Healthy Begins Here

By Rachel Lincoln Sarnoff

Recently, Michelle Obama, Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack, and Rachael Ray announced new nutrition standards for school lunches, the first major change in school meals in over 15 years.

The program allots an additional six cents per school lunch—the first real increase in 30 years.  The new standards call for more whole grains and produce as well as less sodium and fat, and they are the first to be enacted as part of the Healthy, Hunger-Free Kids Act of 2010, part of Michelle Obama’s Let’s Move! Campaign, which was signed into law last year by President Obama. It will affect the nearly 32 million kids who participate in subsidized school lunch programs each day—many of whom get half their daily calories from these meals.

What’s different? Milk goes low- or no-fat, portion sizes shrink to limit calories, and fresh fruits and vegetables are offered every day, among other recommendations echoed in the Eat Healthy section of our 5 Easy Steps.

What’s not? Potatoes are unlimited—although now the majority will be baked, rather than fried—and tomato sauce still makes pizza a vegetable. “It was a bit unfortunate that some groups had powerful friends in Congress and basically tried…[to] create some confusion with these standards,” Vilsack said in a virtual press conference that I attended. “Our response was to set up minimum requirements. You have to have a minimum level of dark green vegetables, you’ve got to have a minimum level of red or orange or yellow vegetables.”

“OK, so Congress left pizza a vegetable,” Ray said. “But we are changing the game today. That [lunch] tray is going to have leafy greens and colorful fruit on it. If one of the other vegetables happens to be pizza or French fries in some schools that day, it doesn’t negate the fact that on the tray there…will include vegetables and fruits.” (For more specifics, check out WebMD’s excellent breakdown of the new standards.)

Regarding organics, Secretary Vilsack said they encourage organics but will leave the decision about integrating to the individual school districts. But he responded to my question about Genetically Engineered foods by saying they would leave this up to “consumer choice.”

I didn’t get a chance to ask him how we can have a choice, given the fact that GEs are not required to be identified on labels, yet are now in 80% of processed foods. Or to ask if he was aware that 93% of Americans now say they want GE foods to be labeled.

Sigh. I guess we have to start somewhere. And these new standards are definitely better for our kids.

Hopefully that pizza will have a whole-wheat c

rust.

By Margie Kelly

I don’t think of myself as a naïve person, but after reading the excellent blog “10 Food Label Lies” by Emily Main on Rodale.com, I was shocked at how far food companies go to tell consumers what they want to hear, whether or not it’s true. All in the service of selling more stuff.

Here’s a quick synopsis of the Top 10 food label lies, compiled by Rodale.com:

· No added growth hormones

Using growth hormones in poultry or pork is against U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) regulation, but some producers will use antibiotics, which has the same result. Growth hormones are permitted in beef and dairy products but if you see the “no added growth hormones” label there, you just have to take the marketer’s word for it, because there’s no third party validation to ensure it’s true.

* Natural

“Natural” is a word that has no official meaning. Even genetically modified food, which is pretty much the opposite of natural, can be labeled “natural.”

* Grass-fed

No farm inspections are required to prove that animals are grass-fed. And beware the label on chicken or pork: those animals can’t survive on a grass-fed diet.

* Antibiotic free

This term is illegal to use on packaging and, again, (are you sensing a trend here?) the phrase “antibiotic free” has no official meaning.

* Nutrition Facts

Under FDA regulations, manufacturers are allowed to use averages when computing the amount of calories per serving, and salt and fat content. But watch out label-reader: those averages can be off by as much as 20 percent and still meet FDA guidelines. Trans fats are also given a pass, with products containing 0.5 grams permitted to indicate zero percent, even though .5 grams is one-quarter of a day’s limit.

* Gluten-free

Here’s another term with no definition or standard set by the FDA. Some products with a “gluten-free” label are wheat-free, but not all are free of barley and rye, which is what would be required to actually make the product gluten-free.

* Multi-grain

Can you guess what the problem is with this label? Once again, the FDA has no guidance that states to label a product “multi-grain” it needs to contain the full grains. Your “multi-grain” bread could simply be multiple refined grains, which are not any healthier for being mixed together.

* Front-of-Package Labeling Systems

Developed by food manufacturers as a marketing tool, these labels tout the qualities of the product that the manufacturer wants to advertise, like “no trans fat!,” without providing any information about what might not be so healthy inside the box.

* BPA-free

While many cans are BPA-free, Rodale points out that cans are lined with plastics, which leach out other chemicals into your food. The one exception is Eden Foods, which has developed a plastic-free resin for its can liner.

* Pesticide-free

Don’t be confused! Pesticide-free does not mean “organic.” Indeed, “pesticide-free” certification may simply indicate that they’ve detected the same amount of pesticides on those foods as has been found in conventional foods.

This list made me want to throw up my hands in despair, until I remembered that being aware of the frequently meaningless words manufacturers add to food labels will make me a more alert consumer, which I know will be healthier for my family. That means I’ll be buying fewer processed foods so I can avoid the food lie traps. And I’ll try to expand the number of organic foods I buy, which is the one certification label I can trust.

Be sure to check out the full post at Rodale.com for more tips on how to avoid the food label lies and get the high-quality food you want for your family.

By Rachel Lincoln Sarnoff

When is a salmon not a salmon? It sounds ridiculous, but that’s one of the most important issues in the food world, where the gloves are coming off in the fight over genetically engineered foods.

Genetically engineered or modified foods—known as GE foods or GMOs—have been unnaturally altered at the molecular level. The DNA from different sources or even different species are combined together to create a new set of genes that are thought to confer an advantage, such as more rapid growth or resistance to cold.

And, according to Healthy Child board member and food activist Robyn O’Brien, who appears in this video, some GE foods are designed to release insecticides inside the plant and to withstand increasing doses of pesticides. That’s right: insecticides and pesticides linked to cancer, neurotoxicity, birth defects, reproductive disorders, and kidney and liver damage, according to Dr. Phil Landrigan of the Mount Sinai School of Medicine, who also serves on our Honorary Board.

Produced by the Just Label It coalition, of which Healthy Child Healthy World is a proud partner, the video reflects American’s growing concern about GE ingredients, which are in 80 percent of conventionally processed foods, according to the Washington Post, yet aren’t required to be labeled in the U.S.—unlike Russia, Brazil, Australia, China, Japan, and 15 countries in the European Union.

A poll conducted by ABC News last June found 93 percent of people think the government should require labels on genetically modified foods, and 52 percent believe genetically modified foods are unsafe.

States are also taking up the cause: Fourteen states have introduced legislation requiring labels on genetically engineered foods. But, in a setback, the California Assembly recently failed to pass legislation to label genetically engineered fish.

More than a half million people have signed the Just Label It petition to date—nearly three times more signatures than have ever been sent to the FDA on any topic. The labeling movement has so much traction that Gary Hirshberg, the visionary CEO of Stonyfield Farms, recently stepped down to focus on labeling advocacy work.

Oh, and about that salmon that kicked off the hubbub in the first place. Makers of genetically modified salmon are currently seeking FDA approval to sell their fish as salmon. If approved, the new salmon, dubbed “Frankenfish” by opponents, would become the first genetically engineered animal to enter the market.

We have a right to know what is in our food. We have a right to make informed choices and decisions about the kinds of food we feed our families. Without a label, we simply can’t exercise these rights.

And a fish might no longer be just a fish.

By Rachel Lincoln Sarnoff

Think the flame retardant Tris is a thing of the past? Think again. Recently the Washington Toxics Coalition and Safer States released a study that found 80% of new baby and children’s products tested positive for chlorinated Tris (TDCPP), a chemical voluntarily removed from children’s pajamas in the 1970s because it was found to cause cancer.

The Hidden Hazards In the Nursery study tested 20 products—including nursing pillows, changing pads, bassinet pads and car seats—for traces of Tris and other toxic chemical flame retardants called polybrominated diphenyl ether compounds, or PBDEs.

The findings echo those of a 2011 UC Berkeley study authored by Arlene Blum, a Healthy Child Healthy World Advisory Board member, which found that 36% of 101 baby products tested positive for Tris.

According to the Berkeley study, Americans have 20 times higher blood levels of PBDEs than Europeans; these chemicals are linked to cancer, thyroid disruption, lower testosterone in men, neurological disorders in children and reduced fertility in women.

What can you do to protect your family? The Washington Toxics Coalition has some great tips:

· Because PBDEs like Tris are transferred from hand to mouth through dust, make sure you use a vacuum with a HEPA filter, as well as a wet mop, to remove dust particles in your home.

· Encourage frequent hand-washing to keep any toxic dust on hands from being ingested.

· Avoid all products containing polyurethane foam with a label reading TB117, which means it has likely been treated with toxic flame retardants.

· Choose a safer mattress, ideally made without polyurethane foam. Naturally flame-resistant wool is a great option.

Meanwhile, Washington State is considering the Toxic-Free Kids Act which would ban the use of Tris in children’s products beginning in 2014. The act will also circumvent manufacturers simply replacing one toxic flame retardant with another by requiring makers of children’s products to conduct thorough health and safety assessment of potential alternatives.

This important legislation is part of a growing movement as states seek to address deficiencies in the 35-year-old Toxic Substances Control Act. Obviously, these are issues that are important to voters. I only hope that lawmakers will take notice as The Safe Chemicals Act of 2011 approaches its Senate hearing this spring.

Flame retardants in baby products? This is a problem that needs to flame out.

By Margie Kelly

Most of us know better than to expose our children to cigarette smoke, but are you preventing exposure to the second leading cause of lung cancer? Radon is a cancer-causing, radioactive gas that is released in rock, soil, and water from the natural decay of uranium. It seeps into buildings, building up in your indoor air. You can’t see, smell, or taste radon, but it could be present at a dangerous level in your home.

The US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has designated January as National Radon Action Month, a time when state radon programs and other partners conduct special radon outreach activities and events across the country.

Here are three things you can do:

1. Test your home – EPA and the U.S. Surgeon General recommend that all homes in the U.S. be tested for radon. Testing is easy and inexpensive. Learn more about testing your home, including how to obtain an easy-to-use test kit.

2. Attend a National Radon Action Month event in your area – Look for radon events in your community. Contact your state radon program for more information about local radon activities.

3. Buy a radon-resistant home – If you are considering buying a new home, look for builders who use radon-resistant new construction.

Learn more by calling 1-800-SOS-RADON.

Have you tested for radon? If not, will you?

By Rachel Lincoln Sarnoff

Is there a link between the environment and illnesses such as pediatric cancer, asthma, allergies and behavioral problems? According to the scientists and doctors who advise Healthy Child Healthy World, the answer is yes.

For example, we believe it makes sense to reduce children’s exposure to chemicals like Bisphenol A (BPA), which last month the U.S. Institute of Medicine (IOM) acknowledged has a “biological plausibility” for causing breast cancer.

When encouraging parents to avoid cans lined with BPA, among other things, we’re motivated by the Precautionary Principle, established in 1998, which states:

“When an activity raises threats of harm to human health or the environment, precautionary measures should be taken even if some cause and effect relationships are not fully established scientifically.”

But many say that the links between the environment and our health are negligible, at best. For example IOM did not acknowledge a causal relationship between BPA and cancer, because most of the research has been done on animals—not humans.

Rather than following the Precautionary Principle, organizations like these prefer instead to wait for hard science to establish the link between environment and health. And when it comes to children, hard science has been a hard thing to find—until now.

The National Children’s Study, led in part by our Honorary Board member Dr. Phil Landrigan, who helms the Children’s Environmental Health Center at Mt. Sinai Hospital, examines the effects of the environment—including air, water, diet, and more—on the health of 100,000 American children, following them from before birth until age 21. Established in 2000, it’s the largest long-term study of children’s health and development ever conducted in the United States.

Pilot testing of pregnant women began in 2007 in 30 sites, including Pennsylvania and Washington. The main study begins this year, with the next meeting set for later this month.

Keep an eye on The National Children’s Study. At Healthy Child, we believe the data that begins to emerge this year will be groundbreaking in terms of the way we look at the environmental impacts on health, giving us the hard science we need to change minds and create a healthier future for our kids.

By Margie Kelly

Just like you limit the amount of sugar in your child’s diet, you should also keep an eye on their consumption of food additives. Chemical additives in food and drinks have been identified as culprits behind children’s temper tantrums and bad behavior.

In a government-funded study, scientists in the United Kingdom found three year-old children were “more likely to lack concentration, lose their temper, interrupt others, and struggle to get to sleep” when they drank juice containing food colorings and preservatives.

The UK Food Commission, a “food watchdog,” responded to the study by announcing that it supports a ban on food additives and artificial colorings in children’s food and drink.

But in the US, the Food and Drug Administration (FDA), the federal agency responsible for food safety, has taken very limited action on food additives, including dyes such as Red 40 and Yellow 5, which are suspected of triggering hyperactivity in children.

Since it’s perfectly legal in the US to add chemicals that may cause behavior problems for children, it’s up to parents to be on the lookout for risky food additives.

Pediatrician Dr. Alan Greene developed a list of five additives you should avoid:

1. Artificial Colors – anything that begins with FD&C (e.g. FD&C Blue #1)

2. Chemical Preservatives – Butylated Hydroxyanisole (BHA), Sodium Nitrate, Sodium Benzoate

3. Artificial Sweeteners – Aspartame, Acesulfame-K, Saccharin

4. Added Sugar – High Fructose Corn Syrup (HFCS), Corn Syrup, Dextrose, etc.

5. Added Salt – Look at the sodium content and choose foods with the lowest amounts.

(You can watch Dr. Greene discuss food additives in this video of his interview with ABC’s Good Morning America)

Additionally, you can refer to this Healthy Child checklist to guide you in limiting your child’s intake of food additives:

●     Identify what your child eats. Keep a food diary for a week, noting everything that is eaten – including at school. At the end of the week, you should have a good idea of your child’s exposure to food additives. Food additives are largely present in processed and packaged foods, candy, soda and other “junk” food, so if you limit those foods, you’ll cut down considerably.

●     Opt for whole and organic foods. Eating a balanced diet of fresh produce and whole grain foods will go a long way towards keeping additives out of your child’s system. Organic packaged foods have little or no added synthetic colors or preservatives.

●     Chose products that are labeled “preservative-free.” Be wary of labels that claim “no added preservatives.” These products may nevertheless contain ingredients that were already preserved prior to inclusion in the final product. For example, almost all lard, used in baked goods, is treated with BHA or BHT.

●     Read labels! Particularly keep an eye out for the following. Some of these cause allergy-like symptoms or are suspected carcinogens.

Butylated Hydroxyanisole (BHA) and Butylated Hydroxytoluene (BHT).

Propyl Gallate

Sodium Nitrate/Nitrate

Sulfites (Sulfur Dioxide, Sodium Sulfite, Sodium And Potassium Bisulfite, Sodium and Potassium Metabisulfite)

Potassium Bromate

FD&C Blue No. 1

FD&C Blue No. 2

FD&C Green No. 3

FD&C Red No. 3 (Erythrosine)

FD&C Yellow No. 5 (Tartrazine)

FD&C Yellow No. 6

Monosodium Glutamate (MSG)

Acesulfame-K

The Center for Science in the Public Interest has an extensive analysis of food additives, including those to avoid and others that are safe.

Do you watch your children’s intake of food additives? Which ones are of particular concern to you? Share your thoughts in the comments below or in our Parenting community.

By Margie Kelly

There’s nothing more comforting than sitting by a warm, crackling fire on a cold winter day. But as it turns out, wood smoke is hazardous to your health and bad for indoor and outdoor environments.

Particulate Matter from smoke can get deep into your lungs and possibly your bloodstream. Exposure to particulates can lead to a number of health problems, including respiratory issues, decreased lung function, aggravated asthma or bronchitis, and even non-fatal heart attacks.  Based on health concerns, the American Lung Association issued a warning against wood burning and urged people to seek out cleaner alternatives for heating their homes.

And if ear infections are an issue for your child, take note that a recent study by the University of British Columbia found that children with the highest exposure to wood smoke  “were 32 percent more likely to visit the doctor for otitis media” (or inner ear infections.)

Cancer is another health threat associated with wood smoke. A study by the Environmental Protection Agency found that wood smoke has twelve times the cancer-causing potential of an equal amount of cigarette smoke over the course of a lifetime.

“We know there’s a lot of bad stuff released when wood is burned,” said Dr. John Balmes in an article published in Environmental Health News. Dr. Balmes is a professor of medicine at the University of California, San Francisco and professor of environmental science at the University of California, Berkeley School of Public Health. “It’s actually not that far away from tobacco smoke and smoke from fossil fuel combustion engines. They’re in the same ballpark.”

Concern about wood smoke’s contribution to air pollution has led some communities to restrict the use of wood-burning fireplaces under certain weather conditions, primarily when it’s cold outside and the air is not moving.

In a cultural shift, wood-burning fireplaces may be stigmatized among people trying to be environmentally responsible, “joining the ranks of bottled water and big houses,” according to the New York Times.

But if sitting by a fire is a guilty pleasure you care to indulge occasionally, be sure to take steps to make it as safe as possible.

* Burn dry, seasoned wood

Wood that’s been “seasoned” or dried for at least six months outside burns hotter and cleaner than “green” wood. “Green” wood (which has a thin, green layer under the bark) appears yellowish and crackles from evaporating moisture when burned. Dry wood appears darker, cracked at the ends, sounds hollow, and weighs less than “wet” wood, as the heavy moisture has already evaporated.  To season wood adequately, shield it from the elements outdoors with a cover on top, but allow for side ventilation to allow airflow between the logs.  The dry, hot summer months are the best time to season wood.  Allow six months to pass before burning.

* Burn hardwoods

Wood from deciduous trees (those that shed leaves in the fall) is harder than wood from coniferous trees, or evergreens, whose wood tends to be soft and sappy. Hardwoods – namely oak, maple, hickory, apple, and ash – burn hotter, longer, and cleaner than softwoods, such as pine, spruce, and fir. Hardwoods are not only environmentally safer, but also more economical: You can burn through a cord of softwood twice as quickly as a cord of hardwood.

* Burn only solid wood

Pressure-treated wood, particleboard, and plywood contain toxins such as formaldehyde and arsenic in their preservatives and adhesives. Also avoid burning plastics, newsprint and magazines in your stove or fireplace because the dyes may release harmful chemicals while burning. Start the fire with clean newspaper, but get rid of your piles of papers by recycling instead of burning.  Never start a fire with gasoline, kerosene, charcoal starter, or a propane torch.

* Burn many logs at once

Once the fire is well stoked, fill the stove with large, long-burning loads to reduce the number of times you need to open the stove door for reloading, the primary means of introducing smoky pollutants into the indoor air. Try adding at least three pieces of wood each time, on and behind the mound of hot coals.

* Buy a wood stove made after 1992

Wood stoves made after 1992 meet tight U. S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) emissions standards, so you can even buy a wood stove confidently on the used market if it dates from within a decade. The EPA recommends using a certified professional installer as the best way to ensure correct installation. A properly installed certified wood stove or fireplace insert always has a vent to the exterior and releases far less smoke through the chimney, overall emitting 60-80% less pollution into the environment.

* Think about installing a catalyst.

Many stoves are now fitted with catalysts – similar to catalytic converters on automobiles – that burn up smoke to reduce emissions to an absolute minimum. Older stoves can also be retrofitted with catalysts.

* Make hot fires

Catalysts burn smoke when they “light off,” reaching temperatures of 350 to 600 degrees Fahrenheit. Most catalysts come equipped with a temperature monitor. Even without a catalyst, wood fires burn best hot because they eat up all the carbon monoxide and other pollutants.

* Install carbon monoxide alarms.

When wood is not burned completely, the resulting smoke contains a number of chemicals, one of which is carbon monoxide (CO). CO is odorless and colorless, but exposure to it reduces your blood’s ability to carry oxygen. The Underwriters Laboratory certifies carbon monoxide monitors, which beep in alarm if carbon monoxide levels increase. Carbon monoxide alarms should be placed on every floor of the house and near bedrooms.

* Sweep chimneys annually

Because an EPA-certified wood stove burns more efficiently than older non-certified models, much less creosote builds up in the chimney. Creosote is a black, tar-like, combustible residue formed by wood gases that are not completely burned. Too much creosote can build up on the chimney lining, blocking the proper exhaust of smoke and raising the risk of a chimney fire. Chimney sweeps certified by The Chimney Safety Institute of America and the National Chimney Sweep Guild recommend a yearly chimney cleaning to avoid creosote build-up and potential risk.

Do you have a fireplace? Do you have any health concerns about sitting in front of a wood fire? Share your thoughts in the comments below.

By Rachel Lincoln Sarnoff

Last month, CNN reported the death of Saoirse Fitzgerald, the one-year-old girl who—alongside her mother, Kezia—had battled cancer. This heartbreaking story serves to remind all of us at Healthy Child Healthy World why we’re here—to honor the memory Colette Chuda, the five-year-old girl whose tragic death from pediatric cancer inspired the formation of our organization 20 years ago. Our goal then, and today, is to inspire parents to create healthier homes and communities free of environmental toxicants linked to cancer, among other serious health problems.

But inspiration may no longer be enough. Current data shows that every sixty minutes, a child is diagnosed with cancer and every six hours, a child will lose her battle with cancer. Cases of pediatric cancer have increased more than 20% over the last 30 years, to the point that cancer is now the nation’s leading cause of death by disease in children.

Why Do Kids Get Cancer?

Scientists believe that a combination of genetic and environmental factors cause cancer. In the U.S., the American Cancer Society estimates that 75% of cancers are caused by environmental factors. On a global scale, one in five cases of cancer is attributable to the environment, according to the World Health Organization. Both organizations cite preventable environmental factors such as chemicals, radiation and airborne particles as carcinogenic.

In pediatric cancer cases, evidence clearly links these factors: For example, an evaluation of epidemiologic pediatric cancer studies between 1970 and 1996 found pesticides were “strongly associated” with childhood leukemia and brain cancers. However, there is still much to be learned about the specific risk factors and causes of pediatric cancer. One area of research found that transplacental exposures—in which the mother conveys toxicants to the embryo or fetus through the placenta— during critical windows of development can alter DNA in cells to set up the physiology for carcinogenesis (or oncogenesis), the process by which normal cells are transformed into cancer cells.

Presidential Positioning

The 2008-2009 annual President’s Cancer Panel Report, released in May 2010, stated:

“The true burden of environmentally induced cancer has been grossly underestimated. With nearly 80,000 chemicals on the market in the United States, many of which are used by millions of Americans in their daily lives and are understudied and largely unregulated, exposure to potential environmental carcinogens is widespread…The Panel urges [President Obama] most strongly to use the power of [his] office to remove the carcinogens and other toxins from our food, water, and air that needlessly increase health care costs, cripple our Nation’s productivity, and devastate American lives.”

In terms of preventing pediatric cancer, the Panel acknowledged that “children are far more susceptible to damage from environmental carcinogens and endocrine disrupting compounds than adults, and recommended that parents and child care providers choose foods, house and garden products, play spaces, toys, medicines and medical tests that will minimize children’s exposure to toxics. Ideally, parents should avoid exposure to endocrine-disrupting chemicals and known or suspected carcinogens prior to a child’s conception and throughout pregnancy and early life, when risk of damage is greatest.”

The Chemical Connection

Today, environmental carcinogens are everywhere. A National Institutes of Health report released last year newly established 240 substances as causing cancer, including commonly identified carcinogens such as tobacco smoke and asbestos.

Yet even dioxin, the single most potent carcinogen identified by scientists—targeted for international phase-out by a treaty signed by over 170 nations across the world—isn’t regulated by our government. Dioxin is stored in animal fat, ingested when people consume fatty foods and passes through the placenta to fetuses; according to the Center for Health, Environment and Justice, every American now has measurable levels of chemicals in his or her body.

Take a Stand

We have to take a stand. We need to know about carcinogens in order to protect our kids. That’s why today we’re asking parents to urge the EPA to release its review of dioxin this month, as scheduled.

The dioxin petition kicks off a year of action focused on including environmental factors in the assessment of pediatric cancer. We’re standing up for Saoirse and Colette, the thousands of children who are battling pediatric cancer today, and others who will begin the fight tomorrow.

They deserve better. They deserve a world free of carcinogenic chemicals. And we deserve to know how to protect them.

By Janelle Sorensen

When my first daughter was born, we were on an extremely tight budget. Much as I would have loved an organic crib mattress, sustainable hardwood flooring, and walls painted with no-VOC paint, such was not the case. Far from it.

I know there are many moms out there in the exact same position, and first of all, I want to tell you it’s okay. You do the best you can. You shouldn’t feel guilty for what you can’t do. Focus on what you can do.

Here are three easy and free things you can do to make your baby’s nursery a healthier environment.

Open a window. Even if it’s chilly outside, you should open a window for even five minutes a day to significantly decrease the concentrations of indoor air pollutants in your home. Most home heating and cooling systems, including forced air heating systems, do not mechanically bring fresh air into the house. So open a window and start breathing cleaner air.

Bust dust. Common house dust is loaded with chemicals that have been linked to a variety of health and development issues. Babies are exposed to these chemicals by inhaling dust and through “dust to hand to mouth” activity. Regularly wash bedding, vacuum with a machine that has a HEPA filter, and wipe down surfaces with a damp cloth.

Cut clutter. Keeping the nursery simple not only makes it much easier to tackle the aforementioned dusting, it also means there are fewer items potentially off-gassing or creating additional toxic dust.

No one can do everything. Everyone can do something. Be proud of every small step you take to create a healthy environment.

What are your tips for creating a healthier nursery? Share them in the comments below or in our Newborn and Baby community.