Question from niella

Hello Debra,

Which organic eye creams are best for sensitive eyes?

Thank you! 🙂

Debra’s Answer

Readers, what is your experience?

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Question from niella

Hello Debra,

Which brand of hair, skin and nails supplements are the best?? I was thinking on purchasing the GNC brand but I discovered those are synthetic. Then I stumbled upon the Bluebonnet ones. Have you (or anyone else) tried these? Do they work? I found some good reviews but not enough to convince me..

Thank you! 🙂

Debra’s Answer

My opinion, as stated before, is to take only supplements that are made from whole foods. Most supplements that are made for a specific purpose like improvement of hair, skin, or nails, are made from synthetic vitamins.

A whole food diet with whole food supplements will result in beautiful hair, skin, and nails.

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Question from HEG

I have been using a heart rate monitor for a few years to maximize my fitness routine. The system includes a band that goes around my chest with electrodes that measure my heart rate, and the information is then transmitted wirelessly to a watch that displays my heart rate. It just occured to me that the watch (which I wear all the time as my “normal” watch too) band is probably made of PVC – that is probably not good. In addition, I am wondering if there are any health concerns from wearing what is essentially a wireless ecg while i exercise every day, and whether keeping the watch as a normal watch is unhealthy in any way (i take the chest strap off after exercising and return the watch back to the normal watch mode).

Debra’s Answer

I wouldn’t wear PVC against my skin on a regular basis.

Don’t know about the heart rate monitor. Readers?

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Question from joyinjesus

I came accross an herbal product that listed in its ingredients oleaginous extract of rosemary, thyme … Is oleaginous extract a way of saying it was extracted using petroleum?

This product is advertised as safe, non-toxic. But since I don’t know what that means and am having a hard time finding the answer on the internet, I am afraid to buy it.

Please help me with this. Thank you so much for this web-site. I think it is literally a life-saver for me.

Debbie G.

Debra’s Answer

According to the Merriam-Webster online dictionary, oleaginous means ” resembling or having the properties of oil : oily; also : containing or producing oil.” So an oleaginous extract of rosemary or thyme would be an oily extract, which makes sense, because many herbs have oil in them.

As for how they are extracted, herbal extracts are typically obtained by compressing herbs with a hydraulic press while soaking them in alcohol or water. The alcohol or water is allowed to evaporate, and the remaining substance is the concentrated extract.

What I couldn’t find is what type of alcohol is used–petroleum-based or grain alcohol. Readers, any knowledge about this?

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Question from turducken

Hi Debra,

I found out that there is lots of aluminum in black tea. This may be due to it coming from India and China, but it’s hard to know because almost all good tea comes from those countries.

Do you know:

1) what the levels of aluminum are?

2) how these compare to aluminum levels from other sources?

3) what safe levels of aluminum are?

Debra’s Answer

According to the study Contents of aluminum and manganese in tea leaves and tea infusions:

The content of aluminum in tea leaves was

The concentration of aluminum in tea infusions (tea leaves steeped in water) was

1 milliliter is 0.033814 fl oz, or about 6 teaspoons, or 2 tablespoons, or 1/4 cup.

As for safe levels of aluminum…

Standards established by the California Environmental Protection Agency for water allow 1000 micrograms/litre of aluminum. (or 1000 micrograms/1000 millilitre). That would be 1 microgram of aluminum per millilitre of water) or tea). You can easily see that the amounts of aluminum found in wulong tea exceed this limit, while some green teas and black teas exceed the limit and others do not.

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Question from joyinjesus

I have MCS and would like to travel. Which is better? An RV or a travel trailer? I am thinking that a trailer could be made safer than an RV. My husband would rather not have to pull a trailer. Which one could be made the safest with the least amount of work?

Also, what kind of outer material would be best? Aluminum, fiberglass, or porcelain? I would think that to be surrounded by aluminum might cause a problem with EMF’s. I don’t know anything about fiberglass as pertains to MCS.

Do you or your reader’s know if there is a brand that is the best (quality, and uses less toxic materials)?

Thank you for your help.

Debra’s Answer

I have no experience with this.

Readers?

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Question from Mayo

I found your ‘old’ blog with posts about safe wood preserving methods (Wood Conditioner for Cutting Boards and Bowls) and plan to try walnut oil. I’d like to add beeswax (neighbor is an organic beekeeper – yes!) however would like a guide on how much oil to how much beeswax. A rough estimate is fine. I live on an island accessible only by boat and finally found a place to send me walnut oil. I want to get it right the first time, so appreciate any suggestions. Thanks.

Debra’s Answer

I’ve never made this.

Readers, any suggestions?

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Question from nk

I recently purchased the Shark Sanitizing Steam Cleaner and use it to clean my kitchen sink, counters and cabinets as well as the bathroom sink, counters, toilet and bathtub. Soooooo much easier and no chemicals, just water I love it!

Debra’s Answer

I have one too and love it. So much easier to clean the bathroom and no toxic chemicals.

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