About Ecover

Ecover stands for careful enterprise. This means that they produce their washing and cleaning products in an ecological, economic and socially responsible way in a unique ecological factory. Honest and open, they respect people and the environment. In their view, this is the only way to guarantee a sustainable future.

Fiber Fix for IBS

By Jini Patel Thompson
The secret to healing irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) may not be how much fiber but what kind you're consuming. Also: The best probiotic strains for IBS

Top food sources

Want to get more natural fiber in your diet? Here are some of the best sources.

Soluble (best for people with IBS)
Apples, Avocados, Carrots, Chia seed, Flaxseed, Oats, Papaya, Psyllium, Pumpkin, Squash, Yams

Insoluble
Barley, Beans, Brown rice, Celery, Corn bran, Root vegetables, Strawberries, Sunflower seeds, Wheat bran, Whole wheat, Zucchini

If you suffer from irritable bowel syndrome (IBS)—or a similar condition such as Crohn's disease, colitis, or diverticulitis—you've no doubt been told to add more fiber to your diet. In fact, if you look at the shelves in your local health food store, you'll likely see many "healthy" breakfast cereals touting the amount of bran or other fiber they contain.

Close Calls

by Jack Challam

12 Ways to Protect Yourself from Cell Phone Radiation

Cell phones emit radiation—technically known as low-level radio-frequency (RF) radiation—which is close to the frequency of microwaves. Although it’s not the same type of radiation found at nuclear power plants, it can disrupt normal cell activity. You wouldn’t stick your head in a microwave oven, but millions of people place their RF transmitters right next to their brain, often for hours at a time.

Is there a danger? The research linking cell phone use to brain cancer has been conflicting, but in 2011 the World Health Organization declared cell phone radiation to be a potential carcinogen. While the final word is still out on cancer risk, studies have shown changes in brain activity and brain glucose levels after someone holds a cell phone against their ear.

In fact, several studies have found that excessive cell phone use may disrupt sleep, cause headaches, and result in depression. The same may also be true of tablets that emit RF radiation. Furthermore, the younger you are, the greater the likely effect on the brain and other tissues, so children are especially at risk.

“We are bioelectric creatures,” says Shannon Kennedy, PhD, chief executive officer of Pong Research, based in Leesburg, Va. After all, our hearts and brains run on electrical impulses. “When people use cell phones, they’re bringing in an outside source of electrical signals. In today’s world, people are being bombarded with electrical fields,” says Kennedy.

So with cell phones now such a big part of most people’s lives, how you do minimize any potential risk from the radiation they emit? Here are 12 tips for using your phone safely.

Conquering Colds

By Emily A. Kane

Q: Cold and flu season is almost here. What should I do to avoid getting sick?

—Edith K., New York, NY

The first thing to remember is that colds are viral—so antibiotics do not help. Viruses get inside our cells and reproduce; bacterial infections, on the other hand, typically occur outside our cells and draw lots of white blood cells onto the mucous membranes (the sources of all that lovely phlegm). In contrast, our natural anti-viral defense is fever. So if you feel feverish at the beginning of your cold or flu—that’s great. Your body is doing exactly the right thing.