And a few more fun facts about arsenic (As)

This post is more or less a "part 2" based on my last post.

After writing my last blog, I found myself still questioning some things related to arsenic, and I figured you might be too!

So the first thing that comes to mind, is what IS the difference between organic and inorganic arsenic?
Now according to medicinenet.com July 2, 2010 "Organic arsenic exposure can occur by eating food. Organic arsenic is 500 times less harmful than inorganic arsenic".

Ok, so lets talk chemistry. I mean... isn't "arsenic", well... arsenic?!

You may have learned from chemistry classes... way back when, that an organic compound is any compound (of elements) which contain carbon. There are a few different ways that the arsenic element (As) can combine with carbon and oxygen, nitrogen, chlorine, etc. to form a type of "organoarsenic" compound. In all of the organic compounds, however, one element MUST be connected to arsenic (As)... that is carbon.

So an inorganic compound then is any compound which does not have carbon. We see that often arsenic combines with oxygen to create a colorless, odorless, water soluble, crystalline. Such is the case with As2O3 for example ("white arsenic"). Or various sulfur compounds can be created As2S3 and As4S4.

Anyways... now on to my most favorite fun fact about arsenic...

Last year, you may recall reading about a discovery that NASA had made: A new bacteria was discovered which creates DNA with arsenic!!!

Awesome right?!

Taken from National Geographic.com December 2, 2010:

"A new species of bacteria found in California's Mono Lake is the first known life-form that uses arsenic to make its DNA and proteins, scientists announced today.

Dubbed the GFAJ-1 strain, the bacteria can substitute arsenic for phosphorus, one of the six main "building blocks" for most known life. The other key ingredients for life are carbon, hydrogen, oxygen, nitrogen, and sulfur.

Arsenic is toxic to most known organisms, in part because it can mimic the chemical properties of phosphorus, allowing the poison to disrupt cellular activity.

The newfound bacteria, described online this week in the journal Science, not only tolerates high concentrations of arsenic, it actually incorporates the chemical into its cells, the study authors found.

"It's gone into all the vital bits and pieces," said study co-author Paul Davies, director of the BEYOND Center for Fundamental Concepts in Science at Arizona State University in Tempe.

While for now Earth is the only place we know that life exists, the discovery does hold implications for the search for life elsewhere in the universe, since it shows that organisms can exist in chemical environments biologists once wouldn't have imagined."

Love it!!

Ok, lets talk about arsenic

First order of business, I'm finally back to blogging after an extensive intermission! Here are my excuses: I finished my masters degree in Clinical Research Management, moved (of course), and... oh yeah, had a THIRD baby...

Now what about this crazy Dr. Oz fueled apple juice debate. My mother (who tends to over dramatize media hyped health concerns) brought it to my attention. My personal concern is that my 3 year old LOVES apple juice and really does drink a lot of it. I do dilute, and try to limit his juice intake due to the high sugar levels, but generally he drinks quite a bit of apple juice.

So here is what Dr. Oz says about the issue:
"American apple juice is made from apple concentrate, 60% of which is imported from China. Other countries may use pesticides that contain arsenic, a heavy metal known to cause cancer. After testing dozens of samples from three different cities in America, Dr. Oz discovered that some of the nation's best known brands of apple juice contain arsenic."

Upon further research, I have learned that the FDA states that Dr. Oz did not differentiate between organic and inorganic arsenic, therefore measuring "total arsenic" levels of apple juice. The FDA only really cares about inorganic arsenic, believing that organic arsenic is not as toxic as it is "not known to be a carcinogen".

Furthermore, FDA " disputes the high amounts Dr. Oz says he found -- 36 parts per billion -- and adds that in its own tests, including juice from the same lot Dr. Oz tested, levels were at 2 to 6 ppb" (LA Times).

Now here is what the fruit juice companies are saying: "The results of tests for arsenic in apple juice that were shared by the Dr. Oz Show with the Juice Products Association should not be interpreted as fact. Subsequent testing of the same lots of juice from two of the named brands, using an appropriate method for testing arsenic levels in juice, found significantly lower levels of arsenic, all well under any FDA level of concern.

Test results reported by the Dr. Oz Show were based upon a method intended for testing water. The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has a specific method for testing fruit juice because juice contains many more naturally occurring compounds than water. In addition, comparing the trace levels of arsenic in apple juice to the regulatory guidelines for drinking water are not appropriate because regulatory agencies have set lower thresholds for drinking water than for food and other beverages because people consume larger amounts of water." (from fruitjuicefacts.org)

Fruitjuicefacts.org also say:
Is it safe to drink apple juice?
"Yes. Apple juice is a safe and nutritious beverage for people of all ages. Consumers can be assured that apple juice processors are carefully testing their products for safety and data collected by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) indicate there is no safety concern for apple juice."

Now here are my two cents --
Is it safe to drink apple juice? Yes. Its not going to prevent me from giving it to my kids, however, I don't really understand why there is a different standard for water and juice when it comes to arsenic. I mean... what if you don't drink water?! Many children won't drink water, or at least don't drink enough of it... and lets be honest, some adults only drink soda, juice, etc. So I really don't think that you can assume that most people drink more water then other fluids, and therefore have a different standard based on this reasoning.

I will still dilute and continue to limit the amount of juice my kids drink... we generally place more of an emphasis on water and milk anyways. However, I find Dr. Oz's results VERY interesting. I'm going to copy and paste them here for you:

"The EPA has a limit on arsenic in drinking water – the level allowed is 10 parts per billion. Currently, there is no limit on arsenic in apple juice. The Dr. Oz Show tested three dozen samples from five different brands of apple juice across three different American cities, and compared the levels of arsenic to the standard for water.

Of these, 10 samples came back higher than the arsenic limit allowed in drinking water."

Note: Lab results standard deviation is +/- 20%

Minute Maid Apple Juice

Lowest Sample for Arsenic: 2 parts per billion

Highest Sample for Arsenic: 3 parts per billion

Apple and Eve Apple Juice

Lowest Sample for Arsenic: 3 parts per billion

Highest Sample for Arsenic: 11 parts per billion

Mott’s

Lowest Sample for Arsenic: 4 parts per billion

Highest Sample for Arsenic: 16 parts per billion

Juicy Juice

Lowest Sample for Arsenic: 2 parts per billion

Highest Sample for Arsenic: 22 parts per billion

Gerber

Lowest Sample for Arsenic: 3 parts per billion

Highest Sample for Arsenic: 36 parts per billion

So now considering the "total arsenic levels" ... the FDA says forget organic arsenic... I wouldn't be so quick to make that assumption without further testing on organic arsenic (which I don't really think has been fully studied). The FDA is only basing their opinion of organic arsenic on current known testing, and as we know... new studies are always being done.

For me, I will probably not be buying Gerber apple juice (sorry Gerber)... think I'll be switching to Minute Maid for now! But that's just me and my slight tendencies to freak out a little over pesticide and environmental toxins opinion.

Fluoride in drinking water: What are we thinking?!

I know that it has been a while since my last post. I have started work on my masters degree in Health Science. My posts will likely be infrequent at best for the next year or two, but I will continue to post short articles and ideas that I find particularly important.

Today is my 3 year old's first dental exam. One of the questions on the information sheet was "Is your water fluoridated"? My first thought was, well I'm not sure because we have the Pur filter attached. I hope it is, because I am aware of the dental benefits (or so I thought) from fluoridated water. As I researched my water, I found that yes the Pur filter and brita filters do not filter out Fluoride molecules. What I found next was shocking! A fluoride controversy?! Wait, some people don't think that we need fluoride in our water? I have to read more. Here is the article that I found please take a moment to read it:
http://www.dentalwellness4u.com/layperson/fluoridefacts.html

In summary:
"The largest survey ever conducted in this country was commissioned by the National Institute of Dental Research (NIDR) in 1987. In this study, Brunelle and Carlos (3) looked at 39,000 children in 84 communities. The average difference in tooth decay in children aged 5-17 years who had lived all their lives in fluoridated vs. non-fluoridated communities was not statistically significant! Using an index called DMFS, which means counting decayed, missing, and filled surfaces of teeth, the actual difference was less than one half of one percent. Similarly, a study done in Washington State in 1996 (4) looked at caries prevalence in 3,000 third grade children in 39 counties throughout the state. Their statistics were almost identical to the Brunelle study, and the investigators reported, “This study did not find a statistically significant effect of water fluoridation.” They did find a significant correlation between decay and economic status, which is a finding that should be pursued."

So for all of these years we have been ingesting fluoride in our water supply with no additional health benefit, or dental benefit. With new studies and evidence, what are the authorities thinking?

Too many drugs!!

We are an over drugged society in my opinion. When I open my medicine cabinet I have prescription bottles and over the counter drugs, some which I don't even know what they are for. I'm sure that not everyone has this problem, but I would be willing to bet that at least a few of you know what I am talking about. After having two children, I have multiple tylenol with codeine bottles even vicoden! It is absurd.

I have had Mastitis twice now while breast feeding my youngest child. For those of you who have had this condition, you and I both know that it is miserable. The first time I was actually admitted to the emergency room for a short stay. I walked into the room only to hear them asking my husband if I had any known allergies to Morphine! What?! I promptly told them no to the morphine and any other strong narcotic that they were more then willing to pass out. I was not asking for pain killers, in fact, all I really wanted was a prescription for antibiotics so that I could start my road to recovery.

I believe that Dr.'s think that we actually want a prescription for every ailment that we have. After all, don't you feel a little disappointed when you go to the Dr. for a problem only to be told "drink lots of fluids and get some rest". Um yeah, thanks. I think half the time Dr.'s just throw prescriptions out there and hope that it works. We don't always get the best mode of therapy. Don't get me wrong, it may work, but chances are there is something better out there for you that would have worked better even. After my visit to the ER and Dr.'s office twice now for Mastitis, I have been prescribed at least 5 different antibiotics! Only one was necessary and it took the physicians assistant to get out here little "Dr. book" and discuss with me the "proper" mode of therapy for typical Mastitis cases. The antibiotic remedies that work best for this condition are said to be Cephalexin or Dicloxacillin, although others will work, these have been researched and found to be the best for a case of Mastitis in a lactating mom (keeping in mind that the baby will also be getting a small dose as well).

You have to educate yourself these days. The internet is overflowing with medical advice. I'm not saying to play Dr. and diagnose and treat yourself!! However, research your problem and print out or try to remember the information that you find. Once you see your Dr. ask them what they think about that particular mode of treatment (if they are prescribing an alternate medication or treatment). Question them about their decision. Most Dr.'s carry a small book with them which tells the best treatment mode for a particular disorder. Don't be afraid to ask your Dr. if there is any alternate form of treatment, such as a more natural and/ or herbal medication perhaps. "Do I really need prescription medication in order to get better"?

There are some really great herbal remedies that Dr.'s won't tell you about. They are not FDA regulated. I guess it is easier to feel comfortable with a drug that has been lab created and tested but there is definitely something to be said about food and herbal remedies. There is likely an herbal remedy for just about any condition out there. It is generally safe to take herbal remedies along with your prescribed medications, so ask your Dr. and more importantly educate yourself.

Will I Catch A Cold?

We have all heard the old wives tale... will I catch a cold if I go out with wet hair, or don't dress warm enough in cold weather. It drives me CRAZY when I hear people say these things, I always think why?? How will the virus find me if I have wet hair, or wet clothes? How does the virus know?! Just today I was sitting with a moms group friend, the weather was 95 degrees F outside and the kids were running through the sprinklers. She says to me "I hate letting my children get so wet and cold, they will catch cold that way". I said... really??!

I am the non-confrontational type, and I wasn't about to sit and explain that colds come from viruses and contact with another person who has a cold, etc., etc. So instead, I will blog about this old wives tale here... why not?

The National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases states that the common cold is typically caused by an assortment of over 200 different viruses. You may have heard the term "Rhinovirus", which is one common type. The Coronavirus is another...

The reason... the ONLY reason that we get colds during the winter, when the weather is cold and wet, is because we have a tendency to stay inside during this type of weather. A larger number of people in a small space, touching the same door handles, phones, chairs, etc. will likely cause more people to catch a cold from one another.

"There is no evidence that you can get a cold from exposure to cold weather or from getting chilled or overheated. "

There is also no evidence that diet, exercise, or enlarged tonsils or adenoids will elevate your chances of getting a cold. Psychological stress and allergic diseases affecting the nose or throat however may have an impact on your chances of getting a cold.

So go ahead, wear shorts and a tee shirt in 40 F degree weather, go out without an umbrella... just make sure you wash your hands frequently and cover your cough, stay away from sick people, do us all a favor and stay home when you are sick. The next time somebody says "you better put a sweater on or you will catch a cold", tell them to prove it!

The Vaccine and Autism Debate

I thought I would throw in a little controversial debate on vaccines and autism tonight. Being a biologist and well maybe just myself... I am quite opinionated on the topic. First and foremost, do vaccines cause autism? In my opinion... no. I do believe that vaccines are not for everyone, however. As with any medication, an allergic response 'can' occur. This is VERY rare and nothing to be alarmed about. If a child experiences a severe allergic reaction, they should obviously not continue with vaccines in the future. Any siblings of that child should also be cautious when given vaccines, but for the general public I just don't understand why there is such a discussion and fear of vaccines!!

I personally am grateful to the pharmaceutical companies for producing a product that is able to abolish such horrible diseases as Polio, Diphtheria, Measles, Mumps, Rubella, bacterial meningitis... even Chicken Pox is a thing of the past!! It is not a scam people... the pharmaceutical companies ARE out to get your money... because that is their business! It is not cheap to hire scientists and do extensive research on a drug for years before it becomes even available to the public.

What is in a vaccine? Most people are probably not able to answer this question... so lets figure it out! A vaccine contains either a live but weakened form of the pathogen (this can be bacteria or viruses), inactivated forms of the pathogen, or material from the pathogen such as proteins.

What else...
Vaccines are preserved or stabilized in various mediums. The medium used is what typically causes a reaction to the vaccine. Usually this is seen as mild redness or swelling to the area. You should be cautious and alert your Dr. if your baby or family has any know or suspected allergies to the following ingredients: Chicken or eggs, mercury (in low doses there is generally no effect), certain antibiotics (penicillin NOT included), or gelatin. Believe it or not, these are the main ingredients to 'scary' vaccines...

The polio vaccine includes antibiotics streptomycin, neomycin, and polymyxin B.
MMR and Varicella vaccine have trace amounts of neomycin.
The influenza vaccine or "flu shot" contains egg protein as well as Thimerosal in some (to be discussed in detail later.
Some live vaccines contain gelatin... as a stabilizing agent.
Gelatin is an ingredient in MMR, Varicella, and yellow fever vaccines.
The gelatin used in vaccines is pig gelatin. Most gelatin in foods is cow gelatin.

What is Thimerosal?
You may have heard of Thimerosal, but you may not know that the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) as well as the United States Public Health Service (PHS) has called for an elimination of mercury from all vaccines.
Thimerosal is a mercury containing preservative that has been used in vaccines since the 1930s.
There is no convincing evidence that Thimerosal is linked to autism, however in July 1999 the AAP and PHS along with vaccine manufacturers agreed that Thimerosal in vaccines should be either eliminated or reduced in vaccines for precaution.

In 2001, with the exception of some influenza (flu) vaccines, Thimerosal has been eliminated from routine childhood vaccines. All vaccines are available in a Thimerosal-free form. If you are concerned, you should not hesitate to contact your child's pediatrician to inquire about which form they are using.

You may want to inquire about a "delayed vaccine schedule". If you are feeling overwhelmed by you baby getting four vaccines at one time... Hep B one day after birth... then talk with your Dr. about a delayed vaccine schedule.

So if not the vaccines, why is there a recent rise in autism?
The diagnostic criteria for autism has changed over the years. Autism is a 'spectrum' disorder, meaning that there are varying degrees of autism.
There has been a rise in the number of cases that are diagnosed at an earlier age. With an earlier diagnosis, there is a greater benefit to the child with autism in overcoming or improving with the disorder.

There is speculation that certain food allergies may cause autism... which may very well be linked to vaccines, if your child has an allergy to any of the previously discussed allergens contained in the vaccines.

So are vaccines for everyone? No. For those with serious food allergies to the above mentioned ingredients... please speak with your pediatrician about your concerns. For the rest of us... be thankful that we have abolished so many deadly and crippling diseases with them!


Sources:
www.cdc.gov
www.drgreene.com
www.webmd.com

Diapers, diapers... cloth diapers

I never really even considered the possibility of cloth diapers until my first born was about 18 months old. We had diaper rash after diaper rash, I guess we have sensitive skin problems more then I realized. So I started looking into cloth diapers, after all who wants to wear paper pants anyways?! I had no idea how many cloth diapering options there were! I was so overwhelmed with the variety... not to mention the price. I tried a few prefolds with covers and absolutely hated them so we continued with the "sposies" (so called to the cloth diapering community)... and the diaper rash battle continued.

When my second baby was born, I decided to start with cloth diapers from the beginning. I spent many months obsessing about which combination I would use. I was a regular poster to the diaperswappers website... and my husband was so excited that all of our conversations regularly revolved around diaper talk. When my little guy was born, we adjusted to the scary proposition of full time cloth diapering, and after 9 months now of this life style I have to say... I LOVE it!!

My baby has NEVER had a diaper rash, the diapers that I use are a bit bulkier then regular disposables, but most of his clothes still fit. Now that it is summer, he looks super cute in just a cloth diaper and shirt anyways. I wash my diapers about every other day, store them in a "dry pail" or what is called a "wet bag" and just keep them at my changing table until they are ready to be washed. Obviously they go straight to the wash if it is a super skinky diaper!!

So once you dive into the world of cloth diapers, make your decision about what type to use and make your purchase... its not too scary. But "what kind of cloth diaper should I buy?" I can't simply answer this question for you, but I can tell you what has worked for me (after trying everything to get to this point). I have tried all in ones, all in twos, g-diapers, prefolds with covers, wool, covers with my own hand made doubler, and various types of "pocket" diapers.

I LOVE pocket diapers. They are the easiest transition for somebody who is used to disposables. Quite honestly I still can't figure out how to fold and snappi a prefold so that it actually fits inside a cover. I don't have a lot of patients for squirmy babies and a diaper with a learning curve. My biggest recommendation is Fuzzi bunz diapers, they are the best. They are a pocket diaper, which means they are single use, they have a water proof outside portion, and soft fleece inner that touches the babies skin. Then they have an opening in the back where you stuff a piece of absorbant microfiber (too absorbant to touch the babies skin directly) and that is it! Ready to go! Pocket diapers either have snaps or velcro (aplix) on the outside to close the diaper. Most people prefer the snaps because they last longer, but personally I don't really care if it is aplix or snaps.

Bum Genius also make a really nice one size diaper that I use in addition to my fuzzi bunz. I should have started using the Bum Genius right from the start, but I figured a one size diaper would be huge on my preemie baby. I was wrong. They snap down trimly and are not a problem with small babies.

In my diaper stash I also have trim fit contoured Swaddlebees diapers. They are actually not that much bigger then a disposable, however they have to be changed about every 1-2 hours. My fuzzi bunz (which I usually stuff with the insert that comes with them in addition to a smaller newborn insert made by Bum Genius) and my Bum Genius can last for 3-4 hours before they need to be changed. Who wants to sit in a dirty diaper for more then 3 hours?? Not my baby!

So that is it! Not too hard right?! When I wash my diapers I do a cold water wash or soak (if they are really dirty) followed by a hot water wash with free and clear detergent (I use Purex Free and Clear because it is cheap and readily available). Then I follow with another rinse and spin and dry for one hour on the low cycle. Never use fabric softener, bleach or scented detergents with brighteners, these will break down your diapers in no time. My diapers never have any stains or smells, and it is not like I am swishing them around in the toilet or anything disgusting like that! If the baby poops I do shake it out into the toilet... don't want that going in my washer! No big deal! I don't know why there isn't more demand for cloth, we should be mass producing these and selling them at Walmart in my opinion... maybe then they wouldn't be so expensive!! Although still cheaper then sposies in the long run, just remember that there is actually quite a resale value on these diapers. Well taken care of Fuzzi bunz and Bum Genius diapers run about $18 a piece and can be sold at diaperswappers for $12 per diaper. I need about 30 of these diapers so at $6 a piece that is only $180 for a few years of cloth diapering... not bad!

At a rate of 500 years for disposable diapers to decompose in a landfill...
You can feel a little bit better that you are ...saving the world one diaper at a time...