What's New at momsAWARE . . .

Natural Year Challenge: Month Three

Welcome to Month Three of the momsAWARE Natural Year Challenge! Our 10-step journey toward a naturally healthy lifestyle continues with the following topics:

• Natural Year Challenge: Food Edition

  Use Healthy Oils and Fats. This month we take a careful look at these important nutritional building blocks. With all the conflicting information regarding fats and oils, how do we choose confidently? What is the truth about animal fat, canola oil, saturated fats, and coconut oil? See our Month Three Food Challenge for the facts you'll need to know and a helpful video by Andrea, including a Lego demonstration explaining the different options for oils and fats.

• Natural Year Challenge: Household Edition

  Make Household Soaps. We continue our transition to natural, chemical-free cleaning products by making our own household soaps: liquid dish soap, automatic dishwashing powder, liquid hand soap, and more! See our Month Three Household Challenge for recipes, a fun demonstration video by Andrea, and some bonus tips for creating your own "rebatched" castile bar soaps.

Concerned About Mold?

Not sure where to begin when you suspect mold in your home, school, or workplace? ERMI testing analyzes dust samples to identify and quantify the mold species present, and it's a great way to begin an assessment of any indoor environment. momsAWARE is pleased to offer two levels of this laboratory testing through our Online Store. To learn more about the testing process, check out our article on How to Interpret ERMI or HERTSMI Mold Test Results.

Tips for House-Hunters

What should you look for when buying or renting a home? How can you avoid hazardous water damage that can lead to serious health issues? See our Guidelines for Buying or Renting a Home for 10 tips to help you find a safe living environment that will benefit your family's health for years to come! To hear a helpful conversation on this topic, visit our Radio Interviews page for our Toxic Talk Tuesday edition on House Hunting.

Vinegar of the Four Thieves

Vinegar of the Four Thieves has been passed down since the time of the Black Plague, when robbers rubbed a mixture of herbs and vinegar on their bodies to protect themselves from certain death. Antibacterial herbs are combined with raw apple cider vinegar to create a natural cleaner effective in the kitchen, bathroom, and any room that requires disinfection. See our article on The Naturally Healthy Bathroom for the DIY recipe and a helpful how-to video from Andrea!

Five Natural Products

Are you one of the many who are trying to use fewer chemicals in your home? The good news is that switching to natural cleaning and personal care products can actually save you money! See our article on Five Cheap, Natural, Accessible Products for Your Home and discover a few common items that will go a long way in your household!

Life with Less Plastic

Looking to reduce your use of plastic around the home? You're not alone. Many of us are aware of the increasing concern over endocrine-disrupting chemicals and other hazards associated with plastics. See Life with Less Plastic: 10 Simple Steps for resources to help you become better informed and practical ideas for cutting back on your use of plastics in the home.

Choosing a Mold Remediator

Tackling a serious mold issue yourself can often make matters worse, as opening up a wall without proper containment can easily exacerbate the problem. But finding a qualified mold remediator who understands the potential hazards of improper remediation can be difficult. See How to Choose a Mold Remediation Company for eight questions to ask before making a hiring decision.

What Is Building Biology?

How important is the relationship between our health and our indoor environment? Can natural building materials really make a difference in our homes, offices, and schools? Building Biology studies these questions and offers 25 guiding principles for safe, health-supporting building practices. See our article explaining What Is Building Biology? to find out more!

Building Relationships: Toxins in Our Home

momsAWARE's Andrea Fabry joins Dr. Gary Chapman to tell her compelling story of sick children, a sick home, and the radical decisions that affected her marriage, family, and future—and led her down a path toward helping others with the knowledge she gained on the journey. If you missed this inspiring broadcast, listen online to our Building Relationships Interview.

Toxic Mold: You Are Not Alone

Those who have experienced ill health due to toxic mold exposure often feel isolated, and even crazy. Toxic Mold: You Are Not Alone will assure you that many are struggling with feelings of isolation, desperation, desolation, and panic. We share excerpts of emails received in a three-week period in 2018 in hopes that, if you're dealing with a mold exposure, these will validate your own experience and help lessen your feelings of isolation.