http://www.sylvane.com/blog Solutions for a Healthy Indoor Environment Wed, 19 Nov 2008 15:23:12 +0000 http://backend.userland.com/rss092 en As I write this, areas in southern California are starting to recover from a string of dangerous wildfires that first sparked last Thursday and have burned at least 42,000 acres to date. These 3 fires – the Montecito Tea Fire, the Sayre Fire, and the Freeway Complex Fire – spawned ... http://www.sylvane.com/blog/air-purifiers-cleanup-from-wildfires/ I've encountered a few semi-intelligent heaters – but none as smart as the Vornado TVH600 TouchStone Vortex Heater. What makes it the world's smartest heater? While other smart heaters may be able to sense the room temperature, their sensors are located on the heating unit itself; of course, the space surrounding the ... http://www.sylvane.com/blog/worlds-smartest-heater/ I recently explored the question Is Autism an Environmental Illness? Now new evidence suggests that autism may indeed be an environmental illness. CBS News reports that children living in areas of high precipitation may be more likely to have autism. "I strongly believe it's not the precipitation itself," said the study's lead ... http://www.sylvane.com/blog/precipitation-autism-environmental/ Communities across the country are banning the tradition of burning autumn leaves – and for good reason. That pile of burning leaves could trigger a serious asthma attack. Even small fires release a large amount of air pollution that can aggravate respiratory problems. These toxic fumes can aggravate allergies, trigger asthma ... http://www.sylvane.com/blog/leaf-burning-air-pollution/ The Argus Leader reports that lung cancer is the leading cause of cancer death in the United States. Lung cancer kills more people than breast, prostate, colon, liver, kidney, and melanoma cancers combined. How to Prevent Lung Cancer Nine out of ten cases are linked to one behavior: smoking. So… if you ... http://www.sylvane.com/blog/lung-cancer-cause-death/ As the Obama family looks for a new hypoallergenic dog to take to the White House (the President-Elect's oldest daughter suffers from asthma), Nurse Kathleen MacNaughton of about.com reminds us all that there's really no such thing as a hypoallergenic dog. "It's a fact – All dogs have dander, even if ... http://www.sylvane.com/blog/hypoallergenic-pets-myth-fact/ 2008 is almost over! This is an important time for asthma awarenes. If your child has asthma, by the end of the year, his or her inhaler will be replaced with a new one (if it hasn't already been replaced). HFA (hydrofluoroalkane) inhalers will replace traditional CFC (chlorofluorocarbon) inhalers because ... http://www.sylvane.com/blog/children-asthma-hfa-inhalers/ There's nothing like climbing onto a bed made with fresh, clean sheets. Ahhh. But don't get too comfortable yet: unless you have impervious covers on your mattress and pillows, those clean sheets will soon be covered with thousands or even millions of dust mites. If you have allergies or asthma, you're ... http://www.sylvane.com/blog/allersoft-bedding-reviews/ Your environment not only determines your health, but it also determines who you are – quiet literally – at the level of gene expression. The Sydney Morning Herald highlights a new study which shows that poverty alters gene expression among asthmatic children. Genes associated with inflammation were more active in children ... http://www.sylvane.com/blog/environment-gene-expression/ ABC reports that current and former postal workers across the nation are battling severe respiratory problems. Many postal employees blame the paper dust produced by the letter-sorting machines in post offices. "I began to have breathing problems, asthma symptoms, bronchitis," says former post office employee Betty Booker. Over 450 current and former ... http://www.sylvane.com/blog/postal-respiratory-problems/ A good space heater is the best way to keep warm and toasty all winter without sending your heating bills through the roof. Portable heaters give you extra heat right where you need it – safely and efficiently. Here's our list of the top five space heaters for Winter 2008: 1. Vornado ... http://www.sylvane.com/blog/top-five-space-heaters/ American Profile recently interviewed Michael Vogel, director of the Montana chapter of Healthy Indoor Air for American's Homes. He has been offering indoor air quality advice for over 20 years. Vogel points out that "Harriet Beecher Stowe wrote an article on the importance of fresh air and ventilation back in the ... http://www.sylvane.com/blog/healthy-indoor-air-homes/ Environmental medicine is a relatively new field of study. Once regarded with skepticism by some, environmental medicine has recently gained more attention and prestige, thanks in part to the green movement. As more people learn about environmental chemicals, they're realizing that these chemicals can indeed cause environmental illness, also known as ... http://www.sylvane.com/blog/green-environmental-health/ Earlier this week, residents of Donora, Pennsylvania remembered the killer smog of 1948 that killed 20 residents. Nearly half of the town became ill in one of the worst air pollution disasters in history. Now the town has a Smog Museum with the slogan "Clean Air Started Here." “It was the ... http://www.sylvane.com/blog/killer-smog-disaster/ I rarely watch television (I prefer online media), but when I do watch TV, one of my favorite shows is House M.D. Dr. House always considers all potential causes of illness, including environmental factors. In fact, in several episodes, the maverick diagnostician sends his interns to break into the homes ... http://www.sylvane.com/blog/allergies-photos-home-doctor/