his Q&A blog is open for all to participate. Feel free to ask your own questions and answer questions posted by others. I know all of you have a wealth of information and experience on healthy living and you are welcome to share it here. 
Health
Community is the Cure for Chronic Disease
I just received an article about one of the best treatments for chronic disease that I've seen in a long time—the use of small community support groups where people help each other make lifestyle changes that improve their illnesses.
Dr Mark Hyman MD created such a program in his community after reading a book by the former head of the National Health Service in Great Britain called Turning the World Upside Down, which tells what we can learn from developing countries about putting patients and communities at the center of health care, instead of doctors and hospitals. Yay for that idea!
tampons
Hi, I was wondering if tampons are one of those things that should be organic. I usually do buy them, however my daughter was recently given a huge box of regular ones from a bulk store and don't know if we should use them. Thank You, Adrian
Definitely tampons should be organic and unbleached, if paper. Ordinary bleached tampons made from paper usually contain residues of dioxin from the paper bleaching process (chlorine bleach combines with wood lignins in the paper to form dioxin, one of the most toxic chemicals on earth). Dioxin can be released from the tampons and be absorbed through the skin, which is particularly vulnerable in that delicate area.
I would toss those tampons.
Magnetized Water
Does anyone know about the safety of magnetized water? My daughter has interstitial cistitis and apparently drinking magnetized water could be helpful. Thank you.
I know of no negative health effects.
Detox Drops, do they work to decrease MCS?
Hi Debra:
I am wondering if your detox drops will work for me.
I have severe MCS, would the drops make my MCS better since they remove chemicals from the body?
My naturopath doctor did a heavy medals urine test, that showed my mercury levels were dangerously high. He put me on DMS (I think that was the name....) tablets, that I had such a bad reaction to that I had to go off them. The doctor said my MCS will never improve if I do not go back on the tablets that made me so sick. I am not happy with the zero choices he has.
Will the drops decrease or remove my mercury levels? Will this make my MCS better?
I am hoping to find out the answers to these questions as I am nervous about spending money on the drops as I am low income due to my MCS disablity.
Thanks!
If I were you, I would give my detox drops a try.
They are simply zeolite, a naturally occurring mineral, in purified water.
What they do is attract molecules of heavy metals and other toxicants, and carry them out of your body via your urine. The metals are attracted in a particular order, mercury being the first to be removed. Because these drops are simply the active ingredient in water, it doesn't need to dissolve like a tablet, or be absorbed, it simply goes into your bloodstream and attracts the metals and chemicals.
I would say if you have high levels of mercury in your body, you do need to do something to detox, and this is the safest, gentlest, most effective method I know of for mercury removal.
Now, if you have symptoms while detoxing, you need to drink more water to flush the chemicals through faster. As uncomfortable as it may be, you will feel so much better after you've detoxed and be much healthier.
More info and order at toxics-health.com/easy-detox
How to detox in the bath, salts etc...
Hi Debra, i would like to safely detox my body and my children`s as well, what products would you recomend?
I have heard of salt detox baths, dead sea mud baths..soo many products out there, not EVERY is safe though...
Our family has a history of enviromental allergies, asthma and food allergies/
THANK YOU!!
Eva
Without going into a review of all possible detox methods (which I have been studying intently the last six months) the best and safest method I have found is activated liquid zeolite.
I have been writing about this in my newsletter off and on since last July, and the more I use it, the more I like it.
It is the safest detox I know of because all it does is bind the chemicals and metals and take them out of your body via urine. It bypasses all your detox organs, so even if you kidneys are weak, even if your liver is clogged, even if your intestines are sluggish this still works.
It is so safe, even children and babies can do it.
You just take odorless, tasteless drops 3 times a day. The detox dose is 10 drops 3x/day and the maintenance dose is 3 drops/3x day. The detox dose removes chemicals already in your body; the maintenance dose removes new chemicals you are exposed to daily, after you do the detox.
Read more info and order at toxics-health.com/easy-detox.
Non-toxic massage table
I am looking for a good, new, non-toxic massage table to place in my home for personal use.
I am looking for the cheapest solution be it a portable model or a stationary one.
Some companies tout CFC free cushions and soy-based foams, PU leather which replaces PVC vinyl and water-based glues and wood finishes, all without going into very much detail. Some also claim that their products are heavy metal free.
Has anyone used Earthlite, Oakworks, Stronglite, Nova, Custom Craftworks or some other one that they are happy with?
Also, will the manufacturers have MSDS sheets for massage tables or is there another document that I should request?
Readers?
Massage tables don't have MSDS and I don't know what other document to ask for.
We bought our massage table years ago used, and have two layers of old sleeping bags plus two layers of cotton flannel sheets on top. Very comfortable and no fumes.
Nebulizer
Hi Debra!
I bought a nebulizer for my son and the cups that I have to put the sodium chloride solution in are made of "non-toxic PVC" (as stated in the box). Is there any type of "non-toxic" PVC? Is this statement for real? For me all types of PVC (if there's more than one) are toxic! Also, the hose that conects the equipment to to part that goes to the nose is also made of plastic (but I don't know what type, as it doesn't say on the box) and it smells a lot like plastic. Am I safe with that nebulizer? Do you know any nebulizer that is safe (or at least PVC free)?
Thanks!
Gustavo
I've never heard of a "nontoxic PVC."
If it smells a lot like plastic, it's offgassing plastic.
I wouldn't use this to create a mist that will be inhaled.
Readers, anyone know of a safe nebulizer?
What does oleaginous extract mean?
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.
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?
heart rate monitor
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).
I wouldn't wear PVC against my skin on a regular basis.
Don't know about the heart rate monitor. Readers?
Health Care Goes Green
Last week I had the pleasure of attending the CleanMed 2010 conference in Baltimore. More than 500 healthcare professionals came to learn how to make their practices and facilities less toxic and more green.
I'm happy to report there was a high level of interest and enthusiasm in making healthcare, well, more healthy and eco friendly.
Here are some organization with more information on things healthy and green specifically oriented to the healthcare field.
Health Care Without Harm
Practice Greenhealth
Alliance of Nurses for Healthy Environments
