Is Your Asthma Caused by Household Cleaning Products?

Exposure to household cleaning products during pregnancy and early childhood dramatically increases the likelihood of asthma development.

Research has shown time and time again that a young child’s risk of acquiring asthma increases if their early life lacks viruses, bacteria and pathogens.

Indeed, we have also written before on the effects of cleaning products on asthma (Cleaning Products Upset Asthmatics).

The theory that a lack of viruses and bacteria is called the ‘hygiene hypothesis’ – it theorizes that the exposure in the early stages of a person’s life is required for the immune system to properly develop, strengthen and build resistance.

Recent research, contained in the Avon Longitudinal Study of Parents and Children (ALSPAC) of the University of Bristol of the United Kingdom, takes the theory further by suggesting that it is not only the lack of bacteria and their products that lead to asthma and allergies, but it is the chemicals in the cleaning products.

It is suggested that a lack of antigens (removed by the cleaner) for a developing immune system to fight and the chemicals in cleaning products have a role in the hygiene hypothesis.

The long term study run by the University of Bristol followed more than 13,000 children from before their birth to the age of sixteen. Early life exposure to the chemicals, including during pregnancy, led to a direct correlation of a 41% percent increase in the child’s risk of developing asthma by age seven.

The prevalence of asthma in Australia has increased in recent years, with approximately 15% of children and 12% of adults being asthmatics in 2009.

The chemicals in typical household cleaning products can account for just one of the many attributing factors associated with asthma development.

Other indoor factors can include smoke, dust mites, synthetic pillows, clothing and bedding and chemicals from plastics.

Of the huge number of chemicals regularly used in cleaning and beauty products (according to a study in 2006 by US EPA) only 43% have been tested for human toxicity and just 7% have been studied for effects on human development.

This study just adds to a growing list of research proving that asthma is not entirely dependent on the genes inherited from a person’s parents. Though genetics do play a role, the environment that we provide for our family is just as significant.


Emed’s Comment:

We’re damned if we do, we’re damned if we don’t.

Think back to when you were a child… you were allowed to roll around in the mud, run around outside and shove who-knows-what into your mouth.  Look around you now, and many children are placed in sterile environments, and wrapped in cotton wool year round.

Now, we’re not trying to say that you shouldn’t clean and let your children eat dirt, but it is good for your children to build up their immunity naturally.

With so many cases coming up about how cleaning products have negatively affected people’s health, it is more than a little scary. You must think about how those powerful chemicals are affecting you and your family.

The fact that you then touch and even eat from the surfaces mean that we are pretty much all affected.

Most of all, we want you to know about the natural approaches to every day living. Not only can you eat well, supplement well and live well. Now you can clean your home well too.

We want you to be informed of the choices you have.

We are very happy at the moment. Why? Because we have come across a range of natural cleaning products that we can put our faith in.

We have searched high and low for a great, natural cleaning product. Many that look good, smell good and would be an instant hit aren’t worth their weight in packaging.

Others work great, but then it’s only a matter of time before the ‘hidden’ chemicals emerge.

Those problems are gone now.

B_E_E (Beauty Engineered for Ever) is a New-Zealand based company that produces natural cleaning products that actually work.

They look great, smell great and leave our clothes and home smelling great. We have every confidence in these products as we know that they are a natural and environmentally-friendly approach to household cleaning.

All the Emed staff have tried these products, and all of them have reported a very favourable response. They truly are a pleasure to use, and it’s a pleasure to make them available for you now.

Make a smart decision for the health of your family – invest in some B_E_E products today before they’re all gone!

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