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« Are Californians more flame retardant than the rest of us?? | Main | To swim or not to swim: childhood asthma and indoor swimming pools »
What's your personal body burden?
Most of us don't have the money to pay for a personal body burden analysis. And even if you do, you might be among those (like me) who would really rather not know.
I do read about other peoples' chemical body burdens, though. And while the news is generally horrifying, I don't think it hits home quite the same way when it's someone else's flame retardant breast milk or above-average level of PCBs. Don't you harbor the possibility that maybe, just maybe, you're different? That somehow your breastmilk is pure, your baby wasn't ingesting toxic chemicals when she was 3 weeks old - straight from your body? It's easy to do, even though the extensive body burden analyses conducted this century show that no-one is uncontaminated. No-one.
Get your score. Now there's a way to get an estimate of your body burden without going broke or providing blood and urine samples. We partnered with Sloan Barnett to create a simple online house tour that calculates your probable body burden based on your household environment and products - since they're a major source of our bodies' chemical loads. So this tool doesn't just deliver the bad news. It starts with the cause, making it that much easier to green your home and improve your health.
Go ahead, take the tour. You'll learn a lot about the chemical problem spots in your home - along with simple steps you can take to eliminate them. Think cleaning products, your mattresses, kids' toys, shampoo, and drycleaned clothes, for starters. As you move through your virtual house (it's a lot nicer than mine!), you'll be able to reduce your body burden score by committing to change certain hot spots. Top on my list? A vacuum with a high efficiency particulate air (HEPA) filter. Why? EWG staff scientists think it's a key step to reducing household toxins because they capture the widest range of particles and get rid of allergens. Kids spend lots of time on the floor, and household dust can contain contaminants like lead and fire retardants. And to prevent more pollutants from getting inside, leave your shoes at the door. How simple is that?
Want to know more? Sloan Barnett's hot-off-the-press book, Green Goes with Everything, is chock full of important facts and ways to reduce exposures. No time to read? Listen up, then - she is a TV commentator, after all.
« Are Californians more flame retardant than the rest of us?? |
Comments
Sloan and her husband, Roger are the reasons I started going "green". I saw them on Oprah and Sloan spoke of her experience with her sons asthma. Two weeks later, I was a Shaklee Distributor and then four months later I saw Sloan and Roger in person, in Nashville.
An inspiring couple and this book is amazing. Sloan and Roger Barnett are dedicated to helping people be more eco-friendly and aware of toxic hazards. Like a vaccuum, hello, how cool is that to getting rid of toxins in your own home environment? This is where I think we all should start. Right with us and our home environment. That's how I started.
Thanks for this great post Lisa, I'll be linking back to it for sure.
Posted by: Sommer | October 2, 2008 7:52 AM
I just picked that book up last weekend.
I'm looking forward to sitting down and reading it. I'll be sure to link-back also when I write a review.
Posted by: Mike@EasyGreensy | October 2, 2008 10:31 AM
I have some issue with this book, issues surrounding it not so much the actual content.
1) Sloan's husband is Roger Barnett, the CEO of Shaklee Corporation. So what the heck where they using toxic cleaning products in their house for? Sloan tells how her son had asthma in the promo video I saw and she said it was caused because of the products she was using. If Shaklee products are worth a damn it sure seems odd to me that they aren't being used in the CEO's own household.
2) Sloan spends an entire chapter in the book extolling the virtues of Shaklee products. Infomercials need not apply - it would have been much better if she talked about green and non-toxic cleaners in general instead of Pushing her husband's company and its' products.
I won't be reading this book because I'm uneasy because of the things I mentioned above, I've picked out a book by Renee Loux: Easy Green Living: The Ultimate Guide to Simple, Eco-Friendly Choices for You and Your Home
Posted by: Randy Harris | October 2, 2008 2:55 PM
I took the "Body Burden" quiz.
Having another tool available to help educate people about sources of chemical exposure is good.
BUT -- the quiz's dialogue is misleading.
If you reach 'zero' on the quiz you are applauded for achieving zero "body burden". That is far from the truth.
Importantly, readers should understand that body burden is not measured by what is removed from their home -- it is measured by what's still in their body.
Scoring zero on the quiz won't make the problem "all better now".
Good = identifying toxic sources and how to avoid them.
Bad = glossing over the persistence, scope, and ubiquity of sources.
If the book is anything like the quiz it will motivate some people towards healthier choices, but it will produce a false sense of security.
Posted by: toxouts![[TypeKey Profile Page]](http://www.enviroblog.org/nav-commenters.gif)
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October 2, 2008 5:42 PM
@Randy,
You are very misinformed. Roger and Sloan came to buy the Shaklee company after their son has his asthma issue. The research of toxic products led them to the Shaklee company. So basically, they are that damn good. You should research more before you spout off like that
2) If you're other half owned a company and you believed in this company and what it does for the environment. If you were writing the book why would you promote any other green product? That would be dumb. It goes into her pocket to. Besides, it helps the distributors that make a living because of Shaklee. Again, think about it. Sloan believes they are the best from their research and then buying the company. Should she promote a competitor? Seriously.
I think you should read the book and open up more to the information given verses being closed minded and making harsh opinions.
Posted by: Sommer | October 2, 2008 6:21 PM
I find a good way to balance your body is to use essential oils and a totally organic skin care. Our skin is the biggest organ on our body and if that is balanced and healthy then we can go forward with confidence in every day life. I am reading a book called "Beauty Health and Happiness" by Lily and she has exceptional ways of getting rid of your body burdens that are ALL NATURAL, which is my favorite part.
Anybody who wants to find a natural solution to problems should really read this book where she gives recipes for healing procedures and has products that are ready to buy, amazing by the way.
I've read both books and with my Green spirit, Lily's way worked to make me Happy and Healthy
Posted by: Melissa | October 3, 2008 1:50 PM