Question from Jackie J

Hi there

I have asthma and have been advised that leather furniture is a better way to go because of allergies to dust mites.

Are there any sofa companies that sell leather that will not be full of toxins that will outgas? The problem with used furniture, as I understand it, is that the risk of bedbugs can be pretty high if you don’t know the owner. Or is there an alternative to leather that would also inhibit dust mites?

Thank you so much.

Jackie

Debra’s Answer

I don’t have any experience with this one. Readers, if you have asthma, what are your recommendations for sofas?

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Question from LaReeJB

Food I found your Sweet Savvy site by looking for foods I can make to eat after just finding out I am diabetic, type 2. I am a 27 year old mother of lots of little girls. I read your recipe for banana waffles and the mother said that she has to watch the glycemic index foods for her son with ADHD. Because I am very new to the diabetes world, it struck me because almost all the food lists of glycemic indexes put bananas at 70 points. Do the other ingredients sort of counter balance that or what? I notice many foods stating they are good for diabetics, when their ingredient list tops these charts too. I am learning to watch the ingredients better. Sorry, I’m a newb and its great finding somewhere list things as straight forward as you have.

Debra’s Answer

I personally don’t rely on the glycemic index much, as it is a general indicator and bodies are very individual. A high glycermic index will raise your blood sugar a lot, a low glycemic index will raise blood sugar very little or not at all. The best thing I can recommend is to test foods for yourself and see what makes YOUR blood sugar go up.

In general, refined foods have the highest glycemic index, like refined sugars and grains. Also white potatoes, and “starchy” vegetables like winter squash and carrots. Cooking fruits and vegetables increases their glycemic index and processing grains (like “popping” them to make rice cakes) really increases the glycemic index.

The best diet for a Type 2 diabetic is meat, poultry, fish, fats and oils, nuts, beans, vegetables, and some fruits. Green leafy vegetables are amazingly helpful. Fruits should be kept to very small servings.

You can combine high glycemic foods with low glycemic foods and they will “balance.” So a good dessert would be cheesecake or creme brulee or ice cream because the fat lowers the glycemic index of the sweetener.

I’ve found agave to be the best sweetener for diabetics as it has a low glycemic index and a lot of sweetness.

But really the best thing is to reduce the sweeteners, grains, potatoes, and fruits to as little as you can tolerate.

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Question from mammomarj

Hi Debra,

I’m scared to death to buy a washing machine, even a used one because I am so sensitive to any toxic chemical. Petroleum, bleach, plastics, gas exhaust, basically any man made product. How long would you say it would take for a used washing machine to off gas. I really don’t want to buy a new one because I hear for the past 10 years they have been using plastics in the drums, and they are no longer ceramic. What do I do? My husband has been washing our clothes in the bath tub and in a small plastic basin that we’ve had for years and has off gassed. Thank you for your help.

Debra’s Answer

I think finding a washing machine isn’t as difficult as you fear it is. I’ve purchased several used washing machines. I wouldn’t buy a new one, but look for one that is 10 years old. Do you belong to an MCS support group? Maybe someone you know has one for sale.

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Question from Miemiemuis

We are considering adding an air exchanger to our air conditioning unit since I like the idea of having fresh air come in, instead of recycling the same inside air. Since we live in Florida we have the A/C on for about 6 months out of the year.

https://www.smarthome.com/3033A/HE100-Air-to-Air-Exchanger/p.aspx

Do you think it is worth it or will an efficient air filter do just as good?

Thanks,

Marie

Debra’s Answer

I’m not sure I understand your question.

1) Some air conditioners bring in outside air, others don’t.

2) An air exchanger brings in fresh air.

3) An air filter is designed to filter the existing air and some air filters also bring in outside air.

So first check and see how much air is being brought in by your air conditioner, then choose whether you want an air exchanger or an air filter that brings in air to supplement the air being brought in by the air conditioner.

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Question from Miemiemuis

I love using natural bar soap, but some people say bacteria likes to live in the wet soap. Do you know if that is true?

Thanks,

Marie

Debra’s Answer

I am not concerned about this.

Bar soap has been in use for centuries with no ill effects. Bacteria is everywhere. You cannot escape it. Bar soap probably does have bacteria on it, but so does your skin.

The question isn’t, “is there bacteria on bar soap?” but rather, “is there harmful bacteria on hand soap?”

I’ve never seen any evidence that bacteria on hand soap is a health concern.

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Question from reinventingqueen

Dear Debra,

I am soo glad I found your blog.

We recently purchased several toys from a reputable european company for our 8 month old baby.

The toys are made from cotton/polyester. On the caring instructions it says that the toys should be put in Permanent Press/wrinkle resistant program in the washer.

I remember from your free e-book that labels like ‘crease-resistant,’ ‘crease-proof,’ ‘no iron,’ ‘wrinkle-resistant,’ ‘durable press,’ ‘easy-care’, ‘wrinkle-free’, ‘stain-resistant,’ ‘wash and wear,’ and ‘permanent press’ mean the fabrics are probably treated with formaldehyde.

Could the toys be treated with formaldehyde?

Debra’s Answer

It sounds like these fabrics are probably treated with formaldehyde.

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Question from Steve Savitz

I recently bought this baking dish from Bed Bath and Beyond and it felt so light that I realized that it couldn’t be pure glass. I called CorningWare and the rep told me it’s made of a proprietary substance called “Vitrelle” – the same material as they used with Corel dishes for years. They told me that CorningWare always does extensive testing ont their products. Does anyone know if there are any hidden hazards to using this?

Thanks.

Debra’s Answer

Vitrelle is a laminated tempered glass product made with three layers of two types of glass. I don’t know of any negative health effects.

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Question from TerryAnn

Hi Debra.

Can you recommend something to use to brush my dogs teeth that is natural and would have an enzymatic element to it? If there isn’t anything with an enzymatic effect, how about anything natural that would help with tarter beyond just the actual brushing part? Also, do you know of a toothbrushe that is made from natural materials?
Thank you kindly!
Terry

Debra’s Answer

I’ve never had a dog, so I don’t have any experience with this. Readers?

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I received this today in a newsletter from Go Beyond Organic:

–Fluoride slowly accumulates in our bodies as well as in the environment. It doesn’t just blow away in the wind, nor get easily expelled in the urine. It first goes to the soft tissue, cartilage, tendons, and blood vessel walls, various organs, then the harder tissues such as bone, then to the teeth, and finally what’s left over gets excreted via the kidneys, hopefully. But remember, most of it is cummulative. Approximately 50% of the fluorine ingested, remains and accumulates in the body.

–Fluoride cannot be removed from drinking water with a charcoal filter; and reverse-osmosis filters only remove 40-60% of the fluoride because of the infinitely soluble form of hydrofluorosilicic acid. Steam distilling process will remove most of the fluoride. Boiling water for soup, coffee, tea or other drink, only concentrates fluoride.

–Approximately 1,200 mg (1.2 grams) of sodium fluoride (“just a pinch”) will kill an adult human being. That was the low estimate that Dominic Smith ingested when he died from an overdose of fluoridated water at Hooper Bay, Alaska on 23 May 1992. (Approximately 200 mg will kill a small child.)

–In the fluoridation process at the water treatment plant, fluoride is added to our water supply at the rate of one part per million, or 1 milligram per liter. One milligram is the daily intended “target dose” of this medicine, for each child under 14 years of age whose teeth haven’t yet fully formed. (Adults and pets supposedly don’t count in this equation, even though they also receive their own fluoride in extremely unreliable and varying dosages.) Therefore, for every 400 liters of water supplied to us, a full 400 milligrams of fluoride is added to the water supply. However, since only 1 milligram of that amount (one liter of water) is swallowed, 399 milligrams of excess fluoride literally gets flushed down into the sewer or sprayed out onto the ground as a fully legal toxic waste dumping ground. (And we pay $400.00 for just $1.00 worth of medicine.) Since we even bought the toxic waste, that’s quite profitable for whomever manufactured and sold it, but not very healthy for Mother Earth.