Air Pollution in Our Homes

Non-Toxic Living:

One of the factors that is important for health is fresh, clean air. Our airways and lungs have a number of features that enable them to capture and eliminate many particles that enter the airways. The respiratory system produces mucus which traps foreign particles. The foreign matter is then swept to the upper airway, by specialized cells (celia), where it can be removed. The airways themselves are surrounded by lymphatic system nodes and vessels which are also ready to capture and deal with any foreign matter which it encounters. In addition, inside the lungs are macrophages which actively 'sweep?the lungs to get rid of any matter that gets past?the upper airway protectors. However, these protective mechanisms can become overloaded and this allows atmospheric pollutants and irritants to enter and inflame the lungs.

One area for concern is the amount of air pollution that is in our home. Many people are aware of outdoor pollution, but not many people are aware that the level of indoor pollution is on average two to three times higher than that of outdoor pollution. This toxic indoor living environment is causing or contributing to chronic health problems such as:
?Asthma
?Chronic fatigue syndrome
?Cancers of various types including lung cancer
?Chemical sensitivities and allergic reactions
?Vascular diseases

Poor indoor air quality is an issue of concern - particularly for susceptible groups within the community such as pregnant women, babies and young children the sick and the elderly.

The US EPA (Environmental Protection Agency) has identified over 800 pollutants in indoor air - many of these are Volatile Organic Chlorides (VOCs). These chemicals are easily evaporated into the air at room temperature and they evaporated even more quickly when heated. Other common pollutants found included:
?formaldehyde from carpets and particle board
?solvents such as toluene and xylene used in glues and paints
?pesticides and fungicides used in paints and timber treatments

Making the problems worse are:
?tightly sealed building and air conditioning systems not being maintained or cleaned
?additional pollutants such as
o cigarette smoke
o ozone from photocopiers
o toxic chemicals in cleaning products
o dry cleaning solvents
?inside walls and floors coated with plastic and petroleum derived finishes
?carpets and soft furnishings contributing to the chemical mixture by acting as a sink for other pollutants while still releasing their own.

We spend a great deal of time in these polluted environments - it is estimated that we spend around 75 to 90 percent of our time indoors. Links have been made between our unhealthy indoor environment and what has been called the Sick Building Syndrome (SBS). SBS has a range of vague symptoms including:
?dry throat
?itchy or dry eyes
?stuffy or congested nasal passages
?headaches
?flu like symptoms
?lethargy

Many of the indoor pollutants are able to escape our respiratory systems detection systems?and they enter our blood stream. They circulate to all areas of the body. In the process of moving around our body they cause problems. Toxins cause problems for the body on their way in, when they move around the body, when they are stored and when they are on their way out of the body. They irritate tissues, cause cells to breakdown and mutagenic changes to occur.

It is sometimes difficult to make changes immediately - but if you are building new or renovating or purchasing new furnishing make every effort to create a less toxic and therefore safer environment in you home. You can also use air purifiers to clean the toxins from the air ?so that you have a chance of removing the toxins before they enter your body. In the longer term you may also need to make choices about where you live and where you work - for the sake of your health!

In addition to making changes to reduce the toxins in our environment we need to support our support our body as it deals with toxic elimination. This means that we need to reduce the toxins that we ingest as well as helping our body eliminate any toxins as effectively and quickly as possible. You need to provide your body with nutritional support so that it can cope with our environmental toxins. You can take a good vitamin and mineral supplement. Keeping our colons clean and using appropriate herbs can also aid our body's elimination routes.

Dr Jenny Tylee is an experienced health professional and educator. She also owns Healthy Vitamin Choice and Health Product Site. Jenny is also a regular contributor to The Health Gazette ezine.