The Super Allergy Girl Blog

Miracle Carpet Cleaner & Non-Toxic to Boot!

We've had an on-going problem with water in our basement that we have not been able to repair due to our extraordinary medical bills.  Over the past year, this caused a rust-colored stain on the carpeting.  What a stupid idea it was to put carpeting in the basement!!  Oh, well that is a blog for another day.  At any rate, my genius husband, Randy, decided to sprinkle the carpet stain with baking soda to deodorize it while I was gone this weekend.  He made a sprinkle container for the baking soda out of a recycled plastic container, punching holes in the lid to allow the baking soda to come out.  WHO would have expected the baking soda to not only make the carpet smell fresh, but it also removed the stain!!!  Had he known that this was going to happen, he would have taken pictures.  Trust me next time he will.

In addition to being generous with the baking soda, Randy used a broom to brush the baking soda into the carpeting.  He also allowed the baking soda to sit for 24 hours before vacuuming.  It is just remarkable to me.  Have any of you tried baking soda for carpet cleaning?  I know that baking soda is a fabulous cleaner for coffee stains and stains on counter tops.  It removes the stain without scratching the surface material.  Baking soda combined with vinegar is a super cleaning combination.  The combination of baking soda and vinegar makes a chemical reaction that is fun to watch and provides added cleaning power.  What is your favorite use for baking soda other than in baked goods?  I'm interested in knowing what non-toxic, old-fashioned cleaning products you use at home.
Love,
Lisa

What All People with Asthma Should Know

Tonight I attended a meeting where a woman who has asthma issues was talking about the smell of cologne at work (in tight quarters) and how it aggravated her asthma.  I opened my Franklin Planner and whipped out what I consider one of the best educational brochures on the impact of scented products on human health and gave it to the woman.  No sooner than this action was complete, there was another woman asking if she could get a copy!!  Here are some of the things that I think all people with asthma should know:

*72% of asthmatics have adverse reactions to perfume; since asthma attacks can be fatal this makes perfume potentially deadly.
*Asthma rates have gone up 40% in the past 15 years.
*Asthmatics inhale fragrances worn by other people just like secondhand tobacco smoke.
*The ingredients contained in some scented products and perfumes include acetone, benzaldehyde, benzyl acetate, ethanol ethyl acetate, linalool, methylene chloride and a-terpineol and toluene.

Now, before I give you information on how to get this brochure, I want to demonstrate that this message has been around for many years.  I picked up a brochure at a physician's office earlier this year that was called "When You Have Asthma- How To Feel Your Best" published in March 1995 by Community Blue HMO/Blue Cross & Blue Shield of Western New York, Inc.  Under the section called 'Avoid Triggers' it said this:

It's hard to stay away from smoke, perfume, and car exhaust.  But try these tips:
*Keep away from perfumes, mothballs and air fresheners.  Their smell can bother your lungs.
*Avoid spray deodorant and hairspray.  These sprays can bother your lungs.
*Keep smoke from fireplaces and wood stoves away from you. Smoke from wood fires can bother your lungs.
*Avoid baby powder or talcum powder.  They can bother your lungs.

Asthma is a very, very scary health condition that is to be taken seriously since it can be fatal.  For an outstanding educational brochure that you can actually obtain, send $1.00 and a SELF-ADDRESSED, STAMPED ENVELOPE (SASE) to: Environmental Health Coalition of Western Massachusetts, PO BOX 187; Northampton, MA 01061-0187.  Checks should be made payable to EHCWM.  In addition to the Fragrance Brochure, the Environmental Health Coalition of Western Massachusetts also has a Healthy Homes Brochure and a Health Care Booklet.  If you want both the Fragrance and Healthy Home brochures, send $2.00 and a SASE.  If you want all three publications, send a $6.00 donation.  The Fragrance brochure is also available in Spanish. 

My hats off to the Environmental Health Coalition of Western Massachusetts!  They have produced an amazing brochure designed to educate and empower individuals with asthma and other health conditions!!  I have been handing the Fragrance brochure for about  3 years now.  People of all backgrounds love this brochure.  I couldn't find a website for the EHCWM, so if any of you know that they have one and what the address is, please let me know.  Also, I'd be interested in your feedback on this powerhouse of a brochure.  Asthma parents let's get this information out!
Love,
Lisa

Teaching Young Children Bicycle Safety

My husband and I had been having a conversation with our two older children about bicycle safety in the last two weeks.  They had been riding their bikes on the street and we deemed that they were not paying attention or enough attention we thought.  So they were banished to the sidewalk amidst some unhappy growls and grimaces.  Tonight on a walk with our three children came an unbelievable opportunity to teach our children about the impact of bicycle safety.

We were walking back home from our walk when we all noticed 5 children most likely teenagers, 3 with bikes who were camped on the grass near the road and two girls sitting in the road near the grass.  It sounded to me in my motherly way that one of the girls was crying.  Having approached many young people in my day who had the sound of pain or distress - when they were just horsing around, I approached these two young girls thinking that they were playing around.  As I got closer, it appeared that the girl who was crying was actually crying and there was blood coming out of her mouth and some blood on her face. 

Being me, I sprang into action to see if she was o.k.  Clearly she was not.  I briskly barked out a command to my husband across the street to knock on the front door of the house that he was closest to and get some paper towels and supplies.  Meanwhile I was surveying the other children and wondering what to do.  A stranger driving by asked if we needed help and could he call someone.  Yes, I said, please do that right away.  Before long we had the neighbors, several of which were local firefighters and paramedics, on the scene with the ambulance not far behind.  She had lost two teeth and was visibly shaken.  Her mother arrived just before the ambulance and the crowd increased in size.

All this witnessed by my children as my husband and I were in action comforting the teenage girl and getting an extra plastic bag for her teeth.  Once the paramedics and firefighters were in control we could step back and resume our walk home.  Now, the safety lesson that had unfolded was memorable and all of the children got what we meant by the fact that you have to pay attention and ride safely when you are cycling.  It was also a lesson in being in action.  None of the teenagers had gone for help.  Other than making a cell phone call to the girl's mother, no one had done anything.

It was what they call a "teachable moment" which led to a discussion about what to do in an emergency!  The children were quick to note on the walk home that none of the children present were wearing helmets.  And they were able to ascertain that the two girls had been riding on one bike together.  May we all pray for this young woman's health and well being and that she recovers fully and as quickly as possible.  It is a moment that no one will forget soon.  Wishing you well in teaching your children about bicycle safety.
Love,
Lisa