Green Options » anti-bacterial http://greenoptions.com/tag/anti-bacterial Posts tagged 'anti-bacterial' Thu, 14 Feb 2008 17:56:57 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.5.1 en Giving your Child Antibiotics? What To Do Next – Probiotics http://ecochildsplay.com/2008/02/14/giving-your-child-antibiotics-what-to-do-next-%e2%80%93-probiotics/ http://ecochildsplay.com/2008/02/14/giving-your-child-antibiotics-what-to-do-next-%e2%80%93-probiotics/#comments Thu, 14 Feb 2008 17:56:57 +0000 mcmilker http://ecochildsplay.com/2008/02/14/giving-your-child-antibiotics-what-to-do-next-%e2%80%93-probiotics/ probiotics.jpgGenerally not a fan of antibiotics, I recently found myself taking two courses over a 4 week period – the first time in 15 years. I was sick!

Of course, I helpfully passed it on to my son. After I stop by the pharmacy today to fill his prescription, I’ll pop into my local health market and pick up some probiotics for him as well.

Long used in the alternative health community, interest in probiotics by western medicine practitioners is growing. An American Academy of Pediatrics article states:

Probiotics, have shown particular promise in the treatment of acute infectious diarrhea and the prevention of antibiotic-associated diarrhea.

Probiotics are microbes that can protect and prevent disease. The best known is Lactobacillus acidophilus, which is found in yogurt and acidophilus milk. As well as, supplements.

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]]> http://ecochildsplay.com/2008/02/14/giving-your-child-antibiotics-what-to-do-next-%e2%80%93-probiotics/feed/ Kicking the Habit: Anti-Bacterial Soap http://patrickdonnelly.greenoptions.com/2007/03/13/kicking-the-habit-anti-bacterial-soap/ http://patrickdonnelly.greenoptions.com/2007/03/13/kicking-the-habit-anti-bacterial-soap/#comments Tue, 13 Mar 2007 13:04:06 +0000 Patrick Donnelly http://patrickdonnelly.greenoptions.com/2007/03/13/kicking-the-habit-anti-bacterial-soap/ Over the months I've been slowly eliminating all sorts of unnatural and synthetic chemicals from my diet and my life. Processed foods and and unsustainable clothing have been thrown by the wayside. So why am I still smearing pesticides all over my body?

Mother Earth News has a fantastic article on Why You Don't Need Antibacterial Soap. While a simple google search will turn up dozens of articles and debates about this across the web (people seem to feel pretty strongly about their antibacterial soap!), for anyone who is serious about eliminating chemicals from their lives and our world, antibacterial soap has got to go.

Featuring a host of nasty chemicals, chief among them triclosan and triclocarban, antibacterial soaps are quickly polluting our water (up to 60% of US streams are contaminated with triclocarban, says Mother Earth News) and our food supply (as the chemicals make it into crops through biosolid fertilizer). Science-A-Go-Go reports on the surprising persistence of triclocarban in our environment. Overall, there is lots of damning evidence coming to the same conclusion: antibacterial soap must go.

There are dozens of options out there for the conscientious soap consumer. A quick search for organic soap turns up dozens of soap companies who are making all-natural, chemical free soaps that won't pollute our earth. After my partner Sam pressured me for months on the issue, I gave in; we've even found homemade natural soap at our local farmer's market!

Pertinent links:

wikipedia on antibacterial soap, wikipedia on triclosan, Worldwatch Institute on soap

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