Pet owners will do well to observe the behaviors and health of their pets as they assess the health of their home. What can we learn about pets and the environment? The link between environmental exposures and animal health is not new. More than a hundred years ago, miners took caged canaries into the coal mines…
Type 1 Diabetes and Toxic Mold
Can toxic mold cause type 1 diabetes? While potential triggers vary, research suggests that environment plays a critical role in the onset of autoimmune disease. (See Environment, Not Genes, Dictates Human Immune Variation, Study Finds.) As a mom of a son with type 1 diabetes, I am convinced our encounter with toxic mold contributed to…
How To Ventilate Your Home
Do you know how to ventilate your home? How often do you open a window or sense the need for fresh air? According to researchers, very few people are aware of the need for ventilation, and many have zero perception of the relationship between indoor air quality and health. Since the energy crisis in the…
What is Building Biology?
As a certified Building Biology Advocate, I am often asked “What is Building Biology?” The answer is simple, but often ignored when designing our homes, offices, and schools. What is Building Biology? Building Biology is the study of the impact of the indoor environment on our health. Building Biology comes from the German term Bau-Biologie…
8 Ways I Am Minimizing My Risk of Breast Cancer
I used to fear breast cancer. After my health crisis, I learned that I can minimize my risk by choosing a proactive lifestyle. I have been on high alert for breast cancer since entering adulthood. My mother and both grandmothers had breast cancer. After 20 years of living in fear of my genetics, I learned that…
Toxic Mold in the Workplace
Toxic mold can negatively impact health at home, at school, or at work. What happens when a worker is exposed to moldy lumber? Find out why the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) became involved in this case of toxic mold in the workplace. Toxic Mold in the Workplace Steve and his coworkers experienced scratchy throats,…