Don’t Assume… As Easy as 1-2-3, You Can Measure the State of Your Health and Indoor Environment and Know for Sure

Environmental factors like your diet, drinking water and living environment all play a tremendous role in your overall health and wellness.

What about levels in your body of the things you don’t want, like glycogen, the active ingredient in Roundup that’s widely used on yards, in parks and on crops, even ones that aren’t genetically engineered?

What about your drinking water? Are you drinking and showering in tap water that contains easily absorbed contaminants?

Finally, your home and workplace…

An estimated 40% of buildings in America, including at least one in four homes, may be affected by toxic mold that can cause serious health problems – hence the term “sick building syndrome.”

Do you live or work in one of them?

There’s also the potential for other environmental concerns, like bed bugs and dust mites. Both may be much closer than you think. Washington, D.C., Chicago, New York and Los Angeles all held top honors for bed bug infestations in 2017.

And dust mites… They are very likely in your bedding and pillows right now, as they’re drawn to moist, warm environments and feed off dead skin cells.

Just thinking about either of these disgusting critters is enough to make your skin crawl. Plus, they can make your life miserable, especially if you’re allergic.

You’ll be relieved to hear there’s an easy way to find out if any of these issues are a problem for you. Imagine the relief you’ll feel knowing they’re not.

When you have the right tests, you can identify and measure the problem. As you’ll soon see, they’re two important first steps in taking control of your health.

How Much of This “Probable Carcinogen” Is in Your Body Right Now?

Did you know that glyphosate – the active ingredient in Roundup^® is the most widely used weed-killing chemical on farms, lawns, schoolyards, golf courses and other public spaces?

A mainstay for use on genetically bioengineered crops, glyphosate is also used on many crops that aren’t genetically modified.

Not only do farmers use glyphosate to kill weeds, they also use it to speed up the harvest of crops like legumes and wheat

A whopping 276 million pounds of glyphosate was used in the U.S. in 2014 and its use continues to climb.

Here’s what concerns me about that… On March 2015, the World Health Organization (WHO) named glyphosate a "probable carcinogen". This means glyphosate can probably cause cancer in your body.

While independent labs have revealed alarming levels of glyphosate in many popular foods, as well as beverages, drugs, water sources and soil, the U.S. government isn’t testing for the chemical in food and water to protect you.

The Food Drug Administration, or FDA, previously tested certain foods as part of a pesticide exposure program, but it didn’t test for glyphosate.

Just when growing public pressure nearly pushed the FDA to the point of testing for glyphosate, they suspended any testing for it indefinitely.

Other than the limited independent testing that’s done on select foods, there is no other way to know how much glyphosate is in your food or your water – or the levels you are exposed to in the environment.

Glyphosate Can No Longer Hide… Now There’s an Easy Way to Find Out How Much Is in Your Water – and Inside Your Body

You no longer need to wonder how much glyphosate you’re being exposed to. Now you can find out how much glyphosate is in your water and in your body.

As part of their worldwide study on environmental exposure to glyphosate and water sampling program, the Health Research Institute (HRI) has developed a Glyphosate Water Test Kit that will allow you to determine glyphosate levels in your water source.

When you participate in this glyphosate exposure study, both you and HRI benefit. You:

• Contribute valuable information to help HRI better understand the extent of glyphosate exposure and contamination.
• Learn whether or not glyphosate is in your drinking and bathing water as well as inside your body.

The Water Test Kit allows you to test a sample of your tap water, lake water, water fountain water, bottled water or other water supply. The test kit includes everything you need – simply send your water sample and completed survey to the address provided for testing.

How about the glyphosate already inside your body?

If you’d like to find out more about your actual exposure to this toxic herbicide from all sources, in addition to or instead of the water test, I recommend HRI’s Urine Test Kit.

Like the Glyphosate Water Test, with the Urine Test, you’ll also be participating in a worldwide study on environmental exposure to glyphosate.

The Glyphosate Urine Test Kit includes a container for you to provide a urine sample, a link to the survey and postage paid packaging to return your sample for analysis. In a few weeks, you will receive information on how your levels compare with others and what you can do to help reduce your exposure.

Order your test kits today to find out how much glyphosate you’re being exposed to in your water, food, beverages and other environmental sources

Order the Glyphosate Water Test Kit
Order the Glyphosate Urine Test Kit

When Was the Last Time You Tested Your Well Water for Contaminants?

Most people assume their drinking and bathing water is clean and doesn’t contain potentially dangerous contaminants. But is it really?

Substances like heavy metals, volatile organic chemicals (VOCs), polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs), pesticides, herbicides, and trihalomethanes are, for the most part, odorless, tasteless, and not visible to the naked eye.

If you have a private or shared well, there’s a good chance it hasn’t been tested since you moved into your home – or ever. Well water is unregulated or at least under-regulated almost everywhere.

Turning a blind eye to what may be in your well water, and neglecting to test it, is, in my opinion, a big mistake. You never know what could be there…

How Clean Is Your Municipal Water – Really?

What’s probably a surprise to many, an analysis of 30 million state water records by the Environmental Working Group (EWG) reveals no shortage of pollutants in Americans’ tap water.

On the EWG site, you can enter your zip code or city and find the latest testing results as well as the history of contaminants found.

When I enter the city of Hoffman Estates, where the Illinois Mercola.com offices are located, I find a recent history of these contaminants:

• Nine (9) contaminants detected above health guidelines, all of which are linked to cancer: Arsenic, Bromodichloromethane, Chloroform, Chromium (hexavalent), Dibromochloromethane, Dichloroacetic acid, Radiological contaminants, and Total trihalomethanes
• The sources of this pollution include agriculture, industry, treatment byproducts, and naturally occurring substances

What’s in your water? Just because your municipality may periodically test for contaminants, it’s no guarantee your water is clear when you use it.

Plus, their tests only reflect the quality of the water when it leaves the water works. It doesn’t reflect the condition of your pipes or equipment.

Of course, your best protection against any type of contaminant is a whole house water filtration system, which you can find in my online store.

Keep in mind, what you absorb through your skin during bathing or showering may be even more hazardous than what you get from the water you drink.

Are Hidden Mold and Mycotoxins Making You Sick?

As I said earlier, an estimated 40% of buildings in America, including at least one in four homes, is believed to be affected by toxic mold that can cause serious health problems.

Several years back, I personally experienced a major mold issue in my home, so I know first-hand how frustrating and potentially hazardous mold can be to both health and your pocketbook

One of the biggest problems with mold is the mycotoxins it produces. Their effects on your organs and systems can be more serious than even pesticides and heavy metals.

Mold, a type of fungi, can be extremely difficult to detect. You can’t always see it as it often grows out of sight inside of walls, behind wallpaper or even within furniture. It can occur as a result of poor construction or water intrusion from leaky pipes and windows.

When mold grows in your home or workplace, you can be nearly certain it is in your air as well. Inhaling mold spores can enter your lungs and trigger health issues.

How can you tell if mold is growing in your home or workplace?

You may or may not notice a musty, mildew odor, see mold growing, or find water stains. If you do, these are signs that suggest you may have a mold issue.

Bodily signs are another clue… You may notice mood changes, fatigue, headaches, rashes, digestive issues, joint aches and pains, and even forgetfulness and poor concentration.

Now you can test for mold or fungi in your home or workplace two different ways: In the air or on surfaces with our easy to use, do-it-yourself test kits:

• The Air Mold Test Kit (also known as the Mold Screen Check) analyzes your indoor air for hundreds of mold types and fungal propagules or airborne spores and provides concentration levels of each.
• The Surface Mold Test Kit (also known as the Fungi Screen Check) uses a swab test cultured from a visible sample to identify genus types and concentration levels for environmental fungi as well as total bacteria.

Both test kits come with everything you need to sample your indoor air or a single surface in one location. Once you collect your sample and return it as instructed, you’ll receive a final lab analysis and report by Environmental Diagnostics Laboratory (EDLab).

Don’t let hidden, or even visible mold threaten your health and indoor air quality. Take action today and find out if mold is threatening you, your family, and pets.

Order the Air Mold Test Kit
Order the Surface Mold Test Kit

When the Bed Bugs Come Biting…

There are few things that disgust the majority of people as much as bed bugs. And if you’ve ever known anyone who’s been unfortunate enough to discover an infestation in their home, you know the misery they can create.

Unfortunately, their ill effects don’t end with the eradication of the last bug. Bed bugs can cause lasting anxiety and fear in those affected for years afterwards.

Bed bugs are found in every U.S. state. These small parasitic insects don’t discriminate – they can take up residence in the finest five-star hotels as well as day care centers, schools, cruise ships, and libraries.

And they spread very easily. When you visit an infested locale, one or more can hop a ride home on your clothes, backpack or suitcase.

While not a concern for disease spread, bed bugs can cause allergic reactions, uncomfortable itching, and severe emotional distress just from knowing they’re sharing your space.

Bed bugs are one of the most challenging pests to identify and to treat. Mostly hidden out of sight, they emerge at night while you’re asleep. When they bite, you typically don’t notice or feel the bites until at least a day later, and even then, they resemble mosquito bites.

At the first sign of light, bed bugs retreat into mattress seams, bed frames, dressers, headboards, cracks and crevices, and even behind wallpaper.

Experts agree, early detection is key to effective bed bug control. The sooner you know you have a problem, the more effective you can be at controlling and eradicating them.

The Bed Bug Test Kit (also known as the Bed Bug Screen Check) is a do-it-yourself test designed to help you find out if you have bed bugs in your home, or if you’ve had a prior bed bug infestation, the treatment has been successful.

The Bed Bug Test Kit comes with its own collection device for three locations. I recommend testing areas where you spend the most time, including your bed, couch and other upholstered furniture.

Order the Bed Bug Test Kit

One of the Creepiest Critters Alive, Dust Mites Thrive Wherever You Call Home

Dust mites are tiny creatures that feed off your dead skin cells, so they live wherever you are.

Invisible to the human eye, dust mites thrive in temperatures between 68 and 77 degrees Fahrenheit, and in the higher humidity levels found in moist environments like bedding and pillows.

There are more dust mites in your bedroom and your bedding than anywhere else in your home. Even brand new conventional bedding may be totally colonized within 6 weeks, which is why I prefer dust mite-resistant wool bedding and pillows.

While dust mites don’t bite or spread disease, an approximate 10% of the population is allergic to dust mites’ fecal droppings and body parts. Signs of dust mite allergy include skin irritation, respiratory issues, and headache.

The Dust Mite Test Kit (also known as the Dust Mite Screen Check) is a quick and easy way to find out to what degree your home may be affected. This do-it-yourself screening kit:

• Identifies dust mite allergens
• Screen tests for dust mite particulate, and Der p1 and Der f1 – the two major dust mite allergens found in high concentrations in the mite’s feces
• Includes sample collection device for collecting a solid dust sample from the carpet in your home or workplace
• Includes a final report by Environmental Diagnostics Laboratory (EDLab) identifying concentration levels of dermatophagoides mite allergen reported in micrograms, comparing your levels to normal, manageable levels

Once you’ve collected your sample using the included device, simply return it to EDLab using the envelope provided. Your lab report will be generated and emailed to you within 3 to 5 business days.

Take action today and find out how dust mites might be impacting your comfort and well-being.

Order the Dust Mite Test Kit

Take Control of Your Health by Measuring Your Indoor Environment

Don’t make unfounded assumptions about the state of your health and the condition of your living environment. The consequences could cost you your health and that of your loved ones, pets included.

Smaller in size, children and animals stand to lose even more than you.

Take action today, and find out the truth in order to create a plan that works best for your situation. Whether it be mold, water contaminants, glyphosate, dust mites or bed bugs you can take control.

Test and measure your indoor environment with our full line of test kits, and order yours today.