An%20Introduction%20to%20Healthy%20Home%20Environments%20for%20the%20Environmentally%20Sensitive

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An Introduction to Healthy Home Environments for
the Environmentally Sensitive

• When yesterdays Triumph of Modern Chemistry
  turns out instead to be todays threat to the
  global environment,
• Its legitimate to ask what else we dont know!
• Denis Hayes

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We live in a toxic soup!

• 88,000 chemicals in common use
• 2,000 new produced each year- average 4-6 week
  testing prior to going into the marketplace.
• Typical carpet sample contains 120 chemicals,
  many known neurotoxins
• 53 listed by EPA as PBTs- persistent,
  bioaccumulative and toxic
• 257 listed in 2007 as hazardous materials
• Blood samples done on umbilical cords averaged
  287 chemicals found. Passed on from the Mother.
  Mothers breast milk passes on xenobiotics to
  nursing child- exp. mercury, dioxin, formaldehyde

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Multiple Chemical Sensitivity (MSC) or the twenty
first century illness

• A condition in which various symptoms reportedly
  appears after a person has been exposed to any of
  a wide range of chemicals. The exposure may occur
  as a major event, such as a chemical spill, or
  from a long term contact with low level of
  chemicals. As a result of exposure, these
  individuals develop a sensitivity and have
  reactions to chemicals even at levels most people
  can tolerate
• WebMD.com
• 10-20 of population in World is environmentally
  sensitive

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Total Body Burden or Total Load

• Along with chemical sensitivity, often
  individuals demonstrate food sensitivities,
  electromagnetic frequencies (EMF), mold, pollen,
  and animal allergies/ sensitivity. The body is
  filling up with exposures and stressors so that
  ones daily ability to tolerate exposures may
  fluctuate depending on how many exposures already
  have been endured on that day.
• The degree of ill effects depends on dose,
  duration, manner of exposure, biochemical
  individuality, genetic predisposition, diet, and
  stress levels.

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MCS symptoms

• Can affects any bodily system, including
  respiratory, digestive, neurological,
  musculoskeletal, endocrinological, immunological
  and others
• Most common symptoms are- tiredness/lethargy,
  difficulty concentrating, muscles aches, memory
  problems, long term fatigue, change in heart
  rhythm, rapid mood change, headache, itchy,
  sneezes, difficulty breathing and sore throat-
  With Children, consider learning disabilities,
  lethargy, mood swings or ADHD like symptoms.
• Common triggers are pesticides, formaldehyde,
  fresh paint, new carpets, diesel exhaust,
  perfumes, cooking gas, wood composites, glues,
  cleaning supplies and air fresheners.

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Some physiologically based theories

• Systemic breakdown from long term-
  multi-generation exposure.
• Limbic kindling- Olfactory- limbic i.e. nose to
  emotion
• Xenobiotic (foreign to body) detoxification
  pathways damaged or depleted
• Immunological damage- Helper cells fight
  pathogens or turn on immune response. To many
  helper cells cause autoimmune like condition
• Neurogenic inflammation
• Long term exposure to solvents/ brain change i.e.
  Mad Hatter
• Candidiasis/ often seen with mercury poisoning
• Trauma precursor- physical or mental

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Toxic Metals

• Amalgam filling
• Vaccinations/ thimerisol, flu shots
• Pesticides, herbicides, fungicides
• Contaminated water, air borne- factory,
  incinerators, car exhaust
• Contact lens solution, nasal sprays- read your
  labels
• Replaces minerals in body necessary for enzymatic
  process or structure.

• Mercury, Nickel, Arsenic, Lead, Cadmium,
  Aluminum,Barium, Colbalt, Gold, Silver, Copper,
  Chromium, Iron, Manganese, Tin, Thallium,
  Titanium, Platinum, Palladium

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Volatile Organic Compounds (VOC)- Follow your
nose!

• Building material-carpets, glues, paints
  composite woods, solvents, vinyl floors,
  upholstery, caulks, finishes etc.
• Personal care products
• Cooking, dry cleaning, hobbies, newspapers,
  nonelectric space heaters, photocopiers, smoking,
  stored chemicals, propane, natural gas, markers,
  Teflon, fire retardants

• An abbreviated list-
• Acetone, Benzene, Ethylene glycol, Formaldehyde,
  Methylene Chloride, Perchloroethylene, Toluene,
  Xylene, 1,3 Butadiene, Dioxin (75 chlorinated
  chemicals)

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Formaldehyde

• A immune system sensitizer which means that
  chronic exposure can lead to multiple allergies
  and sensitivities to substances that are
  unrelated to Formaldehyde (spreading phenomenon)
• Symptoms onset often flu like illness diagnosed
  as viral infection which leaves one with general
  malaise, fatigue and depression, brain fog, loss
  of memory, respiratory problems, neuropathy, sore
  throats, mood changes, etc
• Widely found in as wood preservative/ particle
  board, carpets, sprayed on clothes, new car
  smell, urea formaldehyde foam, flame retardants
  sprayed on upholstery, auto exhaust,
  disinfectants, cosmetics, fumigants, adhesives.
• Used also as an intermediate in synthesis of
  other chemicals.

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Other possible exposures

• Mold, dust mites, ambient air pollution, soil
  contamination, water contamination, animal
  dander, decomposition of building materials,
  pollens, second hand smoke, PCBs ( banned in
  1976- found globally) pesticides/herbicides, EMF(
  Electro Magnetic Frequency)
• Found in Shopping malls, Schools, Homes,
  Highways, Factories, Airplanes, Trains, Cars,
  Grocery stores, Restaurants i.e. Urban and
  Agrarian ecologies

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Children have increased susceptibility

• More vulnerable as they are growing and
  developing, higher rate of cell production, less
  developed metabolisms, higher rate of exposure/
  body mass.
• Due to chemical load at birth many children have
  compromised digestive and immune systems
• Delayed onset or early onset puberty from
  Plastics/endocrine disrupters.17 of kids in U.S.
  developmental disabilities
• One of factors in ADHD, Autism, behavior
  disorders, low birth rate, cancer increase 1-2
  yearly, asthma, heart problems
• Cell phone radiation 2 into brain
• Autism is now consider epidemicgt outside
  influences
• Immunization- Thimerosol/merthiolate/ mercury-
  preservative for injectable vaccines
• Toxic schools, toxic homes, increased risk in
  congested areas

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Over Whelmed
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Here comes the real workBREATHEBecome a
detective into your own life!
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For example- Is this You?

• Do you become ill from odors in malls,
  restaurants, churches, schools, hospitals etc.
• Do you become ill after putting gas in your car
  or heavy traffic, or driving on new asphalt.
• Do you cant read certain book with shiny smell
  paper or fresh ink.
• Do you crave certain odors or aromas or detest
  certain odors.
• At first, is there is a marked increased sense of
  smell, which later on can result in a loss of
  smell.
• Do you become mentally foggy, nose stuffy or
  itchy in a new or remodeled building especially
  with new carpet and particle board cabinetry.

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How do you feel before and after exposure?10
minutes, 30 minutes, 1 hour, 24 hours

• Note how you feel, behave and think
• Appearance, how do you look
• Check writing or drawing changes
• Check breathe rate- faster or slower
• Check pulse rate
• Use this check list to begin to pinpoint specific
  causes of a reaction- Backtrack if necessary

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Time to Clean up the Home
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How to Start? The process of elimination- or
Onion analogy

• What are you bringing into your home?
• Cleaning Supplies
• Detergents
• New clothes
• Childrens toys
• Electronic gear ( lubricants, EMFs)
• Pesticides
• Kitchenware
• Cosmetics
• Fragrances

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Healthier choices READ THE LABELIf you cant
pronounce the chemical, its not good for you

• Look for the label - No fragrance/ hyper
  allergenic for cleaning solutions, and body
  products.
• Debra Lyons Dadds- white vinegar, salt, borax,
  liquid castile soap.
• Wash clothes immediately after purchasing- use
  natural fabrics.
• No aluminum cookware, no heat in plastics, no
  heat in stainless steel bottles. Dont leave
  water bottles out in heat. If it smells like
  plastic, you can absorb it.
• Beware of mold and use bleach (face mask and
  gloves) to get rid of. If large patch will
  require more extensive mitigation.
• Be aware of new upholstery and flame retardants.
  Ask what alternatives are available.
• Begin to read label on all
  purchases
• Wash any new appliance or electronics to remove
  residual oils left from manufacturing.
• Use natural cosmetics see list on
  www.safecosmetics.org
• Do your homework- Beware of green washing.
• Check out one of the natural food stores, and
  experiment with products.

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Our Daily bread

• Eliminate added chemicals from your diet- food
  dyes, preservatives, synthetic foods, trans-fatty
  acids.
• Shop the outside wall of the grocery store
• GMOS- Be wary of genetically modified foods
• Food Sensitivities- Elimination diet to pinpoint
• Use Organic Foods when possible
• Fresh foods, CSAs (Community Supported
  Agriculture), Farmers market, Home gardens
• Vitamin C and Omega 3,6,9- vital 2
• www.foodnews.org

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A Deeper Level- Harder to fix

• Carpets-Average 120 chemicals in carpet plus
  adhesives. Carpet squares/Recycled Plastic? Best
  to use non synthetic throw rugs.
• Composite Woods- Adhesives and finishes are
  toxic. Use hardwood from responsibly harvested
  forests, recycled furniture, some new composites
  are non toxic. Research!
• Insulation- Foam- Adhesives- Solvents- Decking-
  What is it made of? Use non toxic alternatives.
• Paints- Use non Voc or low VOC. More intense the
  color higher VOCs
• Poly-vinyl- Siding, molding, doors, flooring,
  windows- replace when you can
• All of these products take on average 5 years
  to off gas
• MSDS- Material Safety Data Sheet- Provides info.
  on chemical substances in a product, handling
  precautions, known health effects
• Black mold mycelium/ spores in wood- consider
  mitigation

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Water FiltersWHY NOT TAP?

• Get a sample of your water checked
• Chlorine / Fluoride- water treatment plants
• Hormone, antibiotic and pesticide- lack of
  filtration
• Bottled- plastic vs. glass
• Reverse osmosis
• Ultraviolet
• Distilled Water- lack of trace minerals

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Air purifiers

• Good for ambient air pollution, not long term
  solution for off gasing.
• Def. Off Gasing- How long it takes a product to
  release VOC. Heat increases.
• Can a building be toooo tight?
• HEPA filters
• Charcoal Filters
• Ozone Generators
• ECOquest- air filter/ ozone generator

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EMFwww.electromagnetichealth.org

• EMF sensitivity
• Cell phones- Increase in brain tumors
• 2 penetration into brain. Those handy but
  damaging PDAs. Use ear plug speakers. NO
  Bluetooth! Cell phone towers are multiplying
  rapidly- long term effects unknown
• DSL, CPUs keep at distance from body 5
• Wireless electronics - long term use? Keep away
  from areas of rapid cell growth in body.
• No electronics in bedroom-Use a battery operated
  clock
• No electric blankets- bed warmers

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The really deep workLiving and Loving, Day by Day

• Detoxify- under medical supervision
• Develop a Safe Room where you can rejuvenate
• Meditation/ Breath work
• Stress reduction techniques
• Yoga
• Get outside daily- bike, hike, walk, play
• Find a Creative outlet/ Passion/ Enjoy life
• Build a support network, within and expanded out
  from the family.
• Nutrition counseling
• Environmental health consultant
• Family counseling to assist with daily challenges
• Explain yourself to others in your life.
  Teachers, work associates, and partners, let them
  know the reasons why you are demanding a
  healthier ecology. Be contagious!

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Remodel or Build from ground upGreen Building

• Can be Costly Prioritize!!!
• www.buildingbiology.net Bau- Biologie
• www.usgbc.org US Green Building
• www.ibe.colostate.edu Institute for the Built
  Environment
• www.rmi.org Rocky Mountain Institute
• www.bgbg.org Boulder Green Guild
• www.greenheartinstitute.org Green Heart Institute
• www.redirectguide.com Redirect Guide

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Favorite Books

• Prescriptions for a Health House by
  Baker-Laporte, Elliott, Banta
• Home, Safe, Home by Debra Lynn Dadd
• Allergy Relief and Prevention by Taylor, Krohn
  MD, Larson
• Is this your Childs World by Doris Rapp MD
• Multiple Chemical Sensitivity by Pamela Gibson
  PHD
• Green from the Ground Up by Johnson and Gibson
• Radical Medicine by Dr. Louisa L. Williams
• Seeds of Deception by Jeffrey M. Smith
• Artists Beware by Michael McCann PHD
• Detoxify or Die by Sherry A. Rogers MD
• Toxic Exposures/ Contested Illnesses by Phil
  Brown
• The Secret History of the War on Cancer by Devra
  Davis

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Web Sites

• www.Householdproducts.nlm.nih.gov
• www.Safecosmetics.org
• www.cosmeticdatabase.com
• www.Healthytoys.org
• www.Debraslist.com Debra Lynn Dadd
• www.aaemonline.org- American Academy of
  Environmental Medicine
• www.Radicalmedicine.com Dr Louisa L. Williams
• www.drrapp.com Dr. Doris Rapp
• www.neuraltherapy.com Dr. Dietrich Klinghart
• www.ewg.org Environmental working group
• www.Epa.gov Environmental Protection Agency
• www.Environmentalhealthnews.org
• www.chej.org Center for Health, Environment and
  Justice
• www.iceh.org Center for Children Environmental
  Health
• www.foodnews.org

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For more Information

• www.healthyecologies.com- Karens Blog
• www.arcadiadesignstudio.com- . Creatively Hand
  crafted, Custom Furniture
• p- 303.594.6680