Health, Microbes, and More
Think about all the plastics we use, and all the chemicals we are exposed to. Read labels on personal care products and try to avoid: phthalates, parabens, BPA, triclosan, fragrances. If possible, use glass containers to store and microwave food. Avoid unnecessary pesticides, for example on lawns, and consider organic lawn care and gardening. From ...continue reading "Earlier Menopause Linked to Chemical Exposures"
Research study after research study finds all sorts of health benefits from exercise. But what about the air quality in those stuffy crowded gyms, especially those in already polluted areas? From November 2014 NY Times: The Bad Air in Our Gyms But a new study of air quality in gyms raises some interesting questions about ...continue reading "Indoor Air Pollution and Gyms"
Further reasons to try to consume foods and beverages from glass containers and avoid cans and plastic bottles. Note that the BPA caused changes within 2 hours, and that BPA-free alternatives may be no better than BPA. Some researchers are speculating whether the high incidence of hypertension is linked to the prevalence of BPA in ...continue reading "Another Reason to Avoid Bisphenol A (BPA)"
Read the labels on personal care products, and do NOT buy those with triclosan! (See earlier posts for other reasons to avoid triclosan.) From Science Daily: The 'dirty' side of soap: Triclosan, a common antimicrobial in personal hygiene products, causes liver fibrosis and cancer in mice Triclosan is an antimicrobial commonly found in soaps, shampoos, ...continue reading "More Problems With Triclosan"
The researchers of this study looked at proximity to farm fields (how close a pregnant woman lives to a farm) and certain farm pesticides and found a link between exposure to farm pesticides during pregnancy and having a child with autism. But too bad they didn't also include pesticide exposures from homes (for pest control), ...continue reading "Farm Pesticides and Autism Link"
This study suggests another reason to avoid Triclosan. From Science Daily: In lab tests, the antimicrobial ingredient triclosan spurs growth of breast cancer cells Some manufacturers are turning away from using triclosan as an antimicrobial ingredient in soaps, toothpastes and other products over health concerns. And now scientists are reporting new evidence that appears to ...continue reading "Triclosan and Breast Cancer Cells"
The controversy over the safety of BPA (bisphenol A) is still dragging on. However, the new alternatives to BPA may not be any better and may be even worse. To minimize exposure to BPA and other estrogenic chemicals, try to buy and store food in glass bottles, jars, and containers (glass does not contain plastics ...continue reading "Try to Avoid BPA and BPS"
Starting this month, it will finally be possible to buy upholstered furniture without added toxic flame retardants. From the December 31, 2013 Scientific American: Cancer-Linked Flame Retardants Eased Out of Furniture in 2014 From the January 4, 2014 Huffington Post: Flame-Retardant Furniture May Leave A Toxic Legacy California's new Technical Bulletin 117 removes a decades-old requirement that flame ...continue reading "Safer Sofas in 2014"
Mara Silgailis, PhD Contact me to set up a personal phone or video consultation at: I am available for phone and video consultations on various topics. Along with a PhD in Developmental Psychology (thus concerned with human development), I have spent many years researching various health and environmental issues. This knowledge has led to ...continue reading "Consultations"