The Simplest Asthma Solution

During the Democratic convention the Reverend Al Sharpton quoted a shocking statistic: One third of the children in Harlem suffer from asthma. This shouldn't be completely surprising since asthma cases have been consistently increasing over the years, especially in the cities, escalating recently during the rollback of some key environmental laws, but it is a trend we must turn back.

While parents have only limited control over the environment where they raise their children, there is a personal environmental decision they can make that may dramatically reduce the symptoms their children experience. It all comes down to detergent, and not just any detergent. It is the detergent that they use to wash their children's clothes and sheets. The biggest selling detergents in the United States contain large amounts of irritating phosphates, which are not only a major irritant to the skin and respiratory system, but a source of serious pollution, and a component in global warming.

If you are wondering if your laundry detergent contains phosphates just read the label, it is listed there. In most industrialized countries phosphate detergents are outlawed for good reason, but in the United States the chemical industry has a strong lobby and cheap phosphates help manufacturers keep their costs low, so their use continues. The next time you walk though the laundry detergent section of your supermarket, take a deep breath and notice how much the smell irritates your nose and lungs.

What kinds of detergent contain low, or no phosphates? Baby detergent! No mother would dream of washing their newborn's clothes and sheets in the family's powdered detergent! That would give their baby's delicate skin rashes, not to mention an increase in crying and crankiness. There are many readily available natural detergents that are phosphate-free and it's worth the time to find them.

We have noticed tremendous improvements for both children and adults when their clothes and sheets are consistently washed in a phosphate-free detergent. By itself this change may not alleviate all of the symptoms of asthma and those related skin rashes, but it clearly removes an insidious irritant from the equation.

It might be helpful to explain why this simple change is so effective. Testing in Europe shows that, while sleeping, people are between two thousand and ten thousand times more sensitive to chemical and electromagnetic pollution than while they are awake. When a child's pajamas are washed with a chemical irritant and they sleep on bedclothes containing those same toxins, their immune system is challenged nightly, during a time when they are most vulnerable. Their body's nutritional reserves are consumed in that battle and they are less able to defend themselves from the pollutants they encounter during their day. Asthma and allergies are not produced by a single irritant, but by an accumulation of minor irritants that eventually overwhelm the body's ability to adapt. It is not a huge leap to imagine that removing a respiratory irritant from the sleeping environment, where a person spends one third of their time, is going to produce an improvement in a child's ability to breathe.

Drs. Ralph & Lahni DeAmicis are Naturopathic Physicians. Their educational program, The 10 Minute Herbalist, seeks to put the knowledge of everyday good health into everyone's hands. Information about their program and publications is available at www.SpaceAndTime.com.

---

Some O. H. & S. For You To Consider

Clicking a mouse isn't exactly vigorous exercise, so I thought... Read More

Superb Skin Disorder Relief found in Common Diaper Rash Ointment

"Accidental" discoveries are made each day. Common substances can sometimes... Read More

Classical Music Therapy

Music, more than entertainment, has played an instrumental role in... Read More

Understanding Massage Therapy

We've all heard of massage and many of us have... Read More

How to Benefit from The Mind-Body Connection

Dr. Bernie Siegel, author of "Love, Medicine and Miracles" was... Read More

Gout Pain Relief With Cherry Power - How To Ease Pain By Eating Fruit

We can all learn something new every day! And good... Read More

Diet Food Stinks!

One big thing that can keep you from eating healthy... Read More

Complementary Medicine

Complementary Medicine is the use of natural therapy and medicines... Read More

Some Tips on Stopping Smoking

Are you looking for tips on stopping smoking? And would... Read More

Jesus Diet - Lifestyle Changes That Will Boost Your Energy

Drawing on the inspiration of loaves, fish, and wine, a... Read More

Whipped Shea Butter & Its Many Uses

Shea butter, also referred to as karite, which means "life"... Read More

Do-Sa-Do For Mindfulness

When I was 12, one of my best friends was... Read More

Alternative Herbal Cures for Ailments

With the increased usage of herbs for treatment of ailments... Read More

Is Green Tea Good for Me?

Scientific studies continue to show that green tea is good... Read More

Green Tea for Health: Your Heart Will Thank You

I began drinking green tea about five years ago after... Read More

The Healing Power of Water Gardens

If you experienced a day filled with running from one... Read More

Hypnosis

HYPNOSIS is a state of induced but conscious sleep through... Read More

Why Most People Dont Really Want to Heal (Part 2)

The story so far...At a metaphysical lecture facilitated by Guy... Read More

Quit Smoking

Consider this:Already since 1972, over 60 million people in the... Read More

Massage Magic - Music & Touch

What Massage Therapists Do!Have you ever thought what massage therapists... Read More

Your Home is a Toxic Waste Dump!

Did you know that the household and beauty products that... Read More

ADHD The Easier Solution

ADHD is a very rapidly growing part of the health... Read More

NMT: Trigger Point Therapy and What to Look for in a T Bar

Massage therapy is as ancient as noodles. People have been... Read More

Iridology: A Natural Health 101 Article

What It IsIridology is the art of discovering weaknesses in... Read More

Water: The Best Medication Ever Created!

How much water do you drink every day? The majority... Read More

How to Beat the Winter Blues

Those who revel in the winter season delight in visions... Read More

How to Use Herbal Salves & Ointments to Shrink Your Hemorrhoids

Comfrey Herbal SalveHere is an herbal combination that contains herbs... Read More

Fruits and Juices Important for Relieving Hemorrhoids Part I

Foods to AvoidChili Peppers It has been found that when... Read More

Alzheimer?s Home Testing Manual Now Available Online

If you're concerned about the condition of an older family... Read More

Shamanic Healing & Soul Retrieval

Shamanic healing is one of the vast numbers of healing... Read More

Addressing The Cause And Finding A Cure: Why Cause is Everything When It Comes To Low Back Pain

There is an epidemic, at least in the States when... Read More

The Facts About Glutathione and Parkinsons Disease

Parkinson's Disease (PD), a devastating illness, occurs in one of... Read More

Prenatal Massage

What is prenatal massage? Prenatal Massage is a form of... Read More