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The Danger of common household cleaning products for your health

Do you know that toxic chemicals in your home pose more health problems to your family than outdoor airborne pollutants? We have heard that infertility, asthma and cancer are on the rise and the cause of these problems is from common household cleaning products in our home. The fume from household cleaning products increases the incidence of asthma and wheezing in kids and adults as well. The artificial fragrance found household cleaning products such as laundry detergent is made from Petroleum distillates. This artificial fragrance can cause minor effects such as allergies, skin and eye irritation and long term effects such as lung problem, cancer and reproduction system problem that leads to infertility and birth defect.

Many of household cleaning products don’t list the details of other ingredients: the stronger the household cleaning products to remove dirt or to kill bacterias, the stronger the chemicals inside the ingredients. You should be wary and keep these products away from kids because warning or caution label always comes with the products.

Eco-friendly household cleaning products

Many moms have shifted to eco-friendly household cleaning products which use natural and biodegradable ingredients. They are safe for our family and environment. Find out more how you can save your family and save your household cost from Living Green.

If you don’t believe what I said above is true, you can view the video below how household cleaners causing health problems in USA.

If you have early signs of sore throat and you ignore it, it can get worse. You finally have to take antibiotics for the treatment. Antibitotics destroy good and bad bacterias in our body. We need good bacterias for our immune system. Although taking antibiotics heals bad sore throat, our body becomes weaker and we will catch another illness easily. After a course of antibiotics, you shall take prebiotics and probiotics.  Prebiotics are non-digestible food ingredients that stimulate the growth of good bacterias in the digestive system. You can find prebiotics  added in cereals.  Probiotics are commonly consumed as part of fermented foods with specially added active live cultures; such as in yogurt or dietary supplements. Probiotics are to improve microbial balance in the intestine.

If you have early signs of sore throat, you shall treat it with antiseptics. Antiseptics is known to prevent infection, to inhibit the growth of bacterias. You can find antiseptics in:

• Mouth wash or Mouth rinse

• Lozenge

If you see the ingredients of commercial mouth wash/rinse or lozenge, they all contain ALCOHOL. Therefore my kids don’t like the lozenges. Prolonged or repeated  use of mouth wash or lozenge may increase the risk of oral cancer.

If you have sorethroat, you can treat with salt water mouthwash or Manuka honey active +15. They are  antiseptics. I’m lucky to use Natural Antiseptic Mouth Wash and Natural Lozenges products that contain NO ALCOHOL to treat sore throat. Natural mouthwash contains  propolis honey, tea tree oil that act as antiseptics while natural lozenge has  essential oil and lemon which are antiseptics.

Accident does happen, at home or outdoor. Parents should stay alert and react quickly when the accident happens, especially to young kids. I would recommend First Aid and Safety for Kids. I hope this link will not be removed as it has various topics and handy advices that parents  can learn.  I would also suggest that parents keep first aid box in the car, at home and have some first aid kit in your hand bag as well. I usually carry Natural Antiseptic Oil that works on wound, burns and insect bites and some plasters in my hand bag. So far, I had experienced 3 accidents at home and I had bad experience with the bleeding.

Minor fall. I used ice pack or cold compress to reduce the swelling.

Burns. I did apply cream once and it was wrong. I had to let the water running on the affected area.

Minor bleeding, Scrapes or Wound. Cleanse the affected area with water or salt water. If the wound bleeds profusely, stop the bleeding by wrapping the affected area and put some pressure. You shall use antiseptic solution as soon as possible to prevent the infection before applying some plaster or bandage. Antiseptic solution can be from sterile saline, surgical alcohol or betadine. I read that betadine as over the counter medicine contains iodine which can cause scar tissue formation and prolong healing time. There are plenty more antiseptics from chemicals but use them with caution as chemicals are mostly toxic and can cause skin allergy.  I’m glad that I find Natural Antiseptic Oil which acts as cleanser and healer. The oil is free from toxins and heals better.

Please remember, don’t treat the open wound lightly. Always cleanse the area regularly and apply some antiseptics or antibiotics if it shows infection. I did remember when I attended the funeral of my friend’s mother. She couldn’t believe that her mother passed away due to a small open wound which she took it lightly. The wound was contaminated and caused tetanus that took her life.

I hope this sharing will benefit parents with young kids. Remember to bookmark  First Aid and Safety for Kids and try to read thoroughly. You may not know if you need it someday and the advice is available on your fingertips.

I came to know about excitotoxins from the internet and would like to share this information with other moms. Moms, I hope that you will reduce excitotoxins from your food resources, especially food resources for your kids. I know that kids are attracted to good taste food more than adults.

What are Excitotoxins?

Excitotoxins are chemical food additives that stimulate your neurons. These additives can cause damages in the neurons. So, what are neurons? In short definition, it is called nerve cell or in full definition, neurons are cells that carry information between the brain and other parts of the body. Excitotoxins bring excitement when you eat the food. You taste the food so good or yummy and you will get addicted to eat more and more.

How to Identify Food Resources that Contain Excitotoxins?

Excitotoxins are found mostly in processed food and junk food. How to find clues if the food contains excitotoxins? It’s like a game name. Avoid buying food that contain substance that starts with letter M, S or G. For example: Gelatin, Monosodium Glutamate, Soy sauce, Malt extract. I can’t really avoid soy sauce, it is essential in cooking. I remembered that I couldn’t eat Chinese food too much at Chinese restaurant. Though Chinese food is good but I felt dizzy after eating. This dizziness is often called Chinese restaurant syndrome.

Although Food and Drug Administration (FDA) said that MSG was reasonably safe, we must beware of the long term effect of too much consumption. Reduce tasty junk food from your kids’ food resources and watch the symptoms if your kids feel dizzy, get angry easily or have behaviors problem after eating certain food. For children with ADHD (Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder), they usually abstain from food containing excitotoxins.  

Be a role mode to eat healthy food is just one way to encourage kids eat healthy food. With the advertisement of fast food and junk food on TV and other kids eat junk food at school; your kids can’t resist following them. We shall be persuasive and use tricks to encourage kids eat healthy food. It may take sometime.

Here are  tricks or 6 effective tips on healthy eating for kids: 

1. Educate your kids the difference of healthy food vs. junk food.   Tell them that we shall eat healthy food daily for our body to grow and stay healthy. I tell them that junk food is party food and we can eat them occasionally or on special occasions.
2. Take along your kids to shop at wet market or supermarket. Allow them to pick vegetables or fruits they like to eat.
3. Involve kids in food preparation or cooking.
4. Make healthy food is accessible for kids at home just in case they’re hungry. Hide the junk food away or don’t store them at your home. If your child likes sweets, buy vitamins in fruity flavor instead of sweets.
5. Don’t use forces or reward to push your kids eat healthy food.
6. Introduce new food and be creative to serve the food in different ways. Kids like surprises. Involve your kids to decorate the food. 

Here is my child’s drawing on healthy food vs junk food

When your kids attend pre-school or kindergarten, they will get common cold frequently. I can’t protect my kids catching cold from other kids, so I treat the common cold as early as possible when the symptoms show up. I’m using some herbal or home remedies for my kids and family with common colds. Some herbal remedies used in our food or kitchen are known for their antibacterial and antiviral properties

Ginger. I brew ginger herbal tea for 15 minutes or more and add honey to disguise the slightly hot taste of ginger. I’m using ginger herbal tea, manufactured from Hovid pharmaceutical company. Other than ginger is Folium Mori or Mulberry leaves herbal tea which also works against common cold. You can prepare your own ginger concoction:

• cut ginger into small pieces or slices
• you can add tea if you want
• pour in fresh boiling water and brew for few minutes
• strain or remove the ginger pieces and add honey or rock sugar to sweeten the drink

Garlic & Onion.  It is better to eat them raw to get the benefits but the smell is rather strong. The heat or cooking will take away the good use of garlic as a cure for cold.  Pharmaceutical company like Blackmore or Natural Factor have produced garlic tablet, garlic oil, garlic capsule from garlic and this makes easier for kids to benefit from garlic. My kids are taking low dosage odourless garlic from Blackmore, recommended for kids 6-12 years old.

Echinacea.  Echinacea Purpurea can treat cold in adults and kids by enhancing the immune system and fight infections. It is available in liquid or tablets. The liquid is rather strong and for a child, 2+. You should dilute the Echinacea liquid with honey and water.

Vitamin C. Low dosage maintenance of vitamin C can prevent common cold and high dosage of vitamin C in short period is to shorten the period of common cold.

Turmeric. I didn’t try this but my friend did. She grounded fresh turmeric root and squeezed the juice ½-1 teaspoon and fed the juice to her child for a relief of sore throat.

Manuka Honey. It is a kind of honey that has antibacterial properties.

Lozenge. It soothes sore throat. You can find lozenge in Manuka honey or Echinacea.

Lo Han Kuo.  Lo Han Kuo is a type of sweet fruit from China. You can make concoction from this fruit and it is  also available in ready made beverage. My kids are taking it for a relief of cough.

Food to abstain during common cold are:

• Dairy products, according to Blackmore Health Bookmark
• Fruits, which may trigger phlegm, advised by Indian doctor
• Chicken, which may cause more allergy for cough, advised by Chinese

I wish my sharing can be  tips for parents or tips for moms to raise Healthy Kids, guard them against common cold. Please participate in sharing your tips at Tips for Moms and Kids and get free giveaway e-book.