My comment as posted on Forbes url:

Posted by TeresaBinstock | 12/04/07 10:55 AM EST

When researchers focus upon a single toxin, they are likely to miss
additional mechanisms of injury. Thus when based upon single toxins, the
"safe level" concept is misleading. Every study thus far has identified
numerous intra-body toxins in humans. Cumulative, additive, synergistic,
and hormetic effects merit attention. Furthermore, myriad intra-body
toxins work together to deplete nutrients necessary for detoxification
and for immunity. Bottom line: the concept "safe levels of
single-toxins" is outmoded. Its use allows toxin-induced injuries to
continue.

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*Hidden Household Toxins

*Rebecca Ruiz
12.03.07, 6:00 PM ET
http://www.forbes. com/2007/ 12/03/health- toxins-household -forbeslife- cx_rr_1203health .html

That couch you're sitting on could be making you sick.

That's because there's a good chance it's been coated in polybrominated
diphenylethers, or PBDEs
<http://www.forbes. com/2007/ 12/03/health- toxins-household -forbeslife- cx_rr_1203health _slide_6. html>,
a class of flame retardant chemicals, which are designed to slow a fire
and provide adequate time for escape. They are included in household
items from consumer electronics to upholstery to wire insulation to
furniture foam. Though researchers have yet to determine what level of
exposure in humans might cause negative health effects, animal studies
have shown that high levels of exposure interferes with thyroid hormone,
which is essential for healthy brain development.

It's not the only toxin likely hiding in your home. These harmful
substances-- including mold
<http://www.forbes. com/2007/ 12/03/health- toxins-household -forbeslife- cx_rr_1203health _slide_3. html>,
lead
<http://www.forbes. com/2007/ 12/03/health- toxins-household -forbeslife- cx_rr_1203health _slide_4. html>,
radon
<http://www.forbes. com/2007/ 12/03/health- toxins-household -forbeslife- cx_rr_1203health _slide_9. html>
and more complicated industrial chemicals like bisphenol A
<http://www.forbes. com/2007/ 12/03/health- toxins-household -forbeslife- cx_rr_1203health _slide_11. html>
and phthalates
<http://www.forbes. com/2007/ 12/03/health- toxins-household -forbeslife- cx_rr_1203health _slide_10. html>--live
nearly everywhere, including in our walls, plywood cabinets, videogame
consoles, paint, air fresheners, water filter pitchers and couch
cushions. In fact, pollutant levels indoors, where 90% of our time is
spent, may be two to five times higher, even 100 times higher, than
outdoors, according to the Environmental Protection Agency.

In Pictures: 10 Hidden Household Toxins
<http://www.forbes. com/2007/ 12/03/health- toxins-household -forbeslife- cx_rr_1203health _slide_2. html>

It's impossible to rid one's home of all toxins. Still, vigilant
awareness about the common signs of household toxicity, its sources and
ways to address it can prevent short- and long-term health problems.

"There are a whole bunch of products on the market we don't know enough
about," says Dr. Ted Schettler, science director for the Science and
Environmental Health Network, "but consumers can get involved."

*Common Signs
*Household toxins manifest themselves in varied ways. Mold, for example,
can lead to upper respiratory problems, including coughing, wheezing and
asthma as well as itchy eyes, sore throat and skin irritation. Carbon
monoxide
<http://www.forbes. com/2007/ 12/03/health- toxins-household -forbeslife- cx_rr_1203health _slide_5. html>,
on the other hand, produces no symptoms until it turns fatal. The health
impact of lead poisoning for children has been well documented and
involves slowed cognition and impaired memory.

But figuring out whether an illness is being caused by a household toxin
can be a complex task.

"You don't want to make people believe there's a ghost behind every
tree," Schettler says of trying to diagnose the possible source of
persistent symptoms. Since the symptoms can vary so widely, it's
important to consider environmental factors like air quality, smoking
habits and allergy-inducing products and animals in the home.

One sure sign that a member of the family is suffering from home-grown
toxins is if the symptoms clear up when he or she leaves.

*Common Sources
*Dr. Sarah Janssen, a physician and scientist for the* *National
Resources Defense Council, an environmental advocacy group, says that
she frequently sees patients complaining of symptoms related to toxic
levels of mold, lead, formaldehyde
<http://www.forbes. com/2007/ 12/03/health- toxins-household -forbeslife- cx_rr_1203health _slide_8. html>
and tobacco smoke
<http://www.forbes. com/2007/ 12/03/health- toxins-household -forbeslife- cx_rr_1203health _slide_7. html>.
The sources of these toxins are often easy to isolate: a leaking roof
can cause mold, houses built before 1978 may have lead paint and plywood
can off-gas formaldehyde.

But while most people know that mold thrives in poorly ventilated and
moist environments and indoor smoking worsens the air quality, fewer
consumers know that toxic chemicals also lurk in everyday products
purchased at the grocery store.

"People are beginning to realize that just because you can buy it at
Target or Wal-Mart, doesn't mean it's safe," Janssen says. "You can't
look at the label and know whether or not there are [toxins] in them."

A 2007 study conducted by the National Resources Defense Council found
that 12 of 14 different brands of household air fresheners contained
phthalates, chemicals known to disrupt hormones and cause birth defects
in male genitalia in animals. While the air fresheners posed no
immediate risk to consumers, persistently high exposure levels can have
long-term health risks, according to the NRDC.

Janssen says that other common household items like plastic baby bottles
and water filter pitchers contain bisphenol A, a chemical that mimics
estrogen and has been linked in animals to infertility, enlarged
prostates, abnormal chromosomes, obesity and insulin resistance, a
precursor to diabetes. Flame retardants
<http://www.forbes. com/2007/ 12/03/health- toxins-household -forbeslife- cx_rr_1203health _slide_6. html>,
which are found in textiles, computer casings, sofa foam and other
household items, have been shown to interfere with thyroid hormone,
essential for healthy brain development.

In The National Report on Human Exposure to Environmental Chemicals, the
Centers for Disease Control's biennial study of Americans' exposure
levels to 148 chemicals, it found 93% of the 2,400 people studied showed
traces of bisphenol A intheir blood and urine and 95% of those studied
showed traces of phthalates. The CDC plans to release a similar number
for flame retardants in late December. Researchers at the CDC and
elsewhere are presently conducting studies to determine at what level
these industrial chemicals become dangerous to humans. As of yet, there
is no guideline on recommended exposure level.

*Taking Action
*Creating a toxin-free environment may seem impossible since we're
surrounded by so many chemicals, but Dr. Ted Schettler recommends
starting with a mental walk-through of your property. Try thinking about
how the home fares in terms of ventilation, paint quality, the heating
system being used and potential levels of radon in the bedrock. The Web
sites of the Centers for Disease Control <http://www.cdc. gov> and the
Environmental Protection Agency <http://www.epa. gov> offer guides for
assessing indoor air pollution, lead poisoning prevention and regional
radon levels.

Also evaluate consumer purchases and consider trading in plastic items
for quality wood or stainless steel versions. Contact the manufacturers
of appliances, cabinetry and electronics when unsure of their chemical
ingredients.

An expanding market for organic and toxic-free furniture, clothes and
consumer goods has also yielded healthier alternatives. Amie Nguyen,
founder of the online retailer Earth Friendly Goods,* *says that
one-half of her customers are looking for allergen-free items and the
other half are exploring "green living." Clothes are the top-seller, but
the site also offers latex mattresses, dining tables and CD holders.
Though it's an expensive habit--a queen-size latex mattress sells for
$2,049--Nguyen says the health benefits of lowering one's exposure to
toxic chemicals at home are more important than cost.

"It's almost a vicious cycle," she says of learning about the seemingly
endless number of toxins that surround us daily. "At some point you wish
you could go back to being naïve."

In Pictures: 10 Hidden Household Toxins
<http://www.forbes. com/2007/ 12/03/health- toxins-household -forbeslife- cx_rr_1203health _slide_2. html>

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