The Healthy, Wealthy, + Wise Adventure – Days 25 + 26
Our theme for this latest 2-for is “Get Something Started – TODAY!”…with just 15 minutes and any item off the following list, you will get something started to feel good about. Something good is brewing…can you feel it? What are you waiting for?
Healthy: Researching + Writing…
Okay, so you already knew high fructose corn syrup (HFCS) was not a must-have on your family’s regular diet. However, did you also know HFCS might contain mercury?
According to Reuters (http://uk.reuters.com/article/healthNews/idUKTRE50Q5IA20090127) :
“In one study, published in the journal Environmental Health, former Food and Drug Administration scientist Renee Dufault and colleagues tested 20 samples of high fructose corn syrup and found detectable mercury in nine of the 20 samples.
Dufault said in a statement that she told the FDA about her findings but the agency did not follow up.”
What the heck? Instead of just seething with anger, disgust, and incredulousness at the failure of individuals and organizations to do the right thing, how about seizing the opportunity and working for positive change?
Lucky for me, our circle of friends includes a terrific scientist who already penned this letter urging the new guard to impart strong leadership at the FDA. Please consider copying or rewriting a similar letter, and shooting it off to your representation in Washington – today!
Find contact information here:
http://www.senate.gov/
http://www.house.gov/
Dear Senator Shaheen,
I am writing this letter to bring to your attention the recent
publication in Environmental Health finding mercury in high fructose
corn syrup (HFCS).
According to the study, samples were collected directly from
manufacturers in 2005, after a 2003 report by the EPA noted that
nearly seven tons of mercury were missing from each of eight U.S.
chlor-alkali plants. These plants produce the chemicals that process
HFCS. The gap in time between the discovery of potential mercury
contamination in HFCS and the publication of a this study implies that
the current leadership and culture of the FDA is no longer working
with the goal of public health and safety as its primary responsibility.
The FDA’s own mission statement: “The FDA is responsible for
protecting the public health by assuring the safety, efficacy, and
security of human and veterinary drugs, biological products, medical
devices, our nation’s food supply, cosmetics, and products that emit
radiation. The FDA is also responsible for advancing the public health
by helping to speed innovations that make medicines and foods more
effective, safer, and more affordable; and helping the public get the
accurate, science-based information they need to use medicines and
foods to improve their health.”
I strongly urge Congress and the new Administration to put in place
strong leadership at the FDA so the agency can fulfill its public
safety mission, and I urge Congress to pass needed reforms of the
agency to keep my family safe. I also urge the FDA to adequately test
for chemical contaminants in infant formula and all foods and food
products, to inform the public when they find these kinds of results,
and to recall products to prevent any unnecessary risks to our
children and families.
The published findings in the Environmental Health article Mercury
from chlor-alkali plants: measured concentrations in food product
sugar clearly show the need for immediate action and further research.
From the study: “Clearly the sample size of this preliminary trial is
too small but there was no support to collect additional samples for
analyses. When university researchers outside of the government
attempted to obtain additional HFCS samples direct from the
manufacturer they were unable to get them. However, with 45% of the
HFCS samples containing mercury in this small study, it would be
prudent and perhaps essential for public health that additional
research be conducted by the FDA or some other public health agency to
determine if products containing HFCS also contain mercury. In 2004,
several member states of the European Union reported finding mercury
concentrations in beverages, cereals and bakery ware, and sweeteners
[14] – all of which may contain HFCS. FDA does not currently have a
mercury surveillance program for food ingredients such as added sugars
or preservatives
manufactured with mercury grade chlor-alkali products.”
Due to the already known heath risks associated with mercury
consumption and exposure, pregnant women and children are already
advised to limit the amount of fish consumed. Fish become
contaminated with mercury due to the multiple inputs of mercury into
the environment, which is a decidedly harder contamination to control.
The contamination of HFCS occurs during an industrial process that
already has mercury free alternative: a membrane chlor-alkali plant
rather than a mercury cell chlor-alkali plant.
Missing mercury from the chlor-alkali industry is unacceptable as
mercury is a known and harmful neurotoxin. Based on these recent
findings HFCS should not be labeled as GRAS (generally recognized as
safe) and should be subject to further scrutiny.
I urge the Administration and Congress to instill strong leadership at
the agency that will fulfill its public-safety mission. I also urge
you to make needed changes like tougher laws, better enforcement, and
more funding a priority, so American families can have faith in the
safety of the food and products we consume each day. Please to move
forward and pass Bill S.1818: Missing Mercury in Manufacturing and
Mitigation Act sponsored by Barack Obama, Joseph Biden, Benjamin
Cardin, Russ Feingold, John Kerry and Robert Menendez.
Sincerely,
Wealthy: Asking + Monitoring…
Asking…Got debt? Any of it credit card debt? Unless all of your credit card debt is at 0%, pick up the phone. I know you have heard this before, but so few people actually follow through, which is a money-wasting-shame! Make a list of all your credit card debts, including amount owed, current rate, and phone number for customer service. Then start calling.
Ask and you shall receive. Very, very often, just politely asking for a lower rate will result in beaucoup bucks saved. There is no need to be dishonest and threaten to close your card (though if that is a possibility, certainly voice the option). A simple, “I just received an offer for 12 months at 0% interest” (or whatever your latest offer was – check bankrate.com if you don’t have a pile of credit card offers onhand waiting to be shredded) or “I am looking to streamline my bills, and will be putting all credit card debt on the card with the best terms – can you offer 0% for 12 months?” Never hesitate to ask for a supervisor if the representative is less-than-helpful.
Monitoring…Identity theft sucks. At least twice a year, we receive notification from some financial institution that our private financial information has been compromised. Then you wait. Thankfully, knock on wood (and I just did), our identities have not yet been snatched.
An alternative to sitting around, twiddling one’s thumbs, and waiting for those “compromised information” notices is to be proactive and regularly check the ol’ credit report. If, like me, you have an aversion to paying for anything that can be had free, by all means use (ONLY) the Federal Trade Commission monitored free credit check website: www.annualcreditreport.com – there are lots of other websites that sound similar and are decidedly un-free, so be sure to hit the right one. The same information can also be obtained by calling 1-877-322-8228.
You are entitled to one free credit report per annum from each of the three major bureaus: Equifax, TransUnion, and Experian. Since the information from each bureau is generally the same, we opt to check with one source every 4 months. Using this approach, we see our credit information, free, three times over the course of an entire year, versus just getting reports from all three sources simultaneously once per year. Whatever your approach, check your credit report today! (This report will contain all credit history, but a nominal fee applies to get the actual number score – we skip the score.)
Wise: Thanking + Complimenting…
Thanking…Gratitude is an exceptionally cool habit to develop. Try it. Say thank you today. You can thank God, thank another higher power, thank the grocery store clerk, thank your mate, thank your kids, thank a stranger. Carry thank you cards in your bag, and use free minutes to jot notes to a former teacher, grandparent, or to the supervisor of someone who provided great service. Pen a letter to your local newspaper very publicly recognizing the great work of an individual, organization, representative, or business. We are all presented with opportunities to say “thank you” each and every day – try it!
Complimenting…Everyone wins when you offer an honest compliment. It is difficult to know what struggles those around us are facing, particularly given the current economic times. One thing is for sure – receiving a compliment is a surefire way to put a spring in your recipient’s step.
If you opt to be on the lookout for opportunities to compliment, do not be alarmed if a rose-colored hue comes across your glasses. Try going about your day on the prowl for good works, cool stuff, and thoughtful people. Amazing artwork! Bodacious brownies! Charming cat! Delightful demeanor! You get the picture. Come on, make someone happy…
Take good care,
Kim
