Do home lead tests really work?
A little dirt never hurt anyone, right? And just as an occasional double-bacon cheeseburger won’t burst any buttons, standing by someone who sneezes without a covered mouth doesn’t guarantee a cold. Humans are equipped with top-notch immune systems and metabolisms that leave room for a slipup here and there. Not so when it comes to ingesting lead poison. That gray stuff we commonly associate with pencils and paint works a number on our bodies since it has no biological benefit. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) considers any amount of lead exposure to be harmful. The metal gets inside our bodies when we ingest or breathe it in. The toys covered in lead paint that were recalled back to China in 2007 posed a direct threat since children might chew on them, and thus, consume bits of the poisonous metal. If lead poisoning occurs, symptoms including high blood pressure, nervous system disorders, muscle pain and headaches may accompany it. Even more disconcerting, the Nati
