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Household Chemicals Increase Asthma Risk 2011 CDC reports asthma increased from 2.5% to 7.3% adults/ 3.5% to 9.4% children from 1980 to 2008. Studies show household chemicals may be responsible. Asthma is a medical condition that causes inflammation of the airways in the lungs, chest tightness, shortness of breath and coughing. Asthma affects more than 1 in 10 children and 1 in 12 adults in the United States. In addition to the steadily increasing rate of asthma sufferers, the number of asthma deaths per year has dramatically risen since 1980. Currently, 11 people die every day from asthma. Asthma costs our country over $56 billion per year in treatment, medications and lost wages, or a cost of over $3,000 per year for each person with asthma, according to the CDC publication, Vital Signs: Asthma in the US: Growing Every Year. LATEST INFORMATION PUBLISHED BY THE CDC: January 13, 2011: Asthma rates continue to climb! 2.5% adults/3.5% children in 1980 CDC Data and Statistics updated, 2008. 5.0% adults/7.5% children in 1995 CDC Data and Statistics updated, 2008. 7.2% adults/8.9% children in 2005 CDC Data and Statistics updated, 2010. 7.3% adults/9.4% children in 2008 CDC Data and Statistics updated, 2011. - Every day in America 40,000 people miss school or work, 30,000 people have an asthma attack, 5, 000 people visit the emergency room, 1,000 people are admitted to the hospital and 11 people die due to asthma. - Asthma accounts for one-quarter of all emergency room visits in the United States each year with 2 million emergency room visits in 2001. - Asthma rates in children under the age of five have increased more than 160% from 1980-1994 and continue to rise. Source: American Academy of Allergy, Asthma and Immunology Smoking has decreased by over 50% since 1980, fewer people have pets in the home, there are fewer plants and less pollen, new technologies have been developed to recover airborne factory emission releases, passenger vehicles are now all equipped the catalytic converters reduce emissions and annual testing in most areas ensure that the vehilces meet emission standards. Seems the old 'causes' of asthma have dramatically reduced while this chronic and expensive medical condition has grown rampant among our population. The CDC, which repeatedly states that the cause of asthma is not known, ought to try looking at how scientists cause asthma in the lab. They aren't using tobacco, animal dander, pollen or pollution. They are using phthalate esters to induce the inflammation and hypersensitivity in human lung tissue that is associated with asthma. Phthalate esters are a chemical component in plastics, cleaning products, body care products, and numerous household goods. While the old 'causes' of asthma have either remained stead or, as in the case of smoking and vehicle emissions, reduced, production of phthalate esters has increased almost in direct correlation with the increase in asthma. Hmm. So, phthalate ester production has increased and phthalate esters are used in the lab, in human lung tissue, to cause inflammation and hypersensitivity. If phthalate esters are used to cause asthma in the lab, do you think, just maybe, phthalate esters are the cause of asthma ourside the lab? Increasing Rates Since Early 1980's Asthma rates have been increasing since the early 1980's. Asthma symptoms increase with exposure to pollen, animal dander and cigarette smoke. This cannot be the cause of the increasing rates of asthma over the last 30 years considering fewer people own animals, there are fewer plants that products pollen and the rate of smokers is around half of what it was in the 1980's. So, why isn't the rate of asthma going down? Since the early 1980's, asthma rates have increased dramatically. Even worse - the rate of increase in children under five has risen over 160% since the early 1980's. Currently, 1 in 10 children and one in 15 adults has asthma. Asthma is the Direct Cause of Death 11 Americans per Day and the Indirect Cause of Death of 19 More Americans per Day Asthma is a major source of suffering in our society with 11 deaths per day, increased by 50% since 1980. There are an additional 7,000 deaths per year, or approximately 19 more deaths per day in which asthma was a contributing factor. Asthma plays a role in the death of 30 Americans each and every day. Two million emergency room visits, 10 million outpatient visits and 500,000 hospitalizations are associated with asthma per year. Nearly half of the hospitalizations are children, causing asthma to be the third leading cause of hospitalizations for children. Annual cost of over $56 BILLION The costs to society associated with asthma is over $56 billion per year or approximately $3,300 per person with asthma, according to the CDC publication, Vital Signs: Asthma in the US: Growing Every Year.. Pharmaceuticals make up a large portion of the cost at $6 billion annually. Direct medical costs associated with asthma total over 15 billion per year while indirect costs, such as lost work time, account for over 5 billion each year. In addition to the financial loss, asthma accounts for 13 million missed school days each year for children with asthma. Risks of Medications Include Death Asthma medications include the risk of numerous side effects, one of which is death from asthma symptoms. The side effects of inhaled corticosteroids, such as albuterol include: slowed growth, nervousness, tremor, headache, palpitations, fast heart rate, elevated blood pressure, nausea, dizziness, heartburn, throat irritation, nosebleeds, rash, hives, swelling, bronchospasm, anaphyliaxis, worsening of diabetes, lowering of potassium and can precipitate a life-threatening brochospasm. Side effects from long-acting beta2-agonist medicine (LABA), such as Dulera, increase the risk of hospitalization for asthma and increase the risk of death from asthma symptoms. Other side effects inlude: fever, feeling tired, pain, nausea, body aches, vomiting, chills, osteoporosis, rash, hives, swelling of the face/mouth/tongue, breathing problems, chest problems, blood pressure problems, fast/irregular heartbeat, headache, tremor, nervousness, dizziness, weakness, seizures. A New Look at Studies Showing Risk Factors Dust contains all of the common-knowledge risks such as dust mites and their waste, cockroach waste, animal dander, pollen and settled pollutants. All of these have been shown to increase asthma symptoms. Asthma has a genetic component. If only one parent has asthma, chances are 1 in 3 that each child will have asthma. If both parents have asthma, it is much more likely (7 in 10) that their children will have asthma. Phthalates, a class of chemicals used to make plastics softer, create fragrances for personal care products as well as cleaning products and are a main component of lotions and creams to improve a smooth-flowing consistency, have been repeatedly shown to increase the risk of developing asthma, as well as increase the frequency, duration and severity of asthma attacks. Certain phthalates were banned in toys intended for children by President Bush in 2008, leading the way for slightly decreased exposure for small children. However, these chemicals are in other products, such as cleaning and body care products, plastic food dishes, plastics food storage bags, plastic flooring and plastic shower curtains. PlasticsNet. has published an article relating to the health risks associated with plastics, "Toward Safer Plastics That Lock In Potentially Harmful Plasticizers" explains that the plastics industry is aware that there is a problem, but it seems that consumers are not aware of the risks. Athough bisphenol A has not been studied in relation to asthma as well as phthalates, currently it has come into the spotlight as a chemical that increases the risk of a developing fetus to develop asthma after exposure while in the womb. The US Environmental Protection Agency has created an "Asthma Forum" in an effort to provide consumers with information regarding the environmental causes, or contributing factors, to development and severity of asthma symptoms. According to the US EPA publication, Care for Your Air: A Guide to Indoor Air Quality, improving indoor air quality plays a large part in reducing asthma and allergy symptoms. The EPA has also stated that indoor air is up to 10 times more polluted than outdoor air because of chemicals, such as cleaning, personal care and dry cleaning, used in the home. The scientific research from all over the world quoted below shows a very strong connection to chemicals in body care and cleaning products that contribute to asthma and allergies, as well as a number of other adverse health conditions. The studies just keep piling up - here's 12 different independent studies that demonstrate a connection between phthalate exposure and asthma as well as eczema. When will it end? It can end right now for you and your family. Non-Toxic Cleaning Guide gives you the information you need to get rid of phthalate saturated cleaning products. Non-Toxic Body Care gives you the information you need to remove most body care products. Eliminate soft plastics food storage bags and containers and toys. Switch to a fabric shower curtain, they last a lot longer anyway and are washable. I truthfully love mine. In addition, you’ll save a ton of money by reducing or eliminating expensive products, medications, trips to the doctor and emergency room. The gas savings alone will amaze you. You’ll have more time to enjoy life, without the fear of your or your child or loved being one of those eleven people who die every day from asthma. Please share this information with everyone you can so you can help reduce asthma. Thank you. RESOURCES: Vital Signs: Asthma in the US: Growing Every Year CDC Data and Statistics CDC Data and Statistics CDC Data and Statistics American Academy of Allergy, Asthma and Immunology Asthma Forum Care for Your Air: A Guide to Indoor Air Quality May 2010: An assessment of the ability of phthalates to influence immune and allergic responses. Faculty of Life Sciences, University of Manchester, Michael Smith Building, Oxford Road, Manchester, M13 9PT, UK The epidemiological data provide some evidence that exposure to phthalates may be associated with increased risk of development of allergies and asthma, however, the lack of objective exposure information limits the interpretation. PMID: 20371260 [PubMed - indexed for MEDLINE] April 2010: Phthalate exposure and asthma in children. Public Health Sciences, Karlstad University, Karlstad, Sweden Thus, some of the early key mechanisms in the pathology of allergic asthma could possibly be targeted by phthalate exposure. PMID: 20059582 [PubMed - indexed for MEDLINE] March 2010: Dibutyl phthalate-induced thymic stromal lymphopoietin is required for Th2 contact hypersensitivity responses. Department of Immunology, University of Washington, Seattle, WA These data suggest that skin-derived dendritic cells are direct or indirect targets of TSLP in the development of type 2 immune responses in the skin, where TSLP drives their maturation, accumulation in skin draining lymph nodes, and ability to induce proliferation of naive allergen-specific T cells. PMID: 20173025 [PubMed - indexed for MEDLINE] February 2010: Maternal bisphenol a exposure promotes the development of experimental asthma in mouse pups. Department of Pediatrics, Child Health Research Center, University of Texas Medical Branch, Galveston, TX 77555-0366, USA. Perinatal exposure to BPA enhances allergic sensitization and bronchial inflammation and responsiveness in a susceptible animal model of asthma. PMID: 20123615 [PubMed - indexed for MEDLINE] February 2010: Mono(2-ethylhexyl) phthalate induces both pro- and anti-inflammatory responses in rat alveolar macrophages through crosstalk between p38, the lipoxygenase pathway and PPARalpha. Department of Air Pollution and Noise, Division of Environmental Medicine, Norwegian Institute of Public Health, Oslo, Norway Airway inflammation is important in asthma pathogenesis. Recent epidemiological data have indicated an association between asthma symptoms in children and exposure to di(2-ethylhexyl) phthalate (DEHP). PMID: 19938896 [PubMed - indexed for MEDLINE] January 2010: Allergy-related cytokines (IL-4 and TNF-alpha) are induced by Di(2-ethylhexyl) phthalate and attenuated by plant-originated glycoprotein (75 kDa) in HMC-1 cells. Molecular Biochemistry Laboratory, Biotechnology Research Institute and Center for the Control of Animal Hazards Using Biotechnology (BK21), Chonnam National University, 300 Yongbong-Dong, Gwang-ju 500-757, South Korea Phthalate esters as plasticizers have been widespread in the environment and may be associated with development of allergic diseases such as asthma and atopic dermatitis(eczema). PMID: 19938896 [PubMed - indexed for MEDLINE] September 2009: Phthalate ester-induced thymic stromal lymphopoietin mediates allergic dermatitis in mice. Drug Discovery Research, Kyoto R&D Centre, Maruho Co., Ltd, Chudoji, Kyoto, Japan. Taken together, DBP-induced TSLP during the sensitization phase plays a role in establishing FITC-induced CHS and may be one of the causes of Th2 commitment in the model, suggesting that certain environmental toxins, such as DBP, may endow pro-allergic and atopic predisposition in humans or animals. PMID: 19740346 [PubMed - indexed for MEDLINE] July 2008: The role of exposure to phthalates from polyvinyl chloride products in the development of asthma and allergies: a systematic review and meta-analysis. Institute of Occupational and Environmental Medicine, University of Birmingham, Birmingham, United Kingdom Epidemiologic studies show associations between phthalate exposure in the home and asthma and allergies. PMID: 18629304 [PubMed - indexed for MEDLINE] October, 2007: Home Spray Cleaners Could Raise Asthma Risk: Spritzing just once a week boosted odds by 50%, study found U.S. National Library of Medicine, 8600 Rockville Pike, Bethesda, MD 20894 National Institutes of Health | Department of Health & Human Services "Cleaning sprays, especially air fresheners, furniture cleaners and glass cleaners, had a particularly strong effect. The risk of developing asthma increased with the frequency of cleaning and number of different sprays used, but on average was 30 to 50 percent higher in people regularly exposed to cleaning sprays than in others," said the study's lead author, Jan-Paul Zock, a research fellow at the Centre for Research in Environmental Epidemiology at the Municipal Institute of Medical Research in Barcelona, Spain. "Cleaning compounds are generally just tested to make sure that they don't kill people or cause cancer," noted Dr. David Rosenstreich, director of the division of allergy and immunology in the department of medicine at Montefiore Medical Center and Albert Einstein College of Medicine in New York City. "But, these products may not be safe for asthmatics to breathe in. And, if it's not safe for asthmatics, it's probably not safe for anyone else," he said. US News and World Report August 2007: Indoor residential chemical emissions as risk factors for respiratory and allergic effects in children: a review. Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory, Indoor Environment Department, Berkeley, CA 94720, USA A growing body of research has associated household chemical emissions with risk of asthma, allergies, and pulmonary infections. Elevated risks were also reported for renovation and cleaning activities, new furniture, and carpets or textile wallpaper. Composite wood materials that emit formaldehyde, flexible plastics that emit plasticizers, and new paint have all been associated with increased risks of respiratory and allergic health effects in children. Elevated risks were also reported for renovation and cleaning activities, new furniture, and carpets or textile wallpaper. PMID: 17661923 [PubMed - indexed for MEDLINE] March, 2007: Association between personal exposure to volatile organic compounds and asthma among US adult population. Division of Health Services Research, Department of Family and Community Medicine, Texas Tech University Health Sciences Center, 3601 4th St, STOP 8161, Lubbock, TX, 79430, USA Quote: OBJECTIVES: There is growing concern about adverse respiratory health effects from exposure to indoor air pollution. The purpose of this study was to analyze association between exposure to volatile organic compounds (VOC) and asthma in adults. CONCLUSION: In this cross-sectional study of a representative sample of the US population, environmental exposures to VOCs, especially aromatic compounds, were associated with adverse respiratory effects. PMID: 15633477 [PubMed - indexed for MEDLINE] June, 2006: Cleaning products and air fresheners: emissions and resulting concentrations of glycol ethers and terpenoids. Atmospheric Sciences Department, Environmental Energy Technologies Division, Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory, Berkeley, CA 94720, USA Quote: PRACTICAL IMPLICATIONS: While effective cleaning can improve the healthfulness of indoor environments, this work shows that use of some consumer cleaning agents can yield high levels of volatile organic compounds, including glycol ethers--which are regulated toxic air contaminants--and terpenes that can react with ozone to form a variety of secondary pollutants including formaldehyde and ultrafine particles. Persons involved in cleaning, especially those who clean occupationally or often, might encounter excessive exposures to these pollutants owing to cleaning product emissions. PMID: 16583937 [PubMed - indexed for MEDLINE] October 2004: The association between asthma and allergic symptoms in children and phthalates in house dust: a nested case-control study. Swedish National Testing and Research Institute, Borås, Sweden Global phthalate ester production has increased from very low levels at the end of World War II to approximately 3.5 million metric tons/year. This study shows that phthalates, within the range of what is normally found in indoor environments, are associated with allergic symptoms in children. Given the phthalate exposures of children worldwide, the results from this study of Swedish children have global implications. PMID: 15471731 [PubMed - indexed for MEDLINE] |
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Sunflower Naturals
Sunflower Naturals
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