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August 2010
a toxin-free life |
By wisdom a house is built,
and through understanding it is established;
through knowledge its rooms are filled
with rare and beautiful treasures. Proverbs 24:3-4 (NIV)
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 The above scripture reminds us of building the rooms of a home and establishing a place for storing treasures. It seems to be human instinct to establish a home, whether we are placed indefinitely, or as an interim. It is exactly 10 years this August, that toxic mold was discovered within the walls of my previous home. That was actually mid-point in my toxic saga because Ken and I had experienced debilitating symptoms, with no answers for 5 years. Then, that moment of discovery we thought was an ending, but it was another beginning. We could not imagine that it would mean the destruction of our home, destruction of all belongings in the home, loss of business, and the fact that our health would worsen before it got better, and before we could begin again.
I can honestly say I prayed, without ceasing, for God to show me what He wanted me to do with an experience of that magnitude. And He answered
my prayers.
It did not take long to realize that our treasures were stored, not in a structure,
but within us. Today life is brimming with promises of new tomorrows, and filled with delightful surprises all along the way. I am blessed to share this web site and information with you, hopefully improving our daily lives along the way. I encourage all of us to seek true treasures to fill the rooms of our lives, our hearts, and our homes.
Joyful thoughts are sent to you for the memories of the Summer of 2010 to become one of those treasures as you behold the coming season and treasures of fall. A few may be rare, but all of them can be beautiful.
" A life without love is like a year without summer."
Swedish Proverb |
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Got Mold ?
Now that the summer is coming to an end, before closing up the house
as the cooler breezes of fall greet us, it is time to make sure your house
is free of mold and mildew.
*** Check for leaks, Or signs of leaks,--- Up (ceilings and roofs)
down (floors, under rugs and carpets, cabinets, pipes),
and all around (everywhere else).
*** Check for spots where wet swimsuits, towels, toys, or shoes may
have been placed and forgotten.
*** Air out the house on a dry day.
Space does not permit me to advise you to the extent I would like, but
here is a link to review any information you may need to read.
I am also including a link to a 2-minute video concerning toxic mold
and two of your fellow subscribers to this newsletter, Iris and T.Lee Brooks.
Iris was most helpful in assisting me to campaign for The Proclamation for
Toxic Mold Month in California. Continued prayers and blessings to
the two of you for your recovery.
http://www2.wjbf.com/news/2010/jul/28/decreasing-mold-your-home-ar-632782/
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With all the bad press about eggs, I wanted to tell you what is good about them. All of the issues
will be settled soon, but until then, to be safe, cook your eggs until well done. This may mean
forgoing some of your favorites dishes, but only for a short while.
Read on......the eggs are worth the wait.
 The Incredible Egg
Note from Pam,
This is a long read, but I feel it is important for your health......When I asked my doctor about getting too much cholesterol from eggs, his reply, "Do you think God made a mistake? "
Therefore, here is some research I want to share with you.
By throwing out the yolk and only eating egg whites, you're essentially throwing out the most nutrient dense, antioxidant-rich, vitamin and mineral loaded portion of the egg. Yolks
contain B-vitamins, trace minerals, Vit. A, folate, choline, Lutein, other powerful nutrients
In fact, the egg whites are almost devoid of nutrition compared to the yolks.
Even the protein in egg whites isn't as powerful without the yolks to balance out the amino acid profile and make the protein more bio-available.
Yolks from free range chickens are loaded with omega-3 fatty acids.
Yolks contain more than 90% of the calcium, iron, phosphorus, zinc, thiamin, B6, folate, and B12, and panthothenic acid of the egg.
In addition, the yolks contain ALL of the fat soluble vitamins A, D, E, and K in the egg, as well as ALL of the essential fatty acids.
The most common objection to eating the yolk ------
"But I heard that whole eggs will skyrocket my cholesterol through the roof."
No, this is FALSE!
When you eat a food that contains a high amount of dietary cholesterol such as eggs, your body down-regulates it's internal production of cholesterol to balance things out.
If you don't eat enough cholesterol, your body simply produces more since cholesterol has tons of important functions in the body.
There are indications that eating whole eggs actually raises your good HDL cholesterol to a higher degree than LDL cholesterol, thereby improving your overall cholesterol ratio and blood chemistry.
In addition, the yolks contain the antioxidant lutein as well as other antioxidants which can help protect you from inflammation within your body (the REAL culprit in heart disease, not dietary cholesterol!), giving yet another reason why the yolks are actually GOOD for you, and not detrimental.
A study that compared groups of people that ate egg breakfasts vs groups of people that ate cereal or bagel based breakfasts showed that the egg eaters lost or maintained a healthier bodyweight, while the cereal/bagel eaters gained weight.
It was hypothesized that the egg eaters actually ate less calories during the remainder of the day because their appetite was more satisfied compared to the cereal/bagel eaters who would have been more prone to wild blood sugar swings and food cravings.
Enjoy your eggs and get a leaner and healthier body! |
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( but all of us could use them too )
Concern for toxic school lunch boxes:
Copyright laws do not permit me to reprint the following information, but I can direct you to the site for your own information.
snopes.com: Lunch Boxes and Lead
Guide to PVC-Free School Supplies
The Center for Health, Environment & Justice has published their third-annual Back-to-School Guide to PVC-Free School Supplies to empower parents to make smarter, healthier shopping choices for a toxic-free future.
AA |
Be Wise With Plastics
A Guide to the Plastic Coding
for your healthier choices
Plastic is generally toxic to produce, toxic to use, and toxic to dispose of.
Luckily, we can all make safer choices.
The best thing to do is to reduce your use of plastic. Look for natural alternatives like textiles, solid wood, bamboo, glass, stainless steel, etc. Also, look for items with less (or no) plastic packaging. If you do buy plastic, opt for products you can recycle or re-purpose (e.g. a yogurt tub can be re-used to store crayons). And, get to know your plastics - starting with this guide:
The most common plastics have a resin code in a chasing arrow symbol (often found on the bottom of the product).
 PET (Polyethylene Terephthalate): AVOID
Common Uses: Soda Bottles, Water Bottles, Cooking Oil Bottles
Concerns: Can leach antimony and phthalates.
 HDPE (High Density Polyethylene): SAFER
Common Uses: Milk Jugs, Plastic Bags, Yogurt Cups
 PVC (Polyvinyl Chloride, aka Vinyl): AVOID
Common Uses: Condiment Bottles, Cling Wrap, Teething Rings, Toys, Shower Curtains
Concerns: Can leach lead and phthalates among other things. Can also off-gas
toxic chemicals.
 LDPE (Low Density Polyethylene): SAFER
Common Uses: Produce Bags, Food Storage Containers
 PP (Polypropylene): SAFER
Common Uses: Bottle Caps, Storage Containers, Dishware
 PS (Polystyrene, aka Styrofoam): AVOID
Common Uses: Meat Trays, Foam Food Containers & Cups
Concerns: Can leach carcinogenic styrene and estrogenic alkylphenols
 Other this is a catch-all category which includes:
PC (Polycarbonate): AVOID - can leachBisphenol-A (BPA). It also includes ABS (Acrylonitrile Butadiene Styrene), SAN (Styrene Acrylonitrile), Acrylic, and Polyamide. These plastics can be a safer option because they are typically very durable and resistant to high heat resulting in less leaching. Their drawbacks are that they are not typically recyclable and some need additional safety research. New plant-based, biodegradable plastics like PLA (Polylactic Acid) also fall into the #7 category.
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Now let's combat the chemical war with natural cleansers. Here are some home sweet home-made cleaning recipes:
All-Purpose Household Cleaner
What you will need:
Liquid Soap ( Castile soap)
White distilled vinegar
Borax
Essential oil
16-oz trigger spray bottle
Mix 2 tbsp. of vinegar with 1 tsp. Borax. Fill rest of bottle with very hot water. Shake well. Add ¼ cup of liquid soap. Add 10 -15 drops of lemon oil or bergamot.
Dish Wash Blend
Fill a 22-oz bottle with castile soap.
Add 15 drops of lemon oil, 6 drops of lavender oil,
and 6 drops of Bergamot oil.
Natural Soft Scrub
What you will need:
½ cup baking soda
½ cup liquid soap
5 - 10 drops pure antiseptic essential oil (lavender, tea tree, or rosemary)
Place the baking soda in a bowl. Slowly pour in liquid soap, stirring constantly until frosting-like. Add oil.
Bathroom Cleaner
Combine 2 tsp. of Borax, 4 tbsp. of distilled white vinegar, 4 cups of very hot water, and ¼ tsp. of liquid soap. Add a few drops of tea tree oil.
Stain Remover
Get a fresh lemon or lime and baking soda.
Wet the stain and pour on the baking soda.
Squeeze lemon juice over the stain.
Let it set for a few hours.
Finish by rubbing off remainder with a sponge.
Glass Cleaner
Get an 8-oz spray bottle. Fill halfway with vinegar and then add water to fill rest of bottle. Add some lemon oil to the mixture.
Furniture Polish
Fill an 8-oz squirt bottle with ¾ cup of olive oil, ¼ cup of white vinegar, and ¾ tsp. of lemon oil or food-grade lemon extract. Shake and start dusting.
Floor Cleaner
Fill a bucket with hot water. Add liquid soap and a drop of vinegar. This solution works great on your floors.
Carpet Deodorizer
Combine baking soda, corn starch (equal parts), and 10 drops of lavender oil into a shaker container (use a clean Kraft cheese container). Sprinkle on carpet.
Let it set for an hour and then vacuum.
Other Cleaning Ideas
Peroxide 3% or lemon juice and sunlight makes a great natural bleach. Club Soda is a great emergency spotter for spills on carpet and clothes.
Plants: Nature's Air Purifiers
A Boston fern helps to remove air pollutants, especially formaldehyde, and adds humidity to the indoor environment. The Ficus Alii is a large plant that also helps to purify the air and remove chemical vapors. A corn plant is an excellent house plant to help remove formaldehyde.
Plants should be placed every 100 yards to do the job of eliminating toxic vapors in your home.
God gave us all these wonderful resources to live the best we can, and, in turn, we should take of these beautiful creations- ------- including ourselves, His masterpieces!
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Starting multivitamins at the age of 4 or younger may curb the risk of food allergies and seasonal or inhaled allergies. Reuters Health.
Researchers found no evidence linking mothers' acetaminophen use in the first trimester to a heightened risk of any birth defect. In fact, women who took the medication to treat a first-trimester fever had a lower risk of certain birth defects. Reuters Health. [See a related article: Prenatal baby aspirin not harmful to infants: study]
Women in certain professions face a high risk of having children with physical problems, research shows. Women working as janitors faced the highest risk of giving birth to children with certain defects, while teachers faced the lowest risk. Toronto Globe and Mail, Ontario. [See a related article: Chefs lead on unhealthy habits]
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Food and Drug Administration being sued over anti-bacterial soap
 The U.S. Food and Drug Administration is being sued by a nonprofit environmental group for what the members claim is dangerous "antimicrobial" soap, Reuters reports.
The Council says the FDA didn't regulate the levels of triclosan and triclocarban in the soap, two toxic chemicals that can cause problems with reproductive organs, sperm quality and the production of thyroid and sex hormones.
"Washing your hands with so-called antibacterial soap containing triclosan or triclocarban actually does nothing different than using regular soap and water. Using soap containing these chemicals does not provide an additional benefit as consumers might think, but instead actually comes with potential health risks," said Jennifer Sass, a senior scientist in the Health and Environment Program at NRDC. "The FDA needs to prohibit these harmful chemicals from being put into products in the first place."The nonprofit Council claims it first approached the FDA about regulating this soap and other personal care products for over-the-counter use more than 30 years ago, but no action has been taken.
According to the lawsuit, the FDA proposed a ban from interstate trading of both chemicals in 1978 but nothing changed until 1994 when some ingredients were reclassified.
The plaintiffs are requesting the FDA be given a deadline to complete its study on the conditions for using these products.
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One more morsel of summer..........
"Love is to the heart what the summer is to the farmer's year.
It brings to harvest all the loveliest flowers of the soul."
-- Billy Graham
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