The ERMI (Environmental Relative Moldiness Index) test is a dust sampling analysis offered by several labs to evaluate the health of a building. ERMI uses a DNA-based method for identifying 36 different species of mold. Labs currently offering this test include: EMSL Analytical ($172-$350 plus shipping ) EMLab P&K (call the lab for pricing) EnviroBiomics…
Why My Son Got Type 1 Diabetes
Colin was diagnosed with type 1 diabetes on June 27, 2007, at the age of 7. With no family history, we were shocked by the diagnosis. Colin was the eighth of our nine children. Why did Colin get type 1 diabetes and not our other kids? A Stroke of Bad Luck? When the doctors diagnosed…
DIY Cinnamon Christmas Potpourri
Is there any more enticing scent than the smell of cinnamon at Christmas time? Why not skip the chemically-laden commercial fragrances and create a natural simmering potpourri! The maker of Scentsicles, a popular Christmas-scented product, lists one ingredient only: pure fragrance oil. The unfortunate truth, however, is that pure fragrance oil is only the tip…
The Issue of Cross Contamination
We left our home and everything in it on October 4, 2008, choosing to start completely over. The contents of our 5500 square foot home went into the dumpsters. Did we really need to leave everything behind on the day we vacated the home? We were advised to treat the house as a fire and…