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by Sophia Ruan Gushée

Our necks, thumbs, arms, and spine are suffering from our modern use of technology. For example, "text neck" is becoming a medical issue, as the New York Times reported in its article "Keep Your Head Up: How Smartphone Addiction Kills Manners and Moods."

Thursday 2018 February 8 at 1:00PM EST, I'm on Facebook Live with Lizz Smith, who incorporates both Eastern and Western disciplines into her physical therapy. To supplement Detox Your EMFs: The...

by Angela Cummings and Sophia Ruan Gushée

Air fresheners are everywhere—in home kitchens, personal vehicles, restaurant bathrooms, hotel lobbies, taxi cabs, and retail clothing stores.

Why are they used so frequently? To mask odors, or to enhance ambiance.

These air fresheners come as sprays, aerosols, plug-ins, scented candles, gels, reed defuses, potpourri, scented paper, and essential oils.  

While noses may enjoy the scent, bodies may not.

Health...

by Angela Cummings and Sophia Ruan Gushée

Did you know there are phthalates in furniture?

“More than 470 million pounds of phthalates are produced or imported in the United States each year,” according to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency. (1)

With amounts that large, it may be in your home.

Let’s look at where these phthalates could be lurking.

Where are phthalates found?

Phthalates are used to soften plastics and increase their flexibility. It’s...

by Angela Cummings and Sophia Ruan Gushée

Do you sometimes come home after being out of the house all day and experience chronic symptoms: scratchy throat, headache, itchy eyes, or stuffy nose? Could it be an allergic reaction to your indoor environment?

According to the Center for Disease Control, “More than 50 million Americans suffer from allergies each year.”(1) Allergies can lead to a chronic illness, which becomes costly....

by Angela Cummings and Sophia Ruan Gushée

When detoxing the home, details—such as the materials and maintenance of curtains—can impact your health.

Similar to table runners, furniture fabrics, bathroom towels and other types of textiles, curtains can be made from natural materials or synthetic chemicals. Curtains made from natural materials are healthier since they contain fewer chemicals.

Healthier textiles are made from natural sources,...

by Angela Cummings and Sophia Ruan Gushée

I was in junior high when my parents last installed new carpet. Well, at least, that was the last time I lived there. My sisters and I were on summer break, and so excited to get rid of the worn out carpeting that the previous owners had left behind.

Giddy with excitement, the three of us sat on the couch outside of the living room, watching the installers lay carpet and secure it with tack strips. After a short time, we retreated...

by Angela Cummings and Sophia Ruan Gushée

Chemicals, chemicals here and there. Chemicals, chemicals everywhere!  

It’s true. They’re all around us, which can be overwhelming at times.

How do you choose which chemicals to tackle first? Based on the book A to Z of D-Toxing: The Ultimate Guide to Reducing Our Toxic Exposures by Sophia Gushée, the top 10 chemicals (or families of chemicals) of concern and their health effects are described below. This...

by Angela Cummings and Sophia Ruan Gushée

Paper towels are handy for cleaning up a milk spill, drying hands, and cleaning the house. Maybe a little too handy.

In 2017, consumers spent $39,203 million on household paper products (paper towels, toilet paper, napkins, tissues, etc). Plus, consumer spending went up by $1,958 million over a two-year period, with spending totaling a lesser $37,245 million in 2015. (1)

Let’s look at it another way.

Americans use 741 pounds of...

by Martin Wiggins and Sophia Ruan Gushée

Many homeowners consider the bedroom the most sacred room in the house. This is the place where everyone goes to recharge after a long day, which is precisely why it should be the first area to detox.

For a healthy bedroom environment, always remember to avoid placing toxic furniture and bedding with chemicals such as formaldehyde, PDBEs, and flame retardants. Since Practical Nontoxic Living has already covered detoxing tips for the...

by Sophia Ruan Gushée and her editorial team

On April 3, 1973, the first mobile phone call was made by a Motorola employee, Martin Cooper. Ten years later, in 1983, Motorola released its first commercial mobile phone, which sold for $4,000.

Another major milestone in the life of mobile phones came in 2007, when Apple unveiled its first iPhone.

By 2017, cell phones have become accessible to most Americans: about 95% of Americans owned a cell phone, according to a press...