This is the time of year it is tempting to light a candle for ambiance or spray an air fresher and the like to provide a spicy, clean aroma that warms a room and just feels like a holiday. However, most commercial Candles and Air Fresheners pose health risks for your family. Check out this news clip from ABC News Arizona.
There are actually tens of thousand of chemicals approved for synthetic fragrances in the US and the EPA has only reviewed a few hundred for safety. Each year the Environmental Working Group analyzes thousands of household and personal products in an effort to raise awareness and help consumers make safe choices for their family. In 2016, ewg.org graded 288 Air Fresheners based on levels of health concern. ONLY 4.2% of these products received an "A" Grade and do you want to guess what kinds of products these are? Old school basics like baking soda and natural fragrance spritzers made with essential oils. I suspect that some of your commercial room fragrances are actually failing the grade all together:
A big thanks to my friend and colleague, Vanessa Romero, with Healthy Living How To, for making this slick graphic above. She is the one that made me see the LIGHT years ago and stop spending my money on products poisoning my family. Dump the candles, sprays, beads, melting waxes, outlet do-hickeys and such and opt for the healthy swap of a high quality ultrasonic diffuser along with best essential oils in the world, of course. If you won't take my word for it, there are a number of studies making their way to mainstream media now all confirming the dangers of synthetic fragrances. It will not take much effort from you to spot some reputable sources, but I will offer some here as well.
One such example, chemistry professor Ruhullah Massoudi at SC State University conducted a study back in 2009 establishing that long-term exposure to emissions of certain types of candles could be hazardous to human health and cause poor indoor air quality. “The paraffin candles we tested released unwanted chemicals into the air. For a person who lights a candle every day for years or just uses them frequently, inhalation of these dangerous pollutants drifting in the air could contribute to the development of health risks like cancer, common allergies and even asthma,” said Massoudi.
If you are interested in having children or grandchildren someday, you should know that many aerosol fragrances for personal and household care contain Phthalates, which will negatively impact your chances. According to a couple studies conducted by Irene Souter, MD, of Massachusetts General Hospital, Phthalates are ubiquitous in the environment and linked with reproductive issues in men as well as women. This chemical, like many others, mimics the natural sex hormones and creates an adverse effect with fertility. Kristina Fiore, a writer at MedPage Today posted an article on this topic on July 08, 2013.
So, I said it before, and I'll say it again. When you diffuse therapeutic grade essential oils you are not only transporting the extraordinary natural scents of the season, you will reap the rewards of health benefits for all those in your home. Here are some irresistible combinations to keep you all warm and fuzzy every day.
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