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Now that sounds like a disgusting topic, doesn’t it! But apparently our pillows are a perfect breeding ground for fungi. We put about 20 gallons of sweat into our beds over the course of a year in addition to old skin cells and of course, there are the dust mites, all of which provide food for the fungi. And our beds are toasty warm, so it is a perfect medium for fungi to grow. According to a preliminary study by Dr. Ashley Woodcock, a respiratory doctor from the University of Manchester, there are a large variety of fungi growing in our pillows, and the older the pillow, the more the fungi. The most common fungi found was Aspergillus, which can worsen the problems of those with respiratory disease like severe asthma or sinusitis, and it can be infectious to those that have very suppressed immune systems, such as leukemia, transplantation, and AIDs patients. Because of the close proximity between the pillow and the respiratory tract, it is possible that pillows can be the source of fungi infection.

Synthetic pillows and quilts, even though they are frequently sold as hypo-allergenic, actually cause more allergen problems than feather pillows, possibly because the feather pillows require a higher quality cover in order to keep the feathers inside. The covers of synthetic pillows tend to be more porous, perhaps allowing more allergens in.

Am I suggesting we all throw out our pillows? No. Those with severe respiratory disease or those that are immuno-compromised may wish to get plastic covers for their pillows. As for the rest of us, more research is needed to give a definitive answer, but most likely, just as our immune system is strengthened by contact with bacteria, it might also strengthened by contact with fungi. If you are freaked out by the idea of fungi in your pillows, you can change them every six months or so.

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Does your neck often feel tight and sore? Perhaps your way of breathing is partly to blame. Look at your neck in the mirror while you breathe. Try not to change how you are breathing – you are simply observing. Do you notice your neck muscles tighten with each breath?

Now place your hand gently around the front of your neck, thumb on one side, fingers on the other, and once again tune into your breathing. Do you feel any muscles hardening and then softening as you inhale and exhale?

If you saw your neck muscles working, or you felt them turning on and off while you were breathing, it is not surprising that your neck feels tight and sore. The neck muscles are not meant to pull up your ribcage with each breath – they are small and stringy things, and it is hard work for them to counteract the pull of the larger muscles that connect the ribs to the pelvis.

Your breathing muscle is your diaphragm, and learning to use this muscle will be key to reducing the strain in your neck.

Wrap a towel or strap around your lower ribcage, cross it in the front and hang onto the ends. Now as you breathe, try and feel your lower ribs expanding all around against the towel or strap. Keep your neck quiet.

Don’t breathe in more air than usual – simply try and place the air low in your ribs. You can also practice by lying on your back and placing your hand on your neck to monitor for unwanted muscle contraction.

As you breathe, you should feel your ribs imprinting more into the floor, and you should feel nothing in the neck. Be consistent in your practice, and your breathing pattern will change.

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Plastic water bottles are very convenient for carting water around when we are on the go, as they don’t break if we drop them. It is worth paying attention to the type of plastic your water bottle is made of, to ensure that the chemicals in the plastic do not leach into the water. If you taste plastic, you are drinking it, so get yourself another bottle.

To be certain that you are choosing a bottle that does not leach, check the recycling symbol on your bottle. If it is a #2 HDPE (high density polyethylene), or a #4 LDPE (low density polyethylene), or a #5 PP (polypropylene), your bottle is fine. The type of plastic bottle in which water is usually sold is usually a #1, and is only recommended for one time use. Do not refill it. Better to use a reusable water bottle, and fill it with your own filtered water from home, and keep these single-use bottles out of the landfill.

Unfortunately, those fabulous colourful hard plastic lexan bottles made with polycarbonate plastics and identified by the #7 recycling symbol, may leach BPA. (Bisphenol A is a xenoestrogen, a known endocrine disruptor, meaning it disturbs the hormonal messaging in our bodies).  Synthetic chemical endocrine disruptors are particularly devastating to babies and young children.

Unfortunately, most plastic baby bottles and drinking cups are made with plastics containing Bisphenol A. In 2006 Europe banned all products made for children under age 3 containing BPA, and as of Dec. 2006 the city of San Francisco followed suit. In March 2007 a billion-dollar class action suit was commenced against Gerber, Playtex, Evenflo, Avent, and Dr. Brown’s in Los Angeles superior court for harm done to babies caused by drinking out of baby bottles and sippy cups containing BPA. So, to be certain that your baby is not exposed, use glass bottles.

For more of the science on the effects of BPA on our endocrine system etc. see these studies: Environmental Health Perspectives Journal. Nalgene, the company that manufactures the lexan bottles also makes #2 HDPE bottles in the same sizes and shapes, so we do have a viable alternative. Order one at Nalgene.

Check the recycling numbers on all your plastic food containers as well, and gradually move to storing all food in glass or ceramic. Store water in glass if possible, and out of direct sunlight.

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