What You Don’t Know CAN Hurt You, Warns “The Non-Toxic Avenger”

Is there a direct link between cancer, autism and all the toxins in our environment?

Deanna Duke, author of the new must-buy book, The Non-Toxic Avenger: What You Don’t Know Can Hurt You, believes there is. And with good reason: In 2007, Deanna’s husband Hank, was diagnosed with multiple myeloma, an incurable, extremely life-shortening form of leukemia. That news on its own would have been devastating enough; but it came in the same week that her son Henry was diagnosed with Asperger’s syndrome, a mild form of autism.

Though both cancer and autism have genetic links, Deanna, who also blogs at The Crunchy Chicken, couldn’t help but wonder whether toxic chemicals she and her family encountered every day could also have contributed to the illnesses. In addition to helping her husband and son come up with treatment plans, Deanna decided to do two things: track down the sources of dangerous chemicals she and they were exposed to, and figure out how to avoid them in the future. This illuminating and inspiring book charts Deanna’s quest.

Here is just a short summary of the extent of her research:

* She had her body tested for a wide array of toxins, both those under her control based on products she willingly chose, like cosmetics or food, and those that exist in the environment but that she has little control over, like air and water pollution.

* She tested common houshold projects, like rubber toys and her computer equipment, to see if they contained nasty PVCs (they did).

* She started making her own safe personal care products, like deodorant and hair dye, to avoid parabens, phthalates, and other cancer-causing chemicals.

* She changed her shopping habits to buy more organic food.

* And of course, she wrote this book: part heart-wrenching story about trying to deal with the illnesses of her husband and son, part manifesto on what we all can do to protect ourselves from environmental hazards, especially those we think won’t do us any harm.

I hope you’ll pick up this book as soon as you can and read it cover to cover. You’ll cry. You might laugh at all of Deanna’s exploits. And then, hopefully, you’ll get busy — clearing out your cupboards, writing to your elected officials, and telling everyone you know that they MUST read this incredible, courageous, inspiring book, too.