Homes That Heal (and those that don't) : How Your Home Could be Harming Your Family's Health

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Manufacturer: New Society Publishers

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Binding: Paperback
Dewey Decimal Number: 613.5
EAN: 9780865715110
ISBN: 0865715114
Label: New Society Publishers
Manufacturer: New Society Publishers
Number Of Items: 1
Number Of Pages: 320
Publication Date: 2004-10-01
Publisher: New Society Publishers
Studio: New Society Publishers

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Editorial Reviews:

Media reports focus increasingly on the declining health of children in industrialized countries. Asthma, autism, learning and behavior problems, and cancer are all on the rise. At the same time, there is consistent news about poor indoor air quality, mold and how buildings can make people sick.

Homes that Heal addresses both of these developments, revealing that our own homes can contribute to many of these health problems. A passionate examination of our built environment and the alarming impact today's chemically polluted world is having on the health of present and future generations, Homes That Heal is easy-to-read, solutions-oriented and humorous, full of stories and advice that empower families to take back their health on a daily basis. Topics covered include:

a Healthy Home Quiz that enables readers to evaluate the health of their own home and identify many of the common home health hazards
factors impacting indoor air quality
a room-by-room examination of typical problems and solutions
toxic materials used in building a new home or remodeling
cleaning products and other consumer hazards found in the home
an easy-to-understand introduction to the science of Bau-biologie (Building Biology), an internationally recognized approach to healthy construction.

Packed with useful information and resources, Homes That Heal is written to be easily understood by busy mothers and will appeal to anyone interested in the health of his or her family. Designed for the family coffee table, it is equally suitable for doctors' offices and home improvement stores.

Athena Thompson is an award-winning entrepreneur specializing in environmental medicine and is an advocate for children's health. A natural health specialist for 18 years and a certified bau-biologist (building biologist), she is cofounder/owner of Humabuilt Healthy Building Systems and lives in Lake Oswego, Oregon.

Spotlight customer reviews:

Customer Rating:

Summary: Healthy Information about your home
Comment: Although I did not like the hokey stories and illustrations used to highlight the author's points, the truth is the book is very easy to read and filled with wonderful information. Some may consider things extreme like blue jean scraps for attic insulation but she writes this as a bau-biologist who deals with identifying things in the home that can make you sick. Her sections on radiant heating and radon remediation are excellent. She highlights simple things like just ventilating the house, materials to use that are healthier, and so on. The best test for me having checked this book out of the library is the fact that I will be purchasing it. There is just so much useful information to refer back to that it makes sense to own this book.

Customer Rating:

Summary: The healthy home handbook
Comment: I am a Certified Indoor Environmental Consultant by the American Indoor Air Quality Council and Director of the Indoor Air Quality Association in Santa Fe. My company investigates building-related health complaints.

Athena's book not only covers the important aspects of how to create a healthy home, it's narrated with humorous stories and examples of how they relate to us in our daily lives.

There's a useful quiz/check list that you and your family can take to assess how healthy your home is and ideas for what you can do to make it healthier.

I often refer to Athena's book. It's part of my reference library.

Dan Stih, Author, Healthy Living Spaces: Top 10 Hazards Affecting Your Health.

Customer Rating:

Summary: Healthy Homes 101
Comment: Homes that Heal is a comprehensive look at how our homes impact our daily health and our long term health. As a green building supplies retailer, Homes that Heal is the first book we turn to for that customer looking to improve their indoor environment. I have researched the topic of healthy building extensively and although there is abundant information, much of it is too esoteric or complicated for the casual learner. Athena strikes a rich balance in Homes that Heal, providing technical information and guidance in an easy to understand and informative way. As a professional in this industry, I can refer to her book over and over again for reference and clarification and as a educator by default, I know that our customers can walk away with one book that gets them started in the right direction. So, whether you are doing one room in your home or buiding from scratch, Homes that Heal is the place to start.

Customer Rating:

Summary: SICK HOME OR HEALING HOME, THAT IS THE QUESTION
Comment: Athena Thompson's HOMES THAT HEAL has changed my life and the lives of many people that I know. It is an easy to read, understandable examination of the toxic influences that we encounter on a daily basis within our own homes. This book will increase your awareness of the harmful conditions that we are constantly and unknowingly exposed to. Homes that Heal illustrates very clearly that these toxins are not only in what you buy, the construction of your house, the water you drink out of the tap, the air that you breathe within your home but also the electro-magnetic and possibly radioactive environment in which you live. Homes that Heal has made me look at things in the living environment in a far more critical and discerning way. From the wiring and insulation to the sheets we sleep on, Athena Thompson leaves nothing untouched.
If one's home is truly where the heart is, then this is the book for you. Any mother or father who wants to create a healthy and safe living environment not only for their children but for themselves as well needs this book. Homes that Heal details, and helps you seek out these hazards that are so pervasive in our living and working environments. The reality with which Athena Thompson presents each scenario with her cast of characters, gives you situations which you cannot deny that you live with everyday. Just because it is on the market; do not assume that it is safe for you or your family. From the pesticides to the innocent looking scented lotion purchased at the mall, she shows us how these toxic chemicals have invaded every area of our environments and provides very workable solutions to help remove them room by room.
The checklist provided in Homes the Heal gives you a manageable guide to help you on your journey so that you do not feel overwhelmed by the enormity of the situation. I shook my head in utter amazement so many times while reading this book. My mother suffers from MCS (Multiple Chemical Sensitivity Syndrome) so her house was the first to tackle. Following Athena's guidelines made it easier for us to create a healthier and far more livable environment for our mother. Because of the impact that Homes that Heal has made on my mother's life, we have begun the task of changing our homes as well. Baby steps equal Big improvements in your living environment that you can begin to feel immediately. I have been involved in the field of Natural Medicine for 11 years and had some knowledge of the environmental conditions but not to this extent. Because of Homes that Heal, my life has taken off in a new and exciting direction. Thank you, Athena Thompson, for bringing the information in HOMES THAT HEAL to the world

Customer Rating:

Summary: Empowering and Enlightening
Comment: Homes That Heal is enjoyable to read and easy to understand. This wonderful book gives a wealth of information about the wide range of toxins that we are subjected to in our own homes. Rather than leaving the reader feeling helpless and hopeless at the overwhelming prospect of ridding the home environment of these hazardous conditions, Athena empowers the reader with tips and suggestions that can be employed immediately as well as providing long-term solutions. I highly recommend this book.

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