The average American now has 116 synthetic compounds in his or her body, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention in Atlanta. These include dioxin, polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons and organochlorine pesticides. There are about 75,000 different chemicals produced in the United States each year, 3,000 of which are produced in quantities greater than 50,000 tons each year. Chemicals that were banned decades ago persist in the soil, air and water. DDT, banned 34 years ago, still exists in detectable levels in many people. It would be interesting to see the result if the CDC tested for all of these chemicals.

Recent studies have detected pesticides, plastics and polymers in umbilical cord blood, in the placenta, in human milk and in the bloodstreams and body fat of infants. These substances may have far reaching effects on our health. One toxin threatening mothers and children is mercury. Mercury has been linked to breast cancer, autism and attention deficit disorder. In 2002, a study found that nearly 15% of American women of reproductive age had enough of this mercury in their blood to endanger a developing fetus. Read the rest of this entry »

To keep healthy living on your mind it is important to create a healthy living environment. This includes keeping healthy foods stocked in your pantry and fridge. Living in a healthy environment makes it easier to do the things that are important to our health. It can be as simple as having a nice comfortable clean place to rest at night so your body can rejuvenate itself and having fresh nutritious foods on hand that will keep you from snacking on less healthy alternatives.

When you create a healthy environment, it is important to choose furnishings that are fuss free and easy to clean so that it is easy to keep dust and allergens at bay. Hardwood, tile, or linoleum floors are the best choice since they are more easily cleaned than carpet. Items that can be washed instead of dry cleaned help you to create a healthy living environment, since the dry cleaning process uses dangerous chemicals to clean your clothes with.

Cleaning your home with natural products instead of harsh chemicals also helps you to create a healthy environment. If you do need to use strong chemicals, be sure to open windows so that the odors can dissipate quickly. It is not hard to create a healthy environment; it just takes a little thought and planning so that you have the right things on hand. Read the rest of this entry »