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Last Updated: Jul 2nd, 2008 - 21:15:22 |
You may not know it but you have hidden toxins in your home that are very harmful to you.
This is really scary since many of the 18,000 chemicals that are produced each year have never been tested by humans and thus scientists do not really know just how bad these chemicals really are.
What makes it more scary is the air inside your home is worse than the air is outside, even if you live in the city. This is because modern building materials, furniture, cleaning solutions and other household products release chemicals that linger in the air.
While you may think that vigilance is the answer, you should know that the gases from these products can still leak out of closed containers.
Some of the most common items that you need to pay particular attention to include:
1. Paint strippers, adhesive removers and spray paints contain methylene chloride which causes cancer in animals.
2. Auto exhaust contains carbon monoxide and benzene which are human carcinogens.
3. The glues, paints and adhesives that hold your house together can irritate your eyes, nose and throat.
4. Pressed-wood products emit formaldehyde that can cause wheezing in asthmatics.
5. Plug-in air fresheners release a steady stream of pleasantly scented formaldehyde into your home.
6. The flame-retardant chemicals in many household appliances and textiles can disrupt thyroid hormone balance and alter brain development.
7. Nonstick and stain-resistant coatings that are found in cookware, clothing, wallpaper, paint and food packaging can enter our bodies and cause cancer, birth defects, developmental problems and high cholesterol.
8. Plastic products, nail polish, food cans, dental sealants and hair spray contain phthalates that can lead to genital and reproductive abnormalities because it acts like estrogen.
Unfortunately, scientists do not know how much exposure is necessary for these chemicals to harm you, especially since some people are more sensitive than others.
For instance, asthmatics oftentimes react more strongly to these things. Therefore, you should pay special attention to feeling nauseous, weak or always sneezing.
If you have any of these issues, you can use air cleaners, clean your air ducts and keep your windows open so that you can start to feel better.
Of course, it is not completely the scientists fault. It is difficult to study the long-term health effects of small doses of chemicals that do not always show up in blood tests.
Animal studies do not necessarily translate into equivalent effects on human health either. Plus these chemicals make it more tolerable to live in our environment.
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