Should You Ditch Your Chemical Mattress?

Source: Mother Jones, March 2008
Via: Organic Consumers Association

Should You Ditch Your Chemical Mattress?
 
Commentary: Good night, sleep tight—don’t let the volatile organic compounds bite.
 
By Hannah Wallace
 
Susan Greenfield and her girlfriend Llina Kempner couldn’t wait for their new memory-foam mattress top to arrive. For months, they’d heard friends rave about how the high-tech material molds itself to your body. But when they unwrapped the three-inch-thick pad in their Manhattan apartment, they noticed a strong, acrid odor. “My nose and my lungs were miserable,” recalls Greenfield. For the two nights Kempner slept on the mattress top, she felt nauseated. After Greenfield, who is chemically sensitive, had an asthma attack in the middle of the night, the couple returned the mattress pad. But its stench lingered in the apartment for weeks.
 
Reactions like Greenfield’s are relatively rare, but you, too, might lose some sleep when you find out what’s really inside your mattress-memory foam or not. The place where you spend one-third of your life is chock-full of synthetic materials, some potentially toxic. Since the mid- to late ’60s, most mattresses have been made of polyurethane foam, a petroleum-based material that emits volatile organic compounds that can cause respiratory problems and skin irritation. Formaldehyde, which is used to make one of the adhesives that hold mattresses together, has been linked to asthma, allergies, and lung, nose, and throat cancers. And then there are cotton pesticides and flame-retardant chemicals, which can cause cancer and nervous-system disorders. In 2005, Walter Bader, owner of the “green mattress” company Lifekind and author of the book Toxic Bedrooms, sent several mattresses to an Atlanta-based lab. A memory-foam model was found to emit 61 chemicals, including the carcinogens benzene and naphthalene.
 
There is no proven health risk from the substances in mattresses, however, mostly because tracking their long-term effects is virtually impossible. Heather Stapleton, an environmental chemist at Duke University, says there’s simply not enough data to determine whether low levels of these chemicals will eventually make people sick. “It’s the dose that makes the poison,” she says. “If they’re not getting out, maybe it’s not a problem-but we don’t know. There are plenty of lab studies that show that these compounds are harmful. It’s just a question of what levels people are exposed to.”
 
Still, more and more consumers are seeking out mattresses made of natural latex, organic cotton batting, and organic wool. Sales of California-based Vivètique’s latex mattresses have increased by 40 percent annually for the past five years-they now comprise 45 percent of the company’s total sales. And they are even sold by discounter 1-800-Mattress.
 
It’s hard to say whether you should ditch your conventional bed in favor of a green one, since you’ll likely have a tough time figuring out exactly which toxins are lurking under your covers. Take, for example, fireproofing chemicals: Pentabde, a member of the polybrominated diphenyl ether (pbde) family of flame retardants, was used in some mattresses before 2004, when it was phased out. (Pentabde is now known to be toxic to the liver, thyroid, and nervous system.) So let’s say that just to be on the safe side you toss your pre-2004 mattress and buy a new one. Problem solved? Maybe not. Last July, the Consumer Product Safety Commission began to require that all mattresses sold in the United States be able to withstand 30 minutes of exposure to an open flame.
 
Mattress makers aren’t using Pentabde anymore-but it’s not clear exactly what they are using to meet the new standard. Major manufacturers such as Simmons, Sealy, and Tempur-Pedic won’t divulge their flame-retardant formulas, which are considered trade secrets. A Simmons press release touts a “proprietary blend of char-forming, intumescing, flame-resistant components.” Tempur-Pedic vaguely states that its products “consistently meet all safety standards.” A best guess at what’s in today’s mattresses comes from Ryan Trainer, executive vice president of the International Sleep Products Association, an industry group. He says most companies use “various types of barrier fabrics” such as cotton treated with boric acid or rayon treated with silica-both relatively benign chemicals-as well as fire-resistant materials such as modacrylic fiber (which contains antimony oxide, a carcinogen) and melamine resin (which contains formaldehyde).
 
With a doctor’s prescription, people who are chemically sensitive and have allergies can order a mattress that doesn’t pass a flammability test. But organic-mattress companies have found a simple way to fireproof: wrapping their bedding in a layer of wool. Their prices aren’t so warm and cozy-a queen-size latex model from Virginia-based Savvy Rest starts at $1,599. But if you’re having nightmares about your mattress, and it’s time to trade in your well-worn Posturepedic anyway, it might be worth it.
 
Susan Greenfield was a fan of organic mattresses even before the smelly memory-foam pad showed up-she’s slept on one for 15 years, says she “loves” it, and describes it as “very comfortable but very hard.” Hey, whatever helps you sleep at night.

Henbits, harbingers of Spring and U.S. invaders

Source: Backyard Nature Google Group
For more information about invasive species in general, see this Wikipedia article.

Henbit
 
 
For this installment of Species of the Week I have reprinted a portion of the newsletter from my local chapter of the Native Plant Society:
 
 
South Carolina Native Plant Society
Pause for Plants, March 2007
 
Patches of Purple
 
Blooming now in lawns, fields, and along roadsides are the “Henbits,” two species of the mint family which have pinkish purple flowers, square stems and opposite leaves. Their common name comes from the notion (maybe fact) that free-range chickens find them tasty. One species is called “purple henbit” or “purple dead nettle.” Its scientific name is Lamium purpureum, “Lamium” from Greek for “thread” referring to the flowers tubular shape, and “purpureum” for purple flower petals and purple young leaves. The other henbit is Lamium amplexicaule with a species name describing its green leaves that “clasp the stem.” This henbit is also known as, “Giraffe head.” With a little stretch of the imagination, the fully mature flowers can be said to look like liliputian purple giraffe heads! Many online search references tell you how to eradicate these really attractive Eurasian transplants, and they are described as aggressive annual weeds! Both henbits have wide distributions over North America. They grow well in light shade to full sun.
 
Below is a vigorous patch of henbit:
 

 
[Image from Texas A&M University http://uvalde.tamu.edu/herbarium/laam.htm]
 
Folks sometimes have a hard time distinguishing between these “cousins” of the same genus. Their flowers are similar pink/purple tubular with two-lobed spotted lips. But their leaves are more distinctive, and a closer look reveals that the stem-clasping leaves of Lamium amplexicaule are round shaped with rounded teeth along their edge, and only the lower most leaves have stalks (petioles). Lamium purpureum leaves are more triangular shaped, less deeply lobed, and youngest leaves are often purple.
 
For more information and some great images check out
 
http://pick4.pick.uga.edu/mp/20q?search=Lamium+amplexicaule&guide=Lawn
 
Henbits are edible and healthful. Young fresh leaves can be used as pot herbs or in salads. Perhaps some of you would like to gather up henbit and other wild edible weeds to try the following recipe!
 
 
Wild Weed Salad*
 
1/2 cup young henbit leaves
1/2 cup young dandelion leaves
1 cup lamb’s quarter new leaves
1 small head of butter lettuce, torn (optional)
1/2 cup tender nasturtium and violet leaves, torn
1/4 cup chive blossoms
1/4 cup rose or tulip petals
1/2 cup nasturtium and violet flowers
2 tsp. fresh mint chopped fine and bruised
2 Tablespoons chopped basal
2 cloves minced garlic
Salt and pepper to taste
1 Tablespoon honey
3 ounces apple cider vinegar
1/4 cup salad oil
 
*This recipe can be changed to suit what is in season at the time. Carefully wash all the flowers and greens, let dry on paper towels. Mix gently in a salad bowl. Combine honey and apple cider vinegar, whisk in oil. Season to taste with salt and white pepper. Add dressing to salad and toss gently to coat all ingredients. Sprinkle with chopped almonds and serve.
 
Medicinal uses are also reported for henbits, and some examples are:
 
Whole plants of purple deadnettle, (Lamium purpureum) are soaked in hot water producing an decoction to check bleeding ( astringent ), and whole plant teas are used as a diaphoretic to induce sweating.
 
Decoctions and teas of henbit (Lamium amplexicaule) are used to relieve rheumatism, as a laxitive, a stimulant and also to induce sweating.
 
 
 
Mark
 
_________________
“Let us save at least part of our lives for enjoyment of this wonderful world which still exists. Leave your dens, abandon your cars, and walk out into the mountains, the deserts, the forests, the seashores.”
- - Edward Abbey

Political cartoon: G. W. Bush’s Iraq Legacy by Mike Peters

Netflix Movie Streaming on Xbox 360 Actually Coming Soon?

Netflix Movie Streaming on Xbox 360 Actually Coming Soon? – Gizmodo
 
The rumor about Netflix surveying the scene, prepping a possible streaming movie solution to Xbox 360 and PS3 seems to be on the verge of coming true, according to Netflix themselves. They just released a statement that says they’ve surveyed subscribers to see how interested they were in streaming movies over Xbox 360 (PS3 was not mentioned), but didn’t say whether a partnership was coming between them and Microsoft.
 
Releasing a statement about a survey? Sounds like someone’s trying to jockey a better negotiating position while talks are still underway. On a similar note, Netflix’s online site seems to have been down for most of Monday, which makes the case for streaming media even stronger. [Reuters - Thanks David!]

Twin beds may benefit marriages

Twin beds may benefit marriages - UPI
 
LONDON, March 24 (UPI) — British sleep researchers say the secret of a happy marriage may be separate beds — or even separate bedrooms.
 
The Sleep Council reports that when couples share a bed both may be woken about six times during the night by their partners, The Times of London said. The problem is worse if one or both snores or has restless leg syndrome.
 
About 25 percent of British adults snore, the British Snoring and Sleep Apnea Association said. The problem may cost their partners two hours of sleep every night.
 
In the United States, researchers at the University of Wisconsin found that the greatest marital problems seem to occur when one partner is a lark, getting up early in the morning ready for the day, and the other an owl who prefers to stay up late and sleep in. A California woman ended up getting a divorce because she got fed up with her husband’s habit of staying up late playing computer games.
 
For other couples, separate bedrooms could be the right choice. The National Association of Home Builders predicted that by 2015 a majority of custom-built homes will have his-and-hers master bedrooms.
 
© 2008 United Press International. All Rights Reserved.

7-step Plan to Boost Low Thyroid and Metabolism

Low Thyroid Function: A 7 Step Plan to Overcome This Hidden Epidemic From UltraWellness-Running the Right Tests for Low Thyroid Function Can Help Diagnose and Correct Thyroid Problems in Millions of People
 
Market Wire
 
03-21-08
 
LENOX, MA, Mar 20, 2008 (MARKET WIRE via COMTEX) — Many of the 45 million people affected by hypothyroidism don’t know they have it because doctors aren’t running the right tests. But by following the new guidelines for hypothyroid testing, as well as running lesser-known tests, doctors could diagnose more people with low thyroid function.
 
“There are many reasons for low thyroid function, yet I’ve seen lots of patients with this problem who were just ignored by their doctors,” said Mark Hyman, M.D. of UltraWellness. “Most doctors just check something called the thyroid-stimulating hormone (TSH), which doesn’t give a full picture of the thyroid, the interpretation of this test is incorrect most of the time.”
 
Most doctors only regard TSH levels over 5 or 10 as worth treating, but new guidelines from the American College of Endocrinology consider anybody with a TSH level over 3.0 as hypothyroid. There are also other tests, including free T3, free T4 and thyroid antibodies, which are essential for diagnosing low thyroid function.
 
“Using old guidelines and thinking, conventional medicine misses millions who suffer with hypothyroidism,” said Hyman. “I like to look at all of the factors that could be causing chronic thyroid problems such as chronic inflammation from gluten intolerance or food allergies, chronic stress, heavy metals such as mercury, or deficiencies of vitamin D, selenium, vitamin A, zinc, and omega-3 fats.”
 
Hypothyroidism can also be caused by environmental toxins such as pesticides, which act as hormone or endocrine disruptors and interfere with thyroid hormone metabolism and function, causing hypothyroidism, creating a slow metabolism and preventing weight loss.
 
“I believe a comprehensive approach is needed to address chronic thyroid issues and to diagnose them. Unfortunately, most of the options for healing by conventional care are quite limited and only provide a partial solution, but by following my seven-step plan you can achieve optimal health and UltraWellness,” said Hyman.
 
For more information on identifying symptoms of hypothyroidism and Dr. Mark Hyman’s seven-step plan to address hypothyroidism, visit The UltraWellness Blog (www.ultrawellness.com/blog).

Sources:
Life Extension Daily News
7-step Plan to Boost Low Thyroid and Metabolism – The Ultrawellness Blog

 

One Cup Of Green Tea Per Day Cuts Ovarian Cancer Risk In Half

Just One Cup Of Green Tea Per Day Cuts Ovarian Cancer Risk In Half – Life Extension Newsletter

 

A short communication published in the March, 2008 issue of the American Association for Cancer Research journal Cancer Epidemiology, Biomarkers and Prevention reported the outcome of a study conducted by researchers at Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center and the University of Washington in Seattle which found that women who drank one or more cups per day of green tea experienced a 54 percent reduction in the risk of epithelial ovarian cancer. Because the disease is difficult to detect in its early, treatable stages, and a reliable screening test is still not available to the public, an effective means of preventing the disease “remains the only feasible approach to reduce ovarian cancer mortality,” according to the authors.

 

Mary Anne Rossing and her colleagues set out to evaluate the relationship between caffeine-containing beverages and ovarian cancer risk by comparing 781 women diagnosed with a primary invasive or borderline epithelial ovarian cancer between 2002 and 2005, and 1,263 women without the disease. Interviews with the participants obtained demographic and lifestyle characteristics, medical, family and reproductive history, and beverage consumption data five years prior to ovarian cancer diagnosis (or prior to an assigned reference date for the control subjects). Caffeine-containing drinks were reported as brewed coffee, instant coffee, espresso or espresso drinks, green tea, black tea, colas and root beer, diet colas and diet root beer, and caffeinated soft drinks. Decaffeinated beverages were reported separately.

 

In agreement with previous studies, women who had been diagnosed with ovarian cancer were less likely to have used hormonal contraception, had a greater frequency of childlessness, or were likelier to have a family history of the disease. While the frequent intake of colas or root beer, whether regular or decaffeinated, was associated with a moderately increased risk of ovarian cancer, none of the other beverages were associated with increased or decreased risk, with the exception of green tea. Women who consumed one or more cups of green tea per day experienced a 54 percent reduction in ovarian cancer risk compared to those who did not drink green tea. Those who reported drinking an average of less than one cup per day experienced a smaller reduction in risk. Elimination of Asian women from the analysis (who are often frequent consumers of green tea), analysis of the data by tumor type, and separation of the women according to age or menopausal status failed to modify the finding.

 

The relatively high levels of epigallocatechin-3-gallate in green tea have been shown to help inhibit the growth of ovarian cancer in cell cultures according to two studies cited by the authors. Additionally, green tea drinking has been associated with a reduced risk of several other cancers. “Green tea, which is commonly consumed in countries with low ovarian cancer incidence, should be further investigated for its cancer prevention properties,” the authors conclude.

Bad smells smell bad – Air fresheners may mutate your nethers

 
From the National Resources Defense Council:

Common Air Fresheners Contain Chemicals That May Affect Human Reproductive Development, September 19, 2007

 

An analysis of more than a dozen common household air fresheners found that most contain chemicals that may affect hormones and reproductive development, particularly in babies, the Natural Resources Defense Council (NRDC) said today. The federal government does not currently test air fresheners for safety or require manufacturers to meet any specific safety standards. The study offers both consumers and officials new information on the risks certain air fresheners pose.

 

“More than anything, our research highlights cracks in our safety system,” said Dr. Gina Solomon, NRDC senior scientist.

 

“Consumers have a right to know what is put into air fresheners and other everyday products they bring into their homes,” Solomon added. “There are too many products on the shelves that we assume are safe, but have never even been tested. The government should be keeping a watchful eye on these household items and the manufacturers who produce them.”

 
…etc.

From the National Institutes of Health:

Chemical in Many Air Fresheners May Reduce Lung Function, 27 July, 2006

 

New research shows that a chemical compound found in many air fresheners, toilet bowl cleaners, mothballs and other deodorizing products, may be harmful to the lungs. Human population studies at the National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences (NIEHS), a part of the National Institutes of Health, found that exposure to a volatile organic compound (VOC), called 1,4 dichlorobenzene (1,4 DCB) may cause modest reductions in lung function.

 

“Even a small reduction in lung function may indicate some harm to the lungs,” said NIEHS researcher Stephanie London, M.D., lead investigator on the study. “The best way to protect yourself, especially children who may have asthma or other respiratory illnesses, is to reduce the use of products and materials that contain these compounds.”

 
…etc.

(Learn more about these issues at the Organic Consumers Association and the National Resources Defense Council.)
 

Telecom immunity: where does your Rep stand?

Where does your representative stand?

For more than five years, AT&T and other telephone companies broke the law and violated their customers’ privacy rights by sending billions of private domestic internet and telephone communications and records to the National Security Agency.

The Bush administration has been lobbying Congress to let the phone companies off the hook. But recently, the House of Representatives stood strong and passed a bill that would hold them accountable.

Enter your zipcode at StopTheSpying.org to find out how your House representative voted on the recent bill denying the telecom industry immunity for their criminal involvement in spying on the American people.

See also:

• EFF: The Case Against Retroactive Amnesty for Telecoms
• Wikipedia: NSA warrantless surveillance controversy
• American Civil Liberties Union: FISA
• Wikipedia: Legal challenges to NSA warrantless searches in the United States

New video of Boston Dynamics BigDog robot

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Big_Dog