Tag: Toxic Exposure

How to Lower Inflammation After Chronic Stress: 10 Science-Supported Tools (+ Bonus Pro Tip)

August 3, 2026

#1 Prioritize Quality Sleep: 🧠💙 Trauma can teach your body that sleep isn’t safe. When you’ve lived in survival mode for years, your nervous system doesn’t simply “turn off” because you’re tired. It stays on guard, scanning for danger—even when you’re finally safe. The good news? Your brain and body can learn a new pattern. … More How to Lower Inflammation After Chronic Stress: 10 Science-Supported Tools (+ Bonus Pro Tip)

19 Years Later: Love Didn’t Save Us… It Gave Us the Strength to Save Ourselves (July 4, 2026)

July 4, 2026

Jennifer and Lee getting married at Height of Land near Rangeley Plantation in Maine (2007) Nineteen years ago, Lee and I stood before one another and promised, “Until death do us part.” Neither of us could have imagined what those words would eventually mean. We thought marriage would be about building careers, traveling, growing old … More 19 Years Later: Love Didn’t Save Us… It Gave Us the Strength to Save Ourselves (July 4, 2026)

Phys.Org Reports “Beyond the Dust: Families Describe Daily Health Challenges Near the Salton Sea” in California (July 2, 2026)

July 2, 2026

Beyond the dust: Families describe daily health challenges near the Salton Sea (Phys.org, July 2, 2026) Introduction For over twenty years, I watched environmental exposure quietly change my life long before I connected the dots. While struggling with the unexplained illnesses, I lived with the devastating consequences of delayed recognition, inadequate testing, and institutional failures … More Phys.Org Reports “Beyond the Dust: Families Describe Daily Health Challenges Near the Salton Sea” in California (July 2, 2026)

From Weapons to Wounds: The Toxic Legacy of World War II’s Strategic Metals Behind Every Bullet, Tank, and Bomber (June 28, 2026)

June 28, 2026

Design inspired by a historical NARA photo of Camp Edwards in Cape Cod, Massachusetts (National Archives and Record Administration)Editor’s Note: This would never fly today on a fragile ecosystem like Cape Cod. Introduction: When most people think about World War II, they picture tanks, fighter aircraft, battleships, and the soldiers who operated them. Far fewer … More From Weapons to Wounds: The Toxic Legacy of World War II’s Strategic Metals Behind Every Bullet, Tank, and Bomber (June 28, 2026)

Dear Mass Air National Guard, You Poisoned Me With Lead… But You Already Knew That (2025)

July 17, 2025

Dear Mass Air National Guard, You poisoned me with lead and made me lose more than twenty years of my life. I will spend the rest of my life making sure every Air National Guard member in the entire country understands the dangers of lead poisoning and how to treat it. I am a case … More Dear Mass Air National Guard, You Poisoned Me With Lead… But You Already Knew That (2025)

You Can Take Them Out of the Air Force… But You Can’t Ever Take the Air Force Out of Them (2025)

January 23, 2025

We explored an abandoned Air Force Base in the desert. We love learning about history but we just don’t see things the same anymore. We now know that the Air Force abandons bases they contaminate. The squadron and Fighter Wing in Massachusetts that poisoned me with lead is gone too. The brand new facility they … More You Can Take Them Out of the Air Force… But You Can’t Ever Take the Air Force Out of Them (2025)

NBC News: Veterans Wait 30 Years on Average for the U.S. to Acknowledge Toxic Exposures (September 18, 2024)

September 18, 2024

“Veterans exposed on U.S. soil have had to wait even longer.”  My Toxic Exposure Story:Why Are Military Women Affected by Toxic Exposure More than Men?After Lead Poisoning Symptoms Dismissed by PTSD Diagnosis, It Results in Brain Inflammation, Fatigue, Muscle Weakness, Digestion Issues & Chronic PainI Watched My Father Die From a Brutal & Painful Battle with … More NBC News: Veterans Wait 30 Years on Average for the U.S. to Acknowledge Toxic Exposures (September 18, 2024)

New York Times: The Army Thought He Was Faking His Health Issues. Turns Out He Had Chronic Lead Poisoning. (April 3, 2019)

April 3, 2019

The Army Thought He Was Faking His Health Issues. Turns Out He Had Chronic Lead Poisoning. By Patricia Kime for the New York Times (April 3, 2019) “…In 2005, Hopkins began experiencing wild swings in blood pressure. And he had other symptoms: crippling nausea, constant dizziness, a skyrocketing heart rate. He was given a diagnosis … More New York Times: The Army Thought He Was Faking His Health Issues. Turns Out He Had Chronic Lead Poisoning. (April 3, 2019)

Soldier Ride Tampa Inspired Me to Start Cycling for Physical & Mental Health (2016)

March 29, 2016

Soldier Ride Tampa (Florida) was incredible. I had a lot of anxiety about signing up for this program but thanks to some coaxing from some female veteran friends I got up the courage to give it a try. Initially I had planned to go to Soldier Ride with a female veteran friend from every branch of service … More Soldier Ride Tampa Inspired Me to Start Cycling for Physical & Mental Health (2016)

Sailboating in Tampa Bay with the St. Petersburg Sailing Center in Florida (2016)

March 14, 2016

I’ve done a lot of firsts this past couple years and I added one more to the list this past week. I went sailing for the first time ever and even took the helm of the sailboat for quite a ways. What went from being completely uninterested in pursuing this particular hobby in the future … More Sailboating in Tampa Bay with the St. Petersburg Sailing Center in Florida (2016)