As our thoughts once again turn to Earth Day and the harm that the chemicals and packing materials used for household cleaners cause our environment, it is well to remember that many of them are also detrimental to our health.
For example, in a study published in the October 12, 2007 issue of American Journal of Respiratory and
Critical Care Medicine, doctors from the Municipal Institute of Medical Research in Barcelona reported
that use of household cleaning sprays increased asthma risk in adults.
They studied 3,500 adults and found that those who used household cleaning sprays (for example, spray air
fresheners, furniture cleaners and glass cleaners) had a 30-50% higher risk of asthma than those who seldom or never used spray cleaners.
The incidence of doctor-diagnosed asthma was highest in those who used the cleaning sprays at least four times a week.
The cause of the increased asthma risk is not known, but the scientists who conducted the study hypothesized that it was some irritant in the propellants used in the sprays because the cleaners themselves only increased the risk of asthma by 10-15%.
The scary part is that the incidence of asthma in children has increased dramatically over the past 15 to
20 years.
And the scientific community has been at a loss to explain the causes behind this increase.
Children are usually much more sensitive to household cleaning products than adults.
Perhaps it is no coincidence that the use of household sprays and other household cleaning products containing potential irritants has also increased dramatically over this time period.
This, and similar studies, deserve wider publicity than they have received in the press.
Household cleaning sprays are convenient and inexpensive. Most people are completely unaware of the
negative effects that they can have can have on both the environment and on their health, so household
cleaning sprays have become almost ubiquitous in American households.
Use safe, healthy products for your family. I like Shaklee Get Clean products. This company is real “Green”. No hidden agenda here, just good things for you and the planet. Check out my other site featuring these type of products http://www.shaklee.net/earthforce
1 response so far ↓
Carrie // July 11, 2008 at 5:27 pm |
Have you seen the brand-new asthma website, Azma.com?
The free site offers four-day forecasts by zip code — you can check conditions where you live, vacation, plan to relocate, or even where your kids go to college. It also has opt-in asthma alert emails and an air quality index, plus current asthma educational information and news all designed to help asthma sufferers manage their condition.
It’s by the same company that produces Pollen.com. Check it out!