Warm spices of gingerbread, woody aroma of pine and spruce and fruity taste of mulled wine. smells – synonyms with the holiday season. Many people like to light candles, incense, and fireplaces in their homes. evoke the mood associated with these holiday scents.
Burning aromatic foods can create cozy atmosphereand in the case of fireplaces, provide light and warmth, but some experts want people to consider how this affects indoor air quality. All flames release chemicals that can cause allergy-like symptoms or contribute to long-term breathing problems if inhaled in sufficient quantities.
However, people don't have to stop sitting by the fire or get rid of foods like scented candles and essential oil diffusers, said Dr. Meredith McCormack, director of pulmonary and critical care medicine at Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine. Instead, she recommends taking precautions to control contamination in their homes.
“Clean air is free of fragrance,” said McCormack, who has studied air quality and lung health for more than 20 years. “If seasonal scents are part of your tradition or evoke a sense of nostalgia, perhaps think about it in moderation.”
People in the Northern Hemisphere tend to spend more time indoors during end of year holidayswhen the temperature is lower. According to the American Lung Association, indoor air can be significantly more polluted than outdoor air because pollutants are trapped inside and concentrated without proper ventilation or filtration.
For example, active fireplaces and gas equipment They emit tiny airborne particles that can enter the lungs and chemicals such as nitrogen dioxide, a major component of smog, according to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency. Cleaning products, air fresheners and candles also release air pollutants in varying concentrations.
The risk that odors and other air pollutants may pose to respiratory health depends on the source, duration and intensity of a person's exposure, as well as the person's health, McCormack said.
It's also important to note that some pollutants are odorless, so unscented products can still affect indoor air quality, experts say.
Polluted air affects everyone but not the same. Children, older adults, minorities, and people of low socioeconomic status are more likely to suffer from poor air quality due to physiological vulnerability or higher level of impactThis is reported by the Environmental Protection Agency.
Children are more susceptible to air pollution because of the size of their lungs, which means they receive a larger dose of exposure relative to their body size, McCormack said. Pollutants inside the home also pose a greater risk to people with heart and lung disease, including asthma, she said.
Signs of respiratory tract irritation include coughing, shortness of breath, headaches, runny nose and sneezing. Experts advise stopping the use of products that release contaminants or immediately ventilate the premises if symptoms occur.
“The more risk factors you have, the more harmful air pollution or poor indoor air quality can be,” McCormack said.
Ellen Wilkow lights vanilla and cinnamon scented candles while doing yoga, writing or showering at her home in New Jersey. Her teenage daughter, on the other hand, prefers seasonal scented candles like gingerbread.
“Candles have a calming effect. They are also very symbolic and are used in rituals and in many religions,” she said.
Wilkow said she prefers candles made with soy wax instead of petroleum-based paraffin. Experts note that all lit candles release air pollutants, regardless of what they are made of.
Buying foods with fewer ingredients, opening windows when temperatures allow and using air purifiers with HEPA filters are ways to reduce your exposure to any pollutants from indoor fireplaces, appliances and candles, McCormack said. She also recommends turning on kitchen exhaust fans before starting work. gas stove and using rear burners so the vent can more easily suck in contaminants.
Setting polite boundaries with guests who smoke cigarettes or other tobacco products is also a good idea, she said.
“Small improvements in air quality can have measurable health benefits,” McCormack said. “Similarly, if we exercise and eat better, we can become healthier.”
Rachel Lewis-Abbott, a member of the Indoor Air Quality Association, an organization of professionals who identify and solve air quality problems, says people usually don't notice what they're breathing in until problems like gas leaks or mold develop.
“It’s out of sight, out of mind,” she said.
