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Is Your Sofa Safe?

I often worry about the chemicals I use in my house.  I worry about what exactly is in the air freshener I use.  I freak out when my husband buys a Teflon skillet. But, I just read that another real threat in my house may be my sofa. My sofa?  A threat?  Yes. Since 1975, California has required that all furniture with foam such as sofas and baby products such as car seats be treated with flame retardant chemicals.  That standard, maybe because California is so large a state, became the standard for most other states. The problem is while … Continue reading →

Is Teflon Safe?

I used to swear by Teflon. I loved the non-stickiness of it. But, after reading that it may release toxic substances, I switched back to stainless steel and cast iron. Teflon (also known as PTFE for polytetrafluoroethylene) was invented at Kinetic Chemicals in 1938 by Roy Plunkett. Roy was actually trying to make a new refrigerant when he actually came up with Teflon. It was French engineer Marc Gregiore who first used Teflon to coat a pan. By 1961, “The Happy Pan,” the first Teflon coated frying pan, hit the market. While I love the fact that nothing sticks to … Continue reading →

More Toxins to Boot

If you are like me, sometimes you just take things for granted. I’ve been using air fresheners for years without ever really stopping to think about what chemicals – chemicals that may be harming my family – are in them. I mindlessly put on makeup without checking the label and have used non-stick cookware for years. But, as I get older, I get wiser and start looking more closely at things. I ditched the non-stick cookware and started reading labels more clearly. Here are some more household items with toxins that you may want to reconsider using: Things that are … Continue reading →

Getting Rid Of Toxins

Every day we are exposed to hundreds of toxins. Everything from the food we eat to the air we breathe has toxins. I always feel as the mom and main housekeeper that it is my job to protect my family from harmful things in our home. There are some things you can do at home to minimize your family’s exposure to harmful things. *Eat organic whenever possible. Look for produce that is grown without pesticides or chemical fertilizers. If you have a garden at home then you know exactly what your veggies are exposed to. A farmers market is also … Continue reading →

Detoxing Your Body – Part 2

It’s the end of the year and a lot of people are making resolutions to live a healthier life. Here are a few things you can do to help detox your body: 1. Get a massage. It will help improve your circulation as well as your attitude because it will feel incredible! 2. Quit smoking. Yes, it is hard, yes, you may relapse, but quitting will not only help you, but those around you that are exposed to secondhand smoke. Did you know your body begins healing itself within 20 minutes of quitting? 3. And while we are on bad … Continue reading →

No-Till Farming: Less Carbon?

Congress began working on a climate and energy bill last spring. A provision of that bill would pay farmers to use a system called “no-till farming.” What exactly is no-till farming? Studies have been done which have led researchers to believe that by having a farmer plant crops without tilling the land first, the land will retain more carbon. This means less carbon being released into the atmosphere and researchers believe this may be a way to help the global warming problem. Department of Agriculture soil scientist Michael Cavigelli has conducted studies on fields in rural Maryland. In his findings, … Continue reading →