Indoor air pollution is something to seriously consider. According to the EPA, indoor air is two to five times more polluted than outdoor air regardless of where you live.
On average, a person spends approximately 90 percent of their time indoors and take between 17,000 and 23,000 breaths every day.
Results of in-home air tests for indoor air pollution across the United States support this government finding. Nearly every home (96 percent) had at least one indoor air quality problem: 71 percent were filled with odors and potentially harmful gases and chemicals, while 86 percent had high levels of particles and bioaerosols, such as pollen, dust, and viruses. In that context, it’s certain that your indoor air quality should always be a high priority.
Biological pollutants such as molds, dust mites pollen, animal dander, and bacteria promote poor indoor air quality. People living in buildings with poor indoor air quality report a wide range of health problems including allergies, autoimmune conditions, and Multiple Chemical Sensitivity (MCS). While MCS is typically an adult diagnosis, pediatric case references are growing.
According to the American Heart Association, negative indoor air quality can cause heart problems and certain types of cancer, especially lung cancer. So, what should you do to reduce your exposure to these environmental toxins? In this post, we will discuss Multiple Chemical Sensitivity, Allergies, and Autoimmune conditions as well as the top five environmental toxins in the air your breathe.
Multiple Chemical Sensitivity? More Like Exponential Chemical Sensitivity
Multiple Chemical Sensitivity, also known as Environmental Illness refers to an allergy-like reaction or severe sensitivity to many different environmental toxins including solvents, VOC’s (Volatile Organic Compounds), smoke, perfumes, paint strippers, pesticides, caulking, dyes from clothing, and many other chemicals. It also encompasses problems with regards to pollen, dust mites, and pet dander and fur.
According to the National Department of Health, 15 percent of the American population is chemically sensitive. Forty percent of the general population may be affected even though they do not realize that their symptoms are related to toxic exposure in homes, schools, or work environments.
Some of the main symptoms of MCS include:
- Muscle and joint pain
- Headaches; including migraines
- Central nervous affectations, such as disorientation, lack of concentration, and poor memory
- Irritation to the eyes, such burning and stinging
- Vertigo and dizziness
- Lower and upper respiratory illnesses, such as lung conditions, breathing difficulties, sinus irritation, and asthma
- Rashes
- Sleeplessness and nausea
- Irregular heartbeat
- Mood disturbances
According to Dr. Jennifer Weinberg:
In people who have increased sensitivities (MCS), air quality can really impact their lives in many ways. I see many of my clients impacted by chemicals and allergens leading to conditions like hormonal imbalances, metabolic problems, autoimmune diseases, and other sensitivities. I have found that addressing air quality and other aspects of one’s environment is really a key component to the comprehensive approach to healing and preventing diseases with my patients and clients.
There are many things you can do to stay healthy, including maintaining good nutrition, exercising, and getting enough sleep. However, it is also critical to reduce exposure to toxic chemicals. This is essential for anyone with MCS and it’s also the key to recovery. Using the right air purifier, such as the EnviroKlenz mobile air purifier, can remove these dangerous chemicals from your indoor air; however, the wrong air purifier can often make matters worse, as the majority of air systems only focus on particle filtration, as opposed to neutralization.
While activated Carbon filters do a good job at removing toxins in the air, they are doing so by physical absorption, which poses a risk of the very same toxins being released back into the air. HEPA filters using NanoActive metal oxides, however, have the ability to filter, neutralize, and destroy toxins, preventing them from being released back into the air.
Autoimmune Diseases And What they Have In Common With Allergies
Autoimmune disease refers to a group of more than 80 severe illnesses, including diseases of the nervous, endocrine, and gastrointestinal systems as well as skin. This disorder occurs when the body’s immune system is misdirected attacking the very organs it was designed to protect. Some examples of autoimmune diseases include type 1 diabetes, rheumatoid arthritis, and lupus.
Symptoms of autoimmune diseases vary according to the specific condition. For instance, Type 1 diabetes causes an imbalance of blood sugar, while Rheumatoid arthritis causes swelling joints. Gluten, sugar, stress, dairy, hydrolyzed oils, unbalanced microbiome, and environmental toxins can trigger a flare up.
An allergy is an overactive response by the immune system to any external trigger, such as pollen, dust or certain foods. One of the connections between allergies and autoimmune diseases is that the body perceives something as a threat that isn’t and unnecessarily attacks it. Both allergies and autoimmune conditions cause similar symptoms, including swelling or redness, itchiness as well as feelings of fatigue and sickness.
Allergies and autoimmune conditions like lupus are both the risk to environmental exposures in your home, office, or school. There are many culprits to poor indoor air quality, such as VOCs, dust mites, pet dander, pollen, and mold. By removing these environmental toxins, you can help remove some of the triggers to your reactions.
Top 5 Indoor Air Pollution Environmental Toxins:
1. Volatile Organic Compounds (VOC’s) from new building materials, such as carpets, wood flooring, and paints
Indoor air pollution can be caused by VOC’s. If you have ever been in a newly built or renovated home, you have experienced the potent smell and adverse symptoms that often accompany the process. New building materials, new furniture, new carpets, and floor refinishing products contain high concentrations of VOCs, such as arsenic, formaldehyde, and toluene. Some of these products may also contain benzene and xylene, all which vaporize into the air.
If you are exposed to these toxic VOCs you are likely to experience symptoms, such as headaches, dizziness, scratchy eyes, and throat as well as depression. The adverse effects of the products can be minimized by proper ventilation, although the tactic is still not sufficient to adequately to reduce the health risks involved.
2. Fragrance and Scented Products
Fragrance and scented products contain a mixture of hundreds of chemicals that react with ozone in the ambient air to form dangerous secondary indoor air pollution chemicals. Some of the toxic VOCs emitted by these products include formaldehyde, methylene chloride, 1, 4-dioxane, and acetaldehyde. Symptoms of these toxic VOCs include headaches, dizziness, nausea, breathing difficulties, digestive problems, nervous systems problems, and various allergic reactions.
3. Mold and Mold Generated VOC’s
Mold can also cause indoor air pollution. As mold grows, the chemical reaction of enzymes, substrates and mold growth produce water carbon dioxide and volatile organic compounds. Some of the VOC’s produced by mold affecting indoor air quality include hydrocarbons, ketones, alcohols, and aldehydes. Molds also produce mycotoxins, which are toxic to human beings. Symptoms of toxic exposure to mold and mold VOCs include depressions, difficulty breathing, fatigue, lesions, and skin rashes.
4. Pollen, Dust, Dander
Pollen, mold, pet’s fur, feather, and cockroaches can cause different types of dust allergies and indoor air pollution. Most dust allergies occur due to an infestation of dust mites. Common signs of dust allergies include sneezing, watery eyes, runny nose, and breathing difficulties. Dust allergies can also worsen and trigger asthma attacks.
5. Toxic Cleaning Products and Pesticides (Aerosol Sprays and Disinfectants)
Pesticides, cleaning solutions, disinfectants and aerosol sprays contain usually contain dangerous chemicals that can make you sick and cause indoor air pollution. Pesticides alone were the 10th leading cause of poisoning exposure. Some cleaning products contain bleach, a biocide that increases symptoms of those who suffer from asthma and other respiratory problems. Products, such as disinfectants, aerosol sprays, cleaners, and pesticides may contain chemical-based fragrances that may cause negative effects. Some of these products also contain triclosan, an antibacterial that reacts to UV light to form indoor smog.
Reducing Contamination Levels
The best way to reduce the levels of VOC’s and chemical triggers throughout your home is through the best cleaning and air purification products. And for people with allergies and MCS, EnviroKlenz offers a large variety of products that can remove toxins in the air as well as neutralize them in the process.
The EnviroKlenz mobile air system uses hospital-grade technology to guarantee the air in your home or office space stays as clean and pure as possible.
This unit has certified HEPA filtration, but that’s just the baseline. On top of that, a patented EnviroKlenz Air Cartridge uses Nanoactive metal oxides to remove and neutralize VOCs, malodors, and fragrances.
It covers up to 850 square feet with a quiet, efficient multi speed blower that you can adjust to meet your needs. The low setting is so quiet it’s basically silent. And while you can hear the medium and high setting, it’s a pleasant hum of non-disruptive background noise. In other words, it doesn’t sound like a broken lawnmower the way many fans and filters do.
Breathe Freely Again With Purified Air!
EnviroKlenz Mobile Unit Specs
- 4-speed controls
- Comes with EnviroKlenz Air Cartridge & HEPA filter
- Height: 19: x Width: 15” x Depth: 15”
- Net weight: 38 lbs. (17.1 kg) – Shipment weight: approx. 45 lbs. (20.5 kg)
- Cord length: 5 feet (7.6 M)
- Power: 115V / 60Hz / 1 amp
- CFM Rating: 85, 150, 200 & 250
- EnviroKlenz Mobile Air System, 250 CFM Type – 115V
George Negron is a content creator and researcher for EnviroKlenz.com. His work with EnviroKlenz has brought him close to the chronic illness community where he has developed a passion for spreading awareness and remedies for environmental illnesses. George believes that before creating a solution, you must first spread awareness and fully understand the problem. You can see more of his work regarding natural health, chronic illnesses, indoor air quality, and the dangers of chemical exposures at EnviroKlenz.com/blog.
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