|
|
|
|
|
|
Alternative Medicine and Holistic Health |
|
|
|
Why Your Mattress May Be Killing You
The organic movement, which started with organic food, is moving to the bedroom in a big way. "The bedroom? " you say. Yes, my dear, the bedroom, where organic mattresses and organic bedding are becoming an important new trend in the quest for a healthier lifestyle. The organic bedroom trend is motivated by some very recent disturbing discoveries about the petroleum-based foam mattresses most of us sleep on every night. Studies of household dust have confirmed that your mattress is likely one of the most significant sources of cancer-causing chemicals in your home. The average mattress consists of petroleum-based foam covered in petroleum-based polyester fabric. During its 10-year average lifetime, a foam mattress loses up to half its weight, and the lost weight goes on your bedroom floor in the form of toxic dust and in the air in the form of formaldehyde gas which is a by-product of the foam breakdown. Those dust bunnies under your bed could be a real threat to your health, unless you use an organic mattress which does not break down into these toxic by-products. The foam mattress story gets even more scary. The average petroleum-based foam queen-sized mattress is soaked in about a pound of fire retardant chemicals called PDBEs, which have already been banned in Europe, but not in North America. PDBEs are chemicals which are similar to the banned PCBs, and they build up in the body like DDT and PCBs. The PDBEs are used because they are the simplest and cheapest way to conform to United States mattress fire resistance codes. They are also promoted by the chemical industry, which recently sponsored tightening of the mattress fire resistance codes, which will cause even greater quantities of PDBEs to be used in the manufacture of mattresses beginning in 2006. While these new codes will save an estimated 27 lives a year from fires, these new regulations play Russian roulette with the future health of the 285 million Americans that sleep on these petroleum-based foam mattresses. Those calling for a ban on PDBEs say the greater danger is not the lives lost in fires, but the potentially millions of cases of cancer caused by exposure to these chemicals over the coming decades. The solution to this problem is to remove petroleum-based bedding from your home, and this has spawned the burgeoning organic bedroom movement. The cornerstone of this trend is the organic mattress, which is the same kind of mattresses our ancestors used before the rise of the petrochemical industry after World War II. It is also interesting to note that current cancer rates are more than 5 times higher than before World War II, when everybody was sleeping on organic mattresses by definition, because there was no petrochemical industry during those times. Examples of an organic mattress include: 1. Organic cotton and wool batting innerspring mattresses with an organic cotton fabric cover. Wool is naturally fire retardant and meets all US fire codes. 2. A Natural latex mattress, whose foam is made from the latex sap of the rubber tree and which require no fire retardants because natural rubber does not burn well. 3. Luxury organic mattresses which use combination of all three materials, organic cotton, wool, and latex, to produce maximum comfort mattresses that rival any non-organic mattresses. 4. All organic cotton mattresses. Although cotton does not burn well, it requires a doctor's prescription because cotton does not meet US fire resistance codes. Organic mattresses also have comfort advantages over traditional petroleum-based foam mattresses. They wick away moisture from the body much more thoroughly than clammy polyester and man-made foam, stopping night sweating and cutting down on problems like athlete's foot and jock itch. Wool also regulates body temperature very well, which is important for a restful sleep. Natural latex foam and wool are resistant to dust mites, which cause allergies in many people, and organic cotton and latex foam are both hypoallergenic materials. Organic mattresses are also considered a must for people with chemical sensitivities. Major North American manufacturers of organic mattresses include Vivetique/Crown City Mattress, located in South El Monte, California, Royal Pedic, headquartered in Beverly Hills, California, and Obasan, located in Ottawa, Canada. Retailers of organic mattresses include a variety of local mattress stores who carry products from these manufacturers, and nationwide web retailers, like Dax Stores, which often have the best prices for these mattresses. Mark Sweiger is a freelance reporter on home and garden topics and ecological news, and he can be reached via email at msweiger@NOSPAMearthlink.net. He is a definite believer in the value of organic sheets and organic mattresses (see http://www.daxstores.com/organic-bedding.html and http://www.daxstores.com/organic-mattresses.html for a further introduction to these).
MORE RESOURCES:
Alternative Health - Google News |
|
|
|
RELATED ARTICLES
About Candida, Its Symptoms & Treatment Candida is a fungal infection affecting the moist external area of the body like mouth, nostril, in side folded skin and vagina basically of a parasitic fungus. There are many types of Candida fungus like Candida Parapsilosis, Candida Tropicalies, Candida vini and sub-types named after the infected areas like Cutaneous Candidasis, Thrush, Vaginal Candidiasis, Penile Candidiasis, Pulmonary Candidiasis, Esophagus Candidiasis, Invasive Candidiasis and the treatments for respective infections are identified. Water Therapy: Therapeutic and Esoteric Properties for Your Home Spa Smart Bathing Something New Interesting About Water Therapy."The more I find out, the more I find out I need to know"Water therapy, or hydrotherapy, or balneology is a powerful natural tool you can use at your home spa. Three Steps to Get Rid of Hemorrhoids Constipation, Hemorrhoids or Piles, and inactivity go hand in hand. If you have been constipated for quite a while, chances are you have hemorrhoids. Natural Remedies For Treating a Cold Sometimes it can be hard to escape that shivery feeling that happens when you get too cold. A good immediate remedy for this is to wrap yourself up in a douvet and stick a hairdryer up it, (making sure the air flow is not restricted) until you feel warmed up. Exploring the Mystery of Aromatherapy Through Biotechnology Aromatherapy originated in Ancient Egypt. About a hundred years ago, a pharmacist from France used an innovative method which led to a breakthrough in aromatherapy techniques. Aromatherapy for the Mind, Body, and Spirit - Sandalwood Essential Oil For over 4000 years, the Sandalwood tree has played a significant part in Eastern culture as a material for art and artifacts, a medicine, and a divine aroma. Sandalwood products are obtained from the sandalwood tree (Santalum album), which is a member of the Santalaceae family native to southern tropical Asia. The Making of Essential Oils - Steam Distillation, Absolutes, and CO2s Explained Aromatherapy Goes 'High Tech'New methods of essential oil extraction are entering the mainstream of aromatherapy, offering new choices in oils never before available. With the new labels of 'CO2' and 'SCO2', along with the traditional 'steam' and 'hydro' distillations, 'absolutes', and 'cold pressing', a little education for the aromatherapy enthusiast can go a long way in essential oil selection. Hypnosis Cures For Nail Biting One little-thought-of application for hypnosis is to help people stop their nail biting habit. While this may not be on par with splitting the atom, it is a serious problem for people who always seem to find themselves gnawing their nails. How Toxic Is Your Home? We like to think of our homes as being a safe place to be--a refuge from a dangerous world. Yet some of the exposures that you have day-to-day that are most hazardous to your health and the health of your family happen right at home. Sheepskin Underlays, For a Better Sleep Sheepskin a better sleep If you want a better sleep, consider that when medical researchers report on the best padding available for increased comfort and reduced stress, they are referring to sheepskin. One reason sheepskin makes for a better sleep is because sheepskin padding redistributes weight over a larger surface area than do other materials. Six Smoothie Recipes for Constipation and Acne Relief I recommend drinking a morning smoothie if you have constipation or if you have skin problems like acne. Drinking a high fiber smoothie relieves and prevents constipation. Hidden Benefits of Reflexology The holistic therapy of reflexology has been used over the years to promote physical health and wellbeing in many thousands of people from all walks of life, but there is also a subtler aspect to its benefits that can be applied to the more vulnerable amongst us, to expand awareness and enhance everyday living.When a client asked if she could bring her sister, who had learning disabilities, for a reflexology treatment with me, I was only too glad to concur. Health Benefits of Green Tea For over 3000 years, the Chinese have been using green tea to treat all sorts of ailments, such as headaches and gastronomic problems. With a growing number of scientific data, there is no doubt that green tea is as essential for maintaining good health. Know About the All Purpose Holistic Medicine Understanding what holistic medicine is:Holistic Medicine is a wellness-based approach to medicine. It emphasizes the need to look at the whole person, including analysis of physical, nutritional, environmental, emotional, social, spiritual and lifestyle values. Getting into The Zone with The Alexander Technique Have you ever attempted to perform a simple act and completely failed? From completely mistiming a shot to losing balance at a crucial moment, the outcome may have fallen short of our intention and expectation. In contrast there are times when everything goes just right, every act is carried out to perfection with little perceived effort. Hypertension, An Alternative Approach For many years high blood pressure has been defined based upon actuarial tables prepared by life insurance companies. By that definition, blood pressure of 140/90 is borderline hypertension in a person 40 years of age. An ADD Case Study: What Does it Mean to Fail? Josh is a client of mine who is a junior in college. He's very smart. Human Health Modification Using Sun Light and Frequency Human behavior could be modified using light preferably real sunlight. A person could rest in a hammock while a large fan would rotate at a prescribed speed. Olive Oil: One of the Original Seven Wonders? Is Olive Oil one of Nature's seven original wonders?According to several resources, Olive oil IS nature's wonder drug. Olive oil is composed of and up to 30mg of Vitamin E, contains Provitamin A (carotene), has up to 83% Monounsaturated Fatty acis (oleic), contains up to 20% Polyunsaturated unfatty acis (Linoleic), and also has up to 23. Natural Pain Management Life in today's hectic society is going more and more in the direction of fast food restaurants, sugar in foods you would never think should be there, trans fatty acids, preservatives and pesticides which we consume in large amounts every year. We even go so far as to invent foods, such as artificial sugars, which your body (in my opinion) does not recognize as actual food.
|
| home | Iridology | "Mind Machines" | "Alternative Health" site map | Iridology Site Map | "Alternative Botox" |
| © 2000 - 2008 |
