Day 74: Looking back on 2017

My Project: 365 Creative Writing Prompts

Day 74: Looking back on 2017

The year is drawing to an end and if you’re like me you’re thinking back on all that’s happened over the past months. All in all, I think it was a rather uneventful year, but let’s have a look how 2017 treated me.

January

The year had hardly started and I was down on my luck already. I was nearly knocked down by a car and not once but three times. The first time by a driver of a Mercedes who was reversing without looking in his rearview mirror. The second time by an SUV who was in such a hurry to slip into traffic that he paid no attention to me. The third time by a Toyota who slid across the zebra path.

February

In February nothing happened, except that someone took one of my stories about a cat and included it in her cat anthology. Some people seem to think that it’s okay to help themselves to other people’s work.

March

In March I was threatened with legal action. I had written an in-debt review of Contena, a site where freelance writers can find all kinds of writing gigs. Before (almost) joining I had done research about the site and found nothing but good reviews. This itself seemed fishy to me. If something is too good to be true, it usually is. I found a number of flaws with the site and listed them in my review. Within a matter of days, Kevin (the founder of the site) sent me a rather nasty email and threaned legal action. So that’s why there are no negative reviews of Contena to be found. Anyone who has anything but praise for the site gets threatened. My biggest problem with Contena was that members have to pay $99 per month for the site's services. There are plenty of other writing sites around and none of them charges their members one cent.

April

In April a pair of finches came to have a look at our balcony. Shortly afterward, Mr. and Mrs. Finch started making a nest. For days they flew back and forth with twigs and pieces of fluff and when the nest was finished, Mrs. Finch took up residence and over the course of six days deposited six eggs. What amazed me the most was the patience of Mrs. Finch who sat on her eggs for hours on end without moving.

May

In May the chicks hatched and fought for space within their nest. We followed their growth with interest. Every time when the parents weren’t around, we went out and took a peek at the young ones who were nothing more than six little balls of fluff.

June

June saw planting season. The time when we make our way to the Home Depot nursery and buy flowers. As a rule, I always choose petunias because I know they are non-toxic to cats.

At the end of June the six little balls of fluff who were now properly feathered birds flew off. The remarkable thing was, as soon as they left our balcony they were joined – in mid-flight – by one of the parents who guided them to the rest of the family.

July

In July, we started looking for a new place to live. I contacted an estate agent and the first property ad he sent us was a hit. From the outside, the house didn’t look like much, but inside the whole place was renovated and was just perfect. The advertised price was perfect too, just $159,000. As it turned out, the estate agent had made a mistake though, the price was not $159,000 but $1,159,000. Needless to say, our interest went from hot to ice cold.

August

In August, I started this 365 creative writing prompts project. Some posts are current events, some are memories, every now and then I vent about something or another, and when I find nothing to write about I turn to my cats for inspiration.

September

In September nothing happened, absolutely nothing. The only thing worth mentioning was that I read ‘The Alchemist’. This book had a huge advertising campaign, quite a few people were talking about the book so eventually, my curiosity got the better of me and I bought the book. And it wasn’t bad, it was an enjoyable read. But to make such a hoopla about it … no, I didn’t think the story was that good.

October

The same applies to ‘Origin’ by Dan Brown. A much-anticipated book, a huge promotional campaign, but the book itself … a bit of a disappointment. Very well written of course, very engaging, but Dan Brown’s theory about how life started on earth … no, not something I agree with. I have all Dan Brown’s books and I dare say, ‘Origin’ is my least favorite.

October also saw the start of the #metoo campaign, started by Alyssa Milano and followed by a number of other sluts. When looking at pictures of these women, I very much question their motives. I don’t doubt that they were, at some point, harassed by men but then what woman hasn’t been. I daresay that every single woman at one time or another has been on the receiving end of harassment. But to make such a big deal of it. Just take a look at the pictures of these so-called victims and then draw your own conclusions.

http://connymanero.weebly.com/blog/day-38-look-no-underwear

November

In November, I tackled quite a few issues. Rather than writing it all again I’ll give you the subjects along with the links.

Discrimination – old vs. young

http://connymanero.weebly.com/blog/day-55-discrimination-old-vs-young

Children and electronics

http://connymanero.weebly.com/blog/day-55-children-and-electronics

Does Deodorant increase the risk of breast cancer

http://connymanero.weebly.com/blog/day-59-does-deodorant-increase-the-risk-of-breast-cancer

What’s the difference between a turkey and a tiger

http://connymanero.weebly.com/blog/day-60-whats-the-difference-between-a-tiger-and-a-turkey

The dangers of parabens

http://connymanero.weebly.com/blog/day-61-the-dangers-of-parabens

Online Christmas shopping

http://connymanero.weebly.com/blog/day-62-online-christmas-shopping

December

On December 6^th one of our beloved cats, Mickey, passed away. I noticed that his breathing was labored. I suspected a cold and took him to the vet for medication. As it turned out he had congestive heart failure. Treatment would have cost thousands of dollars and would have been very painful for Mickey. I loved Mickey too much to put him through this and so I decided to let him go and cross Rainbow Bridge.

http://connymanero.weebly.com/blog/day-66-rest-in-peace-mickey-2007-2017

And so, that’s it. Christmas has passed, New Year’s is upon us and tomorrow 2017 will be history. We can only wait and wonder what 2018 will bring.

www.connymanero.weebly.com

Day 61: The Dangers of Parabens

My Project: 365 Creative Writing Prompts

Day 61: The Dangers of Parabens

Earlier this week I shared with you my concern whether deodorants and breast cancer are related. Today we’re going to go a step further and look at the effects parabens have on the human body.

What are Parabens

This is what the experts have to say ... 

Parabens are a class of widely used preservatives in cosmetic and pharmaceutical products. Chemically, they are a series of parahydroxybenzoates or esters of parahydroxybenzoic acid (also known as 4-hydroxybenzoic acid). Parabens are effective preservatives in many types of formulas. These compounds, and their salts, are used primarily for their bactericidal and fungicidal properties. They are found in shampoos, commercial moisturizers, shaving gels, personal lubricants, topical/parenteral pharmaceuticals, spray tanning solution, makeup,^[1] and toothpaste. They are also used as food additives.

While it hasn’t been proven that parabens cause cancer, studies have found that parabens have an effect on human hormones, leading to cancer. When I read this piece of information it made me wonder why manufacturers are allowed to put such harmful ingredients in everyday items.

Pseudo-Estrogen Effects. Specifically, parabens act like estrogen, which may increase the risk of women developing estrogen-positive breast cancer. Researchers conducted tests on 20 different samples of human breast tumors, which revealed parabens to be present in each sample.

Isn't this shocking? In every single breast tumor traces of parabens were found. How can the FDA allow this!

Avoiding Parabens

Avoiding parabens is easier than you might think. All it takes is paying attention to the label of certain products.

Paraben-Free Shampoo & Conditioner

Pick up any supermarket shampoo or conditioner and chances are they’ll contain parabens or another harmful ingredient. Bain de Terre and Jason haircare products, on the other hand, are not only of a better quality than most supermarket products, they are paraben free.

Paraben-Free Shower Gel

Does your shower gel contain parabens? This website lists shower gels and body washes that do not contain these harmful chemicals. https://kit.com/Lucy/best-natural-paraben-free-bath-and-body-washes-2017

Paraben-Free Body Lotion

After showering or bathing, most women use a body lotion to keep their skin hydrated. In addition to various brands in this list there’s also St. Yves who has a large range of paraben-free body lotions.

Paraben-Free Moisturizer

Another item women use on a daily basis is moisturizer. Moisturizer is known to keep wrinkles and fine lines at bay and should be used before applying makeup. Other than moisturizers in this list there also Nivea.

Makeup

The majority of women use makeup before they go to work, out for a visit, out shopping or even just around the house. They don’t feel like themselves until they have their face on. Unfortunately, the foundation, eyeshadow, mascara, eyeliner, blush and lipstick they use all contain parabens. To avoid those nasty chemicals, have a look at this list. You’re sure to find a makeup brand you like. https://www.bcaction.org/our-take-on-breast-cancer/environment/safe-cosmetics/paraben-free-cosmetics/

Once you start paying attention, you can find all kinds of products that don’t contain harmful ingredients. Whatever you want or need, simply type “paraben free makeup” or “paraben free lotion” in your favorite search engine and see what comes up. Within no time you'll be on your way to a healthier way of life. 

www.connymanero.weebly.com

Day 59: Does deodorant increase the risk of breast cancer

My Project: 365 Creative Writing Prompts

Day 59: Does deodorant increase the risk of breast cancer

The question does deodorant (or underarm protection in general) increase the risk of breast cancer has been going around for years. The breast cancer foundation says no, that no evidence has been found, yet other sources do state that deodorant can lead to breast cancer due to the fact that the aluminum in deodorant raises the estrogen in the body. For most women, present company included, it’s an excess of estrogen that causes breast cancer.

From dontmesswithmama.com I plucked this piece of information:

Aluminum is the ingredient in antiperspirants that actually clogs your pores and prevents sweating. Aluminum exposure has been linked with the development of Alzheimer’s disease and interferes with your estrogen levels. When your body can’t process estrogen properly, there’s a higher risk for breast and prostate cancer.

You can read more on the subject at:

https://dontmesswithmama.com/7-toxins-lurking-in-your-deodorant/

The Dangers of Aluminum

On the subject of aluminum I’m not going to say one word but rather let the experts of the US National Library of Medicine National Institutes of Health speak:

Aluminum salts are used as the active antiperspirant agent in underarm cosmetics, but the effects of widespread, long term and increasing use remain unknown, especially in relation to the breast, which is a local area of application. 

Clinical studies showing a disproportionately high incidence of breast cancer in the upper outer quadrant of the breast together with reports of genomic instability in outer quadrants of the breast provide supporting evidence for a role for locally applied cosmetic chemicals in the development of breast cancer. 

Aluminum is known to have a genotoxic profile, capable of causing both DNA alterations and epigenetic effects, and this would be consistent with a potential role in breast cancer if such effects occurred in breast cells. 

Estrogen is a well established influence in breast cancer and its action, dependent on intracellular receptors which function as ligand-activated zinc finger transcription factors, suggests one possible point of interference from aluminum. 

Results reported here demonstrate that aluminum in the form of aluminum chloride or aluminum chlorhydrate can interfere with the function of estrogen receptors of MCF7 human breast cancer cells both in terms of ligand binding and in terms of estrogen-regulated reporter gene expression. 

This adds aluminum to the increasing list of metals capable of interfering with estrogen action and termed metallestrogens. Further studies are now needed to identify the molecular basis of this action, the longer term effects of aluminum exposure and whether aluminum can cause aberrations to other signaling pathways in breast cells. 

Given the wide exposure of the human population to antiperspirants, it will be important to establish dermal absorption in the local area of the breast and whether long term low level absorption could play a role in the increasing incidence of breast cancer.

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/16045991

Now, who would you rather believe? The breast cancer foundation who claims that there is no link between aluminum and breast cancer, or other sources that state that aluminum most definitely has an effect on estrogen and as such can cause breast cancer since breast cancer is linked to estrogen.

Personally, I rather don’t take the chance. Where there’s smoke there’s fire.

If you cannot do without some form of underarm protection, you might want to look at Ombra, a deodorant manufacturer that uses only natural ingredients in their products and does not include aluminum chlorohydrate.

Other natural forms of protection include baking soda, lemon juice, rubbing alcohol, or making your own. You can read more on the subject at Mother Nature Network at 

https://www.mnn.com/lifestyle/natural-beauty-fashion/stories/5-deodorant-alternatives

www.connymanero.weebly.com

$418 million payout

Some woman in Los Angeles just received $418 million for allegedly having contracted ovarian cancer after using Johnson & Johnson baby powder.

As part of her personal hygiene, she adopted the routine of taking a bottle of baby powder and sticking it … well, need I say more.

Who in their right mind sticks a bottle of baby powder in their privates? As one woman said, she’s been using Johnson & Johnson baby powder for years, but she wouldn’t dream of using it inside her.

So, ladies, all of you who have been diagnosed with ovarian cancer, why not unite online and start a lawsuit too?

But why stop there. Cancer patient everywhere, no matter what type of cancer you have, let’s all unite and sue someone. I’m sure we can all do with some money.

Perhaps I should start the group. I was diagnosed with breast cancer in 2016. I had surgery followed by radiation. Nobody gave me a dime. Worse, I had to pay for my own transportation, which I could ill afford.

Maybe I should have sued a deodorant company, then I too would have received millions. 

She says she wasn't looking for a payout, she just wanted to draw attention to protect other women. Okay, then why not just write to one or several of the major newspapers? 

And why not hold the FDA responsible? They're the ones who approved the baby powder. 

And what about the lawyers? Did any of them look into the sexual habits of this woman? How many partners she had.

Mammograms - friend or foe

For the past few days, I’ve been avoiding the homepage of Facebook. Lately, there always seems to be something in the news or a post of a member that tick me off. Since I have to cut down on stress I decided to avoid Facebook.

Unfortunately, while checking Facebook’s home page to see if any of my friends have birthdays, I noticed a post of a woman who stated that she was having her boobage squashed. She was referring to a mammogram.

Her word usage ruffled my feathers. Why couldn’t she just say “I’m having a mammogram” or if she had to be graphic “I’m having my breasts squashed”. Why call breasts boobage?

It ticks me off when grown women use words such as boobage, boobies, etc. Are they women or are they big children who don’t dare to use the word breasts?

It makes me wonder how they refer to their husband’s penis. Do they call the organ a pippi? And what kind of a name do they assign to their vagina?

I was silly enough to join the conversation and stumbled across some disturbing statements. Trying to help I put in my two cents, but this was not well received.

After leaving the conversation I did some research and found that on the subjects of mammograms medical opinions are divided. Some doctors are in favor of mammograms as it is a way for early breast cancer detection, others consider the risk of radiation too high and advice to avoid mammograms.

As a general rule, women between the ages of 35 and 50 should have a mammogram once a year, while women over the age of 50 every two years. If a woman has concerns between mammograms, she can have a manual exam or an ultrasound.

If a lump gets detected, standard procedure is to do a biopsy. Three samples are removed from the lump, send to the lab and within a matter of days, the results show whether the lump is benign or malignant.

While mammograms do expose patients to a certain amount of radiation, early breast cancer detection is key for survival. So every woman should decide for herself … will she have an annual mammogram and have the benefit of catching a cancerous lump early, when treatment is simple, and live; or avoid the exam and risk that by the time a cancerous lump is found, it’s too late to do something about it.

I don't know what ticks me off more, women who use baby talk or women who stick their heads in the sand.

www.connymanero.weebly.com

Vaseline linked to cancer

Some people never cease to amaze me.  On the one hand they are so concerned with their health that they almost turn neurotic and look down on others who don’t share their views, yet on the other they do their very best to sabotage their health.

Take the use of Vaseline also known as petroleum jelly for instance.  Some people happily smear it on their baby’s bottom, while others use it to treat dry skin, or add shine to their lips.  Did you know that women who use lip gloss regularly, eat about seven pounds of the Vaseline in a decade.

Little do they know that Vaseline does not moisturize, it draws moisture to the surface, as such robbing skin of what it so desperately needs, and they risk all kinds of cancers.

Vaseline is made of petroleum sludge, a type of wax that forms on oil rigs.  The wax interferes with the proper working of the rods on the rigs and has to be removed from time to time.  The wax contains hydrocarbons, a substance found in women with breast cancer. 

Still, people ignore advice given online and state that Vaseline has been around for years, that their grandma used it, and that only fools would believe that the greasy wax could be bad.  Not only that, some articles actually promote the use of Vaseline/petroleum jelly. 

Why anyone would do this is beyond me.  You only have to look at and touch Vaseline to know that something so greasy cannot be good for your skin.  It leads to acne, impurities, irritation and worst of all, certain cancers.  This possibility alone should be enough to scare people off.  Sadly, this is not the case.  The product is cheap, has been used by their mother and grandmother, so they figure it must be good.

What is even more mind boggling is why the Cancer Society hasn’t made it its business to warn the public about the use of Vaseline.  If the product has been linked to cancer, you would think this is right up their alley.  On the one hand they raise millions of dollars for cancer research and promote pink ribbons to make women aware of breast cancer, yet on the other hand they keep silent about the dangers of Vaseline. 

If you want to moisturize your skin or give shine to your lips, do it with something safe like an organic oil.  Oils such as olive oil, almond oil, cacao butter, shea butter and coconut oil will be more expensive than Vaseline, but at least they are risk free.

Before you buy your next beauty product READ THE LABEL.