Covid-19 is a respiratory disease that affects your lungs so now is a good time to be thinking about keeping your lungs, and your overall health, as strong as possible.  According to the American Lung Association, air pollution can make the COVID-19 pandemic worse. Since it is a disease affecting the lungs, people who live in places with more air pollution could be more vulnerable.

In normal times, indoor air pollution can be 2 to 5 times greater than outdoor pollution.  There are new factors, related to the pandemic, that may be making indoor air pollution levels even higher and our exposure greater.

• Most of us are spending more time than ever indoors.
• As disinfecting is an important defense against the virus, people may be using products with more toxic ingredients than they would normally use.
• We are cooking more meals at home which creates harmful fumes and particles that need to be properly ventilated.

Fortunately, there are simple steps you can take to improve your air quality and keep yourself well.

• Open your windows, often.

Outdoor air pollution levels have improved dramatically in China as a result of restricted activities indicating that air in the U.S. may also be improving.  Opening your windows will let the cleaner air in.

• Keep the house clean.

Household dust is full of toxic chemicals as well as allergens and other harmful particles.  Pick up dust with a damp cloth and use a vacuum with a high-efficiency particulate air (HEPA) filter.

• Use proper ventilation when cooking.

Cooking is a major source of poor indoor air quality.  Proper ventilation is critical, particularly if you are cooking with gas.  If you don’t have a range hood that vents to the outside, open your windows while cooking.  If your range hood doesn’t extend over your front burners, make sure to cook on your back burners.  Also, clean up any food particles on the burners because as they burn, they can release toxic by-products into the air.

• Change your filters.

If your air filter from your HVAC system is clogged it can recirculate dust, mold and particles back into your air.

• Invest in an Air Purifier.

Check out Debra’s List for recommended air purifiers.  I am working on updating this and developing a buying guide that I will post soon.

Question from Miriam

I reached out to ECR4Kids to try to find out what finish they use and if they use adhesive but have not heard back.  You could absolutely use AFM SafeSeal on this!  That would be a very good option.  I would do this over either of the IKEA options.

The IKEA Mammut is made of polypropylene, which is typically a safer plastic.  However, as I discuss in this post, it is very difficult to know what additives are used in the plastic.  These additives are often more hazardous than the plastic.

The IKEA Ypperlig has even more materials of concern.  The top is made of particleboard, ash veneer, fiberboard, solid birch with a clear lacquer.  IKEA strives to use lower levels of chemicals in their products but they do use chemicals.  Particleboard and fiberboard often contain formaldehyde.  Veneers use adhesive which off-gas.  The lacquer could also off-gas.  It has many more potential sources of chemicals than the solid wood table.

Question from Emma

Question from Elizabeth

Photo by Liubov Ilchuk on Unsplash

There is always a high level of interest among my readers in the health effects of heavy metals, such as lead, mercury, and arsenic, so I I thought I’d share my experience with Hair Tissue Mineral Analysis (HTMA). HTMA is a laboratory hair test that measures the mineral content in your hair and assesses both your mineral deficiencies and potential heavy metal toxicities. Unlike blood testing which only gives you information about recent exposure, hair testing can give you an indication of long-term toxic metal accumulation. 

I worked with Karen Stein, of Go Healthy with Karen®, a certified health coach who is also trained in Hair Mineral Analysis. Full disclosure, Karen is my sister. 

My Results 

Honestly, I was not expecting to see any dramatic results given my healthy lifestyle and avoidance of toxins. Needless to say, I was startled to find that I have high levels of mercury as well as some mineral imbalances that signify stress, environmental toxins, or heavy metals. According to WebMD (link), if your hair has toxins like mercury and arsenic, you could be more likely to get certain health problems. 

Karen warned me that results from your first hair test often show no or low levels of heavy metals because they can hide in our tissues, organs, brain and even bones. Once you begin to detox, the metals can show up in future tests, before diminishing as you complete your detoxification program. 

My Detox Program 

Karen developed a personalized supplement protocol based on my testing results. I have taken many supplements over the years and am impressed with the clean ingredients and affordable price. After 4- 6 months I will do another hair test to see if my mercury levels have gone down and my minerals are in balance. There is a chance that as my body is detoxing, I will see the presence of other heavy metals. If that is the case, we will adjust the supplements until my test is clean. I will continue to post updates on my progress. 

Things to Consider When Testing for Heavy Metals

I believe that it is important to test before taking any products that claims to remove heavy metals. Different binders (products that bind to and help remove heavy metals from the body) can have a greater affinity for different types of metals. It is important to know what accumulations you have in your body to know what type of binder is appropriate for each individual person. If someone has significant mineral deficiencies showing on their HTMA analysis, they should undergo a slower pre-detox phase while they build up their mineral levels. Blindly taking detox supplements can cause serious symptoms, once these metals are freed and circulating in the body without properly binding and removing them.

It’s also important to consider the laboratory that will run your test. There are only 2 laboratories in the country that do not wash the hair sample before analyzing it. This will distort the results. Make sure the laboratory that is being used for your hair test does not wash the samples.

Finally, look for a practitioner that has delivered results for their clients and who is specially trained in analyzing the HTMA data. The typical HTMA comes from the lab with a report that many practitioners will just pass along to their clients. It offers some basic supplement and/or nutritional recommendations. Karen is among a small group of practitioners who have been extensively and specially trained to further analyze the data contained in the HTMA far beyond what the report shows. This analysis can uncover trends in mineral ratios and patterns that can point to possible underlying issues with metabolism, thyroid function, brain fog, immune function as well as heavy metal toxicities.

If would like to learn more about HTMA read more here. If you would like to work with Karen you can contact her at Go Healthy with Karen ®- www.gohealthywithkaren.com or call her at 770-508-8980.

Photo by Freshh Connection on Unsplash

If you are looking to boost your immune system try this delicious, warming latte.  It packs a punch with immune-boosting ingredients that you probably already have in your pantry.

2 cup almond milk (homemade preferred)

1 teaspoon ground turmeric

½ teaspoon cinnamon

1 Tablespoon fresh grated ginger (or ¼ teaspoon ground ginger)

Pinch black pepper

Optional:  Sweeten with honey

Serves 2

Directions:

1. In a small saucepan, add all of the ingredients, except for the honey.
2. Whisk over medium heat until heated but before boiling.
3. Remove from heat, pour into 2 cups and let steep for 5 minutes.
4. If sweetener is desired, add honey.
5. If using fresh ginger, strain before drinking.

Question from Danielle

Question from Shelly

Question from Terry

Question from Donna