A healthy and pleasing personal environment can both improve your mood and affect your immune system and physical health. Unfortunately there may also be things in your personal environment that can make you sick.

Our toxic world

There has been a sharp increase in our potential exposure to environmental toxins, approximately 80 000 and counting, over the past decades. A toxin is defined as a substance or mixture that can cause harm to a living organism. It includes things such as industrial chemicals, heavy metals, food additives, preservatives, plastic compounds and pesticides.

Research findings have revealed a definite link between our physical environment and surroundings and our physical and mental wellbeing. Our surroundings can either stress us out and make us ill or make us feel happy, healthy, safe and sound. The positive outcome will, however, depend on how successful we are in decreasing our toxic load.

Indoor air quality

    • Inhaling the spores of mould or dust can exacerbate and contribute to the development of chronic, respiratory diseases and allergies
    • Second-hand smoke exposes non-smokers to more than 4000 toxic compounds of which more than 50 have been found to cause cancer
    • Chemicals used for cleaning the home, insect repellents, standard heating or ventilation systems and even pet dander can negatively affect air quality
    • Some materials such as paints, polyvinyl chloride (PV) and formaldehyde, used during or after the construction of your home, can cause asthma and other respiratory diseases as well as eye, nose and throat irritation, fatigue; skin rashes and allergic reactions.

Water quality

    • Lead piping can cause lead to enter into the drinking water. Even low levels of lead can cause nerve and brain damage and miscarriages. Children are particularly vulnerable
    • Excessive amounts of chloride and fluoride in the water can inhibit iodine binding in the body. Iodine helps our bodies get rid of toxic, heavy metals such as lead and mercury
    • Groundwater can become contaminated in many ways, for example through sewage leakages
    • Also, beware of bisphenol A (BPA), a cancer-causing chemical often used in the manufacture of plastic water bottles.

Food quality

    • Foods can become unhealthy when they contain artificial colours or flavours or when they have been grown and preserved with pesticides and other chemicals
    • Be especially careful of eating fish from contaminated waterways. High mercury levels in fish can interfere with the brain and nervous system. Pregnant women and children are especially vulnerable
    • Iodine is displaced in our bodies by environmental toxins such as bromide, pesticides and food additives as well as some modern farming techniques.

Visual pollution

    • A cluttered, dirty or very “busy” and confusing environment can make it difficult to concentrate, cause stress and agitation levels to rise and make us sick.

Sound pollution

    • Consistent load noise can increase anxiety and stress and cause hearing impairment. Noise-induced stress can, over the long term, lead to more serious disorders such as heart disease, high blood pressure and stroke.

Electromagnetic fields

    • Most of us use a computer, cook with a microwave, chat on a cell phone, listen to the radio and watch TV in our homes. All these devices have electromagnetic fields that may or may not (the final word in not yet out) have toxic effects on our bodies.

What you can do to improve your environment

    • Keep bathrooms (and other humid areas) clean and dry
    • Stop smoking if you still do and stay away from smokers
    • Make sure your water source is clean and free of toxins. Boil and filter drinking water as an extra precaution
    • Try not to eat foods with artificial colours or flavours or those that have been grown and preserved with pesticides and other chemicals
    • Be especially careful of eating fish from contaminated waterways
    • De-clutter and order your personal space
    • Create a healing space in your home even if it only consists of one room. Use environmental features characteristic of nature such as soft, natural colour, water, sunlight, plants, natural materials and an exterior view or vista
    • Sound and noise-proof your environment as best you can
    • Stay on the safe side and limit exposure to electromagnetic fields as much as possible
    • Use your common sense and stay away from any chemicals that may potentially harm you.

 

Sources

How does your personal environment impact your wellbeing? Retrieved from: http://www.takingcharge.csh.umn.edu/enhance-your-wellbeing/environment/your-personal-environment/how-does-your-personal-environment-impa
Kreitzer, M.J. The healing power of nature. Retrieved from: http://www.takingcharge.csh.umn.edu/taking-charge-blog/-healing-power-nature
Totten, D. 2015. Ten ways to lower your toxic exposure. Retrieved from: www.naturalmedicine.co.za
What is personal environmental health? Retrieved from: http://www.takingcharge.csh.umn.edu/enhance-your-wellbeing/environment/your-personal-environment/what-personal-environmental-health