Jun

26

Dear SafeMama: The first edition!

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Welcome to the first installment of Dear SafeMama!  We received quite a few questions and they were all really good. So good in fact, that while we’re not going to be able to answer every single one of them, we’re going to answer a few more than three for the first edition, and file the rest away because some of these give us great ideas. But now, onto the questions.

Q: I can’t find anything on your site about safe toothpastes for babies/toddlers. I want one that doesn’t have parabens, SLS, phthalates, propylene glycol, fluoride, etc. Can you recommend any?

Welcome to our hell. We’ve been going back and forth for quite a few months trying to find a toothpaste that we deem safe enough for our kids. I bought Tom’s of Maine, and was using that for a little while until I found out the dangers of Sodium Lauryl/Laureth Sulfates). I personally am pro-flouride (it’s a personal choice for my family, but I realize a lot of people want fluoride free) and was looking for something that didn’t have icky chemicals in it, but still had fluoride. I stumbled across The Natural Dentist, which is free of SLS’s and other chemicals. It contains xylitol, which is a natural sweetener, known to prevent cavities. They also make a flouride free version as well. My son loves it and helps to brush his own teeth now. Kathy uses Weleda Children’s tooth gel, which is also free of chemicals and works great. And her son loves the taste too.

Q: I am overwhelmed with information about going green. I don’t know where to start to rid my house and life of all these toxic products and plastic bottles and the BPA and phthalates!!! ahhhh…where do I start?

STOP! Take a deep breath. In………out………..iiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiin………….ooooooooooooooout. Ok, good. Now, we know as well as anyone else, that it can be entirely overwhelming. I went on a wild rampage, tossing everything in my house while my husband stood in the middle of the crazy tornado watching me with a worried look. When people come up to me and ask me where to start, I say, pick one thing. One thing that’s most important to you right this very minute and make the change. I realize that ALL of it is important to you, but doing it all at once is just too much for any one person (not to mention, expensive). Then, when you have a spare moment, make a list of all things you want to change, pick one thing a week (or however often it works for you) and change it. Cross it off the list. It might seem stupid, but I’m a list person. I get things done by making lists. Once you’ve made the major changes, you realize that it becomes easier, and eventually, becomes second nature. Before you know it you’re turning plastic bottles upside down to look at recycling codes and you become a toxic chemical rain man.

Q: Ok, after reading your dirty dozen list of chemicals that should be avoided, I went on a hunt in my house and checked labels on everything! Some of those listed are in almost everything that we have from hairspray to hand soap from BodyShop! Do I need to be as worried for everything? or primarily baby products? Is there any exceptions? It looks like I would need to throw out everything!!!!!!

We definitely don’t intend to alarm people. At all. When I made that glossary, it was mainly focused on kids products. Babies have really sensitive skin and will those ingredients hurt them on an individual basis? Most likely not. What about when they’re all mixed together? I really and truly don’t have the answer to that. You see, a lot of those chemicals have such limited studies done on them (as I had mentioned in my original report), that it’s hard to say for sure whether or not they’re truly bad for you. That said, it’s really up to you, as the parent to decide whether or not you want to use these products.

I personally feel that the less chemicals a person exposes their bodies (and their babies bodies) to, the better, but unfortunately, it’s unavoidable sometimes (and you shouldn’t beat yourself up over it either). There are a lot of babies who have skin allergies, and maybe eliminating products (yes, even your household products and hairspray as they can linger in the air) might help. We always tell parents to proceed with caution and to also do their own research. My advice would be to ditch any of the truly harsh stuff, and slowly as you use up the other stuff with ingredients in question, replace them with products that are better for you and the environment.

Q: We wash our bottles and bottle parts in the dishwasher and use jet-dry, a rinse aid. It is recommended by the dishwasher manufacturer and the dishes do not dry well if we do not use it. Is jet-dry safe to use on the bottles?

I have a dirty little secret to confide. I have not yet made the switch over from my chemically laden, water and soil poisoning Cascade yet (see above RE: small changes). I KNOW. But, I’ve been doing my research on it, and am slowly mentally preparing myself for some alternative methods.

Harsh detergents can wear on plastics and we usually recommend hand washing baby’s bottles and cups with warm water and gentle soap, like Dapple.  But if you need to use the dishwasher, use the top rack choose a gentle soap.  If you’re looking for something store bought Ecover makes a rinsing agent. I haven’t tried it yet, but I hear it works rather well. The other alternative, is vinegar. Just plain old white vinegar. I will tell you, there is NOTHING that white vinegar cannot do. It makes my tub and shower sparkle like brand new, it kills germs on my counter tops and it takes grubby finger prints off my fridge. Vinegar is a miracle product and it’s also extremely cheap. A gallon costs about 3 bucks and will last you forever. You can put vinegar in your rinse section, or you can put it in your pre-wash section of your dishwasher with a little bit of dish soap, or baking soda, or even some lemon juice. Since every dishwasher is different, you may have to experiment to see what works best for you.

Q: I checked the list of BPA free sippy cups. My question is that although I own some for these “safe” cups, I have put them through my dishwasher numerous times. I have read that the hot temperature causes them to leach. Now that this has been done, should I throw them out and start over?

We believe that all plastics have leaching qualities and health affects when heated on some level (which is why we recommend to never heat any sort of plastic in the microwave, ever. Use ceramic or glass and then transfer it to a plastic dish once it cools a bit). Once your plastic ware becomes looking scratched, dull and worn, it’s time to toss it into the recycling bin and get new ones. Even if you hand wash them. They’re just not meant to last forever.  Not all BPA Free cups are expensive.  Avent Magic Cups are a great affordable option.

Q: I am very concerned about my 21 month old son’s safety when it comes to sippy cups, storage, etc., but am on an extremely tight budget. I know I cannot afford to do it all, but if you had to pick the top 5 or 10 things that I should be doing or buying, what would you suggest?

Thankfully, there are plenty of great and inexpensive options out there for you to replace your wares with BPA free options. If I had to pick a top five:

  • Replace your sippy cups, bottles and dishes. We always recommend The Soft Landing for the latest in what’s BPA free. You can save 10% off your order by using the code SAFEMAMA2. They have products available for every budget and you can rest easy knowing Alicia has done extensive research to make sure that the products she sells are BPA free.
  • Replace your house cleaners. You don’t have to go out and buy expensive organic or eco friendly cleaners just to be green. As I mentioned above, vinegar. Buy yourself a gallon of vinegar, straight up lemon juice (not from concentrate) and a big box of baking soda. The whole thing will probably cost you less than $10 and will last you forever. You can clean almost your entire house with those three things.
  • Get rid of your chemical beauty products (for both you and your baby). You may have to do these in small steps, but You can even find them in Target. Burt’s Bee’s and Giovanni to name a few. And they’re also not highway robbery.
  • Stop buying individual bottled water and replace them with a reusable one.  ThinkSport, Thermos and Camelbak all make great safe water bottles for adults.  The kids have a reusable cup, why shouldn’t we?  If water quality is a concern, check into a tap filter for the sink.
  • Freecycle, Craigslist, Garage Sales and Ebay.  We know people buy too much STUFF.  Just look in any closet in your home… or our homes.  We’re guilty too.  Buying used instead of new helps to lengthen the life of items that aren’t ready for the landfill and reduce how much we buy. You’ll save money (or make it if you sell) and you’ll be doing your part to eliminate extra waste.

Q: Hi there. I was wondering if you had any information on vaccines and their (so called) relation to autism. there has been a lot of hype in the media about this and I am due to start getting my son his shots and I am very concerned about what to do and what is the right thing to do. any information you have can help. thank you in advance.

This is a big can of worms, and I’m only going to try to pry the lid off here, just a little, to peek and make sure they’re still breathing. No doubt you’re worried. You read all of these studies that are conflicting with each other. Yes it’s fine, no wait, it’s not. Vaccinate!! No, DON’T vaccinate!! I’ve done a lot of research on this because my son has displayed very minor autistic behaviors, and of course, I freaked out. What if it’s the vaccines? There’s a lot of debate on the whole issue, and here’s my disclaimer: This is my own personal thought about the whole thing. I am NOT a doctor. Do your own research and discuss any concerns you have with your pediatrician.

I don’t believe that vaccines themselves cause autism. What I believe is that on some level, Autism Spectrum Disorder (and a very broad spectrum it is) is hereditary, and that children who are at risk for having autism get aggravated by the metals that are used in the vaccines. And it’s not just the MMR vaccine which most people seem to believe. There are children who seem to be fine, developing at a normal rate and maybe they ended up missing a vaccine somewhere, and falling behind, only to have to go in and get five or six vaccines at once, and then the problems started. Which could lead to the metal poisoning theory. People are always quick to blame the vaccines themselves as the sole cause for causing autism. But I believe there’s a certain level of pre-wiring there, just as with any other disease or disorder. I definitely think that there should be greener vaccines available and there are people lobbying for them all the time. Until then, if it’s a real concern for you, or if Autism runs in your family, talk to your pediatrician about spacing vaccines out on a schedule that you’re comfortable with. This is definitely not a subject where you should just take our word for it. The more research that you become armed with, the better.

Thanks so much for your questions. Keep submitting and we’ll see you back here next week.

Jun

25

Product Review: Shaklee Get Clean

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I’ve been kicking this review around for a while and not because I haven’t had a chance to try the products, which I have. It’s because for some reason I feel a little bit overly skeptical about them. Sure, Oprah picked Shaklee as one of her favorite things last year and yes, they tout to be non-toxic, eco-friendly and safe. But are they really? What I can say is that there are definitely a lot of pros to using these products… but there are a few cons too. You can read off the list of things they promise on each product on their website Natural Green and Clean as well as view the ingredients labels in PDF form. (Not all products disclose ingredients though) But basically Shaklee promises them to be non-toxic, natural, completely biodegradable, in some cases organic and concentrated which cuts back on packaging or the need for frequent refills. They also say they are free of chlorine, ammonia, phosphates and formaldehyde according to their information. I’m not 100% sure what some of the ingredients are to be exact but the line boasts its biodegradability with gusto.

I definitely can see and feel how the cleaning products are a much safer alternative than those fume laden toxic cleaners we’re all used to like 409. They are used in concentrations and diluted heavily with water. Their popular product Basic H2 Organic Concentrate is one of the best of the line. Their starter kit provides you with refillable spray bottles. A few drops of Basic H2 and 16oz of water later you have a household cleaner safe for almost every surface. No harsh smells… in fact its pretty odorless, and it does clean just as well as a bottle of Windex. One of my favorite items is their Organic Germ Off Wipes which I took on a trip to Disney with us. Travelling with some germ off wipes was great for high chairs, hotel bathrooms, and wiping off the stroller.

BUT… I’m not sure I’d recommend all their products. The non-organic ones such as the Get Clean Handwash Concentrate contains PEG’s, ammonium laureth sulfates, Fragrance and Phenoxyethanol. So on that basis I can’t really stand behind it as a product I’d choose for myself.

I do appreciate the biodegradable nature of the cleaning products, and believe Shaklee is a very decent alternative to traditional cleaners. They are safer… but I can’t say with total confidence that they are the safest. I can’t help it, I’m a huge skeptic when it comes to this stuff. Any chemist will tell you the safest way to clean is with plain water or with baking soda and lemon. Shaklee does offer a better solution in an enviromentally friendly way. I would recommend reading the product labels, for the ones that are available, and choosing the ones you’re comfortable with if Shaklee is the way forward for you.

Get it: If you are interested in trying out Shaklee you can get your mits on a Shaklee Get Clean Kit or a Healthy Home Pack…  once the order is processed, Shaklee Independent Distributor, Nicole Alo will contact you with an added perk.

Also, if you want a shot at tryiong out Basic H2 you can try to win a full size Basic H2 with spray bottles at BigGreenGiveAway.com

Jun

24

SafeMama Link Round Up

Filed Under Bisphenol-A, Eco-Mama | Comments Off

Just a few articles and links I found worth mentioning today…

  • Environmental Working Group Action Fund and ask the CA Health Committee to vote Yes on SB 1713, a bill aiming to ban BPA from children’s products in California. They vote today so head on over and send in your voice.
  • Z Recommends Car Seat Review: The have an excellent review of the new Britax New Frontier carseat and booster.  It is very thorough and they have a nifty video demonstration.
  • CPSC Crib Recall:  Jardine has recalled a number of cribs for a strangulation hazard.  I don’t normally point out recalls since they’re right over there on the sidebar but this is a big one that I thought warranted a mention.
  • Moms Speak Up about Plastic Scrubbies: I read a post by one of the lovely ladies at Moms Speak Up that the exfoliating beads in Oil of Olays Olay Body Wash Plus Spa Exfoliating Ribbons is actually made of polyethylene beads.  I’m so glad that Oil of Olay is okay with washing plastic beads into our water systems and into the digestive systems of fish and marine life.  Excellent. That sounds fabulous along with the parabens and phthalates… what a treat!

Jun

24

BeeCeuticals Re-Review & Giveaway!

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I know I have raved about BeeCeuticals Organics in the past. However, now that the site has come to many new people’s attention I feel it’s definitely warranted to bring it up again. We focus so much of our time and energy on our kids but us safe moms want some pampering without the parabens. I discovered BeeCeuticals Organics from a commercial on the Howard Stern show over a year ago but since then, and since becoming seriously hooked on their products… I am now a devout believer and follower. I really cant say enough about this company. Why? Because they use as much certified organic fair trade ingredients as is humanly possible to find. They care about their environmentally friendly packaging, they care about the environment… they offset 100% of their power usage with Green-e certified wind and solar power energy…. and they care about saving the bees! bzzzz…

But enough about how caring they are. What I want to focus on is their products. Sure they are a great company but are their products great? YES. I started out trying a few things here and there and fell in love with their Bee-yond Body Balm™. I had a few peeves about it but once I was past them I fell head over soft supple heels. Imagine my shock when they FIXED my peeves with a reformulation. Now, this stuff is heavenly perfect. It works some serious rough feet miracles that no foot balm has ever fixed for me. I use it all over the place now and plow through a container a month. Its great for dry hands, lips, rough spots, feet, elbows, cuticles… it softens everything without saturating you with some awful petroleum like other balms.

BeeCeuticals Lip Balm in RaspberryI am also a self professed lip balm addict. I have about 12 in my diaper bag. I wish I was kidding. BeeCeuticals lip balms are my favorite. I dig through the pile in my bag to find my BeeCeuticals lip balms over all others. I recently learned also that some natural and even organic lip balms are packaged in polycarbonate plastic. Big natural name brands that sell at natural food stores. They don’t mark the tubes. What a dirty little secret! BeeCeuticals Organics packages all their products in safe recyclable materials and plastics and are making moves towards glass containers soon as well. No polycarbonate lip balm for me thanks!

They have 3 new flavors of lip balm available: Blueberry, Peach and my personal favorite, Raspberry. I am hoarding 2 of them as we speak. No one gets my raspberry BeeCeuticals.

Win it!

One lucky reader will receive a tub of Bee-yond Body Balm™. To Enter, check out the BeeCeuticals Organics website. Send an email* to safemama [at] gmail.com with the subject “Save The Bees!” and tell us what BeeCeuticals Organics lip balm flavor you’d love to try. Giveaway ends Friday July 11th, 2008 at midnight EST. We’ll announce the winner here and we’ll be submitting winner info to PRIZEYWinners so you can check there to see if you’ve won as well.

*your email address will never be shared or used to email you. It will only be used to notify you if you win.

Jun

19

SafeMama Book Review: Healthy Child Healthy World

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The good folks over at one of my favorite resources, Healthy Child Healthy World were kind enough to send us a preview of their new book, appropriately titled Healthy Child Healthy World. I was really excited to read this book, even though I knew that parts of it would probably send me into a tailspin of anxiety, because that’s how I am. I also knew I didn’t want to walk around with the wool over my eyes.

I liken Healthy Child Healthy World (both the organization and the book) to be what I strive for Safe Mama to be, a resource, and an informational tool for helping a person make decisions on what’s best for them and their family. The book is just that. It’s well put together, thoroughly organized and also eye opening. I like to think that I’m a pretty informed parent. But even I found things in this book that I had no idea about. Insert that anxiety I talked about, here.

No, not really. One of the other great things about this book, is the contributions from not only experts, but celebrities. And while, I generally don’t really care too much about what celebrities do with their lives, It was nice to read that they weren’t perfect either, like the fact that Courtney Cox still uses Windex. Even small changes make an impact and everyone has to do what works for them, because it’s obvious you can’t have your green non-toxic house shielded in a big bubble. Although, I do find myself salivating over the latest eco friendly housewares.

I think everyone should have a copy of this book. It’s a great go-to guide, and especially great for new parents. I certainly wish that I had this book before my son was born.

Get it: Amazon.com

Jun

18

Review: Eden’s Kiss Skin Care

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We stumbled on Eden’s Kiss on one of our zillion searches, scouring the internet for the best and safest skin care. If you’re the kind of person Eden's Kiss Skin Carewho prefers supporting the small company who really cares for their products as much as they care for their customers, Eden’s Kiss might be for you. Run by Michelle Briseño-Tucker out of Ferndale, California, Michelle creates lovely skin balms, creams and oils that are completely natural. Eden’s Kiss is all-natural, organic skin care that is completely synthetic-free and does not contain artificial coloring agents or fragrance oils. That means that you can rest easy that you aren’t slathering synthetic chemicals on you or your baby. She has a great line of products, and we were privileged to have the chance to try out some of her baby care items.

Kathy’s confession: I will fully admit, I swiped the Unscented Calendula Balm for myself. I couldn’t resist. The jar just begged me. The moment I opened it up and saw the sweet little dried rose bud nestled on top, I had to have it for myself. It’s a tad slippery but works great at night for rough spots and feet. I really like how Eden’s Kiss is packaged in glass when possible too. The products have a nice “cared for” appeal.

I did use a little on my son’s rough spots… he get’s some rough skin from all that 2 year old playground playing on his lower legs. This went on after the bath and made him nice and buttery by morning. We tried out her baby powder as well… and I’m not a big fan of powder in general, this was a nice change from the other strong smelling ones I’ve sniffed. Michelle carries an unscented baby oil too. A few drops in the tub does the trick.

Statia says: I’ll follow Kathy’s confession, I swiped the Unscented Balm for myself too. It makes a great balm for pretty summer feet. My son is a freak of nature in that he’s never in his whole 15 months had diaper rash. I know I’m jinxing myself by saying that, but it’s true. He’s had eczema, but never diaper rash. So I put it on my feet before hopping into bed and there is nary a callous to be found on my piddies. When I opened the balm and saw the little rose, I thought to myself “this just screams made from the heart with love.” Corny? Yes, but you can tell all of Michelle’s products are of the highest quality. One of the things I really loved about the unscented balm is that it really is unscented. There are so many “unscented” products out there that still have a weird smell to them. It was great to not smell like a vat of chemicals.

After testing her newborn line I must say, this would be a great recommendation for anyone with allergies, sensitive skin or, a newborn! Their little noses are sensitive right off the bat so something unscented is ideal.

Where to get it: You can find Eden’s Kiss baby care line directly on the website. She also carries a full line of balms, butters and bath products (even for troubled skin!) on EdensKiss.com.

Safe Mama Bonus: Get free shipping on all orders over $35 using the code EKSafeMama-08 (case sensitive). Limit one per customer.

Jun

17

Dear SafeMama…..

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No Doubt we get a lot of questions here at SafeMama. And while we try to answer all of them, it’s nearly impossible. Especially when a lot of them are duplicate questions. So we’ve decided to start a weekly column, in order to reach as many people as we can. This is where you come in. We need you to send in your questions. We’ll choose two to three questions each week and answer them. So start submitting. Simply go to the contact form and choose “Dear SafeMama” in the drop down box. Be sure to double check our FAQ to make sure that your question isn’t already answered in there.

Thanks for making SafeMama a great resource.

Jun

16

Shower Curtains Can Make You Sick.

Filed Under Articles, Phthalates Info | Comments Off

Ever open up the package of a shiny new plastic shower curtain, and nearly pass out from the fumes? Ever think to yourself, well, that can’t be good for you.

That’s because it isn’t.

We’ve discussed before, how the Volatile Organic Compounds (VOCs) in vinyl produces off-gassing. And that includes your shower curtain. It was no secret to us before, but now there’s a new study out from the Center for Health, Environment & Justice that proves what we’ve known all along:

The study found that PVC shower curtains contained high concentrations of phthalates, which have been linked to reproductive effects, and varying concentrations of organotins, which are compounds based on tin and hydrocarbons. One of the curtains tested released measurable quantities of as many as 108 volatile organic compounds into the air, some of which persisted for nearly a month.

Seven of these chemicals — toluene, ethylbenzene, phenol, methyl isobutyl ketone, xylene, acetophenone and cumene — have been identified by the Environmental Protection Agency as hazardous air pollutants, said Stephen Lester, the center’s science director and a coauthor of the report.

The smell alone is enough to make you sick, but compound that with being in a bathroom, with the hot water running, and you’re doing yourself more harm, while trying to get yourself clean. Additionally, a similar study was done by the EPA six years ago, with similar findings, yet these chemicals still exist in day to day products, because the American Chemistry Council and the FDA maintain that phthalates are safe.

If you have a vinyl shower curtain, toss (or recycle) it and find one made of alternative materials. Shower curtains aren’t that expensive, and it’s not worth risking your (or your family’s) health.

Source: L.A. Times

Jun

15

Happy Father’s Day Giveaway from Safe Mama!

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In honor of Father’s Day we want to give a little something to the Dad’s out there. Have a great Dad? Tell us why and we’ll send one lucky Dad out there some BeeCeuticals Lip Balm as a little thank you. Send an email to safemama (at) gmail.com and tell us why your Dad, Husband, Partner makes a great Dad. We’ll pick our favorite and send him some lip balm’s from our favorite company BeeCeuticals. Email us before midnight EST on Monday June 16th.

HAPPY FATHER’S DAY!!

Update: Congratulations to Michelle and her nominated husband. She wrote a very compelling argument (all over lip balm!) and won us over. Here is my favorite part:

I am a full time working mother and Dave now stays home with our little one until he begins the MA program at SDSU. The three months I had for maternity leave was an amazing bonding experience and now he has been at home with her every day keeping our baby BPA free, cloth diapered, and expressed breast milk fed (moving into homemade solids!). He’s amazing! …

… When I first saw the chance to enter to win I instantly thought, “Cool! Dave would be stoked if I win.” After writing my entry it’s more than the lip balm I want. I want Dave to read this on Father’s Day and realize how grateful I am to have him. Thank you for that Safe Mama.

So cute. But since I’m a big softie… everyone who entered gets a free lip balm! Lip balm for everyone! I’ll email all of you for your mailing addresses. Thanks everyone for entering.

Jun

14

Natural Air Freshener: Citrus Magic

Filed Under Phthalates Info, product finds | Comments Off

I spoke about air fresheners before but in case you missed it, household air fresheners are a hot bed of phthalates in many cases. Not to mention a lot of other irritants and possibly unsafe toxins. We just don’t need to be breathing this stuff in. I am a big believer in embracing fresh air and house plants to combat odor in the home. Although all my houseplants die every time we travel back and forth to Florida so it’s not always an option. Another thing, diaper pails and garbage cans. We know how they can get. I keep them clean but sometimes they just stink no matter what you do.

Enter Citrus Magic. My mom gave me a can of this back in college when I smoked in my tiny dorm room and reeked up the place. Sorry about that dorm-mates. I now see the many errors of my ways. Age and wisdom. Anyway, I bumped into a display of Citrus Magic at Kroger recently and grabbed one up. I forgot just how effective it is. This non-aerosol 100% natural air freshener uses the oils from citrus fruit to deodorize and freshen a room. They are packed in non-aerosol, continuous spray containers and are available in Lemon, Orange, or Tropical Citrus Blend. No funky chemicals. No funky weird unsafe stuff in there.

When you need a little help in the odor department, this is a great alternative to the synthetic sprays. Citrus Magic carries a variety of other products as well. I’m not 100% sure about the “safe” level on everything they sell, but the citrus air fresheners pass my test.

Get it online: CitrusMagic.com or look for it in the natural foods section of your local grocery store. I found the smaller cans at Kroger in Georgia for under $6.

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