To celebrate Earth Day 2009, we have selected an eco-friendly company, W. S. Badger Company , to honor on this special day. Review and giveaway to follow.

Inglesina was established over forty years ago and has a solid reputation for producing top quality, Italian Engineered strollers and baby products. Through research, innovation and style Inglesina continues to offer parents around the world products which are comfortable, safe and functional.

Today we are highlighting the fantastico 2009 Inglesina Zippy Stroller, the top quality, full featured stroller which is still proudly manufactured in Italy, and is it itself a rarity in this Asian– centric baby product industry. The legendary Inglesina Zippy is well known for its patented, one-handed fold that enables parents and caregivers to fold the stroller effortlessly in a “zip.” The 2009 Zippy offers several new features including telescoping handles which also rotate inward, a matching foot muff (included), a new wheel design and an improved cup holder.

The stylish stroller arrives pre-assembled. Simply attach the canopy, foot muff, napper bar/snack tray and cup holder and you are ready to stroll. The outstanding Italian engineering and craftsmanship is evident in the Zippy’s superior design, top quality construction and materials and durability.

The 2009 Inglesina Zippy Stroller stroller is a perfect blend of style, comfort, safety and function, keeping true to Inglesina’s philosophy and is an urban parents dream.

Handle bars

Never underestimate the importance of ergonomic handle bars when reviewing strollers prior to purchase. In fact, we think that examining the handle bars is one the first things that you should look for when selecting a stroller, not the last! Parents often focus on everything besides the handle bars. You will be logging in hundreds upon hundreds of miles while gripping the handle bars so please give careful attention and thought to them.

Your posture while pushing a stroller is a critical element that needs to be considered. Quite simply, if you are not maintaining a good posture when you are pushing a stroller, you may very well find yourself developing back and shoulder pain. Glance in the mirror when you are pushing your stroller and note if your shoulders are relaxed in a neutral position, vs hunched. How does your body feel after you have been pushing the stroller?

The 2009 Inglesina Zippy’s newly designed, telescoping ergonomic handle bars are definitely noteworthy. The comfortable handle bars are height adjustable so now, parents of different heights will both be able to use this stroller comfortably, while maintaining perfect posture. In addition, the handle bars can rotate inwards, allowing parents to push the stroller effortlessly with one hand.

Canopy

The large well designed canopy on the Zippy is fantastic, and very rarely seen on an umbrella style stroller. The canopy extends all the down to the bumper bar to protect your little one from the elements, as well as from sensory overload and can be locked into place for added security. The canopy is equipped with a zipper which allows parents to unzip a portion of the canopy during warm weather, to provide ventilation for your baby. A nice size peek-a-boo window on the rear allows parents to keep a close eye on their baby. The canopy also boasts a small pocket with a magnetic closure to store essentials that you need within arms reach (keys, wallet etc)

Seat

The plush, luxurious seat is well padded for your child’s comfort and extends into the lateral quadrants of the stroller, providing added comfort for baby when he takes a nap or stretched out. The seat cover is removable and hand washable which parents will appreciate! The 5 point safety harness with comfort covers is easy to operate and ensures that your baby remains safely secured in the stroller. The seat reclines in 4 positions via a centralized control on the rear of the backrest which operates smoothly and easily. The seat reclines to about 30 degrees shy of flat. To use from birth, consider purchasing either the car seat adapter or the bassinet (both sold separately). The front footrest adjusts in 2 positions.

Wheels

The new and improved 7 inch wheels are well designed. The front wheels can be locked off when navigating uneven terrain or unlocked for superior maneuverability. The impressive one touch brake system is very well designed and easy to operate and provides an extra layer of security.

Napper Bar and Snack Tray

The napper bar may be replaced with the snack tray by simply unsnapping and clicking into place. The snack tray has a generous centralized depression for holding snacks and two cup holders on either side which will keep baby well fed and hydrated.

Storage Basket

The storage basket will accommodate a medium size diaper bag plus a few baby essentials. The basket is designed to keep the contents safely in place. The basket will hold a medium to large size diaper bag and access is via the front or side. Pictured above is the Fleurville Mothership Diaper Bag.

Accessories

The 2009 Zippy comes complete with a napper bar, snack tray, cup holder and new for 2009, rain cover, a stylish matching foot muff. Optional extras include a bassinet and car seat adapter for newborns. The handy cup holder is well made and adjusts to accommodate water bottles of several widths while keeping them snug and secure. Caregivers will be able to stay hydrated while on the go.

Operation and Road Test

The ability of the handle bars to rotate inwards allows parents to push the stroller with just one hand. Why is this feature so advantageous?

*When your baby needs to be comforted and held, you can still push the stroller with your one free hand.

*When you toddler is eager to practice walking, you can hold his hand with one hand and push the stroller with your other hand.

*If you are crossing the street with your baby in the stroller and your older child is walking next to you, you can simply reach out and hold your child’s hand while crossing the street while pushing the stroller simultaneously.

Opening and closing the stroller couldn’t be any easier. The true one-handed patented fold is exceptional and must be experienced first hand to be fully appreciated. Parents can now hold their baby in one hand while using their other hand to fold the stroller, allowing them to keep their baby in their arms. This feature will prove to be invaluable in your activities of daily living when you have only one hand to spare! The stroller folds into a compact standing fold which offers many advantages. With a standing fold, the stroller doesn’t lay on the ground and is not exposed to the dirt on the ground, helping to keep your stroller looking fresh and clean. The compact, standing fold will serve you well in a restaurant as the stroller can be stored next to your table in a restaurant without taking up very much room. This feature is also ideal if you live in an apartment and are tight on space. In addition, because you are not bending down each time to pick the stroller up off the floor, you are minimizing strain to your back.

The stroller can be pulled behind you like luggage, which will make traveling a breeze, or you can use the lateral side handle to carry the stroller. This full featured stroller weighs in at 22.5 lbs (with canopy).
The 2009 Inglesina Zippy performed very well in our road test with strengths including: excellent maneuverability, enabling parents to swivel and pivot around the tightest corners and a smooth ride courtesy of its four wheel suspension. The center of gravity of this stroller is low which results in a stable stroller that makes it difficult to tip, adding to the safety of the stroller. The stroller performs best on smoother sidewalks, even roads, grass, and indoor terrains.

The 2009 Inglesina Zippy Stroller is available in a selection of stylish colors which will attract many compliments and give you the confidence to stroll in style.

For purchasing information, please click here.

For additional information and to view the full product range from Inglesina please visit the Inglesina Website.

GIVEAWAY

Courtesy of Inglesina, we have an Elegante 2009 Inglesina Zippy Cioccolato up for grabs.

Congratulations to Dean P, a single dad from Florida. Dean suffered a CVA (stroke) at a young age and has weakness in the left side of his body. Parenting is a great joy for Dean, however it is not without its challenges. Dean will be able to make full use of the one-handed steering with the newly designed handles and the one-handed fold.

The DadGear™ Satchel is a rugged bag setting a new standard for Dad diaper bags and empowering dads to take an active role in caring for their baby. It is designed after a European bag and incorporates a “hands free” approach which allows you to change, feed, and entertain your child without ever having to set the bag down or if you do, it can stand on it own due to the unique triangular end wall shape.

Features include:

• Quick access wipes window and refillable wipes case make grabbing wipes a breeze.

• Large interior pocket for diapers or food.

• Large zippered interior pocket for storing larger items.

• Three pockets under front flap for secure storage and other items.

• Two neoprene exterior side pockets for bottles.

• Stroller straps attach to any style stroller and store in their own pockets.

• Changing pad included in its own pocket to eliminate cross contamination.

• Light-colored interior helps you see everything inside.

• Large, adjustable 2″ strap made of ultra-comfortable webbing.

• Durable materials and classic styling ensure this bag will last long after the diapering years.

This bag is available in several colors and styles including a limited edition, one-of-a-kind recycled billboard option.

Purchase this bag direct from DadGear’s online store or to find a retailer in your area, please click here.

Given the fact that almost all of the parent products on the international market today are geared towards moms, it’s no wonder that Dads may be feeling left out! Men don’t want to schlep around feminine Diaper Bags, period! Well, fear no longer because DadGear™ has come to the rescue, again! DadGear™ shipped us our sample of the new Satchel design immediately and were always quick to respond to any questions that we had, which really impressed us. Our engineer was “highly impressed” with the top quality components of the satchel and said that “this diaper bag is built to last showing a consistent commitment to quality products”. Our panel of dads could hardly wait to test drive the new Satchel! They admitted that they were terribly embarrassed having to carry/hold their wives floral silk diaper bags around town and were receiving “strange stares from other men”!!! We could immediately see the self esteem of the dads rise as they donned their Satchels. One dad exclaimed “these products REALLY are built with dads in mind”. Another shouted “finally, I never thought this day would come”. Both dads really liked the self- standing design making it easy to simply pop open the wipes case and reach into the bag to grab diapers without having to struggle. Dads we interviewed like to keep baby in place with one hand and reach into their bag with only one free hand and this can be accomplished with the DadGear™ Satchel. The Satchel’s carry strap, made from seat belt material, has outstanding strength for the abuse guys dish out to everything and its width helps distribute weight to make the bag feel very light, so there are no injured shoulders by the time you get home. A very unique feature of the Satchel is the quick access wipes window. Our test dads praised this special feature: “When other dads saw that I was carrying a diaper bag with the easy access wipes case, they would come up to me and ask how to find such a bag.” The dads in our panel reported feeling really confident carrying this rugged diaper bag around and felt proud & confident to use it in a public setting! “Its easy to grab what you need and still not look like you are carrying a diaper bag”.

DadGear’s™ success is certainly not surprising. They have won several awards and we can see why! Their top quality functional diaper products are well designed and are truly empowering to men. These products encourage dads to play a greater role in raising their babies and we applaud them for their innovative products which certainly qualify as products that make our lives easier!

To learn more about the innovative products that DadGear™ offers please visit

www.dadgear.com

The USDA recommends that Americans consume at least 5 servings of fruits and vegetables per day in an effort to maintain good health. Numerous studies have linked consumption of fruits and vegetables to a reduced risk of cancer and cardiovascular disease. In addition, high vegetable and fruit intake can help you maintain a healthy weight, boost your immune system and increase your energy levels. However, despite these recommendations, Americans are still not getting the recommended amount of fruits and vegetables and are relying too heavily on processed foods, meat, milk and refined grains and sugar. A simple way to introduce more vegetables and fruits into your diet is through juicing.

There are many types of juicers on the market. Nutritional experts favor the single gear “masticating-style” juicers which operate at a lower RPM to slowly extract nutrients, simulate chewing and ensure the best possible taste. The juicer which meets our stringent testing standards is the Omega 8003/8006 Nutrition Center Juicer from Omega Products, Inc. Omega is a legendary name in fresh juice extraction and produces the highest quality single gear masticating style juicer on the market. The Omega Nutrition Center is available in either a white or a stainless steel finish and will look stylish and elegant on your counter top. The heavy-duty juicer features a patented auger which operates at a RPM of 75 to 85.

The Omega 8003/8006 Nutrition Center Juicer comes complete with all the parts and accessories required for full use of the machine in the variety of functions, saving you money! Assembling the juicer couldn’t be any simpler and our test engineer was most impressed with the juicer’s stability and mechanics. The juicer functions effortlessly and smoothly and is surprisingly quiet. The juicer makes the most delicious “crunching” sound similar to a rabbit when it juicers celery and children are sure to get a kick out of it.

The Omega 8003/8006 Nutrition Center effortlessly juices hard and soft fruits, including citrus fruits which are often very difficult to juice. The juicer excels in juicing all kinds of vegetables and customers will be extremely impressed to see first hand how much juice is extracted, leaving behind a very dry pulp, which translates to more nutrition and savings for you. The pulp can be used in a variety of baked goods or raw food treats. This juicer can even handle wheatgrass and leafy greens, which distinguishes it from the vast majority of the juicers on the market and offers customers the opportunity to benefit from these powerful sources of antioxidants. The result? A delicious, nutritious green drink, packed with vitamins and minerals. The perfect breakfast drink and the ideal afternoon pick me up drink to ensure continued energy and vitality throughout the day.

Clean up is really a breeze thanks to the well designed parts, accessories and the fantastic cleaning brush which is included in the box. Offering terrific value for money in these tough economic times, with the quick change of the blank cone/ juicing screen/nozzle the Omega Model 8003/8006 Nutrition Center functions as a basic food processor, pasta extruder, homogenizer and grinder. Now you can easily prepare healthy and delicious foods from scratch with little effort and save additional money.

Omega Products, Inc. stand proudly behind their products and offer a 10 year warranty on all parts and labor on this product so customers can feel confident that they are buying a top quality product.

Tips:

Most people juice mainly fruits, but we would like to encourage you to try to juice mainly vegetables, to maintain healthy blood sugar levels. Feel free to add an apple, lemon and lime for sweetness and flavor, but focus on having a higher ratio of vegetables to fruit.

Start slowly to allow your body to get accustomed to juicing. Our panel recommends limiting fresh juice intake to just 4oz per day initially and slowly building up. Dilute fresh juice with 50% water during the first few weeks of juicing. For example, during the initial period, fill a glass with 4 oz of fresh juice and another 4 oz of fresh water.

Recipe

This is a staff favorite (Ref Dr. Oz):

1 organic lemon with peel removed (sweet variety)
1 small organic lime with rind removed
1 large organic cucumber
1 large organic Golden Delicious Apple
1 large organic Red Apple (sweet variety)
1 large handful of fresh organic spinach
1 large handful of organic parsley (fresh)
1 head of organic celery
1.5 inch of ginger peeled

Wash vegetables well. Slice into long, thin pieces sized to fit through the chute. Starting with soft
textures and progressing to hard textures, feed fruits and veggies slowly through the machine. Follow enclosed pamphlets for additional operating instructions and tops. Enjoy!

PURCHASING INFORMATION:

The Omega 8003/8006 Nutrition Center Juicer can be purchased directly from Omega Juicers. Cheers to your health! The two models are identical; the 8003 is the white finish and the 8006 the chrome/black finish.

For additional information, please visit www.OmegaJuicers.com

William Sears, MD and Martha Sears, RN came up with the phrase “Babywearing” which refers to carrying your baby in a carrier close to your body, while you continue with your activities of daily living. They did not invent the concept, which has been around since the human species evolved and is a common sight in many developing countries.

Why should I consider carrying my baby in a carrier?

There are many benefits to carrying your baby in a carrier. Studies indicate that babies who are carried in a carrier CRY LESS compared to those that aren’t. When you carry your baby in a soft carrier, you are mimicking the baby’s environment in the womb, which will help baby to make a smooth transition from womb to world. In our modern society of expensive and trendy strollers and other “containers”, it is a pity that many parents are unaware of the concept of carrying your baby in a carrier, which costs a fraction of the cost of most strollers and offers many more benefits. We do believe that there is a place for strollers, particularly when baby reaches a year and becomes fairly heavy to carry for long periods.

Stroller vs soft carrier

If we compare Baby A, aged 2 months in a stroller and Baby B aged 2 months in a carrier worn close to mom and dad’s body. Lets examine the sensory and motor experiences of both babies. Baby A is in his stroller, away from mom/dad, he can’t see his parents, or smell them or even hear their voices. He lies passively on his back in his stroller, and may be confused and even disoriented, with no human touch to soothe or reassure him. Baby B is worn close to mom/dad’s body. He can feel their heartbeat, see their faces, hear them talk, smell them and is reassured by their touch. Bonding occurs without any hassles and successful breastfeeding is more likely, with baby being carried against mom’s body. The baby in the carrier is not lying flat on his back, but rather in a range of positions which will place less pressure on his skull, reducing his risk of developing plagiocephaly. He moves with mom/dad and in turn receives vestibular stimulation. He is actively engaging his muscles as he shifts to maintain his balance as mom/dad move. He is working on developing his head control and strengthening his muscles, unlike Baby A, who remains passively on his back. He is receiving what is essentially a swaddling like effect in the soft carrier which calms him via proprioceptive input to his joints. Mom/dad are more in tune with his needs, as they are very close to him. He can look up and see their faces.

There are many types of carriers on the market including:

* Ring Sling
* Pouch
* Wrap
* Asian Carriers
* Structured Carriers
* Hip Carriers
* Torso Carriers

Today, we will be highlighting a structured carrier form Kelty. In 1952, Kelty started making it easier for friends to enjoy the wilderness, and that’s what they are still doing today. Kelty offers a full range of products for the outdoors. Kelty Kids, a division of Kelty, offers an award winning selection of carriers, strollers, bags and accessories. Today we are highlighting the Wallaby Infant Carrier.

The JPMA-certified Wallaby is a structured carrier which is very simple to use, and allows caregivers to wear a baby facing in or out (see insert for guidelines). Parents will really appreciate the solid design and engineering of the carrier. The carrier is easily adjustable for parents and caregivers of different heights and body frames. The Wallaby Carrier is made from a 100% cotton fabric and is fully padded, ensuring all day comfort for you and your baby. The carrier weighs in at just over a pound, making it lightweight and easy to manage. The Wallaby has a handy central zip pouch to store small essentials such as keys, or a cellphone which means that you can continue to remain hands free during short walks. The Wallaby has a sewn in loop at the top of the carrier which allows you to hang your carrier for easy storage.

The unisex design will appear to both men and women who will feel confident wearing their baby. Available in a variety of colors including Blueberry, Black, Grape and Cherry. The Wallaby is a good choice for breastfeeding moms and it is uniquely designed not to compress the chest region.

Where the Wallaby baby carrier truly excels is in relation to reducing colic or reflux. The Wallaby carrier allows a baby to remain in a vertical position with minimal bending at the hips which together with additional strategies outlined in the book“Colic Solved,” by Bryan Vartabedian, M.D. to help to reduce colic and reflux.

To learn where to buy online or at a store near you please click here

For more information, please visit: www.kelty.com

childish clothing… all things hip, cool, flirty and fun. childish™ clothing for kids & moms-to-be! Skye Hoppus is the founder of childish clothing. A former MTV executive married to Mark Hoppus of blink 182 and +44 and mom to 5-year-old Jack, childish debuted its first collection in the spring of 2003. This stylish rocker mom found time to author the book, ROCK STAR MOMMA, – a complete lifestyle book for pregnant women chock full of celebrity tips and must-haves which we will be reviewing shortly.

Childish Clothing offers stylish maternity wear, clothing for girls and boys as well as a selection of gifts for new parents. Sizing charts are available here.

We are highlighting their gorgeous organic cotton maternity line today. Thanks to companies like Childish Clothing, there has never been a better time to be pregnant! It can’t have been much fun being pregnant when our mothers were pregnant! Back then it was all about hiding the baby bump under huge A-frame tops that resembled tents or “moo-moos.” Times have changed and now its all about celebrating the bump and showing it off in flattering styles! Enter Childish Clothing’s maternity line consisting of sexy, body hugging, hip styles which will give moms-to-be that extra boost of confidence and help them to embrace their new curves!

Childish launched their Green Line in the Fall of 2008. The organic cotton certified line consists of hip and stylish maternity and kids clothing. We received samples of the Green Maternity Line and we were very impressed! The organic cotton fabric is extra soft, perfect for your growing belly. The tracksuit top and bottom are chic and stylish and extremely comfortable. They will form the staple of your casual maternity wardrobe. The bohemian bell sleeve top looks fantastic paired with jeans and the graduated colors add that special touch. Each of these items can be worn both during pregnancy and as transitional pieces during the “4th trimester” so they can serve double duty providing you with added value.

We applaud Childish Clothing for offering an organic cotton line of hip clothing and look forward to seeing the line expand over time. To access the Green Line, type the word “organic” into the product search engine on the homepage.

Bargain hunters are in luck because the organic cotton line is currently on sale and you can snag some outstanding deals! Hurry while stock lasts.

Childish Clothing is available internationally. Locate a store in your area here or shop the online store here.

For gift ideas, check out the Gift Guide from Childish Clothing.

We love the “boy,” “girl,” and “baby” necklaces. These gorgeous necklaces (14 karat gold + 2 point diamond) come in a variety of gold colors (yellow gold, white gold, rose gold) and are perfect for the mom-to-be or new mom who wants to show off how proud she is to be a mom. Celebrate this very important milestone with these stunning necklaces. Go on, you deserve it!

Gift Gards are always appreciated and are available here.

For more information, please visit:

www.ChildishClothing.com

It is never to young to instill the love of reading with your child. In todays fast paced high tech world, children are reading less and less and this is being translated into poorer academic scores in the later years. Parents and caregivers can start early by building positive and fun experiences around reading. The Begin Smart Book Series is a developmental publishing program which is designed to encourage physical, social, emotional and intellectual growth of babies and toddlers.

Created by Harriet Ziefert, a teacher and children author who has spent many years researching age-appropriate content for babies. leading experts in the field of education

The Begin Smart Series includes books in the following ages groups:

Birth to 6 months
6 months to 12 months
12 months to 18 months
18 months to 2 years

The Begin Smart Website is a terrific resource for parents and caregivers. Don’t forget the check out the Learning to love Reading link where you will find expert advice and tips for reading with your child at various ages.

The Begin Smart Book Series takes the form of soft books, flash cards, board books, foam books, accordion style books, lift-the=flap books, electronic books and more, to engage all of the senses.

Here are out top picks from the series:

Newborn to six months:
Night-Night, Baby
This soft book is the perfect bedtime story and is sure to become an evening routine well beyond 6 months! Transitions are often difficult for babies and toddlers and by reading this book with your baby and toddler, he will begin to associate this with bedtime. The illustrations are wonderful without being overstimulating. Each page has a different animal on it with a “blanket” which proceeds it. The caregiver can place the blanket over each animal which will help your baby to see that it is now time to sleep.

The book comes with helpful suggestions for parents and offers tips for how to use this book which we really appreciate.

Six to Twelve Months:
Woof
This delightful book features various types of dogs and clear bright pictures which will hold your baby’s attention. For an extra treat, baby can push the “woof” button and hear a dog barking! Also included is “fur” which provides tactile input.

Twleve to Eighteen months:
Splish-Splash
This book will help your baby to get ready for bath time! The sweet characters and rhyming words will engage your baby and help to create a positive attitude about bathing.

Eighteen to Twenty-four Months:
Who Am I?

A panel favorite and a must have! This fun books takes peek a boo to the next level with cut out eyes for parents to hold the book up to their face and pretend to be the beautifully illustrated characters in the page. This book is easy to grasp as it has a cut out handle for your toddler to hold or tote around. This book is sure to become a favorite.

Begin Smart Books make wonderful gifts that will be appreciated for years to come.

PURCHASING INFORMATION:

US readers can click here
UK readers can click here

Cooking perfect rice the healthy way.

The Lotus Foods Stainless Steel Rice Cooker and Steamer is a high quality automatic kitchen appliance. The insert is fully stainless steel with a heavy base. Both are important and very different from most rice cookers on the market. Cooking pots and pans, including rice cooker inserts, should be stainless steel and not so-called “non-stick”. The “non-stick” coating is called PFA, for short. PFA is currently considered one of the most prevalent contaminants in the environment and in the body today due to the extensive use of this material for “non-stick” coating. The FDA has been considering banning its use due to the toxic nature of the substance, that can cause flu like symptoms from acute exposure. Stainless steel, on the other hand, is safe to use for food, but some people worry about rice sticking to the bottom of the insert. Part of the solution is to provide even heat to the bottom surface and the heavy bottom distributes heat evenly to help prevent burning. Keeping the insert clean and smooth also helps reduce the likelihood of rice sticking. A great way to do this is to use baking soda in a thick paste, to clean and polish all your stainless steel kitchenware. Baking soda is a safe cleaning product that works extremely well on many surfaces and is safe for you and the environment.

We were fortunate to not only test the Rice Cooker but also experience Lotus Foods Rice. We cooked and enjoyed tasting a wide variety of rices courtesy of Lotus Foods which included: Bhutanese Red Rice, Jade Pearl Rice, Brown Kalijira Rice, Forbidden Rice and Jasmine Rice. To get you started, Lotus Foods offers a Rice Sampler Pack . All were of high quality with great taste and textures and all unique from each other. One favorite and not common to those in the west, was the Forbidden Rice. This is a truly unique rice with a smooth, deep and rich flavor like no other rice we have experienced before. No wonder only the Empirer himself was allowed to eat this very special rice. Not only does Lotus foods produce outstanding quality rice, it also provides on the package, intriging information about the rice and its history, and Lotus foods buys its rice from small growers promoting Fair Trade practices.

The health and safety of family members, particularly children, is paramount to us at Success Through Play, and that is why we were so happy to find Lead Check, the only EPA approved home lead testing kit. Lead, as Lead dioxide, was the source of white paint for centuries until it was replaced by safer and whiter titanium dioxide. Many of us may be presently living in a house which is contaminated with lead paint and not even know it. Even today, poorly purified titanium dioxide can contain significant amounts of lead from the natural mineral source, or the paint could have be adulterated to lower the costs.

According to the CDC, lead poisoning is one of the most common preventable pediatric health problems today. The CDC has established a Lead Poisoning Prevention Program with a goal of eliminating blood levels in children by 2010. Babies, toddlers and children may potentially be exposed to lead in a variety of common situations including eating lead tainted candy, household dust, bare soil, toys, clothing, furniture etc. Young children are especially vulnerable as they engage in frequent hand-to-mouth activities. To make matters worse, tainted lead paint chips have a sweet taste which can be very appealing. It is well known that lead exposure can cause cognitive and behavioral deficits. We recommend asking your pediatrician to order a simple blood test to find out your child’s lead status. This simple screening test has the potential to identify children who have been exposed to lead and take appropriate measures. Lead poisoning can often go undetected for many years and we urge parents to be proactive.

Toys, a major concern
Recent studies and reports have found high levels of lead in painted toys, with no country of origin being completely free of problem levels. With the number of toys on the market, it is nearly impossible to find a truly complete list of properly tested toys. Healthy Toys is a good place to start, but budget and time constraints limit the number and variety of toys that they can test. The LeadCheck: Household Lead Test Kit is an invaluable tool that can add to your piece of mind by giving you the opportunity to safely test all of the toys in your children’s toy box.

Other household surfaces
As mentioned, Lead continues to be a concern in homes from old paint on surfaces such as window sills, trim and walls. The Lead test kits can be used for these surfaces as well. When looking into a home or apartment to move into, first check its painted surfaces with the Lead Check kit.

The LeadCheck Swabs for Home Use, one of several toxic metal testing kits available from Hybrivet Systems, Inc for professional and home users, is very easy to use and verify the presence of lead in such items as toys and painted surfaces. The directions are simple and clear, just crush the two components, mix and apply using the swab and rub for 30 seconds. We used the test swabs on several toys. None of the toys we tested had detectable levels of lead. The test kit even includes lead sources to verify the swabs are working properly, which we also used and verified. We appreciated the kits simplicity of use, the included verification slips and the accuracy that has been lacking in previously available kits.

As with any chemical testing system, be sure to read and follow the directions and take proper safety precautions.

For further information, please visit www.leadcheck.com

The CDC provides the following Tips to Prevent Lead Exposure which is a must read.

Stay up to date with the latest lead recalls.

Giveaway winner!
Congratulations to John K.

Airborne germs are not only a source of bad odors, but can lead to the transmission of the colds, flu and even some bacterial infections such as strep throat or worse. The Germ Guardian UV-C Pluggable Air Sanitizer uses a proven process for killing bacteria and viruses, 235nm UVC light. This wavelength of light, generated by the fluorescence of mercury, directly breaks down and destroys DNA and RNA. Because the UV-C light is contained inside of the unit and air is passed through the chamber, the air is removed of all bacteria and viruses in the air without exposing anything outside the unit to the harm such light can cause. The Germ Guardian UV-C Pluggable Air Sanitizer is very effective in small spaces that have potential airborne bacteria and viruses such bathrooms or a child’s room when they have a cold, flu or other illness. While not perfectly silent, the fan moves air efficiently and without any smell, in fact the air in a room such as a bathroom can be noticeably fresher due to the germ killing action.

Other technologies – Not always that safe for people, pets and plants
While there are other technologies for killing bacteria and viruses, most of these have known or suspect toxicity. Biocide sprays such a Lysol are effective at killing a great many bacteria and viruses but not all, and are toxic to people and pets and can never be used near food. This is especially true of for young children and those with chemical sensitivities. A relatively new technology is nano-photocatalytic materials that are UV stimulated. While the nano-photocatalyst is quite safe itself being Titanium dioxide, the photocatalytic process generates hydroxyls as the primary biocide. Hydroxyls are very effective at disrupting DNA and RNA and even volatile organic compounds, pet dander and any other organic material. However, just like bacteria and viruses, people, pets and plants have DNA that can be disrupted by the hydroxyls. It is known that even the naturally produced hydroxyls that the body makes as part of its metabolic processes, when not destroyed by anti-oxidants, can lead to cancer. While no specific studies have been conducted on the effect of the hydroxyls released into the environment on humans etc, it is very suspect that these would be safe, particularly in a confined space and to small children or those with respiratory ailments. Because of this, we feel that the safest and very effective method for airborne bacteria and virus removal is the Germ Guardian UV-C Air Sanitizer. We recommend people consider using the Germ Guardian UV-C Air Sanitizer in every bathroom in the home or office and use them in the room near people who are sick with respiratory and related illnesses. We appreciate the small size, super-easy installation (just plug it into any AC outlet and turn on), and the safety of this disinfection method. For purchasing information, please click here.

For further information, please visit www.germguardian.com

*GIVEAWAY*

Congratulations to Joe S.