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Zero Emissions Buildings

The Triple Zero Energy House is described in Scientific American as "energy self-sufficient (zero energy consumed), produces zero emissions, and is made entirely of recyclable materials (zero waste)." A company is Stuttgart is building these.

Infants Born with Toxic Chemicals in their Blood

The Environmental Working Group has posted a report on a study that found "up to 232 toxic chemicals in the umbilical cord blood of 10 babies from racial and ethnic minority groups. The findings constitute hard evidence that each child was exposed to a host of dangerous substances while still in its mother’s womb."

EWG offers these suggestions for women who plan to have children.

1. Eat fewer processed foods, because they often contain chemical additives.
2. Eat organic produce.
3. Don't microwave food in plastic containers. Use glass or ceramics.
4. Filter your tap water.
5. Eat fewer meat and high-fat dairy products.
6. Use fewer cosmetics and other personal care products.
7. Avoid artificial fragrances.
8. Don't use stain repellants on clothing, bedding or upholstery.
9. Use fewer strong household cleaners, more soap and water.
10. Use manual or electric yard tools instead of gasoline-powered models.
11. Avoid gasoline fumes when you're filling your car.
12. Eat seafood known to be low in PCB and mercury contamination, such as wild Alaska salmon and canned salmon. Avoid canned tuna — it contains mercury.

Browsing Similar Blogs

At the top of this blog are some buttons and one of them says Next Blog>>. It's a feature that Blogger offers and you can use it when you have time to browse various blogs.

It used to work randomly, taking to any blog that had recently been updated. Now it uses a formula to take you to a blog that has similar subject matter -- maybe. First, of course, it has to pick out some words on this blog to judge what this blog's subject matter might be. Judging from what I saw when I tried the button, the formula has decided this blog is about health, wellness, and disease. Which is true in a broad sense. Try it and see if you find it useful.

Blogger Buzz has a post about the Next Blog>> feature.

Community in Takoma Park

Maitri House near Washington DC is said to be "inspired by Nonviolent Communication and shares
the intention to be safe for people with chemical sensitivities."

Their housing vacancies are listing at maitrihouse.org.

Vitamin D Fights Viruses

Gerry Schwalfenberg, M.D., spoke at the AAEM meeting October 30 about the innate immune system and how it would either prevent or help us fight the H1N1 flu. Then he went into the discussion on the autoimmune disease link and vitamin D. There are at least 12 TLR’s that have various functions not all clearly outlined yet.

Since this is such an important issue at this time, he sent AAEM an article that accurately shows how this system can respond within minutes to fight pathogens and down regulate the inflammatory response in a dose dependant manner. This is huge and may save many lives.

He is using 10,000IU q12 h of vitamin D for five doses and 10,000iu daily for a week in patients who acutely come down with viral symptoms with astonishing results (better within 24hr and well within 48). He does not use as much if they already use vitamin D daily.

Gypsy Moth Spraying May be Unhealthy

We've updated Chemsense.com with gypsy moth spraying schedules for the mid-Atlantic states. There's even a letter that claims that the Maryland Department of Agriculture "can save at least $1 million annually in its budget while at the same time improving the health of Maryland residents, race horses, farm animals, family pets, and crabs ... The way to do all this is to suspend the gypsy moth suppression program in Maryland."

Pam Gibson of JMU has published new papers on the MCS Research site.

• Of the world but not in it: Barriers to community access and education for persons with environmental sensitivities. Health Care for Women International.
• Of the world but not in it: Barriers to community access and education for persons with environmental sensitivities. Health Care for Women International.
• Sickness related dysfunction in persons with self reported multiple chemical sensitivity at four levels of severity. Journal of Clinical Nursing.

Another Kinds of Sensitivity

Wind power sounds like a healthy idea, but some people living near wind turbines are experiencing debilitating symptoms: see windturbinesyndrome.com. (But if you dislike sites that talk to you, turn off your sound first because a video starts playing without prompting.)

Wind Farm on a West Virginia Ridge

Greenway Homes in Virginia

Greenway Homes near Lexington, Virginia specializes in hypo-allergenice construction. Read about the cottage community in Rockbridge County.

Quote from Eleanor Roosevelt

Doing the Best We Can
Someone once asked me what I regarded as the three most
important requirements for happiness. My answer was: "A
feeling that you have been honest with yourself and those
around you; a feeling that you have done the best you could
both in your personal life and in your work; and the ability
to love others."
--Eleanor Roosevelt

Letter, Disability Inaugural Ball

This is an excerpt from a letter to invitees of the Disability Power and Pride Inaugural Ball.

Note the fourth paragraph asking attendees to "refrain from using perfumes or other scented products so that those among us with chemical sensitivities can enjoy the evening."

NaturalPedia

Natural News NaturalPedia™ looks like a useful site. They say they are "a non-commercial, non-profit public education initiative that allows readers, researchers, authors and naturopathic health practitioners to explore health-oriented information condensed from more than 1,000 of the top health books and articles."

Chemsense Page Gets Logo

We revised the Chemical Sensitivity Disorders Association Homepage. A member designed an attractive graphic and I posted it on the page.

The yellow canary is a reminder that a canary in a coal mine is used to warn miners that the air is unhealthy. The bird is more sensitive to pollution than humans are.