There is much research now about the harmful effects of common household pesticides, insecticides and herbicides, and the findings are of huge concern.
In short, these highly toxic substances have been found to cause life harming and threatening diseases such as respiratory damage, neurological damage, endocrine disruption, reproductive damage and unexplained headaches and nausea to name only a few. A 2002 study links exposure to household pesticides to increased risk of childhood leukemia and further studies show links to Autism, behavioural and mood disorders such as ADD/ADHD along with other learning difficulties.
Although most of us really do not enjoy the buzzing of flies, jumping of fleas, crawling of ants or scuttle of rodents in our home, are the 'old school' convenient chemical solutions really worth compromising our health?
We have put together the best advice we have found on how to control critters in your home naturally, safely and as inexpensively as possible. And the common theme is PREVENTION!
NB: We recommend that once you have eliminated pesticide products from your home that you do a thorough clean of all surfaces, including floors, ceilings and walls using a non-toxic soap based product to remove any toxic residues left behind from previous chemical use.
INDOORS
OUTDOORS
Pesticides can take the form of a solid, liquid, powder or spray. The form will influence the way in which the pesticide can enter your body and potentially affect your health.
Pesticides can enter your body if you:
If you minimize your exposure and take care when you come into contact with pesticides, you will reduce the chance of damaging your health.
Poisoning by exposure to pesticides may occur shortly after a single exposure (acute poisoning) or gradually after repeated exposures over a period of time (chronic poisoning).
Symptoms of acute poisoning from pesticides may begin shortly after exposure and may include:
More severe poisoning may also lead to changes in heart rate, chest tightness, muscle weakness and twitching, difficulty breathing and walking, constricted pupils and incontinence. In very severe cases of poisoning, seizures and unconsciousness may occur. Seek emergency medical advice.
Symptoms may occur gradually, after repeated exposures over a period of time, and may include:
The type of symptoms you have, how long they last and how severe they are may vary depending on factors such as:
Many of the potential symptoms are not specific to pesticide poisoning – they may be due to other conditions, such as illness or allergy. You should always consult your doctor for an accurate diagnosis of symptoms.
Although anyone may be affected by exposure to pesticides, certain groups of people are particularly susceptible including:
Comments will be approved before showing up.
In this blog we look at this really murky pool of information about microfiber, its Positives, Negatives, the alternatives, and how green those alternatives are.
When I say murky, I really mean really murky. You can find a bunch of info saying how bad microfibre is, written by companies that promote/ sell alternatives, and then when one starts digging into the alternatives, you learn that they are not so squeaky clean either.
We're well aware of the health risks linked to heavy metals, pesticides, and herbicides. However, many traditional household and personal care products harbor less-discussed hazardous ingredients that contribute to the toxic load in our bodies. This accumulation of toxins, termed “body burden,” can potentially disrupt hormones, compromise the immune system, and heighten sensitivity to allergens.
Here are some straightforward yet impactful ways to reduce your family's exposure to toxins this year: