Indoor pollution
Everyone wants a pleasant, fresh-smelling home, but it should not be at the expense of your and your family’s health. Young children are particularly susceptible to the typical air fresheners.
People are filling their homes with artificial chemical-laden air fresheners from plug-ins, sprays, scent sticks and wicks that are a health hazard. Seventy-five per cent of households use these synthetic smells, collectively spending millions, all that money to pollute your home! They have some very alluring names, like Tuscan Breeze and Summer Meadow. Who could resist? Also adding to the problem are the majority of fragrant candles.
They are absorbed via the lungs while breathing, causing hormonal imbalances. Not all ingredients need to be listed; some can be hidden under the name fragrance. However, they can cause asthma and upper airway irritation. Then there are the chemicals like formaldehyde and benzene. Stop using these products immediately if you are prone to breathing problems or sensitivities. If you have children, throw these products out. In some cases, these products come with a lot of packing.
What are you going to use instead?
Change to natural therapeutic aromas that will fill your home with natural aromas and enhance the health of all your family members. Research shows people living and working in naturally scented environments are happier and more productive!
Many online sites sell pure essential oils, and a wide variety is available. The art of using essential oils dates back a long time, called aromatherapy. Choose essential oils to suit your needs, from calming, mood-enhancing, energizing, cleansing or refreshing. Make sure the essential oils you buy are 100% pure and are the real thing. Watch out for synthetic substitutes or diluted essential oils.
Powerful
To fill a room with a wonderful therapeutic atmosphere takes only a few drops. In your kitchen, you might choose lemon as it’s fresh and cleansing and lavender in your bedroom as it would help to relax you and encourage peaceful sleep. Maybe mandarin in the study for a clear head. Citronella is an insect repellent or eucalyptus that helps with breathing.
How to use essential oils
a) An oil warmer with a little bowl that holds some water and a few drops of essential oil. A tea light under the bowl warms the oil and the water.
b) There are oil warmers that use electricity instead of tea lights.
c) Rings that fit on a lamp light bulb, filling the room with aromas when the bulb warms up.
d) Little containers that fit on the radiators, warming the oils
e) Make your own sprays – distilled water or rose water, add a few drops of essential oils, place in an atomizer and shake well each time before you spray the room, linen or pillow (avoid polished furniture).
f) Some people put a few drops of essential oil on the filter of their vacuum cleaner, filling the house with a cleansing smell as they vacuum.
Lavender grown in Wales – a small variety of essential oils
