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Nontoxic Dishwasher Cleaner

Question from Bonnie

Hi Debra,

My parents are is their 80’s and can not smell anything. There was a strong cleaner smell in their kitchen – I found out it was cascade pod cleaners. Is there a nontoxic brand you know of?

Thank you.

Debra’s Answer

Readers, we’re not talking about dishwasher detergent here.

The question is about dishwasher cleaner. a product that removes limescale buildup, grease, and odors from your dishwasher.

I’m not aware of any nontoxic version of this product. And I haven’t had a dishwasher for more than 40 years, so I don’t have a solution from experience.

Readers. any recommendations?

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Harvard Study Shows Pesticides in Food Cut Sperm Count in Men by Half

 

From the study:

Total fruit and vegetable intake was unrelated to semen quality parameters.

High pesticide residue fruit and vegetable intake, however, was associated with poorer semen quality.

On average, men in highest quartile of high pesticide residue fruit and vegetable intake (≥1.5 servings/day) had 49% (95% confidence interval (CI): 31%, 63%) lower total sperm count and 32% (95% CI: 7%, 58%) lower percentage of morphologically normal sperm than men in the lowest quartile of intake (

Low-to-moderate pesticide residue fruit and vegetable intake was associated with a higher percentage of morphologically normal sperm (P, trend = 0.04).

Eating lots of fruits and vegetables are not a problem.

Eating a lot of fruits and vegetables with pesticides greatly reduce sperm counts.

LIVING MAXWELL: Why Organic Food is a MUST for Men — Pesticides Have Been Linked to Lower Sperm Count and Quality

HUMAN REPRODUCTION: Fruit and Vegetable Intake and Their Pesticide Residues in Relation to Semen Quality Among Men From a Fertility Clinic

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Happsy Organic Mattress-in-a-Box

The first and only affordable certified organic mattress.Made in the USA from GOTS certified organic cotton, organic wool, and GOLS certified organic latex,specifically designed to sell at direct-to-consumer prices. $749 twin to $1499 king for basic model, additional organic pillowtop available for extra softness. Free shipping. 120-night trial and money back guarantee. Happsy now also makes foundations.

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Lead-free Pottery Bowls

Question from Julia

Hi Debra,

I have been making these delicious bowls with rice, veggies, etc. I want to get pasta like bowls that are lead free. What do you suggest?

Debra’s Answer

Yes I understand, I have been making “bowls” too and I love them so much that practically every meal I eat is in a bowl!

A couple of months ago I went shopping at Crate & Barrel and found some oversize bowls that I love and use for almost every meal.

And then I found some smaller bowls I had stashed away from Pier One. I had purchased these almost 15 years ago, so I doubt they still sell the same bowls, but they probably have something similar.

My rule of thumb has been to assume white bowls are safe and to check colored dinnerware with LeadCheck swabs. These are not considered as reliable as other forms of testing, but they are affordable and available. You can get them at any Home Depot or online.

LeadCheck swabs are simple to use. You just rub the end of the swab against the bowl for thirty seconds and if there is lead the swab will show red. If no lead, the swab will remain white. These swabs now come in packs of 2 for about $10, so it’s more affordable to do these tests than in the past.

I used LeadCheck swabs to test two bowls that I have on my shelf and eat from every day. As I thought, they both tested negative for lead.

This bowl from Pier 1 is a salad or soup sized porcelain bowl. Here is a similar one from Pier 1 Imports and they come in several sizes.  Note this one is made in China but still tests negative for lead. This larger porcelain bowl from Crate & Barrel is a serving bowl. It’s called Essential Serving Bowl. It was in stock at my local Crate and Barrel store. This also comes in several sizes. Note this one is made in Indonesia and also tests negative for lead.

I’ve become fond of putting my food in big white bowls and am actually retiring a lot of my dinnerware because I just don’t use it. White bowls are very simple and easily hold everything I eat.

I suggest purchasing white bowls and LeadCheck swabs and then bring the bowls home and test them immediately. If the swabs turn red, return the bowls and buy other bowls until you find bowls that test negative.

Here’s an article from the Chicago Tribune from 2007, when they gathered 20+ pieces of colorful dinnerware from local stores and had them tested for lead. None showed significant amounts of lead.

Many years ago I did a LeadCheck swab test on a colorful painted dinner plate for a TV show in Washington DC. And the swab did turn red right on cue. So I’ve seen the swabs test positive and negative. Mostly negative.

Is Real Salt Radioactive?

Question from Kathleen S.

Hi Debra,

My understanding of Real Salt is that it was mined in an area where nuclear testing had been done. My chiropractor said she would never use it, but recommend Celtic Salt. I read that Himalayan salt has problems too. So it seems very difficult to find any thing safe.

Debra’s Answer

I’ve done extensive research on salt and came to the conclusion that safest salts are those that come from underground sources. These are ancient sea beds that are not contaminated with modern pollution. So that would be Real Salt and The Original Himalayan Salt.

While I ate Celtic Salt for many years, I no longer eat any salts that come from the sea due to extensive pollution of sea water. Celtic Salt and some other salts are harvested from pristine areas and so are better than other sea salts, but underground salts are protected from modern pollution.

Here’s a response from Real Salt about your radiation question. Please share it with your chiropractor. “Nuclear tests were done in Nevada (not Utah) in the 1950’s, but it in terms of nuclear protection (time, distance, shielding), there is no possible contamination of our Real Salt.”

http://realsalt.com/real-salt-radiation/

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Humble Seed

“We are dedicated to providing the highest quality heirloom, non-GMO, non-hybrid, and organic seed varieties to those who choose to start from seed. “Exseeding expectations” is an affirmation we take seriously, and we believe that the most rewarding gardening experiences begin with seed.” They sell seeds in “banks” that include collections of seeds of certain types, such as hot peppers or culinary herbs. Plus compost tea for fertilizing.

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Black and Bolyard

Brown butter made from non-gmo grasped cream. Brown butter is simply gently browned butter, which gives the butter a nutty flavor. Original unfiltered, or flavored with bay leaf or red chili. It’s an easy way to add a lot of flavor to any dish where you would use butter.

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Tress of Antiquity

“Our nursery is centered on the rich history and future discoveries of our heirloom apples. ​ Our nursery is very much a family effort; we plant, graft, prune, weed, water and harvest our trees with only a bit of outstanding seasonal assistance. For over 30 years we have been rediscovering the unique flavors, textures and lore that surround these fruit trees and we look forward to extending this experience to your home.” They also sell many other fruit trees and bushes and have an excellent search system that allows you to choose the correct plants for your zone, harvest period, uses, pollination and even spacing.

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Copay Hills Orchard

Unpasteurized, raw organic almonds, harvested into tarps that eliminates the soil exposure that requires almonds to be pasteurized. “We devote 100% of our farming time towards our 1400 trees to produce high quality organic almonds for you. We really are a family farm. All eight of us farm the property. We use sustainable, organic farming practices to ensure we are good stewards of our land.”

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La Vigne Organics

Biodynamically grown exotic fruits and specialty herbs. “We are a certified biodynamic, organic grove and we lovingly tend to more than 2,000 exotic citrus fruit trees and specialty herbs. Our grove is devoted to less-mainstream produce: Fuyu Persimmons, Nagami Kumquats, Kaffir Limes, Kaffir Lime Leaves, Bearss Limes, Minneolas, Blood Oranges, Meyer Lemons, Satsuma Tangerines, Mexican Guavas, Cara Cara Navels, Cherimoyas, Fremont and Pixie Tangerines, Passion Fruit, Sapotes, Pomegranates and Surinam Cherries.” Also herbs Lemongrass, Rosemary, Bay Leaves, Hoja Santos and Curry Leaves.

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ARE TOXIC PRODUCTS HIDDEN IN YOUR HOME?

Toxic Products Don’t Always Have Warning Labels. Find Out About 3 Hidden Toxic Products That You Can Remove From Your Home Right Now.