Saturday, June 25, 2011

Sunscreens - what are you really putting on your skin?

We all know how important sunscreens are to prevent skin cancer... however recent research indicates not only that most DO NOT protect against harmful UV rays, but they may contain chemicals that affect our hormones (oxybenzone or 4-MBC), damage the skin and in some cases, actually increase the rate of skin cancer. To find out the best and worst sunscreens click here.
Friday, June 17, 2011

The dirty dozen - pesticides in fruit n vegies

Pesticides - we all know they are bad but how do we avoid them? Well, the Environmental Working Group just realised their "dirty dozen" after examining the pesticide residue in common fruit and vegies.

In order of highest were apples (my 4yo son eats 6 a day!), celery, strawberries, peaches, spinach, nectarines, grapes, capsicum, potatoes, blueberries, lettuce and kale (EWG, 2011). What do you do? buy organic when it comes to these foods. To find out where pesticides are in your home, click here.
Tuesday, June 14, 2011

Case study - are you allergic to your house?

Mary is allergic to her home. I just cant think of a better way to describe it...

Within an hour of being at home she experiences itchy red eyes, difficulty breathing, and her nose starts to run. At first she didn’t make the connection that it was her home, until she started noticing that it didn’t happen in other people’s homes. However it wasn’t until she came back from a holiday in Europe recently that she realised how bad the problem was. Once again, within an hour of arriving home, the symptoms began. After countless visits to doctors and naturopaths and thousands of dollars in medication to no avail, I was called in to see if her home was making her sick. During the audit, I discovered that her symptoms began after they completed an extension to the living room in 2008. An examination of the crawl space in the renovated section revealed no damp proof course, pooling of water, lots of clutter and no ventilation. Surface samples revealed exceptionally high levels of mould (Penicillium and Aspergillus niger) on the underside of the floorboards. These species of mould release chemicals (mycotoxins) that can trigger hayfever, asthma and other lung problems. Air sampling in the living room immediately above revealed these moulds were three times higher than what is typically found in the outdoor air.

Most doctors and natural therapists have little understanding of the cause and health effects of mould, so unfortunately many asthmatics end up relying on prescriptive medication when it could be something as simple as mould in the home.

As fungi is ubiquitous throughout our environment, the only time mould becomes a problem in the house is if you give it food and moisture. As most building materials are the perfect food for mould, dampness is always the key to addressing mould problems. Dampness generally comes from condensation build-up as a result of poor ventilation, living in humid climates or flooding (plumbing issue, poor drainage…). When cleaning mould, use an 80% naturally fermented white vinegar to 20% water solution. Don’t use bleach as it provides some species of mould with a food source! If the area exceeds 1m2, a mould remediator maybe required. For more information, click here.
Friday, June 10, 2011

Car exhaust costs Australians $1.5 billion in health costs

I was surprised to read many years ago, that vehicle exhaust and in particularly diesel fumes, could cause heart attack and increase your risk of developing allergies by twenty fold (BBC Horison, 2008). It appears that around 50% of the population are genetically susceptible to the harmful effects of diesel fumes.

It was therefore welcome that the government announced today that it will be enforcing new vehicle standards to reduce the emission of toxic gases and ultrafine particles from car exhaust. Living within 300 metres of a major arterial route can dramatically increase your chances of developing allergies. These emissions are responsible for heart attacks and asthma which is estimated to cost $1.5 billion in the public health sector. The first of these standards will occur with new cars from November 2013. Australia is one of the last western countries to adopt the standards.

Read more.

Tips to reduce allergies and asthma
1. Reduce dust mite exposure
2. Implement a chemical free pest control program to get rid of cockroaches and rodents (a common asthma trigger).
3. Avoid pets in the house. IF this is not possible, wash the pet weekly and brush them outside before they enter the home. Air their bedding in full sunlight as often as possible
4. Dont smoke in the house.
5. Get rid of the mould as it is a MAJOR trigger for asthma.

For tips on how to reduce all of these triggers, refer to my website.
Tuesday, June 7, 2011

World Health Organisations acknowledges mobile phone link to cancer

The International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC) on 31st May 2011 announced what has long been suspected: that mobile phone use may increase the risk of developing certain types of brain tumours. Click here

As I wrote in my book, I personally believe it is only a matter of time now that we see health warnings on mobile phones. In time, it will mean a ban on buses, trains and trams as the microwave emissions bounce in metal carriages creating 'hotspots' exposing unsuspecting commuters to high doses of microwave radiation.

Tips to reduce your exposure
1. Use a landline phone (cordless phones use the same radiation as a mobile phone)
2. SMS whenever you can
3. When making or receiving calls, keep your head away from the phone: use the loudspeaker or an air-tube airpiece
Sunday, June 5, 2011

60 minutes - BPA

Last night, 60 Minutes discussed the issue of BPA and the lack of action by our authorities - Food Standards Australia - in addressing the issue despite its ban in other countries. Their explanation was that the science was not conclusive - jeepers the amount of evidence to show it is not safe has been steadily amassing for almost a decade now! It was a shame that they didnt mention that its also lining many of our food tins! How long will we allow our children to be the canaries in the mines?

About Nicole Bijlsma

I am a building biologist which in short means I conduct audits of people’s homes to see if they are affecting their health. Previously I worked for 15 years as a naturopath and acupuncturist and lectured extensively at various institutions before realising the extent to which the home was causing illness in many of my patients. I am the founder of the Australian College of Environmental Studies and author of Healthy Home Healthy Family. In my blog, we’ll explore issues relating to hazards in the home.

View my Story: www.buildingbiology.com.au

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