The Red, White, and Green

[Watch video on The Lazy Environmentalist website]

Healthy body, healthy planet, right? Well, not so fast. Being in shape may benefit the environment in the long run (e.g., people who exercise are more likely to eat more nutritious, sustainable food), but that doesn’t mean there isn’t room for improvement.

Take the gym, for instance. As I wrote last fall on HuffPost (“Eco Etiquette: Should I Cancel My Gym Membership?“), it takes a lot of electricity to power all of those treadmills, not to mention the TVs distracting you while you pound those miles. (Oh, and don’t forget about the hot water to wash all those single-use towels in the locker room, or the gas guzzled to drive you there in the first place.)

Switch your workout to the great outdoors, though, and you immediately eliminate that eco impact. But can you get a really effective workout outside the gym? I know I stay in pretty decent shape just jogging and bicycling around town, but what if you’re a hardcore professional athlete (or just someone who trains like one)?

Well, if last night’s episode of The Lazy Environmentalist is any evidence, the answer is a resounding Heck, yeah. I’m excited to say the show features my friend, green fitness guru Dave Shamash, and the super-intense-yet-eco-friendly workout he designed for national Taekwondo champion James Moontasri.

Check out the amazing results, above. And if you missed the episode last night, you can catch it again on the Sundance Channel on Sunday at 10 am.

–Jennifer Grayson

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Photo via Flickr: Spigoo

Every time I walk by the Abercrombie & Fitch store at The Grove, an outdoor shopping mall near my home, I think, This should be illegal. No, I’m not referring to the half-naked underage models who pose out front (though the chain should be given some sort of demerit for tastelessness); I’m talking about the repulsively chemically smelling fragrance that is pumped throughout the store.

It’s so powerful that passers-by within 100 feet are bowled over by the smell. The other day, I was driving past The Grove with my windows open, and actually got a noxious whiff.

Turns out, the stuff is not only foul-smelling, but truly toxic: A new analysis by the Campaign for Safe Cosmetics, a national coalition of health and environmental groups, reveals that the Abercrombie fragrance — along with other top-selling celebrity fragrance products like Britney Spears Curious and Calvin Klein Eternity — contain dozens of secret chemicals that can trigger allergies or disrupt hormones.

Environmental Working Group, who assessed data for the 17 products analyzed, found them to contain:

• 14 secret chemicals not listed on labels due to a loophole in federal law that allows companies to claim fragrances as trade secrets. American Eagle Seventy Seven contained 24 hidden chemicals, the highest number of any product in the study.

• 10 sensitizing chemicals associated with allergic reactions such as asthma, wheezing, headaches, and contact dermatitis. Giorgio Armani Acqua Di Gio contained 19 different sensitizing chemicals, more than any other product in the study.

• Four hormone-disrupting chemicals linked to a range of health effects including sperm damage, thyroid disruption, and cancer. Halle by Halle Berry, Quicksilver, and Jennifer Lopez J. Lo Glow each contained seven different chemicals with the potential to disrupt the hormone system.

The analysis couldn’t be more timely: Last week, President Obama’s Cancer Panel released a study sounding the alarm about toxic chemical exposure and cancer. To date, there are more than 80,000 chemicals on the market in the United States, the majority of which have never been studied and are not regulated.

Click here for the full report.

–Jennifer Grayson

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Photo via Flickr: Penningtron

Swapping the treadmill for the track may help curb energy consumption, but here’s another green reason to consider canceling your gym membership: It turns out that exercising in the great outdoors can greatly improve mental health.

The best part is, you don’t even have to find the time for a full-fledged wilderness trek; a mere five minutes in a green space like a park or garden can help eliminate stress and improve mood, report UK researchers in the latest issue of the journal Environmental Science & Technology.

From the BBC News:

The research looked at many different outdoor activities, including walking, gardening, cycling, fishing, boating, horse-riding, and farming in locations such as a park, garden, or nature trail.

The biggest effect was seen within just five minutes.

With longer periods of time exercising in a green environment, the positive effects were clearly apparent but were of a smaller magnitude, the study found.

Looking at men and women of different ages, the researchers found the health changes — physical and mental — were particularly strong in the young and the mentally ill.

Interestingly enough, the most beneficial setting for exercise may combine a bit of blue with that green; even more of a brain boost was found to take place in an area with a body of water, like a lake or river. Paddle boating, anyone?

–Jennifer Grayson

Do this now: Need some gym-free exercise inspiration? Check out tonight’s episode of The Lazy Environmentalist on the Sundance Channel, which features a green workout with my friend and trainer-to-the-stars David Shamash.

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May is Pregnancy Awareness Month (PAM), and no, it isn’t about informing people concerning the condition of pregnancy (I think we all know how nearly 7 billion people wound up on this planet); it’s about educating pregnant women and new parents about how to make healthy — and earth-friendly — changes in their lives.

To that end, the folks at PAM are throwing an amazing kick-off event this Sunday at TreePeople headquarters in Los Angeles that you won’t want to miss, if for nothing more than to see yours truly strut the runway in a fantastic prenatal fashion show presented by Expecting Models. The celeb-studded celebration will also feature:

• Panel discussions with pregnancy and green lifestyle experts, including filmmaker Ricki Lake, eco activist Anna Getty (PAM founder), renown pediatrician Dr. Alan Green, and Shift Your Habit author Elizabeth Rogers
• Makeup tips from model Josie Maran at the Holistic Mommy Spa Lounge
• Book signing with Trista Sutter and and Jessica Denay, authors of The Hot Mom to Be Handbook
• A performance by Scott Stapp of Creed
• More than 30 pregnancy and mommy vendors
• Raffle prizes
• Yummy organic snacks
• And much more!

To read more about the event, which is free and open to the public, click here. Hope to see you there!

–Jennifer Grayson

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Photo via Flickr: Mike Baird

We can talk about how going meatless (even one day a week) can reduce your risk of diseases like cancer and diabetes, how it can minimize your water footprint, even how it decreases our nation’s dependence on fossil fuels…but let’s be honest: There are two words I can utter that will have you scarfing down tofu scrambles faster than you can say Quarter Pounder With Cheese: Thinner. Thighs.

Atkins may come and go out of fashion, but studies have repeatedly shown that vegetarians are, on average, a good 10 to 20 pounds slimmer than meat eaters. And you don’t have to give up meat entirely to lose weight: Dawn Jackson Blatner, author of The Flexitarian Diet, says that by adopting a mostly meatless diet, you can expect to see a 20-pound average weight loss in six to 12 months.

Vegans, not surprisingly, are often the slimmest of all. (Although not always; I once knew a rather hefty vegan lady who subsisted largely on French fries and doughnuts.) Hence, the best-selling diet book Skinny Bitch, which advises a completely animal-free diet as the fastest path to sample size.

My goal here is not to advocate for a completely vegan diet (I, in fact, identify more with Blatner’s approach). Nor is it to say that I personally think the most compelling argument for Meatless Monday is a smaller waistline (for me, it’s the environment). But I will suggest that if you’re trying to drop a few pounds, you might want to stop thinking burgers and start thinking beans.

–Jennifer Grayson

Do this now: Need some meatless motivation? Check out Skinny Bitch co-author Kim Barnouin’s new Healthy Bitch Daily site, which is chock-full of nutrition and fitness tips to get you going. Courtesy of HBD, I’ll be giving away two signed copies of Skinny Bitch: Just leave a comment below (topic: meat consumption and weight) by Friday, noon PST, to enter.

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Photo via Flickr: Beth Nazario

Well, it’s official: Maryland has become the fifth state to ban the use of toxic chemical bisphenol A (BPA) in children’s products, including baby bottles and sippy cups. Governor Martin O’Malley signed the bill into law on Tuesday, after the legislation passed unanimously in both chambers of the General Assembly earlier this year.

Aside from being a political victory for eco org Environmental Working Group, whose experts testified before both Maryland Senate and House of Delegates committees in support of this legislation, it’s also a personal one: EWG President Ken Cook is a Maryland resident, and has a 2-year-old son. (I’m sure Mr. Cook is very diligent about buying BPA-free products for his family, but I’ll bet it’s nice to know that his fellow parents will have some peace of mind.)

Other states with BPA bans include Connecticut, Minnesota, Washington state, and Wisconsin. The city of Chicago, as well as three counties in New York state, have also passed restrictions as well.

The Ban Poisonous Additives Act of 2009, which would restrict BPA in canned food and other packaging at the federal level, is currently in committee in both the House and Senate.

–Jennifer Grayson

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Love Your Heart Beet Soup: One of 19 amazingly delicious and easy-to-prepare vegan recipes from The Blissful Chef: Cooking With the Seasons - Spring Edition eCookbook

Maybe it was last night’s dinner of chili (OK, plus two chocolate chunk cookies for dessert), or maybe it was the first hint of spring in the air that surfaced this past weekend in Southern California (yes, we have a winter here, too), but I woke up this morning feeling like it might be time for a good spring cleaning. For my body, I mean.

And of course, I’m always looking for new and inspiring ways to incorporate more meatless eating into my diet. Today is Meatless Monday, and I must admit, I’m a bit sick of stick-to-your ribs vegetarian stews and cheesy casseroles — it’s time to lighten things up a bit.

Thankfully, one of the most inspiring meatless eaters I know — Christy Morgan, Los Angeles–based vegan macrobiotic chef to the eco-conscious stars and author of The Blissful Chef blog — has just come out with her first eCookbook, The Blissful Chef: Cooking With the Seasons – Spring Edition.

For those who are new to vegetarian eating, macrobiotic can sound a bit intimidating, but it’s really about creating balance in your body by embracing foods that are in balance with the seasons. So in spring, you eat foods that encourage that fresh, “spring cleaning” spirit — leafy greens like lettuce and kale, and refreshing fruits like grapefruit and and granny smith apple. Sounds a lot like being a locavore, right?

There’s a bit more too it, of course, which Morgan explains in the eCookbook; but the truth is that you don’t need to know any of it to make her healthy and simple-to-prepare recipes. I follow neither a vegan nor macrobiotic diet (not yet, anyway), but all 19 recipes in the book sound amazingly delicious and satisfying: Love Your Heart Beet Soup packs an extra protein punch with the addition of red lentils; Soba Noodles With Basil Pecan Pesto uses white miso for that extra umami oomph; and Apple Pie With Flaky Homemade Crust will indulge my sweet tooth without the addition of refined sugars.

The Blissful Chef: Cooking With the Seasons – Spring Edition is available at a special pre-order discount of $5.99 until the end of today; after that, the price is $7.99 (still a bargain for a season’s worth of recipes — click here to order). I’ll also be giving away one free eCookbook to the commenter of the day. Just tell me your top reason for eating less meat in 2010.

OK, I have to stop writing now — time to run out to the farmers market so I can snap up some fresh veggies and start cooking!

–Jennifer Grayson

Do this now: Live in Los Angeles? Learn the basics of eating and cooking a plant-based diet at one of Morgan’s upcoming vegetarian cooking classes.

More Meatless Monday posts:
Feel like a kid again! Fun Meatless Monday meals
Meatless Monday: Eat less meat throughout the week

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Photo via Flickr: USACE Europe District

All vaccines carry the slight risk of adverse reactions, but the release of the H1N1 vaccine last fall seemed to provoke even more fear-based chatter than usual: Sixty percent of parents surveyed said they would pass on vaccination for their children — with nearly half expressing concern about side effects. Health care workers also appeared leery of the vaccine, with nearly half surveyed saying they would refuse the shot.

But no story struck more fear in the hearts of vaccine skeptics than that of Desiree Jennings, the beautiful Washington Redskins cheerleader who was supposedly stricken with dystonia after receiving the H1N1 vaccine. I’ll admit: I was on the fence about getting vaccinated; but after watching this horrifying video of Jennings struggling to walk and talk, I decided against it.

Now, Jennings has made a miraculous recovery, and it appears that her affliction may not have been vaccine-induced after all. Watch:

[Watch video on YouTube]

Side effects of the flu vaccine can be severe, if rare — nearly 564 “serious” health events have been reported in the US so far, including 42 deaths — but to date, the H1N1 vaccine has proven no riskier than the seasonal influenza vaccine.

–Jennifer Grayson

Do this now: Should you get vaccinated? Read about the risks from Dr. Steven Novella, the Yale University neurologist who was interviewed for the Inside Edition piece.

Related post:
Swine flu and the origins of kosher law

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Photo via Flickr: Stevendepolo

Today on HuffPost, I highlight just how ubiquitous the toxic packaging additive bisphenol A (BPA) has become. The good news is that there’s been a lot of press about banning the suspected endocrine disruptor from baby products like bottles and sippy cups, and a number of cities and states have managed to do just that — even the FDA has reversed its stance on the chemical, saying it is now “taking reasonable steps to reduce human exposure to BPA in the food supply.”

But what about the thousands of other products with BPA (canned goods, credit card receipts, plastic food containers, even dental appliances like night guards) that we adults come in contact with every day? This is scary stuff, and the chance for cumulative exposure is high. Moreover, the diseases linked to BPA exposure are equally as scary: heart disease, cancer, and diabetes, to name a few.

Now, a study published yesterday by Canadian researchers reveals that those most at risk may not even be able to limit their own exposure: I’m talking about babies who have yet to be born. It turns out that human placental cells die or are severely damaged after being exposed to even very low doses of BPA.

From Enviromental Health News:

The researchers obtained placentas from five women who had normal pregnancies and deliveries. Human cytotrophoblast cells were collected from the placentas and cultured. This type of placental cell is important for the exchange of oxygen, nutrients and waste products between mother and fetus.

The cells were exposed to BPA for 24 hours at one of seven different concentrations, ranging from 0.002 to 200 micrograms per milliliter (µg/ml). These doses were selected because they approximate levels of BPA measured in fetal and maternal blood. The researchers then looked to see if BPA exposure damaged the cells.

…Damage to the cell membrane was 1.3 to 1.7 times higher in placental cells exposed to BPA for 24 hours compared to cells that were not exposed to BPA. Apoptosis [cell death] was 2 to 3 times higher in the BPA treated cells. These results indicate that cellular development was adversely affected by BPA.

In layman’s terms, this means that for a pregnant woman, exposure to BPA — even at low levels — could potentially damage placental cells and impact fetal development.

–Jennifer Grayson

Do this now: If you’re pregnant, it’s prudent to take extra steps to minimize BPA exposure. Avoid canned foods, soups, and beverages (except those from Eden Organic); don’t use a plastic food storage container without first contacting the company to see if it contains BPA; and use a stainless steel reusable bottle to stay hydrated when you’re on the go.

Related posts:
Dr. McDougall’s BPA-free, vegan soups
Consumer Reports finds BPA in 19 name-brand canned foods

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Note: This was originally published on Nov. 30, 2009. I thought it’d be helpful to re-post, in light of my HuffPost Eco Etiquette column today on how to avoid sneaky sources of BPA.

Now that Meatless Monday has morphed into most-of-the-week meatless for me, soup has become my go-to lunch. It’s easy, it’s cheap, and, paired with a bit of cheese, some Ryvita crackers, and a piece of fruit, keeps me going until dinner. I try to make a big, hot pot of something veggie every Sunday (enough lentil soup for an entire week costs about $3 if you make it from dried beans), but inevitably, my to-do list gets overly ambitious and I find myself hustling by Whole Foods on my Monday morning walk to pick up a couple of canned soups at $1.99 a pop.

That’s still a relatively cheap lunch, but there are two problems with this: a) I’m supposed to be boycotting Whole Foods (I know, I know; I’m now doing the majority of my shopping at farmers markets and Trader Joe’s, but if I’m in a pinch and the choice is between buying organic at Whole Foods or conventional elsewhere, you can bet I’m doing the former); and b) it turns out that a lot of canned food is loaded with toxic chemical BPA.

So I was thrilled to discover Dr. McDougall’s, a fabulous line of vegan soups that come in BPA-free cartons manufactured from Forest Stewardship Council–certified paper. And the best part is, they’re are sold at dozens of conventional grocery stores (read: buh-bye, WF!). I’ve tried the lentil, black bean, and vegetable so far, and I’ve got to say, while they aren’t as soul-satisfying as the home-cooked version, they’re the best packaged soup I’ve ever tasted. The ingredients, too, are darn-near spartan: The lentil soup contains lentils, organic vegetables, organic brown rice, potato starch, and spices.

You can also order the soups by the case online, which will be great backup for me the next time my coconut mung bean soup plans get sidelined.

Do this now: Didn’t go meatless for all your meals this past Monday? Swap out two regular lunches this week for a vegetarian soup.

Related posts:
Consumer Reports finds BPA in 19 name-brand canned foods
BPA alert: How to return your Sigg bottle

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