Create a Safe and Healthy Home - Know your A B C's

[Guest guest]

Create a Safe and Healthy Home - Know your A B C's

By Dr. Joyce M. Woods

Dr. Joyce Woods worked as a medical/surgical nurse, public health nurse,

nursing instructor, nursing school administrator, occupational health

consultant. She holds Bachelor of Nursing, Bachelor of Arts

(Specialist), Master of Education degrees, and has completed her

doctoral degree in the area of "Indoor Air Pollution, and ...it's Effect

on Your Health"

A. Begin by thinking of your home as a toxic waste dump. The average

home today contains 62 toxic chemicals - more than a chemistry lab at

the turn of the century.

B. More than 72,000 synthetic chemicals have been produced since WWII.

C. Less than 2% of synthetic chemicals in wide spread use have ever been

tested for toxicity, birth defects or their mutagenic or carcinogenic

effects.

D. The majority of chemicals have NEVER been tested for long-term effects.

E. An EPA survey concluded that indoor air was 3 to 70 times more

polluted than outdoor air.

F. Another EPA study stated that the toxic chemicals in household

cleaners are 3 times more likely to cause cancer than outdoor air.

G. CMHC reports that houses today are so energy efficient that "out

gassing" of chemicals has nowhere to go, so it builds up inside the home.

H. We spend 90% of our time indoor, and 65% of our time at home. Moms,

infants and the elderly spend 90% of their time in the home.

I. National Cancer Association released results of a 15 year study

concluding that women who work in the home are at a 54% higher risk of

developing cancer than women who work outside the home.

J. Cancer rates have almost doubled since 1960.

K. Cancer is the number one cause of death for children.

L. There has been a 26% increase in breast cancer since 1982. Breast

cancer is the number one killer of women between the ages of 35 and 54.

Primary suspects are laundry detergents and bleach, household cleaners

and pesticides.

M. There has been a call from the U.S./ Canadian Commission to ban

bleach in North America. Bleach is being linked to the rising rates of

breast cancer in women, reproductive problems in men and learning and

behavioral problems in children.

N. Chemicals get into our body through inhalation, ingestion and absorption.

O. We breathe 10 to 20 thousand liters of air per day.

P. There are more than 3 million poisonings every year. Household

cleaners are the number one cause of poisoning of children.

Q. Since 1980, asthma has increased by 600%. The Canadian Lung

Association and the Asthma Society of Canada identify common household

cleaners and cosmetics as triggers.

R. ADD/ADHD is an epidemic in schools today. Behavioral problems have

long been linked to exposure to toxic chemicals and molds.

S. Chemical and environmental sensitivities are known to cause all types

of headaches.

T. Labeling laws do not protect the consumer - they protect big business.

U. The New York Poison Control Center reports that 85% of product

warning labels are either inadequate or incorrect for identifying a

poison and for first aid instructions.

V. Formaldehyde, phenol, benzene, toluene and xylene are all found in

common household cleaners, cosmetics, beverages, fabrics and cigarette

smoke. These chemicals are known to be cancer causing and toxic to the

immune and nervous systems.

W. Chemicals are attracted to, and stored in fatty tissue. The brain is

a prime target for these destructive organics because of its high fat

content and very rich blood supply.

X. The National Institute of Occupational Safety and Health has found

more than 2500 chemicals in cosmetics that are toxic, cause tumors,

reproductive complications, biological mutations and skin and eye

irritations.

Y. Fibromyalgia, chronic fatigue syndrome, arthritis, lupus, multiple

sclerosis, circulatory disorders, Alzheimer's, Parkinson's disease,

irritable bowel syndrome, depression, and hormonal problems are diseases

commonly related to chemical exposure.

Z. Pesticides only have to include active ingredients on the labels,

even though the inert (inactive) ingredients may account for 99%, many

of which are toxic and poisons.

 

from: healthyhomecleaningtips.com

 

"A clean house is a sign of a misspent life"

 

 

 

 

--

 

 

Version: 7.1.371 / Virus Database: 267.13.12/193 - Release 12/6/2005