Formaldehyde: Dealing With Your Old Friend From Biology Class
For many of us, our earliest memories of formaldehyde date hack to high school biol-ogy class, when smelling formaldehyde in its aqueous state was almost as disgusting as cutting up the unfortunate frog.
Although this acrid smell is not always as obvious when formaldehyde vapors are present in our homes, it is nevertheless one of the major culprits of indoor pollution. Despite growing concerns about its serious health effects, there are currently no standards
in the United States for acceptable indoor levels of formaldehyde. The problem is that formaldehyde, which is made from petroleum products, will outgas for years. Many household products contain
formaldehyde including particle board, fiber-board, plywood, household cleaning products, carpets, draperies and foam padding to name a few. The levels of outgassing can be irritating to your
system even if the smell isn't noticeable and the detrimental health effects can build up over time. Your body may not be able to eliminate all the different toxins in your environment fast enough
causing internal organs to become overloaded, yet not produce acute symptoms. You may develop sensitivities to certain chemical substances found in your home, such as formaldehyde.
Typical symptoms include burning sensation in the eyes, nose and throat, sinus irritation, flu like symptoms, difficulty breathing, asthma attacks, skin rashes, nausea, fatigue, headache, nose bleeds, muscle and joint aches and behavior changes.
Ten to 20 percent of the overall population seems to be more sensitive to this common chemical at very low concentrations. Special precautions should also be taken for babies, young children, the elderly and the chronically ill.
Fortunately, there is much you can do to maintain your health and decrease your sensitivity to formaldehyde. But it is a careful, step-by-step, individualized process, not an overnight fix. Each person is different, so natural remedies and therapies differ
from person to person. Always consult your holistic practitioner before embarking on any one program.
Some general methods that sufferers have found useful through this process include individualized programs of acupuncture, herbs and homeopathy, moist saunas or steam baths, deep tissue massages, pure drinking and bathing water, an organic vegetable and
grain based diet and freshly squeezed organic juices. Nutritional supplements arid anti-oxidants, like vitamins A, C, E have also proven effective.
You spend a lot of time in your home, so it makes sense to clean it up and treat it with the same care you want to give your body. But unless your sensitivity to formaldehyde is extreme, make the changes slowly - it will put less strain on you and your
pocketbook.
The easiest step to clean up your home is to replace your toxic household cleaning products with safer, more natural brands. Work with what you already have in your home by keeping your home thoroughly ventilated and seal all exposed areas of pressed
wood products. Properly vent gas and wood burning stoves and fireplaces to the Outside.
Wash new fabrics with sodium hexametaphosphate or baking soda with hydrogen peroxide to remove the formaldehyde used in packaging. Get more of those indoor plants everybody went crazy for during the '70s - spider plants, philodendrons and Chinese evergreens.
They actually clean indoor air!
If you have recently remodeled or moved into a newly constructed home, consider moving out for a couple of days and turn up the temperature inside to the maximum setting, then ventilate for several hours. This will speed up and disperse the "outgassing"
of formaldehyde vapors. As a maintenance precaution, keep temperature and humidity levels low to slow down outgassing and keep the indoor air cleaner.
If you feel you may be suffering from overexposure to formaldehyde, you may take steps to detect the levels in your home with a formaldehyde test kit. The kits cost approximately SO and are available through most environmental home inspectors and sonic
"green" stores and catalogs.
Most importantly, start making wise, Informed choices for every new item you introduce into your home. Look into special low-toxic building and household materials such as adhesives and glues, formaldehyde-free fiber board, wood finishes, paints and sealants.
These choices will also have a ripple effect on the health of the earth.
Mary Cordar & Susan Lange, O.M.D.,L.AC
Meridian Center for Personal and Environmental Health
310.395 9525
For more info on ECO-fitness: "Seven Simple Steps to ECO-fit Your Home" series
contact the Meridian Center - info(at)MeridianHolistic.com
Or visit www.MeridianHolistic.com