Just-Published Study Shows Common Household Activities Cause Bone-Damaging Indoor Pollution - Save Our Bones

Air pollution. The words probably conjure an image of smokestacks belching toxic fumes skyward. However, a brand new study shows that the air inside your home can easily become polluted due to common household activities, such as cooking, cleaning, and bathing,

Today we're going to explore this seldom-mentioned topic and give you simple steps you can take to help clear the air. Preventing the accumulation of toxins in the air protects your liver, your bones, and your whole body.

Household Chores Create Bone-Damaging Indoor Pollution

We think of our homes as a safe place, where we can relax and recharge. But the typical activities everyone engages in at home — cooking meals, taking a bath or shower, doing laundry, cleaning the house — create significant levels of indoor air pollution on par with the polluted outdoor air in a major city, according to new research from the University of Colorado Boulder.1

To the researchers' surprise, they found that even making toast caused a rise in indoor particulate pollutant levels.1

Reducing indoor air pollution is essential for your overall health and, surprisingly, for your bone health as well. Studies have shown that air pollution — whether indoors or outdoors — is a risk factor for osteoporosis.2 Some environmental pollutants can get lodged in bone, causing bone to become a lifetime “reservoir” for heavy metals such as lead, mercury, aluminum, and cadmium.3 These metals bind with calcium, creating a biological toxic waste dump in the body, decreasing levels of Vitamin D and bone-forming cells or osteoblasts, and increasing bone-resorbing cells or osteoclasts — all of which can lead to low bone mass and osteoporosis.4

In addition, air pollution, like all toxins, causes chronic inflammation in the body, which has been scientifically proven to reduce bone mineral density (BMD) and increase the risk of fracture.5

Synopsis

Indoor air pollution is a threat to bones. Environmental pollutants, whether from smokestacks or everyday household activities (cooking, cleaning, etc.), cause inflammation, decrease levels of Vitamin D and bone-forming cells, all of which contribute to osteoporosis.

Proper Liver Function Is Vital For Bone Health

As Savers know, the liver functions as the body's “processing plant.” A healthy liver is responsible for overall health, including bone health. Air pollution causes the liver to work much harder than it should, elevating liver enzymes and even increasing the risk of cardiovascular disease.6

It follows that an overworked liver can affect every system in the body.

Here are some of the essential functions your liver performs:

  • Produces a Vitamin D precursor, and converts D3 into a hormone. Vitamin D is essential for bone health.
  • Processes Vitamin K, which works with Vitamin D to regulate osteoclast formation.
  • Synthesizes proteins, enzymes, hormones, and the clotting factors and cholesterol necessary to transport these substances to the proper place.
  • Cleanses and detoxifies the blood of toxins and contaminants such as bacteria, viruses, parasites, pesticides, chemicals, food additives, drugs, and medications.
  • Serves as an emergency “storehouse” of vitamins, minerals and glycogen.

How do you know if your liver is overworked? Key signs include:

  • Abdominal bloating or fullness.
  • Potbelly. Liver-related abdominal fat tends to be held higher than typical belly fat, due to the liver's location in the upper right abdominal area.
  • Difficulty digesting fats. Fat digestion is necessary for the absorption of fat-soluble Vitamins A, D, E and K, which are essential for bone remodeling.
  • Inability to lose weight, regardless of calorie cutting and exercise. The liver regulates metabolism, so when it is overtaxed, your entire body becomes sluggish.

Synopsis

The liver plays a key role in bone health. Indoor air pollution causes the liver to overwork which can lead to detrimental health conditions, including cardiovascular disease. If you have abdominal bloating, difficulty digesting fats, or losing weight, an overstressed liver may be the cause.

4 Simple Changes To Reduce Your Exposure To Indoor Toxins

Cleaning up the air in your home is easier than you might think. Here are four easy ways to create a healthier home environment.

1. Ditch Toxic Household Cleaners

Conventional household cleaning products contain toxic ingredients.

For example, many commercial cleaning products contain ammonia, which causes kidney and liver damage, and is neurotoxic. The same is true of oven degreasers, conventional carpet cleaners, and all-purpose cleaners. They often contain endocrine disruptors, neurotoxins, skin irritants, chemicals that cause respiratory distress, and carcinogens.

Today, with many more household cleaning choices than even a generation ago, it's easy to find natural products that won’t harm you. You can also make your own cleaning products using common household ingredients, such as vinegar, lemon juice, and baking soda.

2. Open A Window

We live in an age of hermetically sealed buildings, which significantly contribute to indoor air pollution. The fumes from every product used (including incomplete combustion from gas stoves) remain in the air and disperse throughout the house.

The researchers discovered that even the simple act of boiling water on the stove increases levels of gaseous air pollutants and suspended particulates, which negatively impacts health.1

In the Osteoporosis Reversal Program we recommend opening windows every day to remove indoor air pollution. It's a simple step you can take to, quite literally, clear the air — and save your bones.

3. Maintain Low Humidity In Your Home

High humidity encourages mold growth, so keeping your home with low moisture will prevent this. Many people are sensitive or allergic to mold, which can lead to upper respiratory tract symptoms, such as coughing, sneezing, and wheezing. Also, make sure you repair leaky roofs, pipes, and windows right away.

4. Regularly Change Or Clean The Air Conditioner And Furnace Filters

This will prevent the accumulation of unwanted dust and pollution particles. Also, make sure you vacuum clean often.

Synopsis

By choosing non-toxic cleaning and personal care products (or making your own), opening windows in your home, maintaining low humidity indoors, and vacuuming often, you'll significantly reduce indoor air pollution and protect your bones.

More Bone-Smart Steps To Stay Toxin-Free

Unfortunately, it's impossible to avoid all the toxins that bombard us daily in our modern world. That's why Savers know they need to take as many steps as possible to keep their liver healthy to protect their bones. Some of these key steps include:

Opting For Organic Foods

Since consumer demand for organic foods is on the rise, many farms are transitioning to organic to meet this demand for healthier produce.8

Limiting Alcohol Consumption

While certain alcoholic beverages contain some bone-protective ingredients , such as resveratrol in red wine and silicon in beer, alcoholic beverages are acidifying, and often contain toxins such as pesticides, GMOs, arsenic, and the insidious propylene glycol.

Consuming Liver-Protective Foods

As Savers know, you can support liver health and strengthen your bones with your food choices. For example, fiber-rich cruciferous vegetables and alkalizing smoothies help to clear your body's detoxification pathways and accelerate bone growth.

Reading Labels On Personal Care Products

Believe it or not, industrial chemicals are prevalent in common skin care and hair care products. Look carefully at the ingredients in each of your personal care products.

Propylene glycol, for example, is a petroleum-based chemical used in brake fluid and antifreeze — and, thanks to its water retention properties, is also added to facial moisturizers and hair conditioners. Similarly, triethanolamine (TEA), an emulsifier found in shaving creams and gels, is an endocrine disruptor and carcinogen. One of the most common chemical additives, sodium lauryl sulfate, shows up in everything from facial cleanser to toothpaste, due to its foaming and lathering qualities.

You can make your own non-toxic, bone-healthy personal care products, as well as become a more aware consumer. Long, unpronounceable words, or those with numbers in the name, such as paradichlorobenzene, or sodium C14-16 & olefin sulfonate, are chemically-derived.

Another healthy solution is using the highly alkalizing lemon, which boosts liver health, cardiovascular health, and overall immunity, thereby protecting your bones. Lemons have a legion of personal care uses, including moisturizing your skin, strengthening nails, treating canker sores, and as the main ingredient in skin wipes.

Including Milk Thistle For Liver Support

Milk thistle, long recognized as a therapeutic plant for treating liver conditions, has a wide range of healing and protective properties. Its active compound, silymarin, triggers liver cell regeneration, increases glutathione levels, and has been scientifically proven to improve bone density.10

Working Up A Sweat

Researchers have found that exercise expels toxins via perspiration.9 The skin is the body's largest organ of elimination (the others are the bowel, kidneys, liver, lungs, and intestines), so it makes sense that exercise is an excellent way to clear toxic build-up.

Synopsis

In addition to the five simple steps you can take to reduce indoor air pollution, you can support your liver and bones with appropriate lifestyle choices. These include eating organic as much as possible, limiting your intake of alcohol, including the liver-protective herb milk thistle, and exercising regularly.

Treating Your Home With Love

To protect the health of your body, your bones, and also of your loved ones that live in your household, take the time to read product labels and make more prudent home care, personal care, food, and lifestyle choices.

Stop Worrying About Your Bone Loss

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References:

1 “A hidden source of air pollution? Your daily household tasks”, AAAS, Public Release 17-Feb-2019. Web. https://www.eurekalert.org/pub_releases/2019-02/uoca-ahs021219.php/%3C/small%3E%3C/em

2 Tuan V Nguyen, “Air pollution: a largely neglected risk factor for osteoporosis.” The LANCET, November 2017. Web. https://www.thelancet.com/journals/lanplh/article/PIIS2542-5196(17)30143-2/ full text

3 Bellinger DC, “The protean toxicities of lead: new chapters in a familiar story.” Int J Environ Res Pub Health. 2011; 8: 2593-2628. Web. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/21845148

4 Cranney C, Horsly T, O’Donnell S, Weiler H, Ooi D, Atkinson S, et al., “Effectiveness and safety of vitamin D in relation to bone health” AHRQ Publication No. 07-E013. Rockville, MD: Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality, 2007. Web. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK74011/

5 Kuang-His Change, MSc et al., “Exposure to Air pollution Increases the Risk of Osteoporosis”, Medicine (Baltimore), 2015 May; 98(17): e733. Web. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4603067/

6 Markevych, Iana et al., “Air Pollution and Liver Enzymes”, Epidemiology, November 2013 Vol. 24 – Issue 6. Web. https://journals.lww.com/epidem/fulltext/2013/11000/Air_Pollution_and_Liver_Enzymes.20.aspx

7 Steinemann AC, MacGregor IC, Gordon SM. “Fragranced consumer products: chemicals emitted, ingredients unlisted.” Environ. Impact Assess. Rev. 2011;31(3):328–333. Web. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5093181/

8 Sarich, Christina. “As Demand Skyrockets, Thousands Of U.S. Farms Are Going Organic.” Natural Society. April 15, 2016. Web. https://naturalsociety.com/demand-skyrockets-thousands-us-farms-going-organic-6738/

9 Sears, M.E., Kerr, K.J., ad Bray, R.I. “Arsenic, cadmium, lead, and mercury in sweat: a systematic review.” J Environ Public Health. February 2012. 184745. Web. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/22505948/

10 Newaz Hossain, et al. “A Comprehensive Updated Review of Pharmaceutical and Non-pharmaceutical Treatment for NAFL.” Gastroenterol Res Pract. 2016; 2016: 7109270. Web. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4781972/

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Comments on this article are closed.

  1. Evelyn

    Appreciate your comments but also think some are over the top to cause fear. We live in this world and our bodies do adapt. Control amounts of toxins yes. You can’t eliminate them all.

    • Vivian Goldschmidt, MA

      We’re not trying to cause fear, Evelyn… we’re trying to create awareness of the problems and then help to find a way to solve them.

  2. shulamit sendowski

    I appreciate this article on household toxins and the liver. Thank you.

  3. Ita

    Thank you, Ita.

    • Vivian Goldschmidt, MA

      As always, you’re more than welcome, Ita 🙂

  4. Marlene Villar

    Good morning Vivian,
    Thank you for sharing these valuable information.

    Have a wonderful day.
    Marlene

    • Vivian Goldschmidt, MA

      It’s our pleasure, Marlene!

  5. Theresa Caillouette

    I have found your emails so helpful. I am 88 years old and after 5 bone density tests I have finally said NOMORE to my doctor.
    There have been so many topics that I cannot begin to list them. Food choices ranks high for me. Then there e are all the new studies as today’s house hold pollution. I am very grateful. Theresa

    • Vivian Goldschmidt, MA

      You’re very welcome, Theresa!

  6. SHK

    Yes, GMOs are safe to eat. That is the overwhelming consensus of scientific experts and major scientific authorities around the world, including the World Health Organization, United Nations Food and Agriculture Organization and American Medical Association.

    In the spring of 2016, The National Academies of Science, Engineering and Medicine (NAS) issued a comprehensive report where a panel of more than 20 scientists, researchers, agricultural and industry experts reviewed over 20 years of data since GMOs were introduced, including nearly 900 studies and tests and European and North American health data. They concluded – as other previous research concluded – that genetically modified crops are safe to eat, have the same nutrition and composition as non-genetically modified crops and have no links to new allergies, cancer, celiac or other diseases.

    Extensive and continued studies on GMOs are being conducted to ensure their ongoing safety. In addition to the NAS analysis, there are thousands of studies available confirming the safety of GMOs, as well as hundreds of independent studies.

    • Vivian Goldschmidt, MA

      There are also many studies that show GMOs are harmful to humans and animals. GMOs have been linked to imbalanced gut bacteria, intestinal permeability, breast cancer, autism, Parkinson’s disease, and more.

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