Anti-toxic legislation

Have you checked out Moms Rising lately? They've been doing some amazing stuff to get companies to stop putting toxic chemicals in kid's bottles, sippy cups, and toys.
I signed up for their email newsletter, and highly recommend others to sign up for it too - you find out important information this way. Here is their latest newsletter:

Dear MomsRising member,

Wouldn't it be something if we could just walk into a store and buy a baby bottle or a bath toy without worrying it contains toxic chemicals?

The good news is, we're making swift progress towards this critical goal. Your messages so far have energized Congress to finally introduce legislation to prevent toxic toys and other toxic products from reaching our children, including:

• Legislation has been introduced in the last few weeks to ban bisphenol-A (BPA) in baby bottles and other child care products;
• Congress is considering a ban on phthalates, a toxic chemical used in too many toys like rubber duckies;
• And, last month Congress introduced the Kids Safe Chemical Act that would shift the burden on companies to prove that the chemicals they are using in children's products are safe.

With your support, we can get these laws passed through Congress - and get toxics out of our homes and away from our children. This project is funded solely by our members. Nanette, a mother of four, just donated $50 to this effort because she was appalled by the fact that companies had been getting away with using harmful substances in toys for years, and wants to help stop that practice.

Consider giving just $35 (or what you can) to support the Toxics Out of Children's Products program today: https://salsa.democracyinaction.org/o/1768/t/5365/shop/custom.jsp?donate_page_KEY=3754

When family advocates like MomsRising link up with environmental advocates to fight harmful toxics, it's powerful. This strategy brings a family focus to "green" causes, increasing public awareness of the pervasiveness of toxins in our indoor environment.

Legislators and the media are inclined to listen to moms. Businesses know that women make more than 80% of buying decisions in all homes[1], so you can be sure they're listening too.

In fact, MomsRising members have already:

Improved the Consumer Products Safety Commission Reform Act by assisting in the elimination of a section which would have put more toxic chemicals in our homes;

• Been credited by the Washington Post with helping to stop the sale of baby bottles with bisphenol-A (BPA) at five of the seven major retailers of baby bottles;
• And generated nearly 20,000 letters to Congress requesting that phthalates be taken out of children's products, resulting in key committee members changing their position, and moving the ban forward in Congress.
• MomsRising is a bootstrap, mom-run organization, and right now this work to get toxics out of children's products is funded solely by our members.

You can help keep this important work going by donating today: https://salsa.democracyinaction.org/o/1768/t/5365/shop/custom.jsp?donate_page_KEY=3754

Thanks so much for all your work on behalf of our nation's children -- Kristin, Joan, Donna, Roz, and the MomsRising.org Team

[1] http://www.businessweek.com/bwdaily/dnflash/feb2005/nf20050214_9413_db_082.htm

Sleep Number vs. Tempurpedic

We have a Sleep Number bed. Both Kevin and I just love it. Before, we had a foam memory topper and 6 egg crates on top of that on top of an older mattress, which is ok, but still not as soft as a Sleep Number bed. I still have one egg crate mattress topper on top of the Sleep Number bed - I think it helps smooth it out. My only peeve is that when he is not in the bed, it tends to roll me to the middle of the bed.

Here's some info on Sleep Number beds:

There are two outlets in Texas that I know of, if you know of another one, let me know.

http://www.outletbound.com/cgi-bin/enh_center.cgi?state_cd=TX&geocity=70LKMZ2W

http://www.ilovegrapevinetexas.com/Grapevine-Mills-Mall.aspx

http://www.discountedairbeds.com/Sleep-Comfort-Number-Bed_c_11.html

interesting forum discussion:
http://community.cookinglight.com/archive/index.php/t-70798.html

Other Forums

The Radisson hotel chain has quite a lot of Sleep Number beds - you can stay the night at one of them to check it out.
http://www.radissonsleepnumberbed.com/

same with tempurpedic
http://www.tempurpedic.com/tempurcmsvb/company/hotels/

While looking up all this stuff, I found this site to be intriguing.
http://www.landandsky.com/products/whywater.asp

opinion
http://www.epinions.com/review/Land_and_Sky_Impression_5500/content_17220406916

Wisdom teeth pain relief

So here are all the suggestions I could find on wisdom teeth pain relief. OR even just regular TEETH pain relief!  One of my best friends (in her thirties) just got her wisdom teeth removed. More power to her! I'm so glad I got all mine done when I was 18 - Christmas of my senior year - looked like a chipmunk during vacation, but looked almost normal by the time school started again.

Clove oil (number one recommendation on many sites)
warm salt water gargle
cold or hot compresses on the side of face
ice cubes in paper towel on tooth area
Noni juice
pure vanilla extract on cottonball on tooth
combine vanilla and cloves on cottonball
stuff wet tea bag or frozen tea bag on wisdom tooth area
clove of garlic with rock salt on tooth
avoid hot and cold, stick with warm for a few days
rinse mouth out with peroxide



From Home Remedies:

• Mix 2 drops of clove oil with 1/8 teaspoon olive oil. Soak a cotton ball with this mixture and place it on the tooth, bite down gently on the cotton ball to keep it in place. Leave it there for some time as clove oil contains eugenol, which is a natural pain killer and antibacterial.
• Place a small piece of onion on the paining tooth; onion also has bactericidal properties which will help to decrease your pain.

I also HIGHLY recommend these products for help with teeth and gums!

Christopher's Original Formulas Herbal Tooth and Gum Powder

Dr. Christopher's Complete Tissue and Bone Formula 100 VegCap

Dr. Christopher's Infection 100 caps

Here are some sites to help:
Best Toothache Relief
Pain Relief 101
Home Remedies Toothache Relief
Home Remedy Comments
Buzzle.com
Wisdom Tooth Wisdom

Here's an interesting trick from the Askville site:
Use some more ice on your hand. Here's a neat trick developed by pain researcher Ronald Melzack, Ph.D., of McGill University in Montreal, Quebec. Rub a piece of ice on the V-shaped area between your thumb and forefinger for five to seven minutes, until that area goes numb. This treatment significantly eases tooth pain by sending impulses along the same pathways that toothache pain travels. The impulses close the gate on incoming pain messages--in effect, shutting off the ache.

Another thing to think about from a comment on a forum:
If you are female and have wisdom teeth pain, check your calendar and see if you aren't near a time when you would be pre-menstrual and retaining water. Many women retain water in their upper and lower jaws and it will cause impacted teeth, such as wisdom teeth, to become inflamed and hurt.

If you are retaining water, then diuretics are a good solution. Even something as simple as adding lemon juice to a glass of water will help you to clear out the retained fluids. Celery is another natural diuretic. Avoiding salty and processed foods will help, too.

Rules of thumb for wisdom teeth:

• Eat soft foods, such as gelatin, pudding, or a thin soup. Gradually add solid foods to your diet as healing progresses.
• Do not use a straw for the first few days. Sucking on a straw can loosen the blood clot and delay healing.
• After the first day, gently rinse your mouth with warm salt water several times a day to reduce swelling and relieve pain.
• Women who decide to have their wisdom teeth removed should try to schedule the surgery for the end of their menstrual cycle (usually days 23 through 28). There seems to be less risk of dry socket during this time

PS. If you are getting fillings put in for cavities, make sure they don't contain mercury. Mercury fillings (just like mercury vaccines) can cause a lot of problems, including memory loss and infertility.

PSS. Here's some interesting ideas/point of view for alternatives to a root canal. I saw that possibility in several comments in my toothache research, and then a friend said she was having a root canal, so I thought I'd look it up. :)

http://www.mercola.com/article/dental/rootcanal/alternative.htm
http://www.mercola.com/article/dental/rootcanal/root_canals.htm
http://mizar5.com/root.htm
http://www.wnbc.com/dentalhealth/13677569/detail.html
http://www.curetoothdecay.com/Root_Canal/alternative_to_root_canal.htm -a bit strange
http://www.mgoldmandds.com/rctchoices.htm