emmissions of the conference and also in everything they do from making the products to shipping to the corporate offices. Gosh just think the difference it would make if other large companies would follow suit!

Barefoot Secret Company Celebrates 50 years in Business

2006-08-11T07:49:00.000-07:00

Maybe I'm being biased here but for a MLM company to celebrate 50 years of being in business really makes them stand out above the crowd. There isn't any company that could stay in business that long with out products that are excellent and could stand alone if there were a opportunity attached with them or not. But our very own Barefoot Secret Company is one of those companies to reach a majic milestone.

One of the very first products produced by that company is all purpose H. I noticed this morning there are many testimonials stating that all purpose H is what started their business and continues to be the back bone of their business. Read some of these Testimonials

I know for our family we use this all purpose cleaner lots of stuff here on the farm. We use it as part of a formula to keep the flies off our precious mules. We bath our dogs in it. we mix it with water when watering the garden during the hot dry days of summer. It makes water wetter keeping the soil moist and conditioned longer. This is just the tip of the ice berg...

Buy All Purpose H Online HERE

Eye-Opening Story about the Average Purse

2006-07-26T14:49:00.000-07:00

It's something just about every woman carries with her. While we may know
what's inside our purses, do you have any idea what's on the outside? Shauna
Lake put purses to the test - for bacteria - with surprising results. You may
think twice about where you put your purse in the future.
Women carry purses everywhere, from the office to public restrooms to the
floor of the car. Most women won't be caught without their purses, but did
you
ever stop to think about where your purse goes during the day?
"I drive a school bus, so my purse has been on the floor of the bus a
lot," says one woman. "On the floor of my car, in restrooms."
"I put my purse in grocery shopping carts, on the floor of bathroom stalls
while changing a diaper," says another woman. "And of course in my home -
which should be clean."

We decided to find out if purses harbor a lot of bacteria. We learned how
to test t hem at Nelson Laboratories in Salt Lake, then we set out to test
the average woman's purse. Most women told us they didn't stop to think about
what was on the bottom of their purse. Most said they usually set their purses on
topof kitchen tables and counters where food is prepared.

Most of the ladies we talked to told us they wouldn't be surprised if
their purses were at least a little bit dirty. It turns out purses are so
surprisingly dirty, even the microbiologist who tested them was shocked.
Microbiologist Amy Karren of Nelson Labs says nearly all the purses tested
were not only high in bacteria, but high in harmful kinds of bacteria.
Pseudomonas can cause eye infections, staphylococcus aurous can cause
serious skin infections, and salmonella and e-coli found on the purses could
make people very sick. In one sampling, four of five purses tested positive
for salmonella, and that's not the worst of it.

"There was fecal contamination on the purses," says Amy. (You know... poop?)
Leather or vinyl purses tended to be cleaner than cloth purses, and
lifestyle seemed to play a role. People with kids tended to have dirtier
purses than those without, with one exception. The purse of one single woman who
frequented nightclubs had one of the worst contaminations of all. "Some type
of feces, or even possibly vomit or something like that," says Amy.

So the moral of this story - your purse won't kill you, but it does has
the potential to make you very sick if you keep it on places where you eat.
Use hooks to hang your purse at home and in restrooms, and don't put it on your
desk, on a restaurant table, or on your kitchen countertop.

Experts say you should think of your purse the same way you would a pair
of shoes. "Would you consider putting a pair of shoes onto your countertops?
Well that's the same thing you're doing when you put your purse on the
countertops," says Amy.

The microbiologists at Nelson also said cleaning a purse will help. Wash
cloth purses and use leather cleaner to clean the bottom of leather purses.
INTERESTING.....

Buy Natural Safe Cleaners Online HERE

How Toxic Are Your Household Cleaning Supplies?

2006-07-14T07:27:00.000-07:00

PRODUCT REPORT: Household | Cleaning Supplies |The Green Guide | http://www.thegreenguide.com/reports/product.mhtml?id=15
THE PROBLEMS

Personal Health
When consumers buy commercial cleaning products, we expect them to do one thing: clean! We use a wide array of scents, soaps, detergents, bleaching agents, softeners, scourers, polishes, and specialized cleaners for bathrooms, glass, drains, and ovens to keep our homes sparkling and sweet-smelling. But while the chemicals in cleaners foam, bleach, and disinfect to make our dishes, bathtubs and countertops gleaming and germ-free, many also contribute to indoor air pollution, are poisonous if ingested, and can be harmful if inhaled or touched. In fact, some cleaners are among the most toxic products found in the home. In 2000, cleaning products were responsible for nearly 10% of all toxic exposures reported to U.S. Poison Control Centers, accounting for 206,636 calls. Of these, 120,434 exposures involved children under six, who can swallow or spill cleaners stored or left open inside the home.

Cleaning ingredients vary in the type of health hazard they pose. Some cause acute, or immediate, hazards such as skin or respiratory irritation, watery eyes, or chemical burns, while others are associated with chronic, or long-term, effects such as cancer.

The most acutely dangerous cleaning products are corrosive drain cleaners, oven cleaners, and acidic toilet bowl cleaners, according to Philip Dickey of the Washington Toxics Coalition. Corrosive chemicals can cause severe burns on eyes, skin and, if ingested, on the throat and esophagus. Ingredients with high acute toxicity include chlorine bleach and ammonia, which produce fumes that are highly irritating to eyes, nose, throat and lungs, and should not be used by people with asthma or lung or heart problems. These two chemicals pose an added threat in that they can react with each other or other chemicals to form lung-damaging gases. Combining products that contain chlorine and ammonia or ammonia and lye (in some oven cleaners) produces chloramine gases, while chlorine combined with acids (commonly used in toilet bowl cleaners) forms toxic chlorine gas.

Fragrances added to many cleaners, most notably laundry detergents and fabric softeners, may cause acute effects such as respiratory irritation, headache, sneezing, and watery eyes in sensitive individuals or allergy and asthma sufferers. The National Institute of Occupational Safety and Health has found that one-third of the substances used in the fragrance industry are toxic. But because the chemical formulas of fragrances are considered trade secrets, companies aren't required to list their ingredients but merely label them as containing "fragrance."

Other ingredients in cleaners may have low acute toxicity but contribute to long-term health effects, such as cancer or hormone disruption. Some all-purpose cleaners contain the sudsing agents diethanolamine (DEA) and triethanolamine (TEA). When these substances come into contact with nitrites, often present as undisclosed preservatives or contaminants, they react to form nitrosamines - carcinogens that readily penetrate the skin. 1,4-dioxane, another suspected carcinogen, may be present in cleaners made with ethoxylated alcohols. Butyl cellosolve (also known as ethylene glycol monobutyl ether), which may be neurotoxic (or cause damage to the brain and nervous system), is also present in some cleaners.

Chemicals that are so-called "hormone disruptors" can interfere with the body's natural chemical messages, either by blocking or mimicking the actions of hormones. Possible health effects include decreased sperm counts, increased rates of male birth defects such as cryptorchidism (undescended testicles) and hypospadias (where the urethra is on the underside of the penis), and increased rates of some kinds of cancers. The alkylphenol ethoxylates (APEs) used in some detergents and cleaners have been shown to mimic the hormone estrogen; one APE, p-nonylphenol, has caused estrogen-sensitive breast cancer cells to multiply in a test tube study.

Environmental

After bubbly cleaning liquids disappear down our drains, they are treated along with sewage and other waste water at municipal treatment plants, then discharged into nearby waterways. Most ingredients in chemical cleaners break down into harmless substances during treatment or soon afterward. Others, however, do not, threatening water quality or fish and other wildlife. In a May 2002 study of contaminants in stream water samples across the country, the U.S. Geological Survey found persistent detergent metabolites in 69% of streams tested. Sixty-six percent contained disinfectants.

The detergent metabolites the USGS detected were members of a class of chemicals called alkylphenol ethoxylates (APEs). APEs, which include nonylphenol ethoxylates and octylphenol ethoxylates, are surfactants, or "surface active agents" that are key to detergents' effectiveness. They are added to some laundry detergents, disinfectants, laundry stain removers, and citrus cleaner/degreasers. When discharged in municipal waste water, nonylphenol ethoxylates and octylphenol ethoxylates break down into nonylphenol and octylphenol, which are more toxic and do not readily biodegrade in soil and water. APEs have been shown to mimic the hormone estrogen, and their presence in water may be harming the reproduction and survival of salmon and other fish. For example, in Britain, researcher John Sumpter discovered that male fish exposed to APEs in rivers were producing female egg-yolk proteins. APE pollution may be threatening fish in the U.S. as well, for octylphenol and nonylphenol were the detergent metabolites that the USGS detected in 69% of streams tested here. Such ubiquity may not bode well for humans, either: the APE p-nonylphenol has also caused estrogen-sensitive breast cancer cells to proliferate in test tubes.

Another famous water pollutant is phosphates, water-softening mineral additives that were once widely used in laundry detergents and other cleaners. When phosphates enter waterways, they act as a fertilizer, spawning overgrowth of algae. This overabundance of aquatic plant life eventually depletes the water's oxygen supply, killing off fish and other organisms. Although many states have banned phosphates from laundry detergents and some other cleaners, they are still used in automatic dishwasher detergents.

Another environmental concern with cleaning products is that many use chemicals that are petroleum-based, contributing to the depletion of this non-renewable resource and increasing our nation's dependence on imported oil.

The plastic bottles used to package cleaning products pose another environmental problem by contributing to the mounds of solid waste that must be landfilled, incinerated or, in not enough cases, recycled. Most cleaners are bottled in high-density polyethylene (HDPE, denoted by the #2 inside the recycling triangle) or polyethylene terephthalate (PETE, #1) which are accepted for recycling in a growing number of communities. However, some are bottled in polyvinyl chloride (PVC, #3). PVC, otherwise known as vinyl, is made from cancer-causing chemicals such as vinyl chloride, and it forms as a byproduct a potent carcinogen, dioxin, during production and incineration. As a final insult, most sanitation departments do not accept PVC for recycling; less than 1% of all PVC is recycled each year.

Household Cleaning Supplies

THE SOLUTIONS

What to look for

A few safe, simple ingredients like soap, water, baking soda, vinegar, lemon juice and borax, aided by a little elbow grease and a coarse sponge for scrubbing, can take care of most household cleaning needs. And they can save you lots of money wasted on unnecessary, specialized cleaners! For that reason, we've provided recipes for do-it-yourself cleaners under most product categories (See Product Comparisons).

However, when you need the convenience or the added power of pre-made, commercial cleaners, or for the basics like laundry and dishwashing detergents, here are some shopping guidelines to help you choose products with the lowest impact on your health and the environment:

1. Although most cleaners don't list ingredients, you can learn something about a product's hazards by reading its label. Most labels bear a signal word, such as Danger, Warning or Caution, that provides some indication of a product's toxicity. Products labeled Danger or Poison are typically most hazardous; those bearing a Warning label are moderately hazardous, and formulas with a Caution label are considered slightly toxic. If you find them, choose products that are nontoxic enough that they require none of the signal words above on their label. Beside the signal word is usually a phrase that describes the nature of the hazard, such as "may cause skin irritation," "flammable," "vapors harmful," or "may cause burns on contact." Look for instructions on how to use the product, which may help you avoid injury. Some labels do list active ingredients, which may assist you in detecting caustic or irritating ingredients you may wish to avoid, such as ammonia or sodium hypochlorite. A few manufacturers voluntarily list all ingredients.

2. When gauging ecological claims, look for specifics. For example, "biodegradable in 3 to 5 days" holds a lot more meaning than "biodegradable," as most substances will eventually break down if given enough time and the right ecological conditions. And claims like "no solvents," "no phosphates," or "plant-based" are more meaningful than vague terms like "ecologically-friendly" or "natural."'

3. When ingredients are listed, choose products made with plant-based, instead of petroleum-based, ingredients.

4. To reduce packaging waste: Choose cleaners in the largest container sizes available; especially seek out bulk sizes. Select products in bottles made with at least some recycled plastic. By doing so, you support companies that are providing a vital end-market for recycled plastic (without this market, recycling would not be possible). And choose concentrated formulas, which contain only 20% or less water. Because dilution with water is done at home, not at the factory, concentrated cleaners overall require less packaging and fuels for shipping.

What to look out for

Avoid cleaners marked "Danger" or "Poison" on the label, and look out for other tell-tale hazard warnings, such as "corrosive" or "may cause burns."

Avoid products that list active ingredients of chlorine or ammonia, which can cause respiratory and skin irritation and will create toxic fumes if accidentally mixed together.

Protect water quality and aquatic life by refusing to purchase detergents containing phosphates, which may cause algal blooms, or alkylphenol ethoxylates, including nonylphenol and octylphenol. Unfortunately, these ingredients are rarely, if ever, disclosed on labels; however, the brands recommended in this report are, to the best of our knowledge, phosphate- and APE-free.

Beware of unregulated "greenwash" claims on labels! Terms such as "natural" and "eco-friendly" shouldn't be equated with safety unless they're backed up with specific ingredient information, such as "solvent-free," "no petroleum-based ingredients," "no phosphates," etc. "Non-toxic" has no official definition, so unless a third party has verified this claim, it is not considered meaningful. And don't believe "organic" ingredients in cleaning and other chemical products are any safer than other substances. Although "organic" in the grocery store refers to foods grown without synthetic pesticides, in chemistry it refers to chemicals that are carbon-based, including some VOCs (volatile organic compounds) that release harmful fumes and may cause brain damage or cancer.Additionally, watch out for products labeled organic. Household cleaning products aren’t regulated by the Organic Foods Production Act, but some of their ingredients, such as plant oils, can be labeled “certified organic.” For more info, see ecolabels.org.

Be aware that some labels that may make a product appear eco-friendly are actually meaningless. For example, many aerosol spray cans are labeled "no CFCs" (or chlorofluorocarbons, which deplete the ozone layer), leading consumers to believe they are buying a more eco-friendly product by purchasing that brand. In reality, CFCs have been banned from aerosols since 1978, so none are permitted to contain CFCs. And think of all of the resources that would be saved if companies that advertise their packaging as "100% recyclable" actually switched to materials that are "100% recycled!"

Buy Safe Household Cleaners ONLINE HERE

MAINTAINING A HEALTHY ORGANIC LAWN

2006-06-16T06:08:00.000-07:00

There's no need to water more than an inch per week. Over-watering is unhealthy for lawns and invites lawn disease. Placing a tuna can under the sprinkler will help gauge water depth. Water early in the morning to avoid excessive evaporation from midday sun.

Taller grass has deeper roots, causing the plants to need less watering. Set mower height to 3 inches and cut grass when it reaches 4.5 inches.

Sharpen mower blades. Dull blades harm grass blades, inviting disease.

Return grass clippings to the lawn. Grass mulching decreases weeds up to 60% and is a natural fertilizer.

Avoid cheap grass seed, as it typically has weed seeds mixed in. Get good quality perennial rye and fescue seeds.

Each time you mow, try alternating your pattern and path. This prevents the soil from compacting.

Soil biota helps provide a stable healthy lawn. If your lawn has been treated chemically, it will take a couple of years for the soil microorganisms to rebuild.

SUCCESSFUL LAWSUIT FORCES EPA TO PHASE OUT DANGEROUS PESTICIDE

2006-06-16T06:04:00.000-07:00

A lawsuit filed by the United Farmworkers of America against the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has forced the agency to begin phasing out a highly toxic organophosphate pesticide that has contaminated food and poisoned farmworkers. The pesticide, azinphos-methyl ("AZM"), is used on a variety of food crops, including potatoes, cranberries, and peaches. AZM is a highly toxic neurotoxin derived from nerve agents used during World War II.

In 2001, the EPA found that AZM posed unacceptable risks to farmworkers, but due to industry pressure, the agency kept it on the market. "This pesticide has put thousands of workers at risk of serious illness every year," said Erik Nicholson of the United Farmworkers of America. The EPA will phase out AZM over the next four years.
Learn more...http://www.organicconsumers.org/2006/article_748.cfm