How Can I Possibly Be Poisoning My Family?

by Tracy Everette

You are coughing, sneezing, feeling a little nauseous and weak. You do not live near a toxic chemical plant. You are in your kitchen, your bathroom -- your home.

Most of us are concerned about our health and the health of our family members. We try to eat healthy foods, take vitamins regularly and use household cleaners and personal hygiene products that do not contain toxic poisons. But it doesn’t always seem to work in our best interest.

It has been estimated that more than 80,000 chemicals are in use in the United States. Nearly 2,000 new chemicals are introduced each year, and a large number of these are found in pharmaceuticals, food, personal care and household cleaning products. We are the first of many generations to advance in the area of extreme levels of chemicals used in the home. We bathe in them, wash our children with them, clean with them, sleep with them and brush our teeth with them. Really. Take a look at your selected toothpaste product. It just may state on the package -- "Do Not Swallow." Have you ever wondered why?

Women who work in the home have a 55 percent higher incident of developing cancer than women who work in offices away from home. This is due to the average household containing nearly 62 toxic chemicals in personal hygiene and cleaning products. These toxic chemicals affect the brain, respiratory, digestive and nervous systems. Children playing on the floor are easily exposed to asbestos, formaldehyde and other contaminants such as pesticides and residue from household cleaning polishes and sprays. Because children breathe faster, weigh less and have detox systems that are not yet fully developed, they cannot filter toxins as well as adults can.

Some people believe the danger in having cleaning products in the home is the possibility of a child drinking one of them. After all, the fragrances of these products resemble grapes (fingernail polish), lemon (dish detergents) and fruits (air fresheners). But drinking poisonous products isn’t the number one hazard anymore. The greater danger is the "outgas" these products emanate. Vapors escape from even tightly closed containers and are breathed into our systems while we sleep. Is it any wonder why we awaken after eight hours of rest and are still exhausted?

Did you know that air fresheners, which interfere with our ability to smell offensive odors, release nerve-deadening agents or coat our nasal passages with an oil film in order to relieve us of these smells? Did you also know that several cleaning and personal hygiene products contain phenol, cresol, formaldehyde and nitrobenzene. These known carcinogens may result in breast cancer found not only in women, but now documented in men as well. It is also reported that 85 percent of household cleaners may be labeled incorrectly, making emergency medical assistance more challenging. Are you sure your cleaner stored under your kitchen sink is one of the 15 percent that is labeled correctly?

Many of our allergies, cancers and diseases, including Parkinson’s, Alzheimer’s, Attention Deficit Disorder, Chronic Fatigue Syndrome, Sudden Infant Death Syndrome, are being studied for possible links to household cleaning and personal hygiene products. Don’t you think it’s time to ask questions?

Tracy Everette is president MentorMe Enterprises, Inc. She can be reached at 410-309-1906 or at mentorme@juno.com.