A Healthy Home

A Healthy HomeThe ideal home is not just a building for shelter.A healthy home protects against extreme heat and cold, rain and sun, wind, pests, disasters such as floods and earthquakes, and pollution and disease.

poor housing, indoor air pollution, pests, and toxic chemicals in household products can cause many illnesses.Poor ventilationVentilation is the way fresh air moves into a room or building, and how old and polluted air moves out.

Poor ventilation traps moisture in the house, causing dampness and mold.

To know if your house has poor ventilation, look for these signs:Moisture collects on windows or walls.Clothing, bedding, or walls grow mold.Bad smells from toilets or sewers stay in the house.Smoke stays in the house from cooking or heating.If you cook with gas and often suffer from dizziness and confusion, this may be a sign of poor ventilation or a gas leak.Carbon monoxide (CO) poisoningCarbon monoxide is a colorless, odorless gas produced from the incomplete burning of virtually any combustible product. It may accumulate indoors as a result of tobacco smoking, poorly ventilated appliances, and attached garages.

Heating without ventilation can be dangerous. In a poorly ventilated space, CO can cause serious illness, or even deathSignsCO poisoning seems at first like flu, but without fever. Signs include headache, fatigue, shortness of breath, nausea, and dizziness.

Prevention: The best way to prevent CO poisoning is to make sure your home has good ventilation.Do not use gas appliances such as stove tops, ovens, or clothes dryers to heat your homeCigarette smokeSmoking tobacco can cause many health problems for the smoker and for other people exposed to the smoke.

Health problems from smoking include:serious lung diseases, such as lung cancer, emphysema, and chronic bronchitis. heart disease, heart attack, stroke, and high blood pressure. cancer of the mouth, throat, neck and bladder.Second-hand smoke is the mixture of smoke that comes from cigarettes, pipes, and cigars, plus the smoke breathed out by the smoker.

Second-hand smoke makes smoking dangerous for everyone who lives with a smoker, especially children. It causes the same health problems as does smoking.Secondhand smoke each year is responsible for: about 3,400 lung cancer deaths in non-smoking adults

Cigarette smoke is a complex mixture of chemicals produced by the burning of tobacco and the additives. The smoke contains tar, which is made up of more than 4,000 chemicals, including over 60 known to cause cancer.

To stop or help someone stop smokingPeople who smoke become addicted to a drug in tobacco called nicotine.Without a cigarette, they may feel sick or nervous. As every smoker knows, it is difficult to stop smoking because nicotine is a very addictive drug

Telling people DO NOT SMOKE, is rarely successful in helping smokers to stop.Some ways to help break the addiction and stop smoking include:

Exercise daily. Replace smoking with a healthy habit such as drinking a cup of tea or walking. Drink plenty of water to flush nicotine out of the body. Ask for support from friends and family.Dust and dust mitesDust mites are tiny, invisible bugs that are the biggest cause of indoor allergies.They irritate the eyes and nose and cause asthma attacksDust mites live in warm, humid places filled with dust such as bed pillows, mattresses, carpets, stuffed toys, clothing, and furniture.

The protein substances in the dust mite feces produces antibodies in humans who are allergic when these are inhaled or touch the skin. These antibodies cause the release of histamines which causes to nasal congestion, swelling and irritation of the upper respiratory passagestypical symptoms of an allergy to dust mites:

Itchy, red or watery eyes Runny nose, Sneezing, Asthma, difficulty in breathing, Infantile eczema Itchy noseFrequent awakening Swollen, blue-colored skin under eyesThey feed on the tiny flakes of human skin that shed from our bodies each day

To get rid of dust and dust mitesCleaning sleeping areas and bedding will help reduce dust, dust mites, and animal hair.Covering mattresses and pillows with tightly woven fabrics or plastic, and washing these covers in hot water regularlyIf some one in the home is allergic to dust or dust mites, you may want to avoid having carpets, or other fabrics in the home.MoldMold is a kind of fungus, a simple plant that grows on soil and other plants.

In the home, it grows on walls, clothing, old or spoiled foods

look like black or yellow powder, tiny threads, or white and blue fuzzMolds cause breathing problems, headaches, skin irritation, and can trigger asthma attacks and allergic reactions.

To prevent and get rid of mold:Fix leaks in walls, roofs, and pipes.Improve ventilation. When more air passes through the home, it keeps everything drier and helps prevent mold from growing.Wash areas where molds grow with bleach solution.How to make a bleach solution

Controlling PestsInsect pests, such as cockroaches and rodents (rats and mice), live wherever there are food crumbs, trash, and places to hide.

They carry illnesses and are a common cause of allergies and asthma attacks.

Unfortunately, the sprays often used to get rid of insects and rodents also cause asthma attacks and other health problems.prevention Sweep and clean regularly to get rid of food scraps Clean and dry surfaces where food is prepared after cooking and eating. Store food in tightly covered containers. Fix leaking pipes and keep sinks dry. Cockroaches and other insects like water. Keep household waste in covered containers, and remove it regularly. Fill holes and cracks in walls, ceilings, and floors to prevent pests from entering.N5290, Sept. 27, 2004Scenario #1A mother tells you that she arrived home last Wednesday to discover that the lawn care company had sprayed. There was a strong odor, and liquid could be seen on the grass and furniture. After playing outdoors that afternoon, her child developed nausea and vomiting, with some sweating but no fever. She also had mild tremors. Her pediatrician diagnosed her child with flu (GI virus). However, she is asking you if you think the pesticides may have had something to do with her childs illness.25Lets consider a couple of questions about this scenario.N5290, Sept. 27, 2004Do you think that pesticide poisoning (or poisoning by other environmental toxicants) could be misdiagnosed?

If the child in this scenario did develop illness from the pesticides, why didnt her mother get sick?

26Lets look at some toxicology issues related to this scenario.N5290, Sept. 27, 2004Principles and ConceptsEnvironmental health effects may mimic other conditions

Childrens behavior may increase susceptibility to environmental toxicants.

27These other conditions may be more familiar to clinicians. A commonly used class of insecticide called organophosphates causes flu-like symptoms due to increased muscle and gland activity from accumulation of acetylcholine at the nerve synapses.

Health Effectsof PesticidesA pesticide is any substance intended to destroy, prevent, or repel pests, such as insects, weeds, fungi, and rodents.

Children develop leukemia three to nine times more often when pesticides are used around their homes.

Brain tumors and other cancers in children have been linked with exposures to insecticides.

Symptoms Accsociated with Selected Pesticide(s)

Pest control without chemicalsFor cockroaches, mix boric acid with water to make a thick paste. Add corn flour and make little balls. Leave them around the house,

For ants, sprinkle red chili powder, dried peppermint, or crushed cinnamon where they enter.

For flies, soak crushed basil leaves in water for 24 hours. Filter and spray onto flies.

Common Dangerous Household ProductsDisinfectantsCleaning agents & solventsBleachesWindow cleanerCarpet cleanerOven & drain cleanersDry-cleaning fluids, spot removersPaint & varnish solvents

PesticidesEmissions from heating or cooling devicesIndoor use of charcoal grillLeaks from refrigerator or A/C cooling systemsARTIFICIAL LIGHTPoor lighting conditions can cause eye strain and irritation as well as headaches and may increase sensitivity to certain contaminants.

The position of the light source in relation to both the viewed surface and the eye is critical. For example, light in front of a desk that strikes the surface and is reflected into the eye can create considerable eye strain.The best position of light source is to be behind and to the left of the desk you work on.TEMPERATURERecommended temperatures typically range from 68F to 74F for the winter and from 73F to 78F during the summer with the difference being responsive to both variations in clothing and applicable relative humidity.

higher temperatures can affect mental acuity. A reduction in mental work capacity has been observed when temperatures exceeded 24C (75F).

(C=(F-32) *5/9)