What IS that Stuff ... Checking Suspicious Chemicals

There are tons of strange chemicals, drugs and other suspicious materials around you; how do you find out if they are hazardous? I'm a great advocate for looking up health effects of the food additives listed on packaging labels, your prescription drugs and other chemicals around you, but you may not know where to start. Here are a few clues:

• Check out the Material Safety Data Sheet or MSDS. Any chemical used in manufacturing must have an MSDS so workers and employers know how to handle it safely. A quick google search for 'chemname' MSDS will usually get a few hits with material data safety sheets for the chemical. If not, dig deeper and expect to find problems.
• Contact the manufacturer and ask about published information and health studies.
• Search on-line, or better still, get help from a librarian. (Yes, there really are still librarians out there)

If you find WAY too much contradictory information to draw a conclusion, dig deeper; you may find books on the stuff, and you may be inspired to do some serious reading. I promise you this- research a few food additives or household chemicals this way, and you'll learn far more than just the answers than you were looking for. You will start to understand the stuff you put in your body. There's a powerful education waiting for you, and it can change your life!

Choosing a Non-Toxic Home

I don't want to sleep or eat in a toxic home, and most people I know feel the same way. The reality is that toxin-free is too much for most of us to pull off. Even the wilderness has poisonous plants, venomous animals, insect-borne diseases, toxic minerals and solar radiation. Many of these hazards were here before people, and now they are worse.
The sensible compromise is to make your home relatively toxin-safe, by avoiding the most likely risks. Here is a quick list to consider:

1. Avoid leaded paint, asbestos insulation & formaldehyde insulation
2. If you are in an area where radon may be present, have the house tested for it
3. Avoid homes with past insecticide treatments that are still hazardous
4. Watch out for industrial facilities nearby, or old industrial pollution from past activity on or near the property
5. If you have allergies, sensitivities or autoimmune issues, check out the risks of the house and neighborhood related to those concerns

Ultimately, you can live a relatively clean life where toxins and disease are not putting you at a high risk of illness or death with some effort. Depending on what you are willing to give up, you can live cleaner but more rustic, or a little riskier, with more conveniences. The choice is yours.