| Many people think that various household products | | | | with allergies, sinus congestion, asthma and more |
| with nice smells like scented laundry detergent or | | | | - Many fragrances contain chemicals that were made |
| dryer sheets, shampoos, cosmetics, and cleaning | | | | to change your mood. This means that they can and |
| products are made from flowers or natural flower | | | | do change the chemicals in your brain. |
| essences. This was true many years ago, but today | | | | - The chemicals from synthetic fragrances can also |
| the vast majority of these products are made from | | | | make it harder for you to pay attention or |
| petroleum or petro-chemicals. This creates potential | | | | concentrate, to remember things and to think clearly |
| health problems for everyone who uses these | | | | - The term air freshener is really misleading. First of |
| products. It also creates sometimes serious health | | | | all, fresh air does not have an odor, second of all, |
| problems for those who are asthmatic or chemically | | | | adding another chemical to the air to try to cover |
| sensitive and have serious reactions to synthetic | | | | the smell does not make that air more fresh, it |
| fragrances. | | | | actually makes it more toxic |
| Facts About Fragrances | | | | - According to the American Academy of Allergy, |
| - At least 1 person in every 5 gets sick from | | | | Asthma, and Immunology, most people with asthma |
| breathing scented products that others wear | | | | react to synthetic fragrance exposure and |
| - The National Academy of Sciences, (a US | | | | experience a reduction in lung function |
| Government agency), says that scented products | | | | Avoid Wearing Scented Products in Public |
| are "toxic to the brain" | | | | So what does all this mean? At the very least, you |
| - The AMA, the EPA and the American Lung | | | | need to avoid using products that contain synthetic |
| Association (ALA) all agree that fragrances can make | | | | fragrances in public. Remember, this is not just |
| asthma and respiratory problems worse | | | | perfume, but makeup, deodorant, aftershave, laundry |
| - Even the U.S. Fragrance Association (an organization | | | | detergent and more. It is especially important that |
| that promotes fragrances) recommends that scented | | | | you change your laundry detergent, fabric softener |
| products only be used if they are not detectable at | | | | and dryer sheets to scent-free brands, as these stick |
| an arm's length distance away | | | | to your clothes and impact the air space of others all |
| - When you are smelling the scent, you are breathing | | | | day long. If you are around others and are wearing |
| in the chemicals. So if someone is close to you and | | | | scented products, you will more than likely be causing |
| can smell the fragrance from your scented laundry | | | | reactions without even knowing you are doing it. Do |
| detergent or perfume, they (and you!) are breathing | | | | you really want to make other people ill? |
| in the chemicals | | | | You might also want to consider eliminating all use of |
| - Petrochemical compounds, which are in most | | | | scented products for the sake of your own |
| scented products, can enter the body through the | | | | long-term health, even if you don't have any |
| skin | | | | chemically sensitive or asthmatic family members or |
| - Adverse reactions caused by fragrances include | | | | friends. In fact, many people who never thought |
| headaches, migraines, sinus problems, sore and | | | | they were sensitive to chemicals are surprised to see |
| hoarse throat, lung and throat swelling and asthma | | | | their health improve when they reduce their own |
| reactions | | | | exposure to everyday household chemicals. Often |
| - Scented products, including perfumes, laundry | | | | headaches, fatigue and memory improve as well as |
| detergents, dryer sheets and more can stick to | | | | other symptoms that you may not associate with |
| clothes and your body throughout the day, and still | | | | exposure to chemicals that you use every day. So |
| cause reactions in others hours after you put them | | | | next time you go to buy laundry detergent or other |
| on | | | | household and personal care products, choose a |
| - In fact, laundry detergents with fragrances are | | | | fragrance-free one, for your health, your family's |
| designed to be long lasting, and hence release | | | | health and that of others you encounter throughout |
| chemicals all day long. These scents can and do | | | | the day! |
| remain even after several washings for many weeks | | | | Copyright 2008 Karen Pijuan. This article may be |
| - Fabric softener is made specifically to stick to | | | | copied only in its entirety and only if all links, including |
| clothes, but it does often flake off as you wear it, | | | | those in the resource box or the about-the-author |
| and these flakes can irritate the airways of people | | | | section, remain intact. |