10 Steps to Protecting Your Families Health at Home

Many people are not aware that the indoor air in their homes is on average 2 to 5 times worse than outdoor air (source EPA) and in some cases can be 10 times worse. This becomes very relative when we realize that most of us spend 90% of our time indoors in our homes and at work.

Air and water are considered two essentials for human survival so it makes good sense to consider breathing the best quality air and drinking the best quality water we can to sustain a healthy life and improve our life span potential.

Recent medical science discoveries suggest that up to 50% of all diseases are either caused or affected by the air we breathe. Large increases in allergies especially those caused by indoor airborne allergy triggers like dust mites and similar microbes give us some indication.

Household cleaning chemicals and chemicals used in building materials and furniture now play a part in the make up of every living environment as they happily off gas their toxins on the innocents living there. Between 25% and 30% of all adults in the developed Western world now suffer from one allergy or another and recently in the UK the British Government has admitted that up to 40% of children of school going age suffer from allergies.

Major contributing factors have been the increased insulation of homes, central heating, double glazed windows, lack of ventilation, carpets and electrical products that produce BFR's (brominade fire-restraining chemicals) that are persistent, toxic and bio-accumulating and the over prescribing of anti-biotics epically to pregnant women as this interferes with the development of the immune system in the unborn.

The 10 Simple Steps

1. Reduce the number of carpets in your home and replace with hardwood flooring (not laminate), tiles or any good hard floor that is easily cleaned, is non-toxic, and will not be a breathing ground for microbes and dust mites.

2. Make sure you use a vacuum cleaner that has a HEPA filter so you are not just redistributing dust around your home.

3. Leave your bedroom windows open for a while in the morning and pull back the bed covers so it is uncomfortable for bed bugs and dust mites. If you suffer with Asthma consider also using mattress and pillow protectors that are allergy approved.

4. Limit the use of open fires as they create a lot of dust particles in the air, a percentage of these will end up in your lungs if you are not careful. If you have to use fires make sure the room is well ventilated.

5. Keep the temperature as low as you can comfortably live within your indoor environment as this will inhibit the growth of microbes. This will also save you money on your heating bills in winter as most of us have our heating several degrees higher than we actually need. Give your living areas a good airing as often as you can by opening windows and doors for short periods.

6. Use a few good air purifiers like Healthway units which are mobile and use a new state of the art technology called EMF which filters the air but also destroys bacteria and viruses etc.

7. Use allergy friendly cleaning materials and bed linen.

8. Make sure all areas in your home that create steam like your kitchen, showers and bathrooms have air extraction units so mold and spores do not get a chance to establish themselves on damp surfaces. Watch out for dark patches on ceilings and walls which usually means mold and breathing spores that can cause respiratory problems for the very young and the elderly.

9. If you have to have pets in the home keep them away from carpeted areas and bedrooms.

10. Prohibit smoking in the home if you have babies or elderly living there.

10 Steps to Protecting Your Families Health at Home

Many people are not aware that the indoor air in their homes is on average 2 to 5 times worse than outdoor air (source EPA) and in some cases can be 10 times worse. This becomes very relative when we realize that most of us spend 90% of our time indoors in our homes and at work.

Air and water are considered two essentials for human survival so it makes good sense to consider breathing the best quality air and drinking the best quality water we can to sustain a healthy life and improve our life span potential.

Recent medical science discoveries suggest that up to 50% of all diseases are either caused or affected by the air we breathe. Large increases in allergies especially those caused by indoor airborne allergy triggers like dust mites and similar microbes give us some indication.

Household cleaning chemicals and chemicals used in building materials and furniture now play a part in the make up of every living environment as they happily off gas their toxins on the innocents living there. Between 25% and 30% of all adults in the developed Western world now suffer from one allergy or another and recently in the UK the British Government has admitted that up to 40% of children of school going age suffer from allergies.

Major contributing factors have been the increased insulation of homes, central heating, double glazed windows, lack of ventilation, carpets and electrical products that produce BFR's (brominade fire-restraining chemicals) that are persistent, toxic and bio-accumulating and the over prescribing of anti-biotics epically to pregnant women as this interferes with the development of the immune system in the unborn.

The 10 Simple Steps

1. Reduce the number of carpets in your home and replace with hardwood flooring (not laminate), tiles or any good hard floor that is easily cleaned, is non-toxic, and will not be a breathing ground for microbes and dust mites.

2. Make sure you use a vacuum cleaner that has a HEPA filter so you are not just redistributing dust around your home.

3. Leave your bedroom windows open for a while in the morning and pull back the bed covers so it is uncomfortable for bed bugs and dust mites. If you suffer with Asthma consider also using mattress and pillow protectors that are allergy approved.

4. Limit the use of open fires as they create a lot of dust particles in the air, a percentage of these will end up in your lungs if you are not careful. If you have to use fires make sure the room is well ventilated.

5. Keep the temperature as low as you can comfortably live within your indoor environment as this will inhibit the growth of microbes. This will also save you money on your heating bills in winter as most of us have our heating several degrees higher than we actually need. Give your living areas a good airing as often as you can by opening windows and doors for short periods.

6. Use a few good air purifiers like Healthway units which are mobile and use a new state of the art technology called EMF which filters the air but also destroys bacteria and viruses etc.

7. Use allergy friendly cleaning materials and bed linen.

8. Make sure all areas in your home that create steam like your kitchen, showers and bathrooms have air extraction units so mold and spores do not get a chance to establish themselves on damp surfaces. Watch out for dark patches on ceilings and walls which usually means mold and breathing spores that can cause respiratory problems for the very young and the elderly.

9. If you have to have pets in the home keep them away from carpeted areas and bedrooms.

10. Prohibit smoking in the home if you have babies or elderly living there.