Air for Health

The American Lung Association's 2004 report on air quality used air quality measurements made by state and local agencies and reported to EPA for the years 2000 through 2002 to measure and rank air quality throughout the United States. The rankings were based on daily and year-round particle pollution levels, plus daily ozone levels.

Particle pollution is made up of complex microscopic bits (one-thirtieth the width of a human hair) that cause serious health problems even at relatively low concentrations.

Researchers categorize particles according to size, grouping them as coarse particles and fine particles. Coarse particles fall between 2.5 microns and 10 microns. Fine particles are 2.5 microns in diameter or smaller. Both coarse and fine particles are harmful to your health.

When you inhale these particles, they embed themselves deep in the lungs -- some can pass through the lungs to the blood. Studies link particle pollution to increased risk of asthma attacks, heart attacks, strokes, lung cancer, and tens of thousands of premature deaths in the U.S. every year.

Ozone is generated naturally by short-wave solar ultraviolet radiation and appears in our upper atmosphere (ozonosphere) in the form of a gas. Ozone also may be produced naturally by passing an electrical discharge -- such as lightning -- through oxygen molecules. Lightning is a perfect example of making an abundance of O3 (ozone molecules) to naturally purify the earth's atmosphere.

When ozone comes into contact with pollutants it loses one of its atoms and "oxidizes" the pollutant, thereby destroying it. But, because ozone is an oxidizer -- always trying to give away its extra atom -- high, sustained levels of ozone in the air near the ground can be harmful to humans, plants and animals.

While particle pollution is clearing becoming a widespread problem now affecting a quarter of all Americans, ozone levels continue to endanger nearly half the nation (136 million Americans).

Mold has been getting a lot of press the last few years, especially since mold infestation has become associated with "sick building syndrome".

Just to define terms, molds are microscopic, musty-smelling members of the fungi (fungus) family. Molds reproduce by releasing tiny spores into the air. Because these spores are so small, they can reach deep into your respiratory tract. Three of the most common molds/fungi found in indoors are Aspergillus, Stachybotrys, and Penicillium.

Both mold particles and mold spores in your home can lead to health problems, along with an even-scarier mold hazard.

Although you may have heard the term "toxic mold", it is actually a toxic substance released by some molds (called a mycotoxin) that is the most dangerous.

The health hazards of some of these mycotoxins from molds such as Stachybotrys (a slimy black mold) and other species are now coming to light as people are filing homeowner's insurance claims and seeking medical treatment for mold invasion of their homes.

Ironically, Erin Brockovich, the working mother whose investigation into toxic groundwater contamination became the subject of a movie bearing her name, has been a victim of Stachybotrys home contamination. And a Florida councilwoman, Jacquie Hepfer, had to vacate her home after an invasion of toxic mold she found under the kitchen sink caused her to develop an array of health problems.

While true "sick building syndrome" may be uncommon (serious mycotoxin invasion requires professional remediation -- do not attempt to clean it up yourself), it points out the fact that molds love and thrive on dampness.

Unfortunately, most homes have suffered some type of water damage, whether from a plumbing problem or a leaking roof. Even high humidity can give molds a happy reproductive environment. So once your home dries out, there may still be hidden sources of mold and mold spores trapped under the carpet or pad, in wallboard, wood, or numerous other areas.

Additionally, your pillows and bedding, air conditioner units, upholstery, shower stalls and other areas are ripe areas for mold fungus infestation. And unfortunately, cleaning is not very effective as a primary measure, since mold spores are very resistant organisms.

Molds are a serious issue in common illnesses such as allergies, asthma, and chronic sinus infections.

According to research published in a 2004 issue of the Journal of Nutritional & Environmental Medicine, "There is an accumulated weight of evidence linking indoor airborne mold and/or myocotoxin exposures to multisystem adverse human health effects."

All the evidence isn't in yet, but molds, mold spores and mycotoxins have been implicated in many other symptoms and disorders, including:

Memory loss
Learning disabilities
Cancer
Fibromyalgia
Multiple sclerosis
Chronic fatigue
Immune suppression
Lupus
Rheumatoid arthritis
Lung hemorrhage in children
Infections
Kidney & liver disease
Muscle or joint pain
Neuropsychiatric and neurocognitive dysfunction
And many, many more ...

An increasing number of people live in areas with unhealthy levels of air pollution, and indoor pollution is said to be even worse than outdoor air. 'Indoor pollution' is a term that is heard more and more frequently, and is something that people have become increasingly aware of as they question the quality of the air inside their homes.

90 per cent of your time is spent indoors, in air that may be worse than polluted air outside.

Reports claim it is the contaminants from chemicals in products we bring into the home that poses a bigger threat to our health. Even electrical items such as televisions, microwaves and computers give off chemicals when we use them. And to cut energy costs, homes are better insulated and sealed against draughts than ever before, which means the amount of air that is exchanged and refreshed is significantly reduced. The dust and particles in your furniture and carpets invade your lungs every day.

Enjoy a cleaner, more refreshing atmosphere with our patented air filtration system. To introduce air as fresh as the great outdoors and to help you and your family breathe easier, Nikken offers the Air Wellness Power5 Pro.

Filters

The Air Wellness Power5 Pro has an advanced, professional quality filtration system. This includes:

Antibacterial pre-filter - this traps larger particles and helps to prevent final filter clogs

Activated carbon filter - uses surface absorption technology to resolve smaller odor molecules and vapours

High Efficiency Particulate Air (HEPA) filter - up to 99.97 per cent filtration efficiency, identical to those used in laboratories and hospital operating rooms

Antiviral filter - collects and destroys microscopic contaminants. Contains extracts from Ginkgo Biloba and Rhus javanica Linne plants, which have antiviral properties and are added to the filter in a soluble form and then dried before the filters are made.

The Air Wellness Power5 Pro was developed very carefully to offer a variety of benefits.

It offers antibacterial and virus reduction. It is quieter in operation and includes a setting to achieve this. With an automatic sleep mode, the Air Wellness Power5 Pro will operate quietly in a darkened room.

It features a light indication of room air quality and also has an adjustable automatic mode for different environments.

It is also a smaller design in terms of height and weight, with a convenient handle, and is very easy to clean, with a removable front cover.

Please consider this fact carefully: according to the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and multiple other sources, indoor air is two to five times more polluted than outdoor air on average, and in some U.S. regions it can be up 100 times more polluted, PLUS on average in the U.S. you will spend an astonishing 90% of your life indoors.

No matter how well you take care of yourself in terms of diet and exercise, it is very wise to limit your exposure to potential poisons and toxins -- including bacteria, viruses, allergens and mold, as well as human-produced chemicals and other toxins in the air -- if you wish to avoid disease.

Most of us still take the air we breathe for granted, and many years ago we could. But now you need to beware of the tens of thousands of new chemicals that have been created and can volatilize in your indoor home or work space -- and make you sick.

It is no secret that polluted outdoor air can be dangerous to your health, BUT did you know that indoor air pollution actually poses a FAR greater health risk to you and your family? In fact, about 50% of ALL illnesses are caused by or aggravated by indoor pollution.

Furthermore, most Americans are about to enter what is one of the most high-risk seasons of the year when it comes to indoor air quality and health -- mold season.

Mold is just one of the multiple indoor airborne health risks you need to be concerned with, but it is a particularly serious one. First, as you will learn below, it is a far more widespread problem than most people realize.

Second -- even more than most viruses and bacteria found in the air in typical American homes -- research has implicated mold and the mycotoxins in many health issues ranging from immune system suppression and muscle and joint pain to cancer, rheumatoid arthritis, and learning disabilities.

Additionally, 33 million Americans suffer from sinusitis, or inflammation or infection of sinus passages. Research has now confirmed that chronic sinusitis is an immune disorder caused by fungus of which molds are a member.

The health effects of indoor air pollutants range from short-term problems of eye and throat irritation to long-term illness of respiratory disease and cancer.

According to a recent Mayo Clinic Study, nearly all chronic sinus infections (afflicting 37 million Americans) are a result of molds. Molds (sometimes referred to as black molds, even though mold can come in a variety of colors) can cause a wide array of adverse responses in humans depending on the type and quantity that is present.

The health risks associated with mold exposure include, but are not limited to: allergic reactions, irritation associated with volatile organic compounds (VOCs), invasive disease, and mycotoxicosis. Infants, young children, the immune-compromised, and the elderly are at an increased risk of experiencing adverse health effects related to mold exposure.

Based on cancer risk alone, federal scientists have ranked indoor air pollution as one of the most important environmental problems in the US.

Here are more important facts I urge you to consider carefully about indoor air pollution:

· A pollutant released indoors is 1000 times more likely to reach people's lungs than a pollutant released outdoors. · While one to three times is the average (and that is bad enough!), many homes have airborne pollutant levels 25 to 100 times that of the air outside the home.

· Airborne pollutants from cleaning and personal care products you use in your home are three times as likely to cause cancer as pollutants from outside.

· 1500 hazardous substances can be found in the typical North American home.

· An estimated one out of every 15 homes in the United States has radon levels above 4pci/L, the U. S. Environmental Protection Agency-recommended action level. A recent report by the National Research Council estimates that radon is responsible for between 15,000 and 21,000 lung cancer deaths each year in the United States.

· Environmental tobacco smoke (ETS) also called "secondhand smoke," a major indoor air pollutant, contains about 4,000 chemicals, including 200 known poisons, such as formaldehyde and carbon monoxide, as well as 43 carcinogens.

· About 50% of ALL illnesses are caused by or aggravated by indoor pollution.

· Homemakers may have a 55% higher risk of cancer than women working outside the home.

· Air pollution is a prime contributor to lung disease and lung cancer. Lung disease alone claims close to 335,000 lives in America every year and is the third leading cause of death in the United States. Over the last decade, the death rate for lung disease has risen faster than for almost any other major disease.

· Ten million Americans have asthma. Asthma and asthma deaths have increased over 30% in the past 10 years and show no signs of slowing down.

· Thirty-three million Americans suffer from sinusitis (inflammation or infection of sinus passages).

· Biological pollutants such as molds, bacteria, viruses, pollen, dust mites, and animal dander promote poor indoor air quality and may be a major cause of days lost from work and school.

Those especially vulnerable to the health risks of indoor pollutants include infants, the elderly, those with heart and lung disease, people with asthma or ARD or OPD, and anyone who has developed extreme sensitivity to chemicals.

High Efficiency Particulate Air filter, or HEPA, technology is one of the most popular technologies used in air purifiers. An air purifier that is equipped with a HEPA filter is able to absorb 99.7% of all particles that are 0.03 microns and larger in size. Most harmful particles found in the air are measured to be about 0.03 microns or larger. To qualify as a "true" HEPA, the filter must allow no more than 3 particles out of 10,000 to penetrate the filtration media.

Negative ion purifiers re-create the same process that nature uses to keep the air fresh and clean.

To understand how these purifiers work, you need to first understand the role negative ions play in nature.

An ion is any atom that has a positive or a negative charge. A positively charged ion will seek a negatively charged one to unite with and then turn into something totally new and available. In nature, ions are generated in abundance wherever energy is transferred into the air such as ultra-violet light from the sun, or by lightning and thunderstorms.

Negative ions remove airborne contaminates from the air you breathe, and have a rejuvenating effect when interacting with your body -- especially your respiratory system.

Places we find energizing, such as in the mountains, near waterfalls and the beach have optimal concentrations of negative ions of at least 2,000 per cubic centimeter.
On the other hand, there are only a couple hundred negative ions per cubic cm. in the typical indoor environment. Scientific studies about negative ions have also shown that some people become moody, tired, depressed, or experience difficulty concentrating when negative ion counts are low, or when positive ion counts are high (such as in front of a computer monitor).

Negative Ion purifiers generate the negative ions that nature uses to significantly reduce the amount of dust and other particles in the air.

Most floating contaminates and allergens are positively charged. In environments where high densities of negative ions exist, they are able to reverse the charge of floating contaminates to a negative charge.

This results in a magnetic attraction among the floating pollutants in the air, causing them clump together. As a result, they become too heavy to remain floating and fall to the ground -- out of the air you breathe.

About the author Carolyn Barnes, J.D., CIWC, CPN, from ABEL Wellness and her work

Carolyn Barnes is an internationally certified wellness coach and consumer health advocate with over 25 years in the medical-legal field with a mission to inspire people on a global scale to embrace a better life by arming themselves with the Truth and developing the courage to take action. When one improves their own environment, one improves their community and elevates society to the benefit of people everywhere. She has authored and published articles, guides, and books on topics like wellness, health, medical-legal issues, and the environment, reaching millions of readers with information that is impacting lives and improving personal wellbeing around the world. She is an honest, independent researcher and reporter who accepts no money or commissions from large corporations or pharmaceutical corporations and does not condition publications or suppress information based on advertising dollars or revenue from any advertisers. Carolyn Barnes does use, recommend, and endorse Nikken products and technologies, including her life in a certified wellness home for over 5 years. Barnes will not endorse, recommend, or promote any product or technology that she does not personally use.

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