Mommy Goes Green

Every couple of weeks, an article about cell phone radiation comes across my email and I read it, with some trepidation.   Awhile ago, I posted a list of ideas to reduce your exposure to cell phone radiation and I do continue to follow those but at the end of the day, it still worries me. 

The Environmental Working Group has just released research on cell phone radiation and the level at which your phone is emitting it.   Until now, I knew that Blackberry phones emitted high levels of radiation but I didn’t know my phone is in the WORST TOP 10!   Sounds like I’m going to be shopping for a new one.  Should you? 

EWG’s top 10 phones, based on low emissions:

• 1. Samsung Impression (SGH-a877) [AT&T]
• 2. Motorola RAZR V8 [CellularONE]
• 3. Samsung SGH-t229 [T-Mobile]
• 4. Samsung Rugby (SGH-a837) [AT&T]
• 5. Samsung Propel Pro (SGH-i627) [AT&T]
• 6. Samsung Gravity (SGH-t459) [CellularONE, T-Mobile]
• 7. T-Mobile Sidekick [T-Mobile]
• 8. LG Xenon (GR500) [AT&T]
• 9. Motorola Karma QA1 [AT&T]
• 10. Sanyo Katana II [Kajeet]

EWG’s list of highest radiation phones:

• 1. Motorola MOTO VU204 [Verizon Wireless]
• 2. T-Mobile myTouch 3G [T-Mobile]
• 3. Kyocera Jax S1300 [Virgin Mobile]
• 4. Blackberry Curve 8330 [Sprint, U.S. Cellular, Verizon Wireless, MetroPCS]
• 5. Motorola W385 [U.S. Cellular, Verizon Wireless]
• 6. T-Mobile Shadow [T-Mobile]
• 7. Motorola C290 [Sprint, Kajeet]
• 8. Motorola i335 [Sprint]
• 9. Motorola MOTO VE240 [Cricket, MetroPCS]
• 10. Blackberry Bold 9000 [AT&T]

Search for your phone today and try to start incorporating some of these tips to reduce your exposure :

1. use a headset or speaker
2. hold the phone away from your body
3. don’t let your kiddos use a cell phone
4. text more, talk less ( ugh, I HATE texting )
5. use the phone only when it gets a strong signal 

Swine flu has kept my mind busy lately because I have a baby on the way in November and a little girl in preschool who brings germs home by the bucketful.  I’ve been washing my hands like crazy and am not sharing my pens at work.  I’ve even considered hibernating at home the last couple weeks of my pregnancy just to keep myself healthy.  I might just be on my way to a bit of an obsession with NOT getting swine flu.

However, I’m relaxing a little after reading an article on CNN by Dr. Sanjay Gupta, best known as CNN’s medical correspondent, but also a neurosurgeon and father of three girls.  He interviewed physicians in pediatric emergency rooms across the country and came away with some clear and concise advice for worried parents :

1. Most children who develop flu-like symptoms will have a few miserable days but that’s it.   Those days are best spent at home, not visiting the E.R.  If your child doesn’t have the swine flu before they come into the E.R., there’s a good chance they can pick it up while they are there.

2.  If you are at all concerned, call your pediatrician first.  Again, going into the E.R. may expose your child to more germs.

3.  ”Yes, hearing between 30,000 and 90,000 could die from H1N1 is scary, but keep in mind — around 40,000 people die from the regular or seasonal flu every year. The numbers may not be that much different, yet there is not panic about the regular flu. As things look now, H1N1 is causing only mild to moderate illness, not the widespread deaths people are worried about.” 

4.   Call your doctor if:

• a baby younger than 12 weeks has a fever greater than 100.4 deg
• a baby older than 12 weeks has a fever for 3 days
• a child’s fever returns after a 12-24 hour period
• a child is not passing urine or making tears for more than 6 hours
• a child does not smile or show interest in playing for several hours

5.  Call 911 if:

• a child cannot speak while trying to breathe
• a child has blue/dark purple color to the nail beds, lips or gums
• a child does not respond to you because he is too tired or weak

While I feel a little better about how to handle things if a member of my family gets the flu, it doesn’t totally ease my fears about ME getting swine flu while I’m pregnant as pregnant women are more likely to develop serious disease after swine flu virus infection.  I’ll keep up my heightened sense of hygiene and probably add a few more preventative measures.  I’m also making sure I take all my vitamins, drink extra water and trying to get in bed at a decent hour.  What are YOU doing to keep swine flu out of your home this winter? 

I know this is kind of old news but if I didn’t know about it until today, I’m guessing others don’t either.  Zicam Nasal Gel and Nasal Gel Swabs are homeopathic cold remedies that the FDA has warned against using because users are losing their sense of smell.   In response, Zicam has recalled the two products and you can request a refund.

I admit we had some of the Nasal Gel Swabs in our medicine cabinet, but into the garbage they go.  There are many other Zicam products that are not in the recall – although I’m not sure I’ll be using them

There are often so many interesting reports and findings in the environmental health world that I’m unable to read and review them all so I’ve included several recent articles here that you can look into further if it peaks your interest – click on the headline for the entire article.

Weed killer kills human cells. Used in yards, farms and parks throughout the world, Roundup has long been a top-selling weed killer. But now researchers have found that one of Roundup’s inert ingredients can kill human cells, particularly embryonic, placental and umbilical cord cells.

Food packaging leaks BPA, phthalates. At least 50 chemicals capable of interfering with hormones is permitted in packaging in the United States and the European Union, a recent study says.

More preemies born in neighborhoods with heavy pollution from cars, trucks.  Women exposed to air pollution from freeways and congested roads are much more likely to give birth to premature babies and suffer from preeclampsia, according to a study by California scientists published Wednesday. The findings, based on births in the Long Beach/Orange County region, add to the growing evidence that car and truck exhaust can jeopardize the health of babies while they are in the womb.

Rep.Israel bill wants cleanser ingredients listed.  Household cleaners would have to carry labels with a full list of their ingredients – including potentially harmful chemicals like hydrochloric acid – under proposed federal legislation that would revamp what manufacturers must disclose on such everyday products

Lipstick makers urged to remove lead from cosmetics. Your lipstick is shocking red, but does it contain a shockingly unsafe amount of lead? Lead is often present in the pigment of the reddest lipsticks. But there are no FDA standards limiting lead and other toxins in lipstick.

Over the last several years, there has been chatter about radiation concern when using cell phones.  In France, they have even banned cell phone use in elementary schools over concerns.  Like most similar issues, there are groups and studies on both sides of the fence so it’s up to you to decide how best to use cell phones in your family.

For both my husband and I, cell phones are a necessity for work purposes.  I use speaker phone as much as possible and don’t keep the phone attached to body.   I’m not a big texter but my husband and I will use Blackberry Messenger to communicate when we can.   My bigger concern is always for my daughter as her little body develops so in that light, we try as much as possible ( which is not 100% of the time ) to limit her cell phone use and when she does use it, we put it on speaker ( again, when possible ).

Alexandra Zissu, from The Daily Green, has a list of 10 ways to limit your exposure to radiation by cell phones – check it out!

Did you realize that asthma is one of the most common serious chronic diseases of childhood?  It is the third-ranking cause of hospitalization among children under 15 and an average of one out of every 10 school-aged child has asthma.  That’s A LOT of kids!

May may be National Asthma Awareness Month but I’m generally asthma aware year round because my husband has it.  Luckily, he requires an inhaler only rarely and it has improved with age but I’m always concerned that my children will develop it.  There are some genetic factors that predispose children to asthma but there are also environmental factors that may contribute to the development of the disease.  Along those lines, here are some ways you might help to prevent your child from developing the disease or triggering an attack in a child with asthma.

Wash your bed linens in hot water at least once a week and  purchase allergen-prevention pillow cases and mattress covers.  One study indicates bacteria in household dust releases chemicals called endotoxins, which can inflame airways and trigger asthma. Researchers found the bedroom had fewer endotoxins, but it had a greater impact on a child’s health. After all, that’s where kids spend almost half their day.  Endotoxin levels can be reduced in the same way that allergy symptoms can be reduced: by removing dust, keeping the floors as clean as possible, keeping moisture low, repairing water damage, cleaning bed linens, and using a high-efficiency vacuum cleaner with a HEPA filter, among other actions.

Don’t smoke. According to the EPA, exposure to secondhand smoke can cause asthma in pre-school aged children.

Keep your pets outside.  Household pets can trigger asthma with skin flakes, urine, and saliva.

Clean more frequently. Reduce everyday dust build-up, by regularly dusting with a damp cloth and vacuuming carpet and fabric-covered furniture.

Replace your pesticide sprays with baits or traps.  If sprays are necessary, always circulate fresh air into the room being treated and keep asthma sufferers out of that room for several hours after any spraying.

Keep your baby out of the pool before they turn 6 months old.  Science Daily reported that children with mothers who have allergies or asthma have an increased risk of wheezing in the chest if they take part in baby swimming before 6 months of age.

If you do have a family member with asthma, try some of these tips for a period of time to see if they improve their health.  My husband partially attributes his improvement over the last 10 years to not living in an older home ( where basements can be damp ) and having no household pets.   We’ve also given up all pesticide use, use green cleaning products and have limited fragrances in the house. 

What has worked for your family?