Is Yours a Healthy Home?

Is your home healthy?

We like to think that our homes are a safe haven. However, certain products and designs can create health risks.

Pollutant levels inside our homes and offices may be two to five times higher than the air outside. Combine that with the fact that we spend 75 to 90% of our time indoors and we know why the quality of the indoor air has become a major concern.

Multiple-chemical sensitivity is a heightened reaction to substances that cause symptoms ranging from respiratory ailments to depression and anxiety. The cause, the prevalence, and even the existence of this and other disorders like fibromyalgia – a musculoskeletal pain and fatigue disorder – is subject to debate. The growing consensus, however, is that the flood of new chemicals introduced into the environment every year is making people sick.

Symptoms and health effects range from mild short-term acute effects, such as sneezing, itchy eyes, and general discomfort, to more serious long-term effects, such as respiratory disorders, lung cancer, and immune system disorders.

And, some people report that they react to chemicals in their environments and that these allergy-like reactions seem to relate to exposure to a wide variety of synthetic and natural substances, including paints, carpeting, plastics, perfumes, cigarette smoke, and plants. In my own home, I keep pollen and spore counts down with an air filtration system based on creation of negative ions. The 5 filter system ensures air quality. I also keep my air conditioning system set on re-circulate to reduce pollen and mold.

Some steps have already been taken to improve the quality of indoor air in new and existing residential and commercial buildings. Windows are triple-glazed and walls are half-meter thick. Today’s homebuilders strive to build homes that meet the demands and needs of home buyers. And, today’s consumer is well-educated about indoor air quality, radon, and environmentally correct building materials.

Banning toxins is another approach. Some health-conscious homeowners are opting out of natural gas, which according to some studies (Barron, Drerup) is believed to aggravate chemical sensitivity. They are ripping out carpets, which can trap toxic fumes. The good news is, carpets, paints, wood treatments, drapes and bedding are increasingly available in non-toxic versions, void of substances linked to carcinogens.

“Healthy Homes” is a century-old concept that promotes safe, decent, and sanitary housing as a means for preventing disease and injury. Healthy housing is receiving considerable attention from public health professionals and policy makers as a result of emerging scientific evidence linking health outcomes such as asthma and lead poisoning to substandard housing. And substandard housing can be seen across economic lines! Even expensive new homes may have hazards lurking within. These homes may be built on landfills or former orchards that were treated for years with pesticides. Creating healthier housing promotes the healthy growth and development of children and has the potential to save billions in healthcare costs.

So, what is a homeowner to do?

First, assess how unhealthy your home might be. Examine cleaning supply labels and pesticides. Scented personal products can be big offenders. There are approximately 5000 chemicals registered for use in personal products that can, in combination, or individually, negatively impact the immune system of a child. The National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences (NIEHS), an affiliate of the National Institute of Health (NIH) has explored the link between children, the environment and neurotoxicity. (Booker, 2001) Think about building materials commonly used today, including the glues, waxes, and finishes used. Renovations should be performed when children are not present, with proper ventilation and, if possible, with the least toxic materials. According to the American Academy of Pediatrics Committee on Environmental Health, when you look at all of these toxins that invade our homes and how they accumulate in the immune systems of children, it is no wonder they are struggling to learn and suffering from hyperactivity and many are diagnosed with Attention Deficit Disorder.

As a homeowner, parent, or grandparent you can, and should be involved in making healthier decisions. Health-conscious homeowners are now buying cutting boards and countertops treated with bacteriocides. They have also found that silver and copper are naturally sanitizing. Silver-ion coatings keep handles and faucets germ-free. Silver and copper are naturally sanitizing. For information on ‘green’ environments, visit www.pathnet.org or www.globalgreen.org.

On the cutting edge of wellness technology are materials that radiate far-infrared rays, the part of the sun’s invisible spectrum that can penetrate deep into human tissue. Such materials have been widely used in Japan for years and are gaining respect here as germ-zappers and a remedy for ailments such as arthritis and Fibromyalgia. These materials are available in comforters manufactured by Nikken, the Japanese wellness company. For more information, visit www.mynikken.net/corewellness.

A healthy home can and should be a healing home. Make a commitment to create your own healthy home – and a healthy household. Good health begins and ends with you!

Sharon Weinstein is a registered nurse, health educator, author and certified wellness and environmental specialist. Weinstein is managing director of Core Wellness International, an independent Nikken distributorship. She can be reached at sharonw@corelimited.com

Barron, S. R. (1990, Apr. 30). Survey of the medical impact on environmentally hypersensitive people of a change in habitat. Canadian Mortgage and Housing Corporation.

Booker SM, Claudio L. (2001). NIEHS investigates links between children, the environment, and neurotoxicity. Final report: http://cerhr.niehs.nih.gov/.

Drerup, O., Matlock, C., Rousseau, D., & Salaris, V. (1990, July). Housing for the environmentally hypersensitive (survey and examples of clean air housing in Canada). Canadian Mortgage and Housing Corporation.

Ross, GH. (1991) Treatment options in multiple chemical sensitivity. Originally published in 1992 in Toxicology and Industrial Health, 8(4), 87-94. It is part of the Proceedings of the Multiple Chemical Sensitivity Workshop, Washington, D.C., of the Association of Occupations and Environmental Clinics (AOEC), with support from the Agency for Toxic Sensitivities and Disease Registry (ATSDR).