Monmouth County's Ask the Doctor Sept/Oct

3 Suggestions To Make Your Home’s Bathroom Healthier By, Lauren Kowlacki 1. Remove vinyl shower curtains for washable nylon or polyester ones. Vinyl can contain phthalates, which may be hazardous to reproductive health as well as other health issues. 2. Ban use of chemical grout cleaners. A healthier choice is to make a paste of baking soda and hydrogen peroxide instead. Best results are when you let it sit on grout for 30 minutes before scrubbing and rinsing. 3. Install a whole-house water filter to reduce exposure to airborne chlorine while you're showering. The dangers and risks of chlorine exposure are very serious. Some include: • Irritation of the eyes, sinuses, throat, and skin • Aggravation of the lungs • Excessive free radical formation, which results in accelerated aging • Hardened arteries • Difficulty metabolizing cholesterol • Higher vulnerability to genetic mutation • Development of cancer In a recent article inThe American Journal of Public Health, chlorine was linked to measurable increases in certain types of cancer. The article also reported that up to two thirds of our harmful exposure to chlorine is through absorption by the skin during showering.

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ASK THE DOCTOR

FALL 2020