Discovery Health By Protect Your Loved Ones From Volatile Organic Compounds

Several years ago, after a walk through the neighborhood, I returned home and immediately began experiencing difficulty breathing. After a while, I realized the possible cause: during my walk, I had passed by a neighbor who painting his house. The paint he was using emitted a very strong odor, and to his day, I believe that was the cause of my allergic reaction.

Although a small number of people seem to delight in the strong scent of paint, the vast majority of us do not – and with good reason. Many paints contain volatile organic compounds, chemicals that are released in the form of hazardous gases. It is these chemicals that are often responsible for the strong odor associated with paint.

Volatile organic compounds pollute the air and can have negative effects on health. Therefore, choosing paints without strong fumes or volatile organic compounds is of utmost importance to safe-guard the health of you and your loved ones.

Effects of volatile organic compounds on health

Volatile organic compounds can cause a number of health problems, including nausea, headaches, and eye and nose irritation. More worrisome is the long-term effects volatile organic compounds can have on the liver, kidneys and central nervous system. And the longer he exposure to volatile organic compounds, the more serious the side-effects. Children are especially at risk. Researchers in Perth, Australia, conducted a study on 88 children who were diagnosed with asthma, and compared the with 104 children who were not.

The study found that the children who were admitted to the hospital for asthma had been exposed to higher levels of volatile organic compounds at home than their non-asthmatic counterparts. This raised the issue of a possible link between the risk of asthma and exposure to volatile organic compounds.

Symptoms of exposure to volatile organic compounds

Exposure to volatile organic compounds can bring about a host of adverse reactions, including:
- Nausea
- Dizziness
- Headaches
- Vomiting
- Shortness of breath
- Irritation of the ears, eyes, nose and throat
- Skin allergies
- Nose bleeds
- Worsening of asthma

What can you do to protect your loved ones?

Fortunately, there are now paints that have a low odor and low volatile organic compounds content. Look for these when choosing paints for your home.

According the US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), the levels of some of these harmful compounds are 2-5 times higher indoors than outdoors. Therefore, opting for low-odor/low-volatile organic compounds paint is important for the interior of your home.

Read the label on the paint can. Example of volatile organic compounds are formaldehyde and benzene. Make sure the product you are purchasing does not contain any of these chemicals.
To further reduce the likelihood of inhaling these chemicals, increase the ventilation in the house when painting (eg, open all windows and doors).
Invest in quality air-filters for your home, as they will help clear the air of circulating volatile organic compounds.

Natural Stress Relief Remedies for a Stress-Free Life

Natural stress remedies are now being availed of by many people because of its positive effects. Stress has become a part of life because of the problems people encounter in their daily lives such as issues at work and at home. What can be dangerous about this is that stress contributes to health problems such as cancer, hypertension, heart failure and even diabetes. Natural stress relievers can help one relax and deal with stressful situations even better.

Here are some of the stress relief remedies and tips that one can try.

Supplies that Can Give Natural Stress Relief

Various herbs can give a soothing effect on people to help them remove stress. These herbs can be placed in the house such as the bedroom, living room and bathroom. There are also essential oils serving as herbal stress remedies that have the scent of these herbs. They can be placed in bottles and air fresheners and can give a room a calming scent. There are also candles that emit such a soothing smell when lighted. Lavender and peppermint are the most relaxing scents and these can also be found in bubble baths, shampoos, soaps, and lotions.

Activities Considered Natural Stress Relief Remedies

Natural stress relief remedies also consist of different activities. Stress also comes from feeling physical pains in the body. In order to relax, one can meditate and do yoga. These are activities that will help clear the mind off doubts, fears and problems that bring stress.  One will learn how to accept and face problems thus stress is ruled out.

Exercise is another way to relieve stress. When one exercises, the brain produces the chemicals or hormones endorphins. These make one have a good mood and feel happy.

Massage is another way to get rid of stress. It helps loosen tight muscles, which are caused by stress. This will then allow the body to relax and have a restful sleep.

Cleaning the house and organizing it can be a good stress-reliever. When one sees things in order and arranged, stress is reduced if not eliminated. There are people who find organizing an effective tool to remove stress and avoid it.

A good sleep is a great way to remove stress. One should not watch a movie or read a book that wears out the nerves. These should be avoided especially during a stressful day or week. When the body is resting on time, anxiety and exhaustion are removed.

With these enumerated natural stress relief remedies, one can have a peaceful and relaxing day.

You may also learn and practice the holistic way through Pitta Ayurveda which will keep you in healthy condition always.