I’m a walking disaster. I have asthma, sinus problems and OCD. It’s amazing I can get out of bed some days. But recently I’ve been getting in to the green movement and it occurred to me that my house may very well be killing me. Of course it’s not the houses fault. It’s my fault for not taking better care of myself and for using products that are potential harmful, such as the cleaning supplies that practically burn the hairs right out of my nose.

Recently I decided to stop bitching (ok, maybe not stop, but at least cut down) about my health and actually do something about it. I’ve started doing some research. I’m switching out all of our cleaning supplies including our dishwasher soap and laundry detergent. I’m reading labels (gasp) on the products I buy and the things that I eat. So when Mother Talk said they needed reviewers for Healthy Child Healthy World by Christopher Gavigan, I jumped at the chance. I need somebody to walk me through this greener process.

Healthy Child Healthy World had me at the foreward (which was written by Meryl Steep).

Childhood cancer is up about 25 percent in the last generation. American children are harmed by air pollution, which reduces their respiratory capacity, rendering them more vunerable to colds and ear infections. In recent years, the incidence of asthma surged; more than six million children now suffer from it. One in every thirty-three babies born in the United States enters the world with a birth defect. One in six children deals with at least one developmental disorder. Between 3 and 5 percent have Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder. While these troubling increases can’t wholly be attributed to environmental poisons, there are measures we all can take to reduce risk.

Let’s see. Asthma? Check (me). Born with a birth defect? Check (Caleb). ADHD? Check (Justis). Hmmm, maybe our house is killing all of us. I was sold. I had to dig in and read the whole book.

The book is broken down in to several chapters. Chapter 1 (which I admit I just skimmed since I’m not planning on ever being pregnant again) deals with having a green pregnancy. Chapter 2 is all about cleaning green. Chapter 3 talks about the food we eat (or should be eating). Chapter 4 is all about beauty (have you ever read the ingredients on your makeup). Chapter 5 explored safer toys for kids. Chapter 6 went over our green yards and gardens. Chapter 7 discusses clean air and water. Chapter 8 tells you how to stay healthy with pets in the house. Chapter 9 tells you what to do during a home remodel. And Chapter 10 gives you ideas for learning more and sharing your new found knowledge with your friends, family and community.

Christopher Gavigan doesn’t try to scare you with all the toxins out there chasing us down. Instead he gives you the facts and provides solutions. There are quite a few sections of the book that are intended for readers to copy and cut out so they can keep the information with them. For example, there is a carpet spot cleaning guide. There is also a list of fruits and vegetables that you should always buy organic and a list that you can probably get by with the regular version because they are lower in pesticides.

Healthy Child Healthy World also includes tons of great recipes. I don’t mean recipes for meals (although there are a couple including some healthy snacks Gwenyth Paltrow feeds her two kids), but recipes for everything from cleaning to play-do. You can make your own all-purpose cleaner and your own homemade soft scrubber. And every day things like lemons, baking soda and vinegar can go a long way to keep your house clean. There’s also a recipe for a great breakfast for your pooch and a non-toxic pet cleanser. Apparently I can make my cats less tasty to fleas by just adding some brewer’s yeast to their food. You better believe I’m going to try that.

Do you know what you’re putting on your body when you get ready in every morning?

According to the Environmental Working Group (EWG), the average person’s grooming routine brings them into contact with 126 different chemicals each day. Also the skin is very porous, absorbing up to 60 percent of what’s put on it — and many of those chemicals enter the bloodstream directly.

There’s toothpaste, mouthwash, soap, shampoo, condition, lotion, makeup, and the list goes on. We goop ourselves up with a bunch of crap each day. Now I’m not willing to give up my deodorant, but I will definitely start being more conscious about the products I’m using and my kids are using. That’s probably going to be my next big project; switching out some of our beauty (or healthcare as the boys probably prefer I call it) products.

Oh and did I mention the great tips on getting lice out a kids hair without Kwell, which contains a powerful, nerve-attacking insecticide that has been reported to cause seizures in some children or Nix, which contains a mildly toxic insecticide? Do you want to put insecticides in your child’s hair? Yeah, I didn’t think so.

I really enjoyed this book. I’m going to keep it on my desk as a quick reference so I can keep my family safe. As the book says, you don’t have to change everything in your life, but making a few small changes can make a big difference in your families health. Whatever I can do to reduce some of these risks, I’m all for it. Healthy Child Healthy World is a must read.

This entry was posted on Thursday, April 3rd, 2008 at 11:19 pm and is filed under Reviews. Comments are currently closed, but you can trackback from your own site.