10 Things You Need To Know About Your Health and Home

Everyone knows that the environment needs help but what about our homes?  The EPA has stated that indoor air pollutants are three to 70 times higher than outdoors.

Here are some facts that really scared me and I thought I should share them with you.

1.) Asthma is higher in women. In one decade, there has been a 42 percent increase in asthma -- 29 percent for men and 82 percent for women The higher rate for women is thought to be for our longer exposure to household chemicals.

2.) Liquid dish soap is the leading cause of poisoning for kids under the age of 6. Most brands contain formaldehyde and ammonia!

3.) Of 2,983 chemicals found in personal-care products, 884 are toxic. Also, 146 of them cause tumors; 218 cause reproductive complications; 778 cause acute toxicity; 314 cause biological mutations; and 376 cause skin and eye irritations.

4.) There are 70,000 new chemical compounds out there.  Since 1950, there have been at least 70,00 new chemical compounds introduced into the environment. Only a small percentage has been tested for human toxicity!

5.) There are 150 chemicals in our homes that are connected to allergies, birth defects, cancer and psychological disorders.

6.) Danger if you work from home. There is a 54 percent higher chance that a women who works from home will die from cancer than a women who works outside the home.

7.) What's in our dust? Phthalates (shown to disrupt reproductive systems and cause breathing problems in children), alkyl phenols (mimic natural estrogen hormones), pesticides (cause cancer), brominated flame Rrtardants (mimic thyroid hormones), organotins (poisonous in small amounts and can disrupt hormones and reproductive systems), and perfluorinated surfactants (can damage organ function and sexual development in lab animals). These chemicals are coming from everyday consumer products that we have in our homes, like Teflon-coated cookware and plastics.

8.) There are about 4,000 chemicals used in our everyday cosmetics and personal-care products. About 95 percent of these are traced back to petroleum. Manufactures do not have to reveal the actual components of the products because they are considered to be "trade secrets."

9.) There are even chemicals on our mattress! You are probably asking yourself, “For what?” Well, to make the mattress “safer,” they use PBDEs to make your bed flame-retardent, and PCFs to make it stain-resistant. These chemicals are known known carcinogens! If you are using poly-cotton sheets or wrinkle-resistant sheets, you are also exposing your self to chemicals. Formaldehyde is the big one. It causes cancer, respiratory problems, insomnia, asthma -- and the list goes on!

10.) “The Dirty Dozen." This is a list of the top 12 cancer-causing products in the average home. It was put together by the National Cancer Prevention Coalition (they list some safer options here):

About the Author: I am a stay at home mom of three that is dedicated to convert your home to a healthier safer home while saving money! www.tsilvestri.fourpointmoms.com