Remembering 'The Last Lecture'

I watched 'The Last Lecture' again by Randy Pausch and found it moving and inspirational. If you haven't seen it, you should. It is in my list of 'favorites' on YouTube and you can get there by clicking on the above title to this post!

He gave another talk several months later on Time Management which was equally as good. And from someone who had very little time left he did somehow master how to manage his time wisely. For someone like me, a mom with 5 kids, husband, several health products in my Healthy Environments business, and trying to help out in the Adoption World...I find it admirable for someone to know how to make the most of his time.

In the Time Management talk, Randy Pausch had a Gatorade he was sipping on. It made my heart fall to see it. Gatorade...one of the world's worst drinks because it is so high in acid. And disease thrives in an acidic body. To see someone who is holding onto life like Randy and is fighting his cancer everyway he can...and then add acid into his body with Gatorade...made me realize how little most of us know about the importance of alkaline water in our diets.

If you watch this movie about PH levels you'll see how bad soda & gatorade are for a healthy body. Testing Gatorade & Soda for PH

I know that once I saw this demonstration I have never again bought a Gatorade or soda for my children (willingly). I hope you will see how those companies are supporting our medical communities!

Until next time...

Deborah Mumm, The Allergy Queen, http://www.thewetterwater.com

The Aftermath of Cedar Rapids Flooding!

We went to a wedding in Cedar Rapids, IA last weekend. It was a wonderful day. However, as we drove down the main streets of Cedar Rapids we were in awe of the destruction that the flooding had on it from last month. There was garbage on every corner. There were buildings and houses that at first glance looked ok. Then as you got closer you saw the broken out windows, and everything that had been in them were now in a horrible pile on the street. There were garbage trucks everywhere. FEMA was present in several locations.
After the wedding, we drove back through the city at night. Now it was extremely eerie to see block after block, mile after mile, of complete darkness. No lights on at the hotels, churches, gas stations and thousands of homes. Complete darkness.... No electricity still ...a month later.

So...if you know of groups working to raise funds for Cedar Rapids, it is still needed! We don't hear about it nearly as much as we did with New Orleans...and these are our midwestern neighbors!

Hang in there, Cedar Rapids! http://www.corridorrecovery.org/CedarRapidsArea.asp
(Check it out...)

Debbie Mumm
The Allergy Queen
http://www.healthy-environments.com/

How can I get my Family to eat Fruits & Veggies every day?

As a mom of 5 kids, I know how difficult it is to always have a good, healthy meal every day. Football practice, school projects, errands to run...all make it hard to plan a meal that everyone can sit down to and enjoy.

Did you know that we are supposed to eat 7 fruits and vegetables each day? That doesn't mean 7 bites either. Even 7 is a low number with pesticides, pollution and early picking of produce affecting the nutritional value of our fruits & veggies.

We recently started using Juice Plus. It is a natural whole-food supplement with 17 fruits & veggies. They are easy to take and my kids don't mind getting some of their nutrition this way. The gummy type chewables are a real hit! They taste so good I have to hide them so Alex won't eat the whole jar. Even my teenagers want to eat them!

Do you want to read a little more about Juice Plus?

If you are a parent like me, you'll be glad to have a supplement like this available for families.

http://www.info4juiceplus.com/

So...go have a nectarine or something and take a look at the studies backing these supplements. It is impressive!

Have a healthy day!

Deborah Mumm

The Allergy Queen

http://www.info4juiceplus.com/

Make Your Own Mosquito Repellent

Ouch! Slap! Ouch!
Is that the sound you'll be hearing this summer as you swat big fat mosquitos that have just been waiting and breeding in all that extra rain water this year? Yes...it looks like we may have a bumper crop of those pesky mosquitos this summer due to all the rainfall we've had.

As a parent, I am not too thrilled about using repellents containing DEET on my kids. This is considered a poison...why do you think mosquitos hate the stuff?

I have found a great little recipe for a natural mosquito repellent that I want to try this summer. Here it is.... Natural Mosquito Repellent

I'd love to hear from you if you try it...let me know if you think it works or not! Thanks.

Have a happy & healthy summer....

Debbie Mumm, The Allergy Queen at http://www.healthy-environments.com/

Rain, Rain, Go Away--A Mold Issue

We used to live in Cedar Rapids, Iowa. My husband & I went to Coe College there just a few years ago! In no way did we ever think that the Cedar River would be a danger to that city. But with all the rain lately things have gotten bad there and the whole downtown is now underwater. Most to the major roads are closed due to flooding. My sister in law claims it is a real mess.
I heard the water is starting to receed there now and people are beginning to go back to their homes (if they are still there) to view the damages. Most people do not have flood insurance because they do not live in a flood plain. It is sad because all these people will have water damage and the beginnings of mold issues in their homes. Mold is tricky to get rid of. You have to do it right or you will make it worse.
Here are the 5 Things to Know About Mold.

Questions about Mold????

Let me know.....

Deborah Mumm
The Allergy Queen
http://www.healthy-environments.com/

Where is the Cheapest Gas in My Area?

I usually am happy to hear when Chicago is #1 at something. Once it was the Bulls...we all wish & hope the Cubs will be #1....however, when Chicago earned the #1 rank for the highest price of gas ini the US I was far from happy.

I did, however, find a site that is updated each day with the gas stations in each zip code that have the lowest prices in the area.

Now...who wouldn't want to see the lowest gas prices in their area???

Pass this onto friends and help them save money on gas!!

Where's Cheap Gas in My Area?

Have a healthy day!

Deborah Mumm, The Allergy Queen at www.healthy-environments.com/cheap-gas.asp

5 Minute Spring Cleaning Tips

Ahhh...Springtime! It makes you think of flowers, birds chirping, picnics and baseball. On the other hand, you can't help thinking of that dreaded term, 'spring cleaning'.



If you think you don't have time to spring clean this year, try to take a few minutes here and there to spruce up your house.



If you have FIVE minutes....

• Clean kitchen countertops.


• Clean the backsplash.


• Wipe out refrigerator crisper drawers. Line drawers with paper towels so next time you can just toss the dirty paper towel with a clean one.


• Clean out one or two shelves in your refrigerator or freezer.


• Disinfect the trash can.


• Clean the microwave. Spritz the inside with water then turn on high for a few seconds. Allow to sit for a minute, then wipe with a clean cloth.


• Wipe woodwork in your kitchen.


• Wipe a few drawer and cabinet handles.


• Sort through a favorite junk drawer.

Happy Spring!

Deborah Mumm, The Allergy Queen, http://www.healthy-environments.com/

Kangen Water

Kangen Water! Alkaline Water! Ionized Water!

What exactly is this NEW water that is so Healthy ? Kangen Water is actually a water system developed and sold in Japan for over 30 years...so it is not new. It is relatively new for the USA though. You can find a Kangen Water system in most hospitals and clinics in Japan as it is labeled as a medical device there.

People drinking this water will notice differences in their health almost immediately. It is a Wetter Water which absorbs into your body more effectively than the water we usually drink. People with diabetes, arthritis, and other ailments will notice dramatic differences as they drink this water.

Shouldn't you learn about Kangen water? There are immitators out there but while they make the water more alkaline...this is not all that a Kangen water system does!

I hope to have more information for you in the near future...along with
testimonials, etc.
Enagic Kangen Water

Have a healthy day!!!
Deborah Mumm
The Allergy Queen

The Wetter Water

Good News about Recycled Bikes --

RAGBRAI is a Iowa Gazette sponsored event where about 10,000 bike riders ride their bikes on a designated route across Iowa the last week in July. My husband has been doing this for 5 years or so, and our oldest son has joined him the last 2. They think this is great fun...actually NOT my idea of a vacation.

Anyway...my husband helped someone who had hundreds of old bikes by giving them them the info of a place in Chicago that sends bikes to Third World countries. Because of this hundreds of poor people will have access to transportation. I thought this was worthy enough for you to see.

The Lizard Kings Help Third World Country with Donation of Bikes

The Lizard Kings (name of a Cedar Rapids, IA bike rider group) have been riding RAGBRAI since the mid-90's. One of their members, Karmin McShane, is the Executive Director of the Cedar Rapids/Linn County Solid Waste Agency. Karmin sent an email out to her Lizard King team members stating that they had a surplus of old bikes that the agency had collected and asked if any teammates had any ideas to utilize the bikes since the agency was attempting to divert them from the landfill. Dennis Mumm, a Chicago area Lizard King, knew of an agency that was involved in refurbishing old bikes for third world countries.

The Working Bikes Cooperative of Chicago is the agency that had a use for the bikes. They even sent a truck over to Cedar Rapids to pick up the large collection. A small portion of the bikes collected are refurbished and resold locally to cover the cost to ship the remaining bikes overseas to developing countries. The bikes are often re-tooled into other machines. Instead of piling up in landfills, these bikes are helping those in need.

Thanks Lizard Kings!

Click here to read more on the recycled bikes

Oprah--The Horror of Puppy Mills--Rescue a Dog!

After watching The Oprah Show on 'The Dangers of Puppy Mills', I decided it was worth enough to write to you about.

Almost 16 years ago, after our German Shepherd mix dog died, we weakened and decided to get a new dog. This time we opted for a smaller breed and one that didn't irritate my husband's allergies...a bischon frise. These little white dogs are similar to a poodle although they only come in shades of white, have a longer tail and are less 'yappy' than a poodle. Little did I know that this breed is also high on the allergy lists themselves...but it was a great challenge for this 'Allergy Queen' to help this dog with his allergies!
We did find a place through our vet that had bischon pups. Once we got there it appeared to be a type of Puppy Mill with various ages of bischon pups throughout the kennel. We went with a little older pup...4 mo. old...since they were less expensive and they seemed less adoptable than the younger pups. We were told they were healthy and up to date on shots.
Once home with the spunky little male of the litter, he became strangely listless and wouldn't eat. We had him checked at the vet who announced we had a very sick pup, who might not make it. We had to feed him with an eyedropper the first few days and spent several hundred dollars on medications, etc.
We called the place where we got him and they said they'd take him back...as part of the guarantee. When asked what they would do with him, the response was, "Well, we won't be able to sell him." My kids were crying as they were attached to little Bo by now and knew he would be put down if we took him back.
Now 16 years later, Bo is a healthy old dog who had a lot of fun years with my kids growing up. However, this article about how to rescue a dog and know what to look for in a reputable breeder should be looked at.
If you ever loved a dog, you need to check it out.
Puppy Mill Dangers

Just another thing for us HUMANS to step up and take a stand against...abuse towards innocent dogs and puppies at Puppy Mills.

Until next time....
Deborah Mumm, The Allergy Queen
Healthy Environments -- Quality Pet Food

Amazing Alkaline Water Seminar Coming Soon--

• I have been learning so much about WATER lately. I attended a seminar that taught me exactly what water...and what is in the water...is doing to our bodies.
• I learned that soda & gatorade are two of the worst things to drink.
• I learned how quickly chlorine is absorbed into the body. A 10 min. shower is like drinking 8 glasses of chlorinated water.
• I learned that our food and environment makes our bodies quite acidic...and disease thrives in acid.

That is why we need alkaline water! If you live in the Chicago/Milwaukee area there will be a very informative seminar on the Importance of Alkaline Water. There will be several doctors speaking on this as well. There will be no selling...just an info day.

Where: The Hampton Inn, Gurnee, IL (across from Great America on Grand Ave.)

When: Sat. April 12th at 3:00 pm.

Contact me for more information!

To your health...

Deborah Mumm, The Allergy Queen, The Wetter Water

Govt. to send out Tax Rebate Checks

I realize this doesn't have a lot to do with Health, however, it is rather concerning. Did you know that the Government is sending out checks to us in the hopes of reviving the economy?
Did you also know they are sending out announcements to all of us to let us know we will be getting a check? Then in a few months they will send out another announcement saying the check is on its way.
Did you know these 2 mailings are costing millions of dollars? Doesn't that seem a bit ridiculus...to waste millions of dollars to send out mailings that are announcing something we all know. What a waste of money!

And we wonder what is wrong with our economy?

Deborah Mumm, The Allergy Queen from http://www.healthy-environments.com

5 Simple Exercise Tips

It is getting close to spring...on the calendar at least. Last I heard, snow is predicted in the Chicago area for Easter Sunday. Sigh...

However, if you want to wear a swimming suit or possibly some shorts in a few months then an exercise plan is probably needed.

Let's keep it simple so you don't quit...ok?

5 Simple Exercise Tips

Think Spring!

Deborah Mumm, The Allergy Queen

Want to drink some Dirty, Drug-laced Water?

Imagine putting just a little bit of drugs (a random combination) into your child's food...or drink? Sometimes here in the US we seem to think that just a LITTLE of something is ok for our bodies. A little chlorine, a little antibiotics...over a period of time is beginning to hurt our kidneys and other vital organs.

Studies came out this week that our drinking water has up to 56 medications in it. This is not news. This has been known for quite a few years, but it is finally catching the media's attention.

It was stated that Reverse Osmosis is one way to get rid of all the contaminants in the water. However, RO water is void of everything...no minerals, nothing. It is empty water and really isn't that great for you either.

I do recommend a water purifier that has a good filter...to capture particles of dirt and other contaminants. I also like one that has a UV lamp so that the ozone will kill any contaminants small enough to pass through the filter.

Be sure and check out the Healthy Environments water system...uses an excellent filter and a UV lamp. Water tastes great. System will cost you less than a dollar a day for the first year...after that...nothing! Wouldn't you like to enjoy your water--for drinking, cooking and cleaning your produce---and know that it is SAFE?

http://www.healthy-environments.com/water-purifier.asp

To your health!

Deborah Mumm, The Allergy Queen at http://www.healthy-environments.com/

Natural Allergy Relief...Is it Possible?

Is Natural Allergy Relief Possible?

I didn't use to believe that we could get relief from our seasonal allergies without the use of medicines or prescription drugs. This, of course, is what doctors want. A continual income for them if we keep coming back for more drugs that relieve our symptoms.
However, we quickly learned that by cleaning up our indoor air of the allergens that were triggering out allergies, we didn't really need those medications anymore. My husband quit going to the allergist as he didn't need allergy shots anymore.
So...do you think allergists are big fans of air purifiers? I think not! If every home had them then they'd lose most of their patients.
Air Purifiers
Our oldest son's headaches disappeared once we used an air purifier plus changed our store bought cleaning products to more natural cleaners.
Safe Cleaning Products
Hmmm....chemicals were causing his headaches and depression!
A natural dog food helped our dog overcome his allergies ... he stopped licking, scratching and has not had any ear infections since we changed his diet!
Healthy Pet Food
Hmmm....just eating the right food helps allergies!
I know that drinking a shot or two of XanGo each day helps me feel more energetic, keeps things 'moving', and reduces my allergy issues. XanGo

We save lots of money and feel much better using all these products. I'd rather not be using medications to just make the symptoms go away...I'd rather treat the problem naturally!
How about you?

Check it out at Healthy Environments.

Deborah Mumm, the Allergy Queen!

Vaccines & Autism...Should we be concerned?

Here is the latest on vaccines & autism....

The government has actually paid for damages to a child who received nine vaccines in one day..so what does that tell us?

Here is the article...

Government Concession of Injury Confirms Risks to Children fromVaccines with Mercury
NIXA, Mo., March 7 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- A press conference yesterday in Atlanta has prompted parents of children diagnosed with autism to again call upon the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) to remove all mercury-containing vaccines from the shelves. Parents of children diagnosed with autism have been saying for years that their normally-developing children sustained injuries from vaccines containing thimerosal, a preservative that is nearly 50% ethyl-mercury by weight. The Poling family of Athens, Georgia told the media that their daughter Hannah was healthy and developing normally until she received nine vaccines on the same day and later regressed into autism. The Department of Health and Human Services concluded the family is entitled to compensation from the federal vaccine injury fund.
We thank the Poling family for coming forward with their daughters story which echoes those of children diagnosed with autism around the country, said Ann Brasher, vice president of the National Autism Association (NAA). The government continues to allow the use of thimerosal in vaccines, even after recommending its removal back in 1999. An estimated 90% of flu vaccines still contain 25 micrograms of mercury, and just last month the CDC recommended annual flu shots for all children up to age 18. Flu shots are also recommended for pregnant women, causing prenatal exposure. Ourchildrens level of exposure to mercury through vaccines is going upwhen it should have been removed entirely years ago.
NAA is asking federal health agencies to learn from this case and protect Americas children from further injury. First and foremost,its time to get the poison, including mercury and aluminum, out of our vaccine supply, said NAA president Wendy Fournier. Secondly, we must seriously consider the recommended immunization schedule. Are we over-vaccinating our children with so many shots in such a short period of time? We now have one in 150 children diagnosed with autism and one in six diagnosed with a learning or behavior disorder. There have been absolutely no safety studies on the cumulative effects of giving so many vaccines to young children.
For more information about autism, visit http://www.nationalautism.org/.

Until next time....

Deborah Mumm
The Allergy Queen at http://www.healthy-environments.com/

The Nutritional Institute goes Live!!

This week I began working the The Nutritional Institute. I am learning how to work their website and how to edit and write about over 800 health products they have.

There is a lot to learn but I hope to add health & nutrition tips on my Allergy Blog each week so you can benefit from what I am learning also.

Click on the above title to see all that they have to offer! It is amazing. The seminars are top-notch also. I am helping to formulate one for this spring in the Chicago area.

Until next time...

Deborah Mumm, The Allergy Queen, www.healthy-environments.com

Got Gas?

Today I worked a booth at the Home Expo at the Arlington Race Track in Arlington Hts, IL. Traffic was pretty consistent. Since I was helping at the Ambit Energy table, I had to learn how to talk to people about Gas Deregulation that is occuring now in IL. I got better at it as the day went on. Larry, an older gentleman, a Marine, thought he'd come by and help. He was pretty outgoing and seemed to like talking to people in the aisle. His favorite line was, "Got Gas?" That usually got a reaction of some kind and then he'd talk to them about saving money on their gas bills. Not exactly my style...but it worked for him.
I did get to display a few of my Healthy Environments products and had some interest there as well.
I hope you take a look at how Ambit Energy is really going to be a great way to save on your gas bills as well as offer some great income opportunity for people interested in that.
Ambit Energy...Save on Gas Bills

I guess I am going to have to talk to more people about this opportunity as I do think it is worth it.


Deborah Mumm, The Allergy Queen, Healthy Environments

House Cleaning in the Winter

House cleaning in my home is never done! My air is always clean...since we own an Air Purifier for the entire home. With 5 kids, husband and one old dog (who dislikes going outside in the winter so finds the kitchen floor to be a great place to pee...sigh!) I seem to never catch up with cleaning.

I did discover recently that Solay Wellness products were a great fit for my health-minded home. Completely natural...the active ingredient is Himalyan Salts (which kill bacteria). They are odorless also. We really enjoy the Salt lamps for bedrooms to keep them sanitized clean for sleeping great!

So head on over to Solay Wellness and see their great products. Click on the title to this article to get there quickly.

Have a healthy Day....

Debbie Mumm
The Allergy Queen

What do you spend on Groceries each week?

To see photos of these families and their FOOD...click on the title link above!


Italy: The Manzo family of Sicily
Food expenditure for one week: 214.36 Euros or $260.11



Germany: The Melander family of Bargteheide
Food expenditure for one week: 375.39 Euros or $500.07




United States: The Revis family of North Carolina (Sure hope most American
families eat more fresh fruits and vegetables and less junk food than this family.)

Food expenditure for one week $341.98




Mexico: The Casales family of Cuernavaca
Food expenditure for one week: 1,862.78 Mexican Pesos or $189.09



Poland: The Sobczynscy family of Konstancin-Jeziorna
Food expenditure for one week: 582.48 Zlotys or $151.27



Egypt: The Ahmed family of Cairo
Food expenditure for one week: 387.85 Egyptian Pounds or $68.53



Ecuador: The Ayme family of Tingo
Food expenditure for one week: $31.55



Bhutan: The Namgay family of Shingkhey Village
Food expenditure for one week: 224.93 ngultrum or $5.03

-------------------------------------------- -- ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Chad: The Aboubakar family of Breidjing Camp
Food expenditure for one week: 685 CFA Francs or $1.23




Don't know about you, but right about now, I'm counting my blessings!