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Sunday, January 31, 2010

7 days to better health

tip #3

unplug your air

aerosol air fresheners and the plug in variety have been found to be neurotoxins. neurotoxins are chemicals that adversely affect the nervous system and brain. not only are these products neurotoxins, but they can also be classified as carcinogens (cancer causing).
i have been in the homes of so many friends that use the plug in air fresheners and coincidentally have children with chronic runny noses. the immediate signs of a sensitivity to these air fresheners are:
runny noses
headaches
respiratory problems (as the chemicals are taken directly into the lungs)

the long term affects include:
behavioral changes
memory loss
emotional disturbances
brain damage that can precede dementia
linked to alzheimer syndrome

small doses of neurotoxins, like an aerosol air freshener used occasionally, is less harmful to adults, but can be very harmful to children. they have been found to alter a child's nervous system development. yikes!

this is an easy fix. even if you like your house smelling flowery, you can achieve this in a more natural way! i have an aura cacia plug in diffuser that diffuses essential oil into the air. i sometimes use this if i have a fancy dinner party (like when the president is in town). the honest truth is that i rarely use my plug in air diffuser. but it works great. i just forget that i have it. i use it most when there is sickness in the house. i diffuse a combination of oils that help disinfect the air. **make sure when using a product like this, that you only use essential oils. fragrance oils also contain neurotoxins.

other easy ways to have a fresh smelling house are plants to clean the air, baking soda to absorb odors, electric air purifiers and the simple act of taking out the garbage and keeping the refrigerator clean (or in homes with 3 year old boys- keeping the toilet 'area' clean- and yes, this includes the ceiling).

4 comments:

Mandy said...

I had one of those plug in air fresheners once and the paint on the wall around it bubbled up. That was the end of artificial air fresheners in our house. If it does that to paint, what are we breathing???

Rosie_Kate said...

Oh, no kidding! Air "fresheners" are horrible! Not to mention a ridiculous waste of money... I can't understand why anyone uses those things.

crockerdile said...

A note about candles: Regular petroleum based-paraffin candles can coat the lungs. Soy candles burn cleaner, cooler & longer than paraffin. Also, beeswax is a good alternative to petroleum-based candles.

Also I like essential oils on the clay ring you put on top of the light bulbs in your lamps...makes the whole house smell yummy.

Nicola said...

ugh. i hate (and i don't use that word lightly) artificial air fresheners. my mother in law uses them (and all chemical cleaners) and i feel like i am suffocating in the small rooms they are in (like the bathroom).
nicola
http://whichname.blogspot.com