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The warm spices in gingerbread, the woody aroma of cedar and pine trees, and the fruity smell of mulled wine have become synonymous with the holiday season. Many people enjoy lighting candles, incense, and fireplaces in their homes to evoke the mood associated with these festive scents.
Burning scented products can create a cozy atmosphere, and in the case of fireplaces, provide light and warmth, but some experts want people to consider how doing so contributes to indoor air quality. All flames release chemicals that can cause allergy-like symptoms or cause long-term respiratory problems if ingested in sufficient quantities.
However, Dr. Meredith McCormack, director of the Division of Pulmonary and Critical Care Medicine at Johns Hopkins University Medical School, said people don’t have to stop sitting near the stove or get rid of products like scented candles and essential oil diffusers. Instead, she recommends taking precautions to control pollutants in your homes.
“Clean air is fragrance-free,” 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, maybe think about it in moderation.”
What to know about indoor air quality?
People People in the Northern Hemisphere spend more time indoors during the year-end holidays, when temperatures are cooler. According to the American Lung Association, indoor air can be significantly more polluted than outdoor air because pollutants become trapped and concentrated inside without proper ventilation or filtration.
For example, according to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, active fireplaces and gas appliances release small airborne particles that can enter the lungs and chemicals such as nitrogen dioxide, a major component of smog. Cleaning products, air fresheners and candles also emit air pollutants in varying concentrations.
McCormack said the respiratory health threat from fragrances and other air pollutants depends on the source, the duration and intensity of the person’s exposure, and the individual’s health.
Experts say it’s also important to note that some pollutants have no odor, so unscented products can still affect indoor air quality.
some people are more insecure
Polluted air affects everyone but not equally. ChildrenAccording to the Environment Agency, older adults, minority populations and people of low socio-economic status are more likely to be affected by poor air quality due to physical vulnerabilities or higher exposure.
McCormack said children are more sensitive to air pollution because of the size of their lungs, which means they get a greater dose of exposure relative to their body size. Indoor pollutants also pose a greater risk to people with heart or lung disease, including asthma, he said.
Symptoms of respiratory irritation include cough, shortness of breath, headache, runny nose and sneezing. experts Advise to stop using pollutant-release products or ventilate rooms immediately if symptoms appear.
“The more risk factors you have, the more harmful air pollution or poor indoor air quality can be,” McCormack said.
practical precautions to be taken
Ellen Wilcove lights candles in scents like vanilla and cinnamon when she does yoga, writes, or takes a bath in her home. new JerseyHer teenage daughter, on the other hand, prefers seasonal scented candles like gingerbread,
“Candles have a calming presence. They are also very symbolic and are used in rituals and many religions,” he said.
Wilcowe said she leans toward candles made with soy-based wax rather than petroleum-based paraffin. Experts note that all burning candles release air pollutants, no matter what they are made of.
Buying products with lower ingredients, opening windows if temperatures permit and using an air purifier with a HEPA filter are ways to reduce exposure to any pollutants from indoor fireplaces, appliances and candle displays, McCormack said. She also recommends turning on the kitchen exhaust fan before starting a gas-fired stovetop and using the back burner so the vent can more easily suck out pollutants.
It’s also a good idea to set polite limits with guests who smoke cigarettes or other tobacco products, she said.
“Small improvements in air quality can have measurable health benefits,” McCormack said. “Similarly if we exercise and eat a little better, we can be much healthier.”
Rachael Lewis-Abbott, a member of the Indoor Air Quality Association, an organization for professionals who identify and address air quality problems, said people usually don’t notice what they’re breathing until problems like gas leaks or mold develop.
“It’s out of sight, out of mind,” he said.