The health of our children begins with the air they breathe.
Certainly every mother and father wants to create a home environment that is healthy in every way. We are all aware that the chemicals produced by our modern way of life are increasingly compromising our environment. Some countries have had such serious contamination with heavy metals that national standards of normality have been changed to reflect the new reality that the “average” citizen of that nation is significantly contaminated with these dangerous substances. In these nations, what is currently considered “normal” would have been considered unacceptable levels of contamination just a few years ago.
A baby born today does not have the clean slate that we had.
A baby born today in Philadelphia (or your hometown) does not start out with the clean slate that our parents and grandparents had. Instead, that baby has already experienced exposure to these elements from his mother, who is contaminated.
While heavy metals are not the only problem in the air, the problems these substances cause can be considerable. Heavy metals damage or reduce the function of the central nervous system. They can cause damage to the lungs, the kidneys, the liver, and other vital organs. Long-term exposure can cause progressive physical, muscular, and neurological degenerative processes.
What can we do about these things that are so basic, so important, and so very alarming?
One thing we can do is to clean the air that is critical to health and well-being.
We are exposed to hundreds of pollutants in the air.
Urban and suburban families are exposed to hundreds of pollutants in the air. But even families who live in a more pristine environment in the countryside have agricultural pollutants, pollens, and molds to consider. Some countries have burn-off fires or forest fires. Other countries have “yellow sands” that are carried thousands of miles in the atmosphere and pollute the air for months.
What can we do to exercise some control over our own environment? Create an improved home environment through the use of air filters and purifiers.
HEPA air filters provide hospital-level technology to help clean the air at home. These filters have the advantage that they can be kept running 24 hours a day but the disadvantage that the filters must be kept very clean or the filters themselves become a cause of problems.
Molds and mildew are toxic, eliminating these from the air makes a huge difference.
Air purifiers can also be very effective. Ozone purifiers, for example, are excellent in eliminating bacteria, mold, and mildew. These contaminants can be critical in climates where humidity may be a problem for half the year or longer. All human beings are highly allergic to molds and mildew, so eliminating these elements from the air can make a huge difference, especially for a hurt child with significantly compromised respiratory system or the very young baby who is equally vulnerable. The danger with the ozone purifiers is that the same thing that makes them effective also poses dangers for us if we do not use them properly. We use our ozone purifiers as an air cleanser several times daily, but never when we are occupying the space. The ozone purifier runs when the house is empty, but when we return it is turned off. In this way, we can have the advantages of this effective technology without the risk of the adverse effects of ozone on the human body.
In our children we see greatly reduced colds, bronchitis, asthma, and other respiratory problems.
Many families choose to have both a HEPA system and an ozone purifier and thus gain the advantages of both. The HEPA runs around the clock and the ozone purifier perhaps 15 to 30 minutes twice a day. This double system can provide a much cleaner environment for the entire family. This helps to significantly reduce the exposure to those things that we cannot avoid once we leave the house. In many of our children we see greatly reduced colds, bronchitis, asthma, and other respiratory problems. In children with allergies, sensitivities, and intolerances, these conditions may also be significantly reduced.
This article is from The Institutes for the Achievement of Human Potential, and can be found here.