Vitanews.netBreaking News Roundup: Monday July 28th, 2008
I recommend the following books:
As the popularity of granite countertops has grown in the last decade —demand for them has increased tenfold, according to the Marble Instituteof America, a trade group representing granite fabricators — so have thetypes of granite available. For example, one source, Graniteland offersmore than 900 kinds of granite from 63 countries. And with increased salesthere have been more reports of potentially hazardous countertops . . .We use multiple products — from toothpaste to deodorant to hair spray —that are inhaled, absorbed through the skin or ingested. But don't be soquick to dismiss those ingredients. Personal care products like shampoo,conditioner, lotion and makeup are not regulated by the FDA — or anyother government agency. "Manufacturers may use any ingredient or rawmaterial, except for color additives and a few prohibited substances, tomarket a product without a government review " says the FDA.Ah, that new-car smell. Some people have suggested it should be bottledand sold. If it were, what would the ingredients be? As it turns out theywould include formaldehyde, naphthalene, carbon disulfide and otherchemical that have been linked with cancer and reproductive disorders.A growing number of American children are taking drugs for a wide range ofchronic conditions related to childhood obesity, according to prescriptiondata from three large organizations. The numbers indicate that hundreds of thousands of children are taking medication to treat Type 2 diabetes,high blood pressure, high cholesterol and acid reflux — all problems linkedto obesity that were practically unheard-of in children two decades ago.Studies conducted a few years ago now coming to light show that in otherArctic regions, the sex ratios of babies are also out of kilter. In 2004 theArctic Monitoring and Assessment Program found a correlation betweenexposure to PCBs and shifts in the sex ratios of babies born to indigenousmothers living in the northern reaches of Russia. Chemicals such aspesticides travel up the food chain into the blubber of marine mammals. The fires are all but gone and the Sacramento Valley is finally enjoying astreak of clear skies and fresher air. There's a new warning, however, forresidents returning to outdoor activities: exercise well away from roadsand freeways. Pollutants from exhaust are present in higher concentrationsnear roadways, and recent studies have found people exerting themselvesnearby can suffer severe, short-term lung damage.