Submitted questions will be posted with my response by the following Tuesday or before.
Submitted comments will be moderated and approved within 24 hours.
Fumes in home from refinishing floors & painting
Question from mm42111
We purchased a home recently and had the hardwood floors refinished in the whole house–upstairs and downstairs (sanded, stained, & sealed with polyurathane), and the entire house painted & kitchen cabinets sprayed. There is alot of dust and fumes in the house–there is no carpet in the house. We are going to have the ducts cleaned next week. Everything was done 1week ago and we move in 10days. I am 6 weeks pregnant and have asthma and have a 5 year old son and we are very concerned about the fumes. Could you recommend any solutions to help get rid of these fumes so we feel safe to move in. Also I read we should crank up the heat to try and cure the floors. Wondering if you know if this helps.
Debra’s Answer
Heat does work. I would suggest that you simply turn up your central heat as high as it will go and “bake” your house. I’ve done this many times for myself and clients and it DOES work. What it does is speed the outgassing of the toxic components of all those finishes you’ve used.
For the dust, I would get some fans and blow all the air out of the house before you heat.
Then heat for 24 hours and air the house out. Then another 24 hours and air, until you feel comfortable there are no more fumes. The longest I’ve ever had to do this is a week, so you should be able to get this done in your 10 days.
Organic food from other countries
Question from petercsantoro@yahoo.com
I try to buy organic fruits and vegetables when I can. I notice that a lot of fruits are from Mexico and South America. Can we be sure this fruit is as ” organic” and safe as it should be? I think I read that we should be careful of fruit from Mexico and South America in your last book, but I am not sure if this also applies to organic fruit from these countries… Thank you!
Debra’s Answer
It’s always best to buy food produced as close to home as possible. Your own backyard is the first choice, then from a local farmer or farmer’s market, then from a local store that probably brings in food from a wider sphere.
The further away your food source is, the less fresh the food is, and more opportunities for contamination along the way.
Look for the USDA Organic certification logo. The program does have trade agreements with other countries.
Lead-Free Lipstick
Earlier this month The Campaign for Safe Cosmetics (CSC) sent a letter to the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA), asking for a reduction of lead levels in lipstick because there there is no safe level for lead.
That lipstick contains lead has been known since 2007, when the CSC tested 33 lipsticks, including selections from top brands, and reported that “two-thirds of the 33 samples we tested contained detectable levels of lead; of those, half were above the recommended limit for lead in candy.”
There is much you can read about lead in lipstick, here is an article that sums up the issue: Consumer and environmental groups concerned with lead levels in lipstick.
I was asked, “Are there any lipsticks without lead?”
I want to say “yes” but I stopped myself because you can’t just look at a label and assume if lead isn’t listed as an ingredient, it’s lead-free. There is a list of lipsticks that tested lead-free in 2007, but that’s too old for me.
What’s needed is to make a bunch of phone calls to the natural brands and see what they say, or a whole bunch of lipsticks need to be tested anew to confirm they don’t contain lead.
I’m not even sure the Skin Deep database covers this as they are only looking at ingredients.
As I started looking at this, I found some brands that use organic ingredients and say their ingredients are “all natural” are using artificial colors, which may contain metals themselves, and those contaminants wouldn’t be on the label.
For example, I was searching “lead-free lipstick” and clicked through to an article that claimed to have a list of “lead-free” lipsticks, only to find that the first brand on the list had been crossed out because it contains lead. A natural brand, too, that you would think would be lead-free. I thought so. No harmful ingredients on the label. I have that brand of lipstick sitting in my purse.
This subject needs more research than I can give it today. We should all pitch in and figure this out together. Please post any research or questions here.
One lipgloss I am sure has no lead is Evan’s Garden Heavenly! Anti-oxident Skin Treatment. I’ve known Evan personally for about five years and there are NO synthetic ingredients of any kind in her products. I just got off the phone with her and we both think that the lead is coming from the artificial colors that are made from coal tar, such as the “red lake” colors with various numbers. So any lipsticks you have that are colored with natural pigments would be more likely to be lead-free
I’m going to keep checking and add more brands here. You check too.
Thanks!
Debra 🙂
More brands that have natural colors and told me they are lead free:
Stevia and Blood Pressure
Question from camon202
Stevia is help for high blood pressure. Is it safe for who has low blood pressure?
Debra’s Answer
Well, first, stevia doesn’t even begin to lower your blood pressure until you’ve been taking it for three months. A study gave participants 250mg of stevia to be taken 3 times a day. I don’t know what that translates to in terms of stevia drops or packets of stevia powder.
In the treated group, the average blood pressure at the beginning of the study was about 166/102. By the end of the study, this had fallen to 153/90.No significant reductions were seen in the placebo group.*
This is not much of a drop.
So occasional use of stevia shouldn’t affect you much if you have low blood pressure.
As long as we are talking about blood pressure, a more effective way to lower it is by taking magnesium, particuarly in lotion form so it goes straight into your body.
And about stevia, use it with caution. When I first learned about stevia, I made stevia lemonade all day long. But I found my body did better when I didn’t use it at all. Now I use it occasionally, it’s not one of my main sweeteners.
Organic Cotton Sheets
Question from LINDAANN
Hi, I wanted to pass along some info. I found a great company, MAGNOLIA ORGANICS, they sell basic organic cotton sheets and blankets at very good prices. You can order through the actual website or amazon. I bought bright colored pink queen size sheet set for $50. They arrived fast, did not have any smell and washed up beautiful. Have you ever heard of this company. They say on the website they are GOTS. I was just wondering if others have heard about this company. They also have king size balnkets, organic cotton for $59.99. Please let me know your thoughts on this company. THANKS
Debra’s Answer
The description looks good to me. Glad you had a good experience! Thanks for sharing.
What to Do About Smart Meters
This week I received this email:
What are people doing to avoid the EMF exposure of Smart meters that are being installed on all homes and apt. buildings, businesses, now…I have 31 of them under me in the parking garage, and I am becoming very EMF Sensitive to the point of losing hearing…tinnitus is horrible since I moved here. I get section 8 funding to help pay rent (I am a senior) so it makes it difficult to move…I just recently discovered the31 meters all in one small area here.
Wondering what the readers would say about this.
Thanks,
Ruth
Here is one site from California with a lot of information, but check your local area and see what’s happening. There are local protest groups starting all over the country.
Stop Smart Meters!
stopsmartmeters.org
Has information about smart meters, how to submit a complaint, how to defend your analog meter, and more.
Any tips about protecting yourself from smart meters or preventing them from being installed or their health effects, please post here.
Thank you!
Debra 🙂
Law Firm for Environmentl Illness Issues? Emergency
Question from Stjarn
Hello,
Thank God for Debra Lynn and her sites and her blessed work. We all appreciate it and benefit from it.
Can you or anyone suggest a large, successful law firm for environmental illness issues?
When you have environmental illness, controlling your environment IS your medicine. When you are actually a UNIVERSAL REACTOR, control of your environment must be precise and unbending.
We own our own home and the county water authority is trying to FORCE a new water meter INSIDE our home. This cannot be. It simply cannot.
Of course the initial concern was for the chemicals, but it turns out the meter transmits readings. Electromagnetic fields / radiation are in fact a concern too. In other parts of the country, problems from the electric fields / radiation have already been documented. People who were “healthy” have become ill. Other people are woken up by the new meters transmitting.
Debra’s Answer
Readers? Any experience with this type of situation or law firms?
New Guide Lists Least Toxic Car Interiors
The Ecology Center has released its fourth consumer guide to toxic chemicals in cars at The Consumer Actio Guide to Toxic Chemicals in Cars, The Honda Civic came in at the top of this year’s list, and the Mitsubishi Outlander Sport at the bottom.
Over 200 of the most popular 2011- and 2012-model vehicles were tested for chemicals that off-gas from parts such as the steering wheel, dashboard, armrests and seats.
These chemicals contribute to “new car smell” and a variety of acute and long-term health concerns. Since the average American spends more than 1.5 hours in a car every day, toxic chemical exposure inside vehicles can be a major source of indoor air pollution [and this doesn’t include toxic chemicals in incoming car exhaust when you sit in traffic}.
Chemicals of primary concern include: bromine (associated with Brominated Flame Retardants, or BFRs); chlorine (indicating the presence of polyvinyl chloride, or PVC and plasticizers); lead; and heavy metals. Such chemicals have been linked to a wide range of health problems such as allergies, birth defects, impaired learning, liver toxicity, and cancer. Automobiles are particularly harsh environments for plastics, as extreme air temperatures of 192°F and dash temperatures up to 248°F can increase the concentration of Volatile Organic Compounds (VOC’s) and break other chemicals down into more toxic substances.
The good news is overall vehicle ratings are improving. The best vehicles today have eliminated hazardous flame retardants and PVC. Today, 17% of new vehicles have PVC-free interiors and 60% are produced without BFRs.
If you are in the market for a new car, visit www.HealthyStuff.org and search by model, comparison shop between different models, and cross reference with fuel economy standards to find both a healthy and fuel-efficient vehicle.
Are there any nontoxic shoes?
Question from jenbooks
Has anyone noticed that so many shoes today smell really toxic? For example, Merrell makes really comfy shoes but they smell so toxic and awful my eyes start to sting. Other shoes that are made of leather don’t smell good when you first get them but one senses they will outgas and are not as toxic. It’s hard to find comfortable shoes and sandals that are made of high quality healthy leathers and glues. Does anyone agree?
What do you wear? I wear SIMPLE sneakers often in the winter, and I’m wearing an old pair of TEVA hiking sandals, and also leather thongs from Aerosoles that are nice quality and don’t smell bad at all. But I ordered a few pairs of comfortable sandals online, a pair of Merrell and a pair of Anne Klein. The Anne Klein smells bad but I’ll keep it as I think it will offgas over time. The Merrell was just unbearable even tho the design was great. Sometimes when I walk into shoe stores the smell of all those vinyl shoes overwhelms me.
Debra’s Answer
I live in Florida, where it is warm most of the year, and practically every day I wear leather sandals made by Mephisto. I’ve never had a problem with them. I’ve been wearing them almost every day for six years and have gone through several pairs in that time. They are among the most comfortable shoes I’ve ever worn and give great support. I can walk in them all day in complete comfort and my feet never hurt.
I also have two pairs of shoes made by Camper. I’ve been wanting to write about them and put them on Debra’s List, but their website doesn’t have all the info. I found them in their shop in San Francisco. If I am remembering correctly, the leather is naturally processed and they are made on an organic farm. I can’t call the store at the moment to verify because they are not open at this hour. But these are the #1 most comfortable shoes I’ve ever worn. They are made from very soft leather that conforms to your foot. I walked all over San Francisco in these shoes, jumping on and off cable cars, and they were great!
There is another company called CYDWOQ that looks interesting to me. I wanted to visit their factory when I was in Southern California, but I didn’t have time. The founder loves to walk, but found his shoes impeded rather than helped his walking. So he decided to create his own line of shoes. “He studied the rounded contours of the human foot and the circular motion of a person walking and experimented endlessly with designs and materials before coming up with a line that emulated nature’s sublime achievements.” These shoes are comfortable, have exquisite design, and actually get better with age as the leather molds to the shape of the owner’s foot. “Only the finest, vegetable-tanned leathers and custom-made components are used in CYDWOQ products. Designs employ the fewest number of leather pieces possible to minimize stitching, and to improve comfort, quality, and durability.” The styles are beautifully unusual and the shoes are not inexpensive.
Planet Shoes seems to carry many of the natural/green brands (but not all–they have Camper, but not Mephisto or CYDWOQ), but read the descriptions carefully as better materials are not always the selling point on this site. And remember, recycled plastic may be better for the environment, but it’s still plastic and can offgas.
Air Conditioner With Fiberglass Insulation
Question from singing tomato
Today I saw that on the air conditioner (which is in our garage) there is a stamp saying that this air conditioner is insulated with fiberglass.It also says that according to proposition 65 inhaling of fiberglass particles can cause cancer.
So we are renting this house, is there something we should do? We have a 2 year old and I am wooried sick after reading all the stuff about fiberglass…
Does it off gas formaldehyde? Can it release fiberglass into the air we are breathing? Is there something we can do? I don’t know when they installed it but I can find out. Is this important too?
Any input is really valuable,
Kind Regards
Debra’s Answer
I have an air conditioner too. I run it six months out of the year here in Florida. I’ve never had a problem with breathing fiberglass fibers.
Here’s a fact sheet with information on what you would be experiencing if fiberglass particles are present in your home: How To Tell Whether Your HOuse Has Fiberglass Contamination.
Your HVAC system should have a particle filter that would remove any fiberglass that may be in the air.
As for formaldehyde, you can get a formaldehyde test kit to test the air in your home for under $100.
