Question from Jeanmarie

I was looking to purchase a mattress online and came across a mattress made of palm visco. It claimed to be “natural” but as you know that means nothing. I could not find any info on palm visco. Could you help me? I don’t want to regret my purchase.

Debra’s Answer

It looks to me to be a memory foam made with palm oil, a variation of the foams made with soy. I can’t find any information on this memory foam specifically, however these foams are usually made with standard polyurethane with only a small percentage replaced with the oil.

Unless I had more documentation, I wouldn’t trust this to be made from 100% palm oil.

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Question from noel

Can anyone recommend a respirator for me. I am reacting to something in stores, but don’t know what it is. I tried the 3m 8577 mask, but that didn’t work. Thanks

Debra’s Answer

Respirators are a very individual thing. What might work for one person often doesn’t work for another.

Readers, if you want to, go ahead and post respirators you’ve used and liked, but Noel, understand they may or may not work for you.

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West Nile Virus is in the news again as disease-carrying mosquitoes are are biting and people are dying. As a result, communities are spraying toxic pesticides and individuals are rushing to buy toxic mosquito repellents.

Here are two tips for protecting yourself and your loved ones.

1. Keep disease-carrying mosquitoes away with a nontoxic mosquito repellant.

2. Protect your body from toxic pesticide exposure with a detox program.

Sweating helps remove toxic pesticides from your body, so go outdoors and sweat instead of sitting in an air conditioned room, or go sweat in a sauna.

Also, chlorophyll will help remove pesticides, so eat lots of fresh greens and take a greens supplement, such as Touchstone Essentials Supergreens + D, a rich blend of barley grass, spinach and broccoli sprouts, with enzymes and probiotics to help your body digest all the goodness plus vegetarian Vitamin D concentrated from mushrooms.

And remember to drink lots of good, purified water.

Links

Centers for Disease Control: West Nile Virus

Stop West Nile Spraying Now

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Question from Jay

Hi Debra, I was wondering if you had heard about the Omica Shower Filter. This is the link to check it out: http://www.omicaorganics.com/store/omica-shower-filter.html?___SID=U

I remember reading about shower filters being ineffective, or even harmful, because warm water would damage the filter and release chemicals in the filtered water. Do you know anything about this? What do you think about it? Thanks a lot.

Debra’s Answer

First I think that shower filters are an excellent idea. In fact, my father put together the first shower filter for me back in 1978 and then a friend of mine started selling that same model made from parts from the hardware store.

I don’t know anything about warm water damaging the filter or releasing chemicals into the filtered water. Chemicals WILL get released into filtered water hot or cold if you continue to use the filter media after all the pores are filled that have trapped the pollutant molecules. So it’s very important to change your filter media as recommended by the manufacturer.

Now regarding this particular shower filter, I wouldn’t buy this one. It says it “helps remove” fluoride, chloramine and chlorine and removes 100% lead.

Then it lists the filtration medium elements:

First of all, NONE of these media remove fluoride to my knowledge.

Second, I don’t like filters designed to remove BOTH chlorine and chloramine. It’s a waste of media. Your water has one or the other. It’s better to have all the media remove whichever one you have in your water.

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Question from Sheila

Hi Debra, I purchased some brown wicker baskets to use around my house for blankets and my child’s toys. I immediately noticed that they had a smell as soon as we got home. To me, odor means something toxic in most cases. I tried to let them air out on the patio for several days and they still had a strong odor. Is the lacquer they put on it toxic?

Sincerely,

Sheila

Debra’s Answer

“Lacquer on Wicker Baskets” is a pretty broad topic, as wicker baskets are made in many parts of the world and all kinds of things could be used to finish them. Odor isn’t always toxic, but it’s a good chance it is.

I always look for baskets that are as unfinished as I can find and no odor. I have managed to find quite a number over the years, so it is possible.

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Question from Michele

I am going to can some tomato sauce in a water bath. The directions say I can add either citric acid or lemon juice. I was leaning toward the lemon juice but was concerned with a change in flavor, not exactly suitable for spaghetti sauce. Should I have any concerns with using citric acid?

Debra’s Answer

Citric acid is considered safe as a food additive and it occurs naturally in citrus fruits, however my concern about using it is an industrial product, versus the natural citric acid that would be present in lemon juice.

Here’s a description of how citric acid is produced as an industrial product:

Having never canned tomatoes myself, I was wondering why add either, and found a webpage where it says you can add bottled lemon juice, citric acid, or vinegar to can tomatoes in a hot water bath. It didn’t say how much you need to add, so I don’t know how it would effect the flavor. I don’t think your tomatoes will taste like lemon. You could add vinegar. Or use a different canning method.

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Question from SSM

Hi Debra, I learn so much on this site but ohe there is still much more to do.

Mainly I am writing to let you and other readers know of our ‘big goof’.

We succumbed and purchased Behr’s new Premium Plus Ultra paint, it has primer and paint in one and Home Depot swears it is low VOC. So after testing little jars of samples we bought paint in gallons, but when I poured the paint from the can into a roller tray I was totally overwhelmed by the smell of ammonia!

I’m not a kid, I’ve smelled paint and other things my whole life – – but paint that reeks of ammonia? No. My eyes burned, watered, head got a bit swoony – I poured what little was in the tray back and put the lid on it. Of course Home Depot has a nice sticker that says they won’t take it back. I have waited for summer to paint when weather was warm, Needless to say I was angry (and felt more than a little stupid)

So I came back here and searched – this time we went to Lowe’s and bought a quart of their Olympic One – – wow – – I smell nothing.

Debra’s Answer

Well, I am happy to hear of your experience with Olympic One, because that was mine too…nothing. Yet others have written in saying they are having a problem with that paint.

I am wondering if the manufacture of paint is THAT different from batch to batch that sometimes there is a problem and sometimes there isn’t and that is what we are running into.

Sorry you had that experience with Behr, but thanks for sharing.

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Question from SSM

Hi Debra, I have heard about Earthing Sheets – along with a few other Earthing products for home. A Bau Biologist has suggested the use of such, and I am very curious. Now I see Carolina Morning’s Quantum Calming Mat and am curious about your thoughts on these particular items, as well as anyones’ experience with them. Thank you.

Sally

Debra’s Answer

I haven’t used either product personally, however I have nothing against them.

I’ve read the entire book Earthing: The Most Important Health Discovery Ever? and totally agree with the need for our bodies to be connected with the Earth’s electromagnetic and other force fields.

The most direct way to do this is to go lie down on the Earth, which I try to do on a regular basis. They recommend 20 minutes a day, I think, I don’t have the book right in front of me.

For me, I always prefer to do something that is as close to nature as possible rather than use an industrial consumer product to do something, which is why I haven’t chosen to use either of these myself.

But, as I said, I have no reason why you shouldn’t use them if you wish.

I know some of you have used these products. Please feel free to write in with your experience.

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Question from Amy E

I have very sever eczema and chemical sensitivities. Also I am breastfeeding an infant, and I am wondering what the best source of drinking water would be. (filter, distiller, botted etc?) I live in an apartment so a whole house filter is not an option. Also, our water has chlorine, not chloramine. Thank you.

Debra’s Answer

Based on the information you’ve given me, most any activated carbon filter will do.

I would suggest an undersink or countertop model that connects to your plumbling, not a canister-type because they don’t have enough filter media.

Also you should get a shower filter because chlorine is absorbed through your skin when you take a shower or bath.

That said, I strongly suggest you get your water tested to see if there is anything else in your water you should be removing.

Read more about all this at Debra’s List: Water: Filters and Debra’s List: Water: Testing

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Question from Cat

Hello, Yesterday my husband realized his tire was flat so he took my car to the shop with the tire in the trunk for repair. He then used my car to go to work. Today, when he went to pick it up he realized it was not able to be repaired so they mounted a new tire for him, so he could get to work. He put the new tire on the wheel in the trunk of my new car. As we were pulling out of the tire shop I became worried. The tire was in the trunk and I really couldn’t smell it, but he didn’t put anything down in the trunk of my new car and as we drove I worried that the fumes would collect in the trunk and seep into the cab of the car. I am newely pregnant and a bit paranoid. I made him vacume the trunk out and then I placed a blanket down in the trunk before taking the car shopping…should I be worried I was exposed to chemicals in the transpport of the tire and using the trunk after?

Debra’s Answer

Tires are made of synthetic rubber, which do outgass a fair amount of pretty toxic chemicals, including benzene, toluene, and xylene (and about seventy others). These chemicals can cause harm to developing fetuses. However, the amount you were exposed to makes a difference.

From your description, it sounds like you weren’t exposed to much emissions, if any, however I would stay away from tire stores, where there would be a lot of these chemicals in the air.

By the way, here is the full list of toxic chemicals found in tire emissions:

Well, the original got lost during one of my transfers from website to website. So here are some new updated lists:

Note 37: Volatile Organic Emissions from Automobile Tires

HEaLTHY BUILDING NETWORK: Avoiding Contaminants in Tire-Derived Flooring

HUFFINGTON POST: Scrap Tire Playgrounds Lighten Landfills, But Raise Cancer Fears

While I am all for doing things that help the environment, this is a prime example of how an action can be both green and toxic at the same time.

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