Question from HAH

Hello….help,

Searching for a Natural Vitamin D3 (Cholcaliferol),encapsulated in Veggie Capsules or in Bovine Gelatin Capsules or if possible in Tablet form.

Not the synthetic version (Ergocalciferol)!

Really need your help!

Thanks,

HAH

Debra’s Answer

Readers? Anyone know where to get this?

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Question from stacy

I always worry that the polycarbonate plastic is leaching into the hot food that I put into the food processor. Does anybody know if there are any food processors made of glass?

Thanks.

Stacy

Debra’s Answer

I don’t know of one. Readers?

I’d recommend using a high-speed blender to puree hot foods rather than a food processor. I’ve heard that chefs actually prefer a blender for puree. Or get an “immersion blender” that you can use right in the pot.

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Question from Dalia

We just moved to our first home and the previous owner left the barbecue in dare need of some cleaning…any natural way to do it??? Thank you Dalia

Debra’s Answer

Readers? What have you used?

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Question from Dorothy

You said that roasted coffee beans contain pesticides, but I’m not finding anything that verifies that. I’m finding plenty that suggests the coffee fields and outer plants are full of pesticides but, as I understand it, the bean itself is then soaked, fermented, dried, and roasted. Although it’s clear that the pesticides are harmful to the workers and environment, I’m not finding harm via pesticides from drinking it. Do you know any studies? I’ve looked at a number of sites with no luck. Thanks for your help.

Debra’s Answer

This from Natural Resources Defense Council should answer your question:

http://www.nrdc.org/health/farming/ccc/chap4.asp

“In 1983, the Natural Resources Defense Council retained the services of an outside contract laboratory to conduct independent testing on imported coffee beans.[41] The analysis revealed multiple pesticide residues on all samples when green coffee beans were tested using detection methods many times more precise than the FDA procedures (see Table 6). The roasting process reduced detectable levels of pesticide residues on the bean samples; however, the test of one sample of the Brazilian coffee beans retained the original level of DDD (the toxic metabolite of DDT) that had been detected on the beans before roasting.[42] It should be noted that while DDT is rarely used on coffee today, other chemicals are used to combat insect pests, weeds, and diseases.”

Note it says “reduced” not “eliminated” but still the levels are very high compared to food because so much pesticide is used.

I don’t have any documents that show an association between drinking coffee with pesticide residues and human harm, but the environmental impact of these pesticides is great in terms of pollution and also cause illness and death in farm workers.

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Question from FRAN

Debra, I have received help from your site countless times; but was confused when i searched for nontoxic cookware.

I plan to throw out a Visions pan that is cranberry and seems to have a black Teflon coating, but I noticed that you recommended Visions. I finally confirmed that this is a Teflon coating at least according to a description on Ebay. Could you clear this up for readers?

I am holding on to the pan because in case it might be a substance bonded to the silica and etc. – and it is a beautiful piece.

Debra’s Answer

Some Visions cookware pieces DO have Teflon. I only recommend the pieces WITHOUT Teflon. The Teflon is easy to spot. It’s a black coating. The pieces without Teflon have just the glass bottom that is the same as the sides.

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Question from josylo

What would you suggest to control domestic spiders for a house in the woods. There is too much inside ! I don’t want to use the commercial treatments proposed. Any suggestions ?

Debra’s Answer

I’ve lived out in the woods and decided myself to just live with the spiders. For the most part they are considered to be beneficial insects because they feed on other insects, thereby themselves being natural pest controls. So I just let them wander the walls of my house and do thier natural thing.

At first, I didn’t want “creepy-crawlies” in my house, but then I realized they are part of the ecosystem. They never bothered me or bit me and I just came to view them as part of life that I was sharing my home with and appreciated them for helping control other insects.

Spiders prefer, actually, to live outdoors, but come inside homes in early fall when cooler temperatures force them to seek shelter.

You can discourage spiders from coming in your house with good housekeeping, both inside and out. Keep stored items in boxes and bags shelves and clean up and dispose of clutter and trash. Repair screens and maintain the weather-stripping around doors and windows, so it is more difficult to get in the house. Once spiders are inside, spiders and their webs can be eliminated by using a broom or vacuum cleaner.

In certain areas of the country there are specific types of spiders that are poisonous. Contact your local science or natural history museum to learn about poisonous spiders in your area and learn to recognize them so you can avoid them. These DO bite humans.

Readers? Any suggestions on what worked for you?

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Question from Lisa Nyden

Dear Debra and Readers,

I recently purchaced an all purpose cleaning product called “Mrs. Meyer’s Clean Day” I just have to say that I LOVE it. I chose the Geranium scent it is so nice and very refreshing. I was pleasantly surprised. It is made with safe ingredients and not tested on animals. I recommend it for anyone

Try it!

Debra’s Answer

I took a look at Mrs. Meyers for Debra’s List, and decided not to include them, because they do contain synthetic ingredients and there are plenty of all-natural and even organic cleaners (all the information I’m about to give you is on their website under “About Our Company”).

Mrs. Meyers uses “naturally derived ingredients whenever possible from corn, sugar cane, coconut and palm.” However, when they “cannot find a plant-derived ingredient that performs to our rigorous standards, [they] use ingredients from the world of safe synthetics.”

Their fragrances contain “natural essential oils and other non-natural ingredients.” Some companies, including Mrs. Meyers say they need to use these non-natural ingredients “to ensure safety, consistent performance and quality” however, other companies seem to be able to ensure these by using only natural essential oils. These are not suitable for people with allergies to fragrances or MCS.

Some good things about Mrs. Meyers:
* no ammonia, chlorine or phosphates, sodium lauryl sulfate, organic solvents (glycol ethers, butyl ethers) phthalates, mineral oil, animal-derived ingredients (except beeswax), or synthetic anti-bacterial or antiseptic ingredients
* recyclable packaging
* biodegradable
* concentrated
* not tested on animals

So Mrs. Meyers is better than a lot of what you will find on the shelf next to it in the supermarket, but not natural enough for me personally.

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Question from Michelle

Debra,

My doctor recommends I clean our baby’s cool humidifier with bleach and hot water. I do not use bleach for anything else because it is so toxic. Do you have any recommendations on how I can clean the humidifier and remove any mold in a less toxic way?

Michelle Clark

Debra’s Answer

My recommendation would be to use hydrogen peroxide instead, which will kill bacteria, but I don’t have personal experience with this. Readers? Your suggestions?

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Question from Nikki

I’ve been working on turning our apartment “green.”

Background: Our bathroom doesn’t have a window and the exhaust fan the manager had put in doesn’t work as well as the old one. Two showers are taken on a daily basis.

I’d like to get a hemp or cotton shower curtain. Which curtain type dries faster? Is one more resistant to mildew than the other? Will either curtain type completely dry overnight?

Thanks for your advice!

Nikki

Debra’s Answer

A hemp shower curtain will dry faster, however, it will still mold.

I’ve used cotton shower curtains in the past, and they seemed to mold to the point of having the mold eat holes in the curtain, rendering it unusable in 3-4 months. I finally just installed glass shower doors, which cost less than $100 at Home Depot and Lowe’s. And they are pretty easy to install if you are handy around the house.

If you don’t want to install glass doors, go with the hemp and pretreat it as described in Q&A: Controlling Mold on Shower Curtains.

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Question from SB

What is the best cookware for someone with mild sensitivities? Also is carbon steel cookware safer to use than regular stainless steel cookware. Lastly what is the best (in terms of safest) brand or type of stainless steel cookware out there?

Debra’s Answer

The best cookware for someone with mild sensitivities…Probably Pyrex and Visions are most inert, but if your sensitivities are mild, you can probably use any cookware.

For an overview of cookware, type “cookware” into my website search engine. There are a lot of Q&As on this subject.

Now, to answer your questions about stainless steel and carbon steel.

Carbon steel is used to make woks and I’ve also seen carbon steel skillets in restaurant supply stories. It is kind of greyish black. Made simply of iron with 0.1 to 1.2 percent carbon and even less manganese, carbon steel can be recycled and often contains about 25 percent recycled content whether it is so labeled or not.

Most pots and pans, cooking utensils, and flatware are made from stainless steel, which has a special ability to resist corrosion. The most extensively used type of stainless steel for household items is made from 71.95 percent iron, 18 percent chromium, 8 percent nickel, and 0.05 percent carbon. Stainless steel products can not be recycled and do not contain recycled material.

Stainless steel is generally considered the best choice for cooking because it is sanitary, nonporous, and the metals are highly stable. But stainless steel leaches nickel and chromium into food, which may be harmful to health, and environmentally, the mining and manufacture of steel is a highly technological, energy-intensive and polluting process. So it’s not one of my favorites, considering there are more healthful and environmentally-advantageous options available.

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