Home is where the heart is, but it could also be making you and your family sick. Here are some simple changes that you can make, to benefit you r health.
Pets
Cats are the most common animal to cause allergy in humans.
Pets can improve our emotional wellbeing – but they can also make us feel unwell.
‘Pets can exacerbate allergy symptoms because they have allergens in their urine, saliva and skin dander,’ says Lindsey McManus of Allergy UK.
Cats are by far the commonest animals to cause allergy in humans, but any animal can cause a problem.
Pets can also carry salmonella, which can lead to diarrhoea and vomiting.
Cats can carry a parasite leading to toxoplasmosis in their faeces. This can be dangerous to children and can cause pregnant women to miscarry.
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The solution
‘Vacuum regularly, with a machine that contains a high-efficiency particulate air (HEPA) filter. This extracts even the smallest allergens from the air.
Discourage your pet from licking your face, and make sure that everyone in the family washes their hands after touching a pet.
Double glazing
Double glazing is more energy efficient.
Double-glazed windows are now common because they are energy efficient and help to keep out the chill.
Unfortunately, they form such a good seal against the wind and weather – they also dramatically cut down ventilation.
Condensation can also quickly build up due to moisture created by cooking, breathing and showering. Dampness causes mould, which can make asthma symptoms worse.
The solution
Leave your windows ajar when you are in the house to keep your home well ventilated.
Invest in an extractor fan in the kitchen to remove steam and cooking smells. When you have a shower, make sure that you close the door – so the steam can’t escape to the rest of the house. Open the bathroom window afterwards.
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Kitchen Chemicals
Sparkling kitchens look great. But household cleaning products can cause health problems and even in rare cases, chemical sensitivity syndrome.
Bleach is widely used to decontaminate surfaces and bathrooms. But it can release irritant vapours that can exacerbate asthma symptoms.
Many aerosol cleaning products contain volatile organic compounds (VOCs) that are used as propellants. These VOCs can cause headaches, drowsiness and general feelings of being unwell.
The solution
There are lots of natural products that can keep your home clean and smelling fresh.
Experts advise using bicarbonate of soda as an abrasive cleaner.
It also makes a great natural air freshener, mixed with water and a few drops of essential oil. Put it in a plant sprayer and spray it round the room, they say.
Vinegar can also be used to clean windows and surfaces – and lemon juice can remove stains from work tops.
Baby bottles
Many hard plastic baby bottles contain the chemical BPA.
There has been some concern that many hard plastic baby bottles contain the chemical Bisphenol A (BPA), which has been linked to an increased risk of breast and prostate cancer.
BPA is also found in a wide range of other plastic products, including lap top computers and tableware.
Experts say that ‘it’s possible’ that BPA may affect the hormone system in people’s bodies. But there’s not evidence that it causes harm in people.
The solution
If you are worried, switch to plastic bottles that do not contain BPA, or glass ones.
Do not fill up your baby’s bottle with boiling water, since there is evidence that this makes it more likely the BPA will leach out of the plastic and into the fluid.
Discard old or worn bottles that are more likely to leach the BPA.
A good rule of thumb is not to keep a bottle longer than six months.
Fridge facts
A fridge must be used effectively, or it can even cause illness.
Keep it at the right temperature (between 0?C and 5?C).
Keep the fridge door closed as much as possible.
Wait for food to cool down before you put it in the fridge.
Freezing food safely
Freeze it before the ‘use by’ date.
Follow any freezing or thawing instructions on the label.
Thaw it in the fridge, so it doesn’t get too warm. Or, if you intend to cook it, as soon as it is defrosted, you could defrost it in a microwave.
Try to use it within one to two days after it’s been defrosted – it will go off in the same way as if it were fresh.
Adapted from www.netdoctor.co.uk