The Impact of Green Practices on Allergies, Asthma, and Even Cancer
Thursday 18 December 2008A recent article spurred my reoccurring thoughts about the growth of what I think of as environmental diseases. As a Green Consultant trainer, I have often spoken of the rise of immune related illnesses that parallel our country’s increased use and fondness for chemical laced and petroleum derivative products. This report only added to my belief that we are cleaner and more sanitized, but we are also weakened by the products we use in our homes and offices. An AP medical report says,
“In 2007, approximately 3 million children under the age of 18 were reported to have had a food or digestive allergy in the previous 12 months, compared to slightly more than 2.3 million children (3.3 percent) in 1997, according to the report from the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.”
This same report says food allergies are up by 18%, but similar trends are being seen in asthma. Asthma cases have more than doubled since 1980, and that is more than a population issue. Some report that we are “too clean” and “too sanitized” to allow fetal and early childhood immunities to develop. Realize that the non-affected people are eating the same food, breathing the same air, and living in similar situations. So, why them and not me? Most of us are IMMUNE to these irritants and can tolerate repeated exposure without much more than minor discomfort. Others are not, and it seems that this is not just a sanitation or medical issue. I feel that we are continually wearing away our immune system, and it is not merely a dietary replacement or vitamin issue.
Every American, and even third-world citizens, live in a ” Toxic Soup ” when it comes down to Indoor Air Quality (IAQ). This invisible contamination may be like a fish tank that has gone too long between changes. The water is still wet, but it is filled with build ups of toxic substances that will eventually sicken and kill the fish. Every person knows that a healthy aquarium is a careful balance of ingredients and removal of toxins. Our atmosphere is air, and it too can be filled with some pretty incredible stuff. Did you know that formaldehyde is common in many construction material and furniture, and that it outgasses for months into the air we breath? The smell of bleach, fresh paint, new carpet, and new furniture are nasty fumes called volatile organic compounds (VOC) that have proven acute and chronic health affects?
Into this same Toxic Soup, you must add the air fresheners, cleaning products, window cleaners, toilet sprays, detergents, sanitizers, and polishes that are frankly filled with multi-syllabic named chemicals that are potential health hazards. You will also find cigarette ash, arsenic, lead, dust mite feces and scales, pollen, pet dander, and dust particles of all types. We also anoint ourselves with cologne, perfumes, deodorant, cosmetics, hair spray, and body lotions that leave a trail of pleasant scents. We use bleach and ammonia products that are frankly dangerous products, and we sprinkle carpet deodorizer throughout house.
Bioaccumlation refers to the compounding affect of all these ingredients that are like layers of paint on an old house. It doesn’t make the house better, it just covers up the obvious flaws. Biomagnification means that some ingredients actually heighten the impact of other ingredients already floating around. In the end, we are like the fish trapped in a toxic tank of bad water. Breathing is one of the first indicators that something is wrong, headaches will follow, and then comes a failing of health with illness and lethargy. These are symptoms that there is something wrong. Years ago when bowling alleys allowed smoking, I would get a splitting headache after thirty minutes in these places. After I left, so did the headache. Could it have been the air? Have you ever driven behind a diesel bus blowing black smoke at you as your travel behind it? Many people get that same kind of acute headache that passes when they get back into fresh air.
Therefore, I have a theory that is supported by a good body of science which I cannot quote but clearly says that food allergies, asthma, chemical sensitivity, ADD, ADHD, and other diseases like cancer and auto immune disease are hitting us more often because we have weakened immune systems. Our immune system is not weak from fighting the normal stuff out there, but the artificial stuff that hits it 24/7 and all year long. Though a theory, I feel strongly convinced that we are using chemical and petroleum-based products to such an extreme that it is killing us … or at least setting us up for the kill.
This may sound very “retro,” but there is a need to return to our grandmother’s way of cleaning. It may not have been as sanitary or beautifully-scented as your store-bought products, but it produced a healthier and more robust generation than now. Don’t be enticed by the commercial that brag about being “New and Improved.” These products have been improved by adding yet another chemical that will likely further harm your family. Take some lesson from Naturally Green Clean author, and discover that anyone can clean their home using just a few commonly available ingredients. Better yet, you will save a ton of money while your family enjoys a respite from the toxic soup for a while.
Giving your family the gift of health is not a call to a higher level of cleaning, but a lower level of toxins that we all purchase at exorbitant prices. Does it amaze you that people pay huge prices to buy cigarettes that are sure to kill them? In yet another fool’s errand, isn’t it strange that we that we are such addicts to cleaning products that smell pleasant but are poisoning us too. If what you are using promises to blind, scar, sicken, or kill you if your ingest it; why on earth are you bringing it home to be spread throughout your home? Cleaning is not a technically difficult task. It does not require scrubbing bubbles, foaming action, or a 99.9% germ killing action. Natural and organic products are just as effective at cleaning, killing germs, and dissolving grease. Pick up a books and learn how to give your family the fundamental gift of life by making the air they breathe safe. Your reward will be in the hardship and suffer that you will never see in life of the people you love.
Michael Richmond is the director of the Green Clean Institute, and highly recommends the book Naturally Green Clean that explains how to clean your home naturally.