HEALTHY HOME

HEALTHY HOME, HEALTHY KIDS How to Keep Them Safe

Ahealthyhomeforkidslooksmuch likewhat’sneededforahealthy planet:cleanair,cleanwaterand cleanfood,allofwhichcreateaspacein whichourchildrencanbewellandthrive. Thismeanstakingactivestepstoeliminate everydaycontaminantsthatcanharmtheir developingorgansandbrains.“Children by Ronica O’Hara arenotmini-adults.Theirbodiescannot filterouttoxinsandchemicalsaseffectivelyasafull-grownadultbodycan,”says KimberlyButton,authorofThe Everything Guide to a Healthy Home: All You Need to Know to Protect You and Your Family from Hidden Dangers. Herearesomepractical stepstotake.

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Clean Air n Clean“green”. Thechemicalsin populardisinfectantsalterchildren’s gutmicrobesandheavyuseleadsto higherbodymassindexbyage3,reportsCanadianresearchers;eco-friendly cleaningagentsdonotharmkids’health, theyfound. Asolutionofonepartwhite vinegartothreepartswatercanbeused tocleancounters,floorsandtoilets. The aceticacidinvinegarcandeactivateeven thefluandtuberculosisviruses,recent studieshaveshown.

n Getridofmold. Mold,especially ifit’sblack,ishighlytoxictochildren:a PolishstudyfounditloweredIQsinchildrenunder6.“Whenthemycotoxinsin moldaffectchildren’sdevelopingnervous systemswemayseefatigue,difficultylearning,andattentionissues,”saysnaturopath JillCristaofJanesville,Wisconsin,author ofBreak The Mold: 5 Tools to Conquer Mold and Take Back Your Health. Sherecommendsmixinginaglass(notplastic)spray bottleessentialoils,suchasrosemary,holy basil,teatreeoreucalyptus,sprayingthe mold,andusingadisposableclothtowipe itoff.Theessentialoils“notonlykillmold, butneutralizethetoxins,”shesays.“Itwon’t fixmoldonporoussurfaces,whichrequire professionalremediation.”

n Bansmoking.Childrenthatbreathe secondhandsmokearemorepronetoear infections,coughsandcolds,toothdecay

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andrespiratoryproblemslikeasthmaand pneumonia,andtheymissmoredaysof school,reportstheAmericanAcademyof Pediatrics.Evensmokeresiduethatclings toclothes,furniture,beddingandothersurfacescanharmachildwhenthisthird-hand smokeisinhaled,absorbedoringested.

Clean Water n Getawatertest. Becausechildren drinkmorewaterperpoundthanadults, evenlowlevelsofcontaminantscanimpact theirIQandbehavior.Checkwiththelocal healthdepartmenttoseeifitoffersfreetest kits,buyoneatahardwarestoreorfinda locallabbycallingtheU.S.Environmental ProtectionAgencySafeDrinkingWater Hotlineat800-426-4791.

n Purifyit. Severaltypesofwaterpurificationsystems,includingtap-mounted, under-sinkandpitchers,areeffectiveand affordable,rangingfrom$20to$300. SeekfilterscertifiedbytheNational SanitationFoundationtestingagencythat addresscontaminantsidentifiedbythe watertest.

Clean Food n Buyorganicwhenpossible. “Swappingtomostlyorganicfoodsisa goodwaytoreduceyourchild’sdailytoxic burdenandreducetheirriskofdeveloping gutissues,autoimmunediseases,andfood sensitivitiesandallergies,”saysCaitlin Self,alicenseddietitianandfunctional nutritionistinBaltimorewhoblogsat FrugalNutrition.com. Usingthelistofthe DirtyDozenpesticide-ladenproduce compiledbytheEnvironmentalWorking Group(ewg.org/foodnews) aswellasits recommendedClean15makesshopping organiceasier.

n Cleanproduceofpesticides. Simplyrinsingproduceundercoldwater for30secondsreducespesticideresidues fornineof12pesticides,astudybythe ConnecticutAgriculturalExperiment Stationfound.Saltwaterorvinegarrinses alsoremovepesticideseffectively,andin arecentJournalofAgriculturalandFood Chemistrystudy,soakingapplesinone

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n Stockuponhealthysnacks.Afterschoolmunchiesarenotonlynatural, buthealthy.“Kids’littletummiestendto needmorefrequentfeedingsthanfully formedadultstoensuretheyhavestable bloodsugar,”saysSelf.Ratherthanhighly processedcrackers,puddingandmost granolabars,offercomboslikegrapes withcheese,celerywithpeanutbutteror hummusonwhole-wheatbread.“Some parentswillneedtorelyonsomemore packagedsnackstogetthrough,”saysSelf, whorecommendstrailmix,freshfruitor crispychickpeas.

Ronica A. O’Hara is a Denver-based health writer. Connect at OHaraRonica@gmail.com.

Mold Can Negatively Impact Health

by Darlene Eager

Moldgrowthiscausedbymoisture. Tostopmoldgrowth,thesource ofmoisturemustbefoundandfixed.Left undiscovered,moldcanhaveadetrimentalimpactuponthehealthofboth adultsandchildren.Takenoticeofindoor spacesandpayattentiontoareaswhere moldcanbehidden. Moldcangrowinunexpectedplaces,suchasoncardboard,drywallpaper, behindwallpaperandunderavinylfloor, wheretheadhesivebindingwallpaper andvinylflooringtosurfacesbecomesa foodsourceformold.Ifunfinishedbasementwallsarecoatedwithwaterproof paint,moldcangrowonthepaint. Checkthehomeorofficeventilation system,includingdropceilings,atticsand crawlspaces.Itisimportanttomakesure thatbathroomandkitchenfansarenot ventilatedtotheattic.Properventilation requiresabalancebetweenairintakeand airexhausttopreventmoisturebuildup. Aroomorbasementspacethatis notwell-ventilatedorfilledwithexcessive belongingscancreateanenvironment conducivetomoldgrowth.Basement areastendtohavemoist,darkareasthat canfostermoldgrowth.Considercombattingunwantedmoisturebyrunninga dehumidifierlargeenoughtohandlethe

basement’ssquarefootage. Donottrytocleanaffectedareaswithbleachandwater.Bleachisa chemicalusedtowhitensurfacesandkill bacteria.Moldisnotbacteria.Bleachhas neverbeenproventokillmoldorslowits growth.Also,byaddingwatertotheaffectedarea,moldisgivenexactlywhatit needstocontinuegrowing-moisture.Do notintroduceairmovementdirectlyonto theaffectedarea,asthiscouldpromote cross-contaminationbyspreadingmold tootherareas. Misinformationaboutmoldcanbe challengingtonavigate.Eachsituation isdifferent,andeducationiskey.Mold willnotresolveitself,sodonotignoreit. Hiringareputable,experienced,certified, professionalmoldremediationcompany isthebestoptiontoremovingmoldand preventingitfromregrowth.Thesafeand correctremovalofmoldwillhelpprotect thehealthoftheinhabitantsandthe property.

Darlene Eager is the owner of DC Eager Emergency Services, LLC, located at 6 E. Kendig Rd., in Willow Street. To schedule an appointment, call 717-989-5763. For more information, visit DCEager.com. See ads, pages 14, 31, 50 and 51.

Plant-Based

H ealth & W ellness section

Medicinal Native Landscapes

by Samantha Curran N ativeplantsaremuchmorethan justprettylandgrowth.Landownersandoccupierscancreate self-sustaininglandscapesthatnotonly providebeautifulscenery,butalsoproductivemedicinalaspects. Oneofthemostcompellingmotivationstointegratenativemedicinalplants intothelandscapeistheirmulti-layered advantages.Benefitsincludeanimalhabitats,ecosystemservices,socialandcultural valueandwellnessforpeopleintheform ofherbalremediessuchasteas,various kindsofhoney,poulticesandtinctures. Nativemedicinalplantsareperennialandoftendroughtanddeerresistant. Fewerinputsofwaterandfertilizerare requiredtosustainthem,andthereisa reducedriskoftheplantsbeingeaten. Landownerslookingtogenerateadditional incomemayconsidertheeconomical advantagesofgrowingmedicinalplants becausetheyrequirelessspacethanmany bushesandtrees. Thefollowinginformationabout nativeplantsmaybeusefulforbeginning herbalistsandthoseinterestedinattracting pollinatorstotheirgardens.Descriptions andexplanationswerefoundontheLady BirdJohnsonWildflowerCenterplant databaseatWildflower.orgaswellas MedicinalHerbInfo.org. Aesclepias tuberosa (Butterflyweed) isanativePennsylvaniaplantthatoffers multiplebenefits.Medicinalapplicationsof theaesclepiasrootincludetreatingcoughs, coldsandotherrespiratoryconditions.It hasshowyflowerswithvibrantspraysof orangethatbloom midsummer;itis suitabletothechallengesofurbansoils becauseitiswelladaptedforwetor dryconditions.Itis alsodeerresistant, whichisacritical considerationforlandscapeinstallations. Aesclepiasisoneoftheprimaryfoods formonarchbutterflies,aspeciesthatis facingchallengesbecauseitshabitatisbeingdestroyedintheUnitedStates.Italso attractsbeneficialinsectstothegardenthat feedonpests. Ceanothus americanus (NewJersey TeaorRedroot)isadeciduousshrubwith tinywhiteflowersthatgrowslowanduprighttoapproximatelythreefeettall,with deep,massiverootsmakingitadaptableto harshgrowingconditions.Thedriedleaves andtwigsmakeateathatwasverypopular duringthetimeperiodoftheRevolutionaryWartorelievestress. Asanornamentalplant,NewJersey Teaprovidesgoodgroundcoverandwill evengrowonrockyhillsides.Birdsand butterfliesareattractedtoit,anditis recognizedbypollinationecologistsasattractinglargenumbersofnativebees. Monarda didyma(ScarletBeebalm, OswegoTea)isapopularperennialthatis partofthemintfamily.Itsscarletredflowersareveryattractivetohummingbirds, butterfliesandbees,andtheleaveshave amintyaroma.Medicinalusesinclude treatingwinterillnesses,respiratoryconditionsanddigestion complaints.Itwas namedOswego Teabecausethe OswegoIndiansof NewYorkusedthe leavesforatea,and Beebalmrefersto thecrushedleaves usedtosoothebeestings. Eupatorium fistulosum(Joe-Pye Weed,QueenoftheMeadow)cangrow fromtwotosevenfeettall,withdomed flowerheadsthatbearpinkandpurple flowers.Itattractsbirds,butterfliesand beesandisan importantsource ofhoney.Medicinal applicationsofthe rootandflowers includediuretics andtonicsthat sootheandrelaxthe nerves. Educationisimportantwhenconsideringtheuseofmedicinalplants.Lynn DeVries,whocontinuestostudyandmaintaintheresearchherlatemother,JoyceL. Herzog,RN,completedtocreateMedicinalHerbInfo.org,remindsusthatherbscan bestrongmedicine.Itisrecommended thattrainedprofessionalsmonitortheuse ofherbsduetopossiblesideeffects,allergic reactionsandcontraindicationswithcurrentmedications.

Samantha Curran is a member of the team at Earthbound Artisan, a garden and stonework construction company that is fully committed to weighing the environmental impact of each action. For more information, call 717-507-6267, email Sam@Earthbound Artisan.com or visit EarthboundArtisan.com. See ads, pages 24 and 51.