Mindful Momma

Join me for the Safe Chemicals Stroller Brigade!

Next Tuesday, May 22nd, I will be in Washington, DC rallying for safer chemicals. Will you join me - either in person or in spirit? We'll be gathering on the U.S. Capitol lawn at 9:30am, with a press conference starting at 10:00. After our "stroll" will will be meeting with members of Congress to ask them to pass the Safe Chemicals Act, legislation that would take meaningful steps to protect American families from harmful chemicals.

As many of you know, I have done a lot of work for Safer Chemicals, Healthy Families over the last year or so. This cause is so important to me because I don't think we should have to worry about toxic chemicals in the products we buy and use every day.

If safer chemical laws are important to you, please join us - either at the event in Washington, DC or online using the Twitter hashtags #StrollerBrigade and #SafeChemicalsAct and by linking to Safer Chemicals, Healthy Families on Facebook and Twitter.

Event Details 

When: May 22nd, 2012 – 9:30 AM

Where: U.S. Capitol Lawn, Washington D.C.   

Between Constitution Avenue NE and 1st Street NE   Senate side of the East Front Lawn of the Capitol.

What:  Press conference at 10:00 AM, “Stroller Brigade” and meetings with Members of Congress to follow.  

To register please sign up here: RSVP for Safe Chemicals Brigade 

Hope to *see* you there!

 

Honest Products from The Honest Company {+ a Giveaway!}

I'm not much of a celebrity groupie but I have to admit I'm pretty impressed with Jessica Alba. Last spring, she used her star power to rally for stronger Federal chemical laws on Capitol Hill. Now she is busy helping to run a new natural product company called The Honest Company.

The Honest Company offers an eco-friendly line of family essentials (diapers and wipes, bath and body care, and household cleaners) sold exclusively through their website, Honest.com. In a nutshell, here's what they are all about:

"Savvy style, sustainability, and extraordinary service & convenience all wrapped in a passion for social goodness, tied with a bow of integrity and sprinkled with a little cheeky fun."

Eco Strengths

The goal of The Honest Company is to deliver products that are as non-toxic, healthy and earth-friendly as possible while being effective, beautiful and fun at the same time. Check out their list of health and sustainability standards - it is quite impressive.

• Bath products are free of parabens, sodium lauryl sulphate, artificial fragrances and many other yucky chemicals.
• Diapers are made with sustainable, plant-based materials and are chlorine-free.
• Cleaning products are biodegradable and free of common chemicals like 1,4 dioxane and formaldehyde.
• Full ingredient list is available on website and product packaging.
• Charitable partnerships including Baby2Baby.org means the company is giving back to people and the planet.

What I appreciate about The Honest Company is that the are honestly trying to do better. Not only better than other companies, but they strive to make their business better and better each day.

Fav Products

Honest Hand Soap - I'm not a fan of highly fragranced hand soaps. This one has just a touch of yummy citrus scent. Plus the adorable bottle looks sweet on my bathroom counter.

Honest Lotion - A lightweight but rich lotion - a style that I love. It's fragrance-free, which is exactly what you'd want for baby. If it came in a citrus version like the hand soap, I'd be in heaven!

Honest Laundry Detergent - I only had a small sample to try (1 load) but it did a fine job on our dirty clothes. The product fragrance and dye free, making it suitable for babies, delicates and the whole family.

Honest Shampoo & Body Wash - I love multitasking beauty products and this one certainly delivers! It's super mild and safe for color-treated hair. And the vanilla tangerine scent is divine!

Second Thoughts

Up until now, the company business model has been to sell products in bundle only. However,they have listened closely to customer requests and will be offering the purchase of individual products in just a couple of weeks!

The hand wash contains two preservatives that are a bit controversial - Cocamidopropyl Betaine and Phenoxyethanol. It is my understanding that these preservatives are considerably safer than parabens and other popular preservatives but if you are uncomfortable with them you may want to skip this product. Meanwhile, the company is already working on reformulating the product. (see what I mean about working to do better?)

Giveaway!

Wouldn't you love to try some products from The Honest Company? I've got a Family Essentials Bundle to give away to one lucky Mindful Momma reader!

Win a one-month supply of non-toxic body care and household cleaning products for your entire family. Package includes Honest Shampoo, Body Lotion, Hand Soap, Healing Balm, and Laundry Detergent. ($35.95 value). Enter using the Rafflecopter form below.

Good Luck!

 

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Making Sense of Personal Care Product Labels

Detective needed. Aisle 3. Body Care Products.

Think about the last time you went shopping for lotion or eye shadow. Did you feel like a detective, looking for clues to solve a mystery in the body care aisle? Trying to find safe, natural personal care products can be confusing, no doubt about it, but who wants to play detective on every shopping trip?

In an effort to help you solve the mystery before you head to the store, I thought it would be useful to explain a few things about personal care and cosmetic products labels. First of all, it's critical to know that the words "natural" and "organic" are completely unregulated and therefore have no true meaning on their own.

Fortunately, there are a number of seals and certifications to help identify products that can legitimately be called natural or organic. When I see one of these seals, I know that someone has already done the detective work for me. I can trust that the products meet strict standards for certification. Each certification means something a little bit different, so take a look and decide which ones are most important to you and your family.

USDA Organic

• Personal care products must contain at least 95% organic ingredients, excluding water and salt
• Must meet the same stringent guidelines as agricultural ingredients
• Remaining ingredients must consist of nonagricultural substances or nonorganically produced agricultural products that are not commercially available in organic form, approved on the National Organic Program's National List
• Certifying agent's name and address must appear on the label
• Most likely to be found on lip balms, body butters, massage oils and other products that do not need preservatives or emulsifiers
• Example: Bubble & Bee
• Learn more

Drawbacks:

The standard was created for food products. The USDA has no authority over the production and labeling of cosmetics, body care products, and personal care products that are not made up of agricultural ingredients.

Natural Products Association

• The product must be made up of at least 95 percent truly natural ingredients or ingredients that are derived from natural sources, excluding water
• No ingredients with any suspected human health risks 
• No processes that significantly or adversely alter the natural ingredients 
• Ingredients that come from a purposeful, natural source (flora, fauna, mineral) 
• Processes that are minimal and don't use synthetic/harsh chemicals
• Transparency and full disclosure of ingredients
• Example: J.R. Watkins
• Learn more

Drawbacks:

Certain synthetic ingredients are allowed when a non-natural substitute is not available but only when there are absolutely no suspected potential human health risks.

NSF/ANSI 305

• "Contains Organic Ingredients" standard developed specifically for personal care and cosmetics
• Formula must contain at least 70% organic content by weight
• Ingredients must be USDA National Organic Program (NOP) certified
• Companies required to state exact percentage of organic content on label
• Limited chemical processing typical for personal care products (but not allowed for USDA Organic), such as saponification to make products lather, is allowed
• Example: Dolphin Organics
• Learn more and more

Drawbacks:

 Some synthetic chemical processes/ingredients are allowed.

EcoCert

• Minimum of 95% naturally derived, plant-based ingredients and 10% organic ingredients (including water, salts and minerals, unlike USDA Organic and other certifications)
• Popular European certification
• Example: The Organic Skin Care Company
• Learn more

Drawbacks:

Can be misleading as only 10% organic ingredients are required for the organic cosmetic designation. Some synthetic ingredients are allowed.

Whole Foods Market Premium Body Care

• Stringent guidelines for ingredient safety, environmental impact, source and efficacy
• Over 400 unacceptable ingredients including parabens, phthalates, sodium lauryl and laureth sulfates, artificial fragrances and many more
• Used for both private label and independent brands sold at Whole Foods Market
• Example: Andalou Naturals
• Learn more

Drawbacks:

Only available on products sold at Whole Foods Market. Some synthetic ingredients allowed.

COPA - California Organic Products Act

• Product must contain a minimum of 70% organic content, excluding water and extracts
• Labels must include an asterisk to identify organic ingredients
• Example: Juice Beauty
• Learn more

Drawbacks:

Can only be regulated in California but has effects nationwide. Some synthetic ingredients allowed.

Do you look for any of these seals when you shop for personal care products and cosmetics?

(this post is linked up on Your Green Resource)

New Sponsor: Heritage Botanicals {+ a Giveaway!}

 

Please help me give a green & healthy welcome to my newest blog sponsor, Heritage Botanicals!

 

About Heritage Botanicals

Do you love handmade beauty products but don't have the time to make them yourself? Do you prefer to support small, family-run businesses instead of enormous companies? Then Heritage Botanicals might be exactly what you are looking for!

This tiny little company was started by two sisters who wanted to care for their babies skin without chemicals. After a bit of research, they developed a line of balms and skin creams for babies made with 100% natural ingredients and completely free of preservatives. They eventually branched out into natural beauty products for women and men as well.

Favorite Products

I had the opportunity to sample a few of the baby products and there isn't one I wouldn't recommend:

Calendula Baby Balm - A super-rich blend of oils and botanicals formulated to soothe and prevent diaper rash - but there's no reason not to use it on yourself!

Sleepy Baby Moisturizing Cream - An all-purpose body cream scented with calming lavender essential oil.

Aromatherapy Balm - A menthol-based balm to relieve nasal and chest congestion. It's a healthier alternative to Vicks Vapor-Rub.

Rose-Tint Lip Balm - A mix of organic cocoa butter and organic oils, lightly colored with alkanet root.

Note: Because Heritage Botanicals products contain no preservatives, they should be stored in a cool, dry location and used up within about 1 year.

The Giveaway!

Heritage Botanicals is giving away a Baby Sampler gift set including 2-oz sizes of the Calendula Baby Balm, Sleepy Baby Moisturizing Cream and Satin Baby Skin Cream plus a lip balm. (Retail value $29.99). Use the Rafflecopter form below to enter.

 

Non-Toxic Art Supplies

As a parent, there is nothing quite as special as the drawings, paintings and other artwork made by my children. I proudly display them on the walls and tables in our home and finally tuck them into a box to save for later, when childhood is just a memory.

The power of children’s artwork is why Safer Chemicals, Healthy Families is holding an art contest this month.  It is a great opportunity to get creative with our kids and also send a powerful message to our Senators.  We need Congress to pass the Safe Chemicals Act, so let’s create artwork with our children to show our nation’s leaders how our children see a healthy and safe future.

The best way to encourage artistic creativity for this contest is to talk with your kids about people, places and things in their life they want to be safe and healthy - then ask them to paint or draw something that helps to show that. 

To do this fun project with your kids, you’ll need to have plenty of art supplies at the ready. But before you run out and stock up on supplies, keep in mind that not all art supplies are created equal. Many popular art materials contain toxic ingredients and may actually be detrimental to your child’s health.

Because of the lax regulations governing the use of chemicals in our country, untested, dangerous chemicals are allowed in many products that we use every day, including art supplies. Children are especially vulnerable to these hidden health hazards because of their small size and immature immune systems.

Lucky for us, there are plenty of non-toxic art supplies available to keep our little artists in business! Keep these tips and suggestions in mind next time you purchase art supplies:

Paints

Beware of oil based paints containing chemical solvents like methyl alcohol and toluene that emit dangerous volatile organic compounds or VOCs. Also avoid paints colored with pigments made from highly toxic metals such as cadmium, arsenic, and lead. Children should always use water-based paints instead of oil based paints.

Safer alternatives:

• Glob – Water based paints made with pigments found in vegetables, fruits, roots, herbs and spices.
• Clementine Art - Tempura paints made with Mayan mineral earth pigments.
• Eco-Kids  - Finger paint made with fruit, plant and vegetable extracts from annatto seed, beets, carrots, purple sweet potato, red cabbage and spinach, and other natural ingredients.

Markers

Many markers contain highly toxic chemical solvents like xylene or are alcohol-based. Stick to water-based markers for kids.

Safer alternatives:

• Clementine Art - Markers made from naturally derived ingredients.
• Liqui-Mark – Non-toxic water-based markers made with 25% recycled plastic.
• Note: Water-based markers are safer and easier to clean up too!

Crayons

Conventional crayons are made with petroleum based paraffin wax and artificial, chemical-based colors.

Safer alternatives:

• Clementine Art – Natural soy and beeswax crayons colored with mineral pigments.
• Stockmar - Beeswax crayons made with food-grade pigments that pass tests for detection of pesticide residues, PCB's and heavy metals.
• Earth Grown Crayons – Etsy shop selling fun-shaped crayons made with natural soy wax and nontoxic mineral pigments.

Colored pencils

Traditional colored pencils use chemical based pigments and may be coated with toxic varnish.

Safer alternatives:

• Artemis - Cedarwood pencils with natural, plant-based colors.
• Trimax – Natural pencils made from reforested wood with a safe lacquer finish.

Modeling clay and play dough

Polymer clay, used for modeling, is typically made with PVC material and softened with toxic phthalates. Most play dough, although labeled non-toxic, is colored with artificial colors.

Safer alternatives:

• Pastilina – Vegetable based modeling clay
• Clementine Art - Modeling dough from made with simple ingredients plus natural colorings like turmeric and spinach.
• Eco Kids – Handmade eco-dough colored with real ingredients like blueberries, beets and carrots.
• DIY play dough – Here’s a recipe from Katie at Non-Toxic Kids.

Glue

Avoid rubber cement and model glues that emit toxic VOCs. Stick to water-based glue instead.

Safer alternatives:

• Clementine Art – Washable, natural glue
• Eco Kids – Rice flour and corn starch are the base of this non-toxic eco-paste for kids.

Art Smocks

Skip smocks made with toxic PVC vinyl material.

Safer alternatives:

• Mimi the Sardine – Organic cotton with a water-based acrylic coating in adorable prints.

Drawing Pads

Choose eco-friendly art pads to go along with your non-toxic art supplies.

• Eco Kids – “treeless” paper made from banana fibers and recycled materials
• Glob – Art pad made from 100% post consumer, recycled, chlorine-free paper.

Resources:

Clementine Art http://www.clementineart.com  

Glob – paints -  http://www.globiton.com/index.html

Hazelnut Kids - http://www.hazelnutkids.com/cgi-bin/category/art_supplies

ChildTrek - http://www.childtrek.com/arts-crafts-toys.html 

Eco Kids http://www.ecokidsusa.com/index.html

Eco Art Works http://www.ecoartworks.com

Stubby pencil studio http://www.stubbypencilstudio.com

Nature of Art Kids http://nature-of-art-kids.com

Mighty Nest http://mightynest.com/shop/toys-art-supplies/art-supplies

Note: It has come to my attention that P'kolino paints contain a toxic para-formaldehyde ingredient. Because of this, I have removed P'kolino products from my list of recommendations.

(Image credit: jdurham via MorgueFile)

(FYI - this post is linked up over on Your Green Resource and the Green Moms Carnival hosted by Groovy Green Livin)

Random Acts of Sweetitude

Have you ever had someone go out of their way to open up a door for you, surprise you by picking up the tab for lunch, leave a bouquet of flowers on your doorstep....or something equally unexpected?  If you have, then you've experienced a random act of sweetitude. 

What is Sweetitude?

According to Stonyfield Organic, Sweetitude is:

"A naturally sweet act or attitude. A pleasant disposition brought about by a non-artificial act of sweetness."

Stonyfield has a fun promotion going on right now encouraging people to spread the sweetness by sharing their favorite acts of Sweetitude. Visit www.sweetitude.com everyday between now and March 6th and tell them what sweetitude means to you. They are giving away 100 prizes including free Stonyfield yogurt, $100 gift cards to Whole Foods, Stonyfield swag, cookbooks, and a grand prize ski getaway to Okemo Mountain resort! Doesn't hurt to try!

Acts of Sweetitude

In the past few days, I have committed a few random acts of Sweetitude:

• Shoveled my neighbor's sidewalk
• Left outgrown ice skates at a community skating rink for public use
• Notified restaurant employee of a customer's lost purse

Here are a few more ideas:

• Hold open the door for someone with a big smile on your face
• Give a helping hand when you see someone carrying a lot of stuff
• Cook a favorite meal for someone you love
• Pay for a cup of coffee for the person behind you in line
• Give someone a shoulder massage
• Share homemade cookies with a neighbor
• Say I LOVE YOU to someone you care about
• Invite a friend to the movies or dinner
• Send a snail mail card to a good friend
• Weed your neighbor's garden

Have you committed any random acts of Sweetitude? Please share!

Check out my fridge!

The reason I'm talking about Stonyfield today is that I was recently asked to become a Stonyfield Yo-Getter, which is basically an ambassador for the Stonyfield brand. Since few days go by without Stonyfield yogurt in our fridge, I figured this was a partnership that made complete sense! They promise to keep me up to speed on all the cool promotions and campaigns (like the awesome anti-GMO, Just Label It campaign) they are involved in.

Speaking of my fridge, there's a picture of it up on Stonyfield's new website I Will Know My Food. Enter your fridge for a chance to win a farm-to-fridge adventure and a fridge makeover!

Do you have any questions about Stonyfield? I'm sure I could get them answered for you!

(Full Disclosure: I am supporting Stonyfield as a Stonyfield YoGetter. Stonyfield sent me coupons for free product but I have not been compensated in any other way.)

Green & Healthy Roundup

Welcome to the weekend friends! What kind of green & healthy plans do you have?

I have to get up early tomorrow morning (on a Saturday!) to be on the Fresh & Local radio show at 8:00am. The Director of Nutrition at the Minneapolis Public Schools will be there talking about new school lunch initiatives and I'll chime in about green & healthy packed lunch ideas. Listen in if you can or stream it later - they post the broadcasts.

Here's a little roundup of green & healthy news and info that passed by my desk this week, for your weekend reading pleasure:

Improving School Lunch

Speaking of school lunch, have you heard about the new lunch laws? Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack and First Lady Michelle Obama just announced a new plan for healthier school lunches, including less sodium and more fruits, veggies and whole grains. Yes, pizza will still be considered a vegetable, but this seems to be a step in the right direction. What do you think?

Chemicals in the News

Here's one more reason to chuck out your non-stick pans. A new study shows that perfluorinated compounds (PFCs),found in non-stick cookware, fast-food packaging and stain-resistant items, are linked to reduced effectiveness of childhood vaccines. Are chemicals in everyday products a concern for you and your family?

Green Moms Fight Climate Change

Amazing things happen when moms get together for a cause. This month the moms from the Green Moms Carnival joined forces to share ideas, thoughts and actions about fighting the very real, very distressing issue of climate change. Please have a look - I bet you'll come away with some climate change resolutions for yourself.

Pin of the Week

I've been having so much fun on Pinterest! Just as I feared, it is terribly addicting but I've found some great ideas out there! My favorite pin this week is a health remedy to treat colds that came from a blog called Health, Home & Happiness. It's a simple mixture of honey and cinnamon and it looks more like dessert than a health remedy. I'll be trying this with my kiddos next time I see a cold coming on!

Healthy Home Cooked Meals

This month on the Clear Conscience blog over at J.R. Watkins, I shared my favorite cookbooks and websites for healthy dinner inspiration. What are your go-to resources for healthy recipes?

See you next week!

 

 (image credits: bookgrl via flickr and Health, Home & Happiness) 

Mama Jess Pasta Sauces: Organically Good

 

Raise your hand if you have a convenience food or two (or three or four) that you rely on regularly to get a meal on the table for your family. My hand is up there with the rest of yours! Even though I love to cook (and cook a ton), it can be a trade off to spend time in the kitchen vs. working, playing with my kids and oh so many other things....

 

One of my pantry staples is jarred pasta sauce because it's such an easy starter for a meal the kids will love! I usually add extra veggies to the sauce to make it a tad more healthy. Imagine how happy I was to discover a pasta sauce that was already packed with extra veggies and nutrition!  Mama Jess was started by a mom of 2 boys with a passion for nutrition, and a background in the food industry. When her two year old announced that he didn't like carrots and sweet potatoes, she embarked on a mission to make a more nutritious pasta sauce.

So far Mama Jess makes two varieties of healthy, organic pasta sauce:

• Bean Good - Organic white bean puree blended with tomato, garlic and onions, making it a great source of protein and fiber.
• Garden Good - Organic 5 veggie pasta sauce including carrot, sweet potato, red bell pepper, squash and of course, tomato.

Eco  & Health Strengths

• Certified USDA Organic (means ingredients are at least 95% organic)
• Loaded with 92% RDA Vitamin A (Garden Good) and extra protein and fiber (Bean Good)
• Tastes as close to home-cooked as you can get in a jar
• Recyclable glass jars

Second Thoughts?

You'll pay a premium for this organic, fresh-tasting pasta sauce. Mama Jess Pasta Sauces cost about $7 a jar vs. $3 to $5 a jar for conventional jarred sauce. Hopefully demand will bring prices down in the future 'cause this sauce deserves to be tasted!

Favorite Products

I was most excited to try the Bean Good (and it proved to be very tasty indeed) but it was the Garden Good that impressed the heck out of me! The flavors were so bright and vibrant , I immediately had my husband and kids try it, right out of the jar! Garden in a bottle would be an appropriate description.

Sale - Today Only!

Pick up a 2-pack of Mama Jess Pasta Sauces at Abe's Market for 50% off - today only (Thursday, January 26, 2012)!!

(Full Disclosure: I received 2 free jars of Mama Jess Pasta Sauces in exchange for my honest opinion.)

What are your favorite, healthy convenience foods? 

Dolphin Organics Baby Products are Naturally Simple

 

The parents who launched Dolphin Organics were tired of hearing the same complaint over and over: that many natural and organic brands just couldn't be trusted not to include artificial and potentially toxic ingredients in their products. So when they developed a line of personal care products for babies and kids, they made it simple to tell exactly what was in the products. Check out the easy to read ingredient list (note - there's nothing in the artificial column):

 

 Eco Strengths

• Products score 0-1 on the Skin Deep cosmetics database (very low hazard)
• The Quality Insurance International seal certifies that all organic ingredients are truly organic
• The NSF Made with Organic seal assures products contain at least 70% certified organic content
• A trusted partner of Healthy Child Healthy World
• Packaging made with post-consumer recycled material

Second Thoughts?

I found the Baby Bubble Bath to be on the thin side and it was easy for me to squirt in more than was needed. Since prices are higher than what you'll pay for drug store bubble bath ($12.99 for a 12-oz bottle), I didn't want to waste a drop.

Favorite Products

My boys aren't babies anymore but the Baby Shampoo and Body Wash works great for their hair. I love that it's tear-free and it just takes a dollop to get a head full of lather!

Sale!

Dolphin Organics Baby Lotion is on sale for $9.99 for the month of January. Shipping is free on orders over $50. You can find Dolphin Organics online or at specialty stores around the country.

Have you tried Dolphin Organics?

(Full Disclosure: I was sent free samples of Dolphin Organics Bubble Bath and Baby Shampoo in exchange for my honest opinion.)

 

How to Buy a Natural or Organic Mattress

 

Our mattress was a wedding gift. It served us well but after 20 years, our backs were telling us it was time for something new. I know a little bit more about mattresses than I knew 20 years ago and this time around, I wanted something greener and safer than the typical, conventionally produced mattress.

A new mattress is a big investment - both in money and in health - something that we didn't take lightly. It took a lot of research to finally find a mattress that we were comfortable with (and on!) and that fit within our budget.

The problem with conventional mattresses

Most conventional mattresses are made with synthetic foam, treated with chemical flame retardants and covered in PVC vinyl. Basically, a conventional mattress is a chemical-laden contraption that releases toxic fumes while you sleep. These off-gassing fumes have been associated with a whole host of health disorders including thyroid, reproductive and behavioral problems, as well as cancer. Unfortunately, current law states that all mattresses must be able to resist open flames, which usually means a chemical treatment.

Criteria for a "better" mattress

One thing I've learned for sure is that the mattress industry is complicated and confusing. The number of options and differences between products is overwhelming and every brand has their own "proprietary" way of doing things. I recommend starting with some online research and then visiting a small, local store that specializes in natural and organic mattresses, rather than visiting a mega mattress store. Here are some things to look for:

• No chemical flame retardant chemicals - this was my #1 criteria
• Non-chemical flame retardants include wool and a combination of baking soda and hydrated silica
• No synthetic, polyurethane foam
• If you want latex, make sure it is natural latex rubber, not synthetic
• Made with a high percentage of certified organic materials including cotton, wool and latex
• Covered in organic cotton or food grade polyethylene (waterproof) instead of PVC vinyl
• GREENGUARD certification - 3rd party testing for low-emitting products

Choosing the mattress that's right for you

Choosing a mattress is complicated. Determine your top priorities for a mattress, shop around and by all means test out the product! That means taking off your shoes and getting comfy in a public space. Embarrassing but necessary!

We had a tight budget for our new mattress. While I was willing to spend extra to get a safe, organic mattress, I did not have the option to buy the ultimate green mattress I was dreaming of. We ended up buying a quilted, organic cotton innerspring mattress from Naturepedic, at our local green store, Moss Envy. It is super comfy and we love it!

Other options

If a natural or organic mattress is simply not in your budget, here are a few things you can do to lessen the negative effects:

• Let your new mattress off-gas in a well-ventilated area for awhile before using it.
• Cover your mattress with an organic cotton cover or a natural latex or wool mattress topper.
• Consider buying a less expensive natural futon instead of a regular mattress.

Are you in the market for a new mattress or have you purchased one lately? Any words of wisdom to share?

(Note: I purchased my new mattress with my own money and was not compensated in any way to write this post.)

{image from SaavyRest.com}

This post is linked over at My Green Resource on Sorta Crunchy