New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie vetoed legislation to create a statewide health-insurance exchange.

With the EPA's deadline only days away, a war of words has erupted over whether the agency should go ahead with a dioxin study decades in the making. Vietnam veterans, environmental advocates and women’s groups were among the more than 2,000 individuals and organizations signing a letter Thursday urging EPA Administrator Lisa Jackson to publish the dioxin risk assessment. “We are writing to strongly urge you to finalize the EPA’s study on dioxin, which has been delayed for over 25 years,” the one-page letter says. The EPA has said it would release its non-cancer risk assessment for dioxin by the end of the month, with the agency’s dioxin cancer risk assessment following “as expeditiously as possible.” The chemical industry and a number of food groups have written the EPA administrator saying the anticipated standards would be misleading and bad for business. EPA, which published its first dioxin-related report in 1983, has been working ever since on defining the risks for dioxins, a family of chemicals characterized by the EPA as “ likely human carcinogens .” They accumulate in the fatty tissues of animals and move up the food chain. Exposure comes primarily from meat, dairy, fish and shellfish. Dioxin exposure has been linked to learning disabilities, birth defects, endometriosis and diabetes. The developing fetus and newborns, exposed through breast milk, are considered particularly vulnerable to dioxin exposure. Almost every man, woman and child on the planet has some dioxin in their bodies, though exposures to the chemicals have declined over the last two decades as the result of tougher regulations in some countries, according to the World Health Organization . Most dioxins are byproducts of such industrial processes as waste incineration, the chlorine bleaching of paper pulp and the manufacture of some herbicides and pesticides. Dioxin was an impurity in Agent Orange, a defoliant used extensively in Vietnam. Paul Sutton, 67, among the letter’s signors, served two tours in the Marine Corps in Vietnam. Sutton says he was exposed to dioxin when he sprayed the perimeter of firebases with Agent Orange. All three sons were born with birth defects, he said, which he blames on his dioxin exposure. “Going back to the first Bush Administration, George Herbert Walker Bush, we have been at loggerheads with the Environmental Protection Agency with the reassessment of dioxin, which was originally supposed to have been published in 1990,” he said. In a statement, Lois Marie Gibbs, Executive Director of the Center for Health, Environment & Justice, said the EPA “has repeatedly allowed the chemical industry to delay its efforts to finalize its study.” Scott Jensen, with American Chemistry Council, said the industry group fears the EPA dioxin standards will raise unfounded fears about the safety of the food supply. He pointed to the Department of Agriculture’s “MyPlate” recommendations for a healthy diet. “If you follow through on the USDA guidelines, you will have a fair amount of population exceeding what EPA says is an acceptable level of dioxin,” Jensen said. The American Farm Bureau Federation and a number of other food groups co-signed a letter to the EPA earlier this month saying, “We remain concerned agency actions will inadvertently mislead and frighten consumers about the safety of food and may trigger negative trading partner actions, either of which could have a major negative economic impact on U.S. food producers.” Filed under: Cancer , Diabetes , Fertility , Public Health , Toxic America Tagged: David Martin – CNN Medical Senior Producer

In the field of athletics, the term “performance enhancers” has taken on a negative connotation of late. The very mention of it frequently conjures up images of professional athletes “juicing up” on anabolic steroids or synthetic stimulants. Fortunately, in recent years, scientists have uncovered an all natural and much safer alternative that may just improve Related posts: Juice Supplements Hot Cocoa Power Ginger Root Power Berry Power Patient Power

5 classic Summer dishes, and modern updates to go with them PopSugar NYC: where to find friendship bracelets from local designers How to get a graffiti nail art look Say I do, again: get inspired to renew your vows Tori Spelling shares the secrets of stealing time with your kids Back-to-school special: Fab’s college intern shares her Fall shopping list New ways to complete a successful speed cleaning Buzz discusses why the Sex and the City prequel will work better as a TV series Quick tips for negotiating a salary for a new job Stand up and dust yourself off: ways to get back on the fitness wagon What do you know about your dog’s eyes? Calorie counter wants to be your only diet app See a Sugar reader’s before-and-after kitchen remodel Video: Ryan Reynolds vacations with Sandra Bullock – are they dating? The road to Kim Kardashian and Kris Humphries’s wedding!

All around active gal, Pippa Middleton is also a fan of Pilates . We tested five healthy frozen chicken dinners . Did any belong in your microwave? If you’re stuck on a weight-loss plateau , here are some tips to rev up your program. Four smart ways to work your middle and combat belly fat . These celebs love ballet-inspired classes – do you? We want to know: how many cups of coffee do you drink daily ? Take your intervals outdoors with this speedplay workout . Try some of these protein-loaded vegetarian snacks after your next workout.

For those flipping through late-night infomercials, P90X may seem like just another throwaway home workout system, but it has a major fan base, celebrities included. From plyometrics to yoga, the system stresses the idea of “muscle confusion” – basically, you’re changing up your routine so much that you never plateau. It clearly works, too: Ashton Kutcher sang its praises when he got ripped for a movie role, and Pink never goes on the road without her P90X DVDs. Keep reading to find out who else in Hollywood is a member of the P90X posse. View Slideshow ›

Is it bad that I get more motivated to workout when I have all the “required gear” for a specific fitness classes? I’ll go to one class and then convince myself that I need just the right headband, shoes, socks and sports bra to really step in up in class number two. What I truly love about yoga is the fact that it’s a minimalists dream - heck, just show up and you can take part in what you’re already wearing (OK, I take that back, you might need some lycra). Aside from my yoga mat, the only other investment I’ve made to my yoga routine is getting a proper non-slip towel for Bikram yoga classes. Hot yoga is great for sweating out toxins , but your mat can turn into one dangerous Slip ‘N Slide if you don’t use a towel that is specially designed to grip to your mat. Trust me, I learned the hard way! Here are some of my favorites that not only soak up the sweat, but keep you in one place during your practice. Namaste . View Slideshow ›

Also: the seriously ill worry about fate of the health law; Avastin side effects; lobbying to restore FSA eligibility.

One of my friends, who’s vegan, likes to always snack healthy and animal-product-free, which can be difficult when she goes to the movies. To solve this predicament, she brings her own popcorn – topped with olive oil and sea salt – in a baggie in her purse. During the Summer months, with blockbusters galore and the theater’s air conditioning calling your name, frequent movie theater jaunts may make for some unhealthy snacking habits . With all the buttery, sugary concession stand choices available, a simple solution may be bringing your own healthy alternatives (like these popcorn ideas ). Do you bring your own? Or do you have another way to limit your cal intake at the movies? Source: Flickr User edenpictures Do You Bring Your Own Healthy Snacks to the Movies? Yes - I keep healthy snacks in my bag. No - I choose healthy concession stand items and small portions.

Confession: I am a bad friend. This week when a good friend asked to borrow my yoga mat for her Bikram class , I guiltily said no. The idea of sharing something that is so important to me – and that I sweat profusely on – just didn’t sit well. I think I was also a little grossed out by the idea of her using it in hot yoga without a towel. I know that yoga mats are easily cleaned, I guess I’m just squeamish about certain things. It’s probably the same reason I’m weird about sharing bathing suits and razors. Days later I am still feeling guilty and wonder if I need to find a way to get over my germaphobic tendencies. Tell me . . . Are You OK With Lending Out Your Yoga Mat? Yes, of course. No way. That’s gross.