Eat Safe

Do not be deceived by its miniature size—this little handbook could create big changes in the way you look at food and personal care forever. If you take Bill's advice to heart, no longer will you be able to participate in mindless shopping expeditions. Ignorance may once have been bliss, but now it spells danger in our mass-manufactured, profit-driven, long shelf-life, chemical-romanced society.

After spending many years researching the toxic ingredients in skin and personal care, and successfully avoiding all of them in the products I create, I am happy to recommend Bill Statham's Eat Safe as an excellent reference guide to anyone questioning the safety of those strange-sounding "naturally derived" ingredients in their skin and personal care.

Moreover, as a long-term Certified Organic consumer, I truly hope you put your money where your health is, and "Go Organic"!

Section One provides an alphabetical list of food additives that may be found in food products. Section Two provides an alphabetical list of ingredients that may be found in cosmetics and personal care products. Some ingredients are also used as food additives, therefore to avoid unnecessary repetition, they may be found in Section One. Examples are beeswax, bentonite, candelilla wax, and glycerin.

A glossary at the end explains certain terms and abbreviations you may be unfamiliar with (i.e., CNS, surfactant).

A face code shows just how user-friendly each additive/ ingredient is, from safe and/or beneficial through to hazardous.

A system of color coding: red/orange for "to be avoided," yellow for "wait/caution," and green for "proceed safely" makes reading the tables even simpler.

The codes shown are only a general guide, as individuals react differently to chemical exposures. The type and severity of reaction will depend on many factors. A few of these are: the health of the person, the amounts to which they are exposed and the period of exposure, the environment in which the person lives/works, and the person's age and gender. However, it is recommended that only those products containing additives and ingredients that are safe and/or beneficial or safe for most people as indicated by the happy faces be chosen.

The tables also show some of the benefits of the additive /ingredient and/or some of the detrimental effects, symptoms and illnesses it has the potential to either cause or exacerbate, and some of the environmental effects that may occur.

In most cases the origin of each additive/ingredient is also given, including whether it may be of animal origin or a product of genetic engineering (GE).

Where certain specific medical disorders including cancer, diabetes, tumors, and others are mentioned, only limited reference is made as to whether occurrence was in animals or humans. Also, usually no reference is made to the amounts or concentration of chemicals involved, types of exposure or time periods involved. This information is far beyond the scope of this book, and the reader is directed to the bibliography if they wish to find out more information. The tables also list a few relevant, common consumer products that may contain that particular additive/ingredient, and some other possible uses for it.

Beyond the tables, there is also a section on genetic engineering and, for those who want more information than can be included in a book of this size, a list of useful Internet resources.