COUCH POTATO? WHAT ARE YOU BREATHING?

Despite growing evidence of population-wide obesity resulting from the inclusion of so many processed foods into the American diet over the past 50 or so years (an entirely different subject), as a society, we profess to value healthy living in all other respects, with biking and jogging and running and cardio fitness and sports participation dominating much of our lives, and that's a good thing. It would be even better if the result were more in line with the objective. Progress toward the noble end of healthier living could be enhanced significantly simply by devoting some of our energy to improvement of the indoor environments to which we subject our carefully toned and conditioned bodies. Think about it. Ever notice that, with the exception of the boom in health clubs and gymnasiums, most of the fitness-oriented activities are outdoor-oriented? That's a good thing because indoor air quality seriously inhibits our progress as we strive for healthier, fitter lives.

Chemicals present throughout our indoor living environments work to offset the positive efforts many of us devote to general conditioning and healthy living. For example, chlorine gases escape every time we run the dishwasher; ammonia fouls the air every time we wash the windows; the foam cushions in our favorite chair off-gas chemical fumes and the fabric covering them is probably coated with fluoro-chemical sprays to resist stains (perfluorooctanic acid, suspected to be a human carcinogen); drapes are treated with flame retardants such as polybrominated diphenyl ether (PBDE), linked to a wide range of health dangers; and how about the clothes we bring home from the dry cleaners? That distinctive smell is tetrachloroethylene, also known as perchloroethylene (PERC), which EPA informs us can cause headache, impaired cognition, cardiac arrhythmia, and liver and kidney damage through prolonged exposure.

So, the next time you go out for a jog or a run, see if you can preserve more of the benefits of your commitment to conditioning by removing some of these chemical impediments from your indoor living environment, so that all the hard work isn't so easily offset by the dangerous chemical things we take for granted around the home. And don't forget to check out the salad bar too.

indoor air quality, conditioning, fitness, healthier living, ammonia, chlorine gas, human carcinogens, perfluorooctanic acid, polybrominated diphenyl ether, PBDE, tetrachloroethylene, perchloroethylene, PERC, EPA, impaired cognition Comments (8)

05 Jan