The Smell of Good Health

January 5th, 2014

In my practice, I am noticing a trend of worsening allergies or new allergies.  Upon further investigation, some people mention that they have started using a new room fragrance, detergent, or scented personal hygiene products.  Grocery stores and drug stores aisles are filled with products full of scented items.  Trash bags now even come with a scent!  I think much of this is overkill and potentially harmful to our health.  Much of these perfumed items are created in labs with chemicals, often containing hydrocarbons.  If you have small children, this is especially dangerous.  Because children are smaller, they are more sensitive to small amounts of chemicals in their environment.  They are also more likely to put things in their mouths or crawl along the floor, where dust mixed with chemicals is likely to accumulate.

I recommend reducing the amount of fragrance in the home and on your body.  Here are some tips:

• Buy detergent that is fragrance free and use less of it.  We put way too much detergent in our washing machines and as a result much of it remains in our clothes or in the machine.  These chemicals can irritate the skin and cause rashes.  The next time you do laundry, put half the amount of detergent that is recommended by the package instructions.  Trust me, your clothes will still be clean.
• Still not convinced? Put some “clean” towels into the washing machine, let it run with no detergent.  Halfway through the rinse cycle, open the machine.  If you see suds or smell detergent, that means there is detergent that is in the machine or embedded in your towels.
• Avoid fabric softener/dryer sheets.
• Do not use reed diffusers, scented candles, plug-in air fresheners, or room sprays.  Instead, you could use fresh flowers such as lilies or fresh slices of lemon or lime.  One trick I like to do is to simmer water on the stove and add cinnamon powder or ginger (it also makes a great tea that you can drink).
• Purchase a HEPA air purifier for rooms that consistently smell.  The key is to remove the odors, not cover them with more indoor “pollution”.  Certain houseplants are a natural way of cleaning the air.
• Buy lotions, creams, body washes, soaps, deodorants and shampoos that are fragrance-free.  If you have sensitive skin, you should also look for items that are hypo-allergenic.  Avoid any products containing “herbal” or “fruit” ingredients;  many of them are irritating to the skin.
• Allow your living areas to air out at least once a day.  Open a window in each room for about 5 minutes.  Many home items such as synthetic rugs, wall paints, floor finishes, and plastic items can emit small amounts of toxic fumes each day.  Because our homes are so well-insulated, many of these chemicals linger and accumulate in our homes.
• Buy home furnishings that are made of natural materials.  Avoid synthetic materials such as polyester or plastic.
• Have a friend come over your home and ask them what they smell.  Sometimes, we get accustomed to the way our home smells that we don’t realize it may be overpowering.

There is nothing “natural” about the scented products we buy.  As always, I believe in moderation.  If you must have some scents to mask some odors or create a mood, go ahead.  Just make sure they don’t end up getting you sick!