Wellness Wednesday

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Simply staying at home can be your biggest cancer risk.  Studies have shown that women who don't work outside the home have a 55% greater risk of cancer than those who do.  This increase is due to repeated exposure to household cleaning chemicals.  A 1985 EPA report said that the toxic ingredients in household cleaners are three times more likely to cause cancer than air pollution.

What can we do?  We can lower out standards of what we consider "clean."  Many homemakers use disinfecting products, fabric sprays, and air fresheners with the mistaken belief that they are making their homes cleaner.  According to eHow and CBC News in Canada, Lysol spray has VOC (volatile organic componds) levels that are much higher than what is considered safe for humans.  These chemicals are linked to an increase in bronchitis, emphysema, and cancer.  Air fresheners also promise a risk of cancer and other serious health issues.  Fabric sprays can be included in this group of products that pose serious health threats.  Go here for an article on what chemicals (and their side effects) are found in Febreze.  Neither disinfecting products, fabric sprays, nor air fresheners actually remove objectionable odors from your home.  Rather, it is the chemical mix that masks the odors.  So what we have come to think of as clean, really isn't.

We can also avoid chemical exposure altogether by choosing natural alternatives such as vinegar, baking soda, and certain essential oils, like tea tree oil and lavender oil which are naturally antimicrobial.  An internet search for natural cleaner recipes will turn up a wealth of information.  When you make your own cleaning products, you not only help preserve your health, you can save money, as homemade products are extremely inexpensive.  

More facts on cleaning, chemicals, cancer, and other diseases can be found here.