Question from cristiinskeep

I’m sure this question has been answered before, but search as I might I cannot seems to plug in the right words. I am gradually changing to all natural products and need to dispose of some of the toxic cleaners and lotions, etc. that I have still sitting around. Any help is greatly appreciated!

Debra’s Answer

Call the agency that collects your garbage and ask them about their household hazardous waste program. They can tell you how and where to bring your toxic materials that need to be disposed of.

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Question from niella

Hello Debra,

I wish to use Grapeseed oil as a heat protectant for my hair. Is there a particular brand I should use or will any brand do?

Thank you. 🙂

Debra’s Answer

Anything that comes in contact with your body ideally should be organically grown. Beyond that, I think any major natural brand would do for this purpose.

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Question from niella

Hello Debra,

What are the best Vitamin K cream brands for sensitive eyes? Are there any organic products avaliable?

Thank you! 🙂

Debra’s Answer

Readers, what is your experience?

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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 lindaj

I was away while my neighbors sprayed their trees (at least they all did it on the same day), and, obviously had my 7 month-old, mostly healthy house shut tight. I have an HRV, that I also turned off. When I came home, my house reeked of “new home” smell, especially paint, which made no sense to me until this morning.

The smell is coming from my cheapo toilet seat (painted, pressed board), that I never should have bought. I’d like to replace it, but I don’t know with what. Is there a better alternative?

Thanks.

Debra’s Answer

We have solid wood toilet seats, which we purchased at Home Depot. They have a clear finish, but no toxic odor. If you purchase one and do detect an odor, let it sit out in the sun for a few days.

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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 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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