Annapolis

Health

The Health Column: Sleep better and live better

By Bridget Avila

Sleeping Soundly or Tossing in Toxins?

Thanks to recent technologies that have enabled scientists to detect miniscule levels of toxins in humans and animals, we’ve learned that certain chemicals that are used to protect us are actually entering our bodies and potentially putting us at risk. One such chemical class is polybrominated diphenyl ethers, or PDBEs, which are a type of flame retardant added for safety to products ranging from mattresses and clothing to plastics and electronics found in televisions, computers, and airplanes. At high levels of exposure, PDBEs have shown to disrupt thyroid and liver function in rats, as well as causing neurological development problems in fetuses and newborns. They are suspected carcinogens, and have been found in humans worldwide as well as wildlife like Arctic polar bears and Pacific killer whales.

PDBEs certainly save lives each year from death by fire by raising the temperature at which materials will ignite. The problem comes when the chemicals break loose in gas form (outgassing) when they can attach to dust particles which can then be inhaled by humans and animals. While we aren’t yet sure of the effects of long-term low-level exposure, there are ways to avoid or at least minimize exposure.

Safer Mattresses
Mattresses—both for cribs and bigger beds—made of pure, natural materials that will not outgas toxic chemicals, are available from the resources listed below. Natural mattresses can be made of organic wool, organic cotton, and pure latex.

Types of Natural Mattresses

Organic wool mattresses can absorb and release water and are naturally fire-dust mite-and mold-resistant and resilient. Buying an organic wool mattress is important because to avoid pesticides to which most sheep are regularly exposed.
Organic cotton mattresses won’t have the pesticides regularly used by the cotton industry. By federal law, cotton used in mattresses must be treated with a fire retardant. In most cases this is boric acid, which does not release vapors and is considered nontoxic. However, some find the smell of organic cotton distasteful
Natural latex mattresses are a new product in the natural bedding industry. They are resistant to mold, bacteria, and dust mites, and are fire resistant. Look for pure natural latex and remember that latex allergies are a serious problem for some people. These mattresses may require the prescription of a doctor or chiropractor.

Green on a Budget

Buying a clean, used mattress that is old enough to have outgassed most of the toxic fumes is a viable option, as long as the mattress has never been fumigated. Look in the want ads for used mattresses, or put an ad in yourself. Inspect the mattress carefully before buying it. Avoid commercially sold used mattresses as they have probably been treated with pesticides and disinfectants.
You can seal in some of the fumes emitted from mattresses by making a barrier cloth encasement. Barrier cloth is a very tightly woven cotton, and is available from Janices (1-800-Janices; 973-691-2979, http://janices.com/) or Dax Stores (www.daxstores.com)

Another Strike Against Plastics…

Phthalates, commonly used in plastics to make them less brittle, and also commonly found in cosmetics have recently been linked to something no man would wish open his son – a shorter penis. Plastics have long been suspected of hormone disruption in men, like low sperm counts or mal-formed sperm cells. The research was conducted on children from three different areas of the United States, and found a strong statistical correlation between expectant mothers who had above-average levels of the chemical in their urine while pregnant and the feminizing effect on their sons.
Phthalates are "probably reproductive toxins and should be eliminated from products gradually because we don't need them," said Shanna Swan, director of the Center for Reproductive Epidemiology at the University of Rochester's school of medicine, who led the team of scientists who examined the boys.

...And Another Reason to Eat Right

Researchers at Université Laval in Quebec have shown that Alzheimer’s disease in mice is exacerbated by a diet rich in animal fat and poor in omega-3 fatty acids (found in salmon and flax seed, for example). The findings, found on the online edition of Neurobiology of Aging suggest that diets typical of industrialized nations promote the development of Alzheimer’s. "Metabolic changes induced by such a diet could affect the inflammatory response in the brain," suggests study co-author Carl Julien. In most Western countries, diets rich in saturated fats and poor in omega-3s are the norm. "Our findings lead us to believe that a diet containing more omega-3s and less saturated fat could prevent the development of Alzheimer's, at the very least among people genetically predisposed to the disease," comments Dr. Calon. "We cannot state with any certainty that what we have observed among transgenic mice also occurs in humans, but there is no harm in eating less fat and more omega-3s," concludes the researcher.

Tags: feb 09 bridget avila annapolis eastern shore