Maintaining a Healthy Home Holistically

Martina Westcott Hsoc 259 April 21, 2010 Maintaining a Healthy family unit Holistic ally indwelling Ho utilisationhold Products as untroubled Alternatives to stodgy Products If you want to learn about the wellness of a population, appearance at the air they breathe, the water they drink, and the places where they live. -Hippocrates, Father of Medicine, 5th Century BC Natural kinsfolk point of intersections argon an important come out of principal(prenominal)taining health holistically. From solar twenty-four hour period to day, what is ingested, inhaled, and introduced into our bodies has effects on levels of function and the state of our health.We sp peculiarity up to 57 part of our lives indoors, so it is beneficial to make sure that indoor surrounds atomic bet 18 safe ca- advises to perk up healthy children. 1 High levels of characterization to misuseful exhaust fumes and aromas produced by conventional cleanup position outputions period of play a berth i n increasing rates of asthma attack, especially in young children. Conventional make clean products com patchd harsh chemics that atomic number 18 irritate to both the skin and soundbox. asthma attack fundament non be cured, but by removing triggers in the billet, this condition heart-to-heart be airinessed and patients can rely less(prenominal) on biomedicine to control symptoms.Two main symptom aggravators for asthmatic patients be bioallergens and chemical substance substance irritants. 2 Natural make clean products can be right-hand in removing both from the billet. By removing allergens and synthetic chemicals from the alkali plate milieu, good health is maintained. Perspectives intromitn from current consumers of inherent alter products get wind an instinct of the purlieu as a point of access to a wealth of resources that can serve to alleviate symptoms and enhance integritys quality of life. The qualification of these products is infracted in pr ivate accounts.Moreso today than ever before, it is crucial to regard the remains as a precious vessel and treat it as much(prenominal)(prenominal). In doing so, some ar s debateowning to relate to the environment in a new way, valuing responsibility to the environment as some(prenominal) as responsibility for their own bodies. By engaging in a reciprocal relationship with the environment, gentles live in harmony with their milieu and preserve temperaments improve powers. Melaleuca, Inc, the Shaklee Corporation, and the Rainbow Comp whatsoever are ternion institutions that pledge to protect the health of consumers and our environment through increasing accessibility to ingrained killing products.What are Natural Household Products? Natural cleanup products contain comp one(a)nts from the homophile race as primary constituents, such as vegetable oils, herbs, or cancelly- occurring chemical compounds. These products do non harm the environment and do non introduc e foreign chemicals into the automobile trunk. Therefore, rude(a) cleaning products are typically non- irritating to the skin and eyes and far more gentle than harsh chemical cleansers. In the context of this paper, scarcely because something is im worldent doesnt mean it is less poisonous, or non- irritating all the time.Even cleaners that are safe comme il faut to eat, care lemon juice, can be irritating to the eyes or skin. Consumers should make decisions based on reading the chemical element list for themselves, finding any ingredients that may be toxic, and then deciding whether to use that product in the home. There are several labels approved by the FDA that one can use to identify whether or not a product is original, or in some other words, graphic. If a product is denominate 100% organic all of the ingredients utilise must be indwelling.If a product is labeled simply organic, it at least 95 percent of its ingredients are organically produced. Finally, if a product is labeled made with organic ingredients, it must contain at least 70 percent organic contents. The offshoot of all ingredient on any label is found in the product in greatest quantity, therefore it may be convenient to simply identify this ingredient. Many products are well-nighly water. Therefore, the first ingredient can abide a clue to the potency of the natural ingredient within the product of your choice. 3 Not all natural cleaning products are equal. Like all products employ in the home, especially more or less children, it is necessary to research ingredients or subscribe to a beau monde that pledges to provide sheer products. For instance, the Melaleuca social club adheres to the set up Australian amount that requires marketed Melaleuca oil to film a minimum of thirty- quintet percent Terpinen and a maximum of ten- percent Cineole, the two main chemical components of the natural oil, which ensures that the product is as pure as doable. 4 The Shakl ee Corporation, another ompany that go ons natural products, maintains a Scientific Advisory Board of medical professionals and scientists who systematicly cow chip the honor of products and make sure EPA ( purlieual nourishion Agency) standards are met. 5 These are romps of companies that confirm created transparency for consumers to identify exactly where their products are coming from and can be trusted to provide pure products for the home. Why Worry About the Environment? Do you know what impacts the quality of your health? pic www. ahha. org We are our environment.Health does not end at the skin. Everything we do, from the food we eat to the air we breathe, affects our health. In this diagram produced by the American Holistic Health Association, the environment is shown to impact health in an yet stronger capacity than medical care. While one may scrutinise the doctors ability once or twice annually, we pass along countless hours indoors in the course of our lives. Therefore the quality of the environment cannot be separated from ones state of health. Natural household products holistically maintain health because they do not harm the environment.Unnatural, genetically engineered chemicals use in the environment countenance been shown to harm the body. In a report card conducted at the University of Nebraska Medical Center, evidence was found linking organochlorine exposure and thyroid disease in women. Organochlorine is an insecticide employ in substantial kiting. The information compared distaff farmers in Iowa and North Carolina who had been exposed to the compound on a regular basis to those who were not in regular contact with the chemical. Analysis of results showed that there was an accessiond odds of hypothyroidism with use of organochlorine insecticides of 12. %6 This weigh reveals the bodily harm that can be incurred just by touching chemically altered compounds and victimisation them on a daily basis. This is not to menti on the potential dangers of ingesting these chemicals in food products. As we keep the environment pure, we as headspring keep our bodies pure. In autochthonal cultures, all products apply in the home came right off from the earth itself. Indigenous Perspectives of Holism Using natural cleaning products parallels the use of holistic healthcare. Indigenous peoples believed that human beings are one with the earth, and this assertion is found in all forms of Shamanistic practice.Each of us is deeply connected with the Earths ecosystems. In a book entitled Ecological Medicine better the Earth, Healing Ourselves the author writes, By restoring the earth, we restore ourselves7 Biologically, the human body is sedate of the selfsame(prenominal) elements that constitute the land give care carbon, nitrogen, and oxygen. When we die, our bodies hark back to the earth and begin the roulette wheel of life anew. The Bible reads, Dust universal gravitational constant art, and unto cla y thou shalt return. 8 Human life comprises just one small portion of the cycle of life.Cultures that participated in Shamanistic traditions ilk the Native Americans, for instance, understood this cycle of life. The flavour of victimization the most valuable herbs the earth has to offer in personal care regimens is not one of recent invention. Native Americans have used plants and herbs grown by hand for anywhere in the midst of 10,000 and 30,000 years. 9 The spiritual understand of a life cycle that the earth is intimately connected to human beings is the underlying basis for providing optimal care and honor for the land, which will in the end offer up a harvest to care for the individual in turn.Such an understanding is awareness that life in any environment is viable altogether when humans view the life that surrounds them as kin. 10 This phenomenon, which professor of Anthropology Enrique pinkish-orange calls ecological kinship is a unique feature of Native American cul ture and other Shamanistic belief systems that has produced a deep wonder for the land, one that the Melaleuca Company echoes in promotion of natural products that do not harm the earth upon disposal as some harsh chemicals may.Native Americans have handed-downly viewed human beings not as some higher apt being above lower animal and inanimate beings but as a kindred partner in the universe, reliant on the other beings in creation for life itself. 11 This fundamental interdependence is necessary to an understanding of holistic healthcare as more than care for the body, but also care for the environment, which can be considered the tabernacle that houses our bodies. Other Native American groups have similar understandings of the cyclic reputation of life and death as it relates to the environment.In Cherokee culture, the medicine wheel, which symbolizes the wheel of life12 represents a series of stages through which subsisting beings pass associated with seasons and the alignme nt of the cosmos. The wheel does not have to be material it can be spiritually understood as present during ceremonial occasion rituals. The terminus medicine wheel may be understood in American culture if biomedicine is the immediate connection one identifies because the concept is sort of spiritual in Native culture. The medicine wheel is a ameliorate cycle that includes the environment as a source of healing and strength. As Dr.Tieraona Low Dog puts it eloquently, plants arent pills, theyre seeds. 13 In indigenous cultures, plants have intrinsic healing ripeties simply from being alive. These healing powers are all- natural and unaltered by man, preserved only in the purity of nature. This is authoritative in all indigenous belief systems. For Native Americans and other indigenous groups, health is a balance mingled with human outputs and inputs and those of the corporal body of land. It is an alignment that is achieved through respect for the earth, an absence of exploit ation in hurt of resource extraction, and an embracing of nature.In a physical sense, balance is achieved by respecting the land. In a spiritual sense, balance is achieved by using the wheel symbolically in ceremonial practices and rituals to align oneself with climate patterns, deities, etc. For instance, in accepted Cherokee ceremonies, tribes march around a central fire in a counter- clockwise direction because this is believed to be pleasing to the divine. According to Jutlia Atli, a appendage of the Cherokee tribe, We are created by, balanced between, and destroyed by the primary forces represented on the Wheel. 14 The wheel includes seven sacred directions which correspond to environmental elements and seasons as well as colors and clock of day. The seven directions are also legate of various characters, such as humility, change, death, and impermanence. These posers demonstrate the creation and existence of the human being as only a small part of an great universal syst em of life that is all inclusive, a substratum of physical and spiritual interconnection that strings together all beings as one. This holistic view of life is one that we can reclaim today.Like a quiver flame, human life is only a brief glimpse of the extended life present on the earth at any abandoned point in time, a humbling acceptance that can very change ones perspective. Natural Medicine Indigenous peoples used what was available to them in their immediate environments, typically herbs, roots, or seeds that grew from the soil, in healing. These natural elements were the bodys first medicines. Modern pharmaceuticals introduce chemicals that have a lottimes been genetically engineered in the laboratory into our bodies.When the body does not recognize a drug, the immune system is designed to combat that foreign substance. Prescriptions cannot simply repoint one symptom because the body is a set of extensive systems that buy the farm in harmony to maintain homeostasis. An y pill ingested must blend in through the entire system and could potentially harm organs or tissues that were not the intended target of the treatment. Therefore, it is better to use natural treatments that are not so unfamiliar to the body to maintain good health.Holistic practitioners like those who practice homeopathy utilize naturally occurring remedies to restore health such as herbs. A homeopathic physician, Dr. Linda Baker utilizes natural herbs every day in her practice and also maintains an allergen- free, chemical- free environment in her force for patients. 15 Her concern for creating a natural setting for her homeopathic practice speaks to recreating the natural environment indoors to maintain health holistically. She subscribes to the Shaklee Corporation, a company that produces natural products for the home and office.Natural Household Products Today Drawing on the Past to Protect Our Future Three major(ip) companies involved in producing natural cleaning products f or sale presently are the Shaklee Corporation, the Rainbow Company, and Melaleuca Inc. A brief overview of the services offered by these companies will provide insight into the transforming views of how to maintain a healthy home environment. all(a) companies promoting natural cleaning products share the same basic goal, and that is promoting health holistically by offering alternatives to harsh chemicals that can harm the body and the environment.These companies get wind to indigenous cultures for philosophy and ingredients. The Shaklee Corporation has been operating since 1960. It is one of the pioneer companies to promote natural cleaning products and biodegradable containers for household products. Their mission statement nicely sums some of the ideas presented in this paper. This is the Shaklee pledge We make products from the purest natural ingredients. And we take blotto measures to keep out pesticides, contaminants, and other unnatural things that simply dont belong there. But just as important as what we take from nature is what we dont take. 16 Shaklee set the standard for legion(predicate) similar companies that would follow. Melaleuca, Inc. was founded by Frank VanderSloot in 1995. The overarching goals of the company are to provide consumers with natural alternatives to chemically based cleaning products, healing supplements, medications, and even beauty products. By utilizationing in concert with the environment, the Melaleuca Company has brought to the caput natural remedies that have been used for centuries in other cultures.For instance, the pioneer product and namesake of this modernistic company was melaleuca oil, also cognize as tea corner oil. This oil is a natural compound taken from an Australian plant which is considered a useful dermatological with antibacterial, antiviral, and antifungal properties. 17 Tea tree oil is used in a wide range of products sold by the company, including toothpaste, mouthwash, soap, as well as its mo st basic form as pure oil. Tea tree oil was used among Australian aborigines who realised the healing power of the extract upon experimentation.Within that culture, freshly crushed leaves were applied directly to an injury, and then held in place with a mud pack18 and healing was accelerated. They named the herb bungawalbyn, which means healing ground in the native language. 19 Today, tea tree oil is used to treat conditions like acne, eczema, psoriasis, dandruff, and athletes foot. It is found within a whole host of natural cleaning products, from teas to acne medications. This company is one of more that have successfully brought this ancient herb back to the forefront of health consciousness and natural remedies for common ailments.The Melaleuca Company functions through word- of- mouth dissemination of consumer based advice and success with products. angiotensin-converting enzyme of the companys slogans, Were telling about Melaleuca, not selling it20 speaks to this feature of promoting the products. Customers are exposed to Melaleuca through informational sessions held within the homes of current users who are disposed(p) instructional materials to conduct the sessions themselves with other friends. As a wellness company, the Melaleuca discoloration promotes a holistic focus on the entire individuals overall wellbeing and daily satisfaction with bodily function.Testimonies shared during informational sessions are typically centered on personal experience with the product, from health improvements seen after using natural cleaning products as in the case of Ms. Hensen, to the concrete efficacy of maintaining a healthy lifestyle without harming the environment. While Melaleuca promotes a whole host of natural products, from lotions to cleaners, other companies focus on improving the efficacy and the environmentally- friendly standard of a particular household appliance such as the vacuum.The Rainbow Cleaning System line produces vacuum cleaners that us e a water filtration system to collect dirt and allergens picked up preferably of traditional bags that can harbor a host of spread out mites and other bacteria lifted from carpets during vacuuming. The idea of cleaning ones home is the goal to remove dirt, but some conventional vacuum cleaners only spread dirt and dust mites as one empties filters and bags. Rainbow applied science uses a water basin to trap allergens in a facile that can be easily disposed in the proper receptacle, either bagged and thrown in the trash or flushed down the toilet.The innovative system also allows customers to add natural components to the water basin earlier to vacuuming, such as lemon or orange peels, to fragrance the home naturally as you vacuum. This pragmatic system can be back upful for those who are sensitive to dust and other irritants, especially asthmatic children and adults. Conventional Household Products Pollute the Body asthma attack is a condition that affects a large portion o f the U. S. population and it is especially prevalent among young children. An mediocre of one out of every 13 direct-aged children or nine zillion US children under age 18 have been diagnosed with asthma. Its the most common chronic childhood disease in the developed introduction and has become even more commonplace in the last tether decades. 21 Furthermore, in the US, the prevalence of asthma adjoind 75% from 1980-1994. 22 An increasingly toxic home environment may play a key role in the development of asthma and the severity of symptoms.A 2004 study published in the New England Journal of Medicine revealed the harmful effects of environmental irritants in amplifying asthma- colligate symptoms. The study, which followed 937 children living in high- risk homes in seven major cities, found that a reduction of irritants within the home served to decrease asthma- related morbidity rates. 23 Children who were exposed to fewer allergens within the home through fuddled cleaning p ractices experienced less symptoms of asthma including wheezing and coughing. They could also play for more extended periods of time because their symptoms were alleviated.This study reveals the fundamental connection between health and environment, one that companies promoting natural cleaning products hope to make swelled in American consumer culture. The Melaleuca Company promotes maintaining a healthy home. In a chapter of the Melaleuca Wellness Guide entitled Is Your Home a Healthy Home? John K. Beaulieu exposes the harms that can be unwittingly imposed on ones family through the use of toxic chemicals in household products. nigh alarming statistics are presented as evidence of these harms.For instance, a product that kills 50% of lab animals through ingestion or inhalation can slake receive the federal regulatory designation non-toxic24 Throughout the article, a number of products used in almost every household in the united States are listed as containing crabmeat- make instruments and chemicals that can irritate respiratory pathways or skin. One chemical that is common in many household products, methanal, which is also used to preserve human and animal bodies for dissection, is described as capable of causing spasms, edema of the larynx and bronchi, and chemical pneumonitis25 upon inhalation.Formaldehyde is found in common brands of bubble bath, baby shampoo, hair spray, and other personal care products and, like dust and allergens, has also been united to childhood asthma. In an article published in the Environmental Health Perspectives Journal entitled Formaldehyde Exposure and Asthma in Children A Systematic Review, literature reviews of recently published studies provided duodecimal evidence of a strong association between formaldehyde in the home environment and increasing rates of asthma among children.Specifically, when compared with individuals with no formaldehyde exposure, those with the highest levels of exposure reported in the s even studies (i. e. , 80 g/m3) would have 3. 5-times higher odds of asthma. 26 One study examined in this report rivet on formaldehyde exposure among infants from birth to two years of age, a critical window where exposure to formaldehyde can have long- constant effects due to the small caliber of their airways27 and found an even stronger confirming association with asthma for these children later in life.Therefore, it is imperative that families keep their homes pure in terms of products used to clean furniture and floors, especially in childrens rooms. Some links to chemical and asthma remain unclear. For instance, a study in Sweden identified yet another harmful agent found in many household items, phthalate compounds. Phthalates are compounds that are used in conventional tupper- ware plastic containers as well as moisturizers, nail polish, and vinyl flooring. These compounds are ubiquitous in most American homes as well and leach out of products into the air. Global phthala te production is 3. zillion tons per year28 and this figure is acclivitous every year. The Swedish study concluded that house dust containing phthalatesis associated with higher rates of asthma. 29 The study include Swedish children who were exposed to phthalate- containing products in the home. However, a reverse causation factor out has been considered by the American Chemistry Council, which counsels that it is yet to be determined whether the front line of the phthalate compounds ultimately leads to asthma or if the phthalate-containing products brought into the home to combat asthma only further aggravate symptoms.Both situations may be contributing factors to worsening symptoms. The example used is the practice of replacing carpets with vinyl flooring to reduce allergens, which is lots a response to asthma because parents are aware of the dust mites carpeting can harbor within the home. Perhaps the Rainbow Cleaning System would massage well for these families Although this particular connection remains unclear, other chemical compounds like formaldehyde have been linked to asthma with high levels of certainty.The preventive benefits of using natural cleaning systems in the home prevail. Evidence suggests that conventional cleaning products cause illness this is especially important for children. During the interview, Ms. Hensen discussed the health benefits of using natural household products within her own family in depth. With regard to the benefits of using Melaleuca products, she maintain wholeheartedly that her familys health had improved greatly since the introduction of Melaleuca cleaning products and supplements to the household. Her teenage son has suffered with severe asthma since birth and his condition was often aggravated by strongly scented detergents and other harsh chemical products, including household bleach and ammonia- based cleaners. She revealed that he had missed almost two months of instill over the course of his freshma n year of high school due to asthma complications despite her best efforts to keep the house clear of irritants like dust and pesticides. When a friend suggested Melaleuca, Ms. Hensen was eager to explore the option.Her first product was MelaPower, a melaleuca oil- based detergent. Within weeks, she found that her son was not experiencing the same sense of airway irritation as he had with other brands of detergent. She then added Sol-U-Mel, a multi-use cleaning solution that she uses throughout the home in cleaning floors, appliances, and large areas such as kitchen and living room floors. These products are part of the EcoSense line of natural cleaning products. Because Sol-U-Mel solution is sold in concentrated form, it is long- lasting through several uses.She especially enjoys the versatility of uses for one product she has encountered using Melaleuca. Sol- U- Mel is just one example of such products that can be used almost anywhere in the home. Her son has not had an asthma att ack since she switched to Melaleuca products eight years ago. Now a law school student at Temple University, he uses the products in his own home. When asked how he feels since his mom first introduced him to Melaleuca products, he responds that Melaleuca changed his life. He attributes his renewed ease of existing to Melaleuca in large part. Ms.Hensens personal testimony does not suggest that Melaleuca products are miracle solutions to a whole host of health problems, but it does reveal the efficacy that consumers seek when deciding on a purchase. Her experience reveals a vital tenet of natural, holistic healthcare methods, which is, In the wisdom of nature lies the solutions to all of the ailments faced by humankind today. 30 We are not at a loss for natural cures because the environment has just as many rich resources for promoting health as it always has. It is simply our responsibility to take advantage of those resources.Using natural cleaning products is the first step for many families, especially among those who are aware of the potential dangers of conventional products. One example is antiperspirant, a widely used product in almost every American home. Many antiperspirants contain aluminum, a chemical element that has been linked to nipple cancer in several studies. While there is no full general consensus on the long- term effects of antiperspirant use, several studies have shown a constructive association between regular application and tumors in the breast.One such study was conducted in 2002, entitled Aluminum, Antiperspirants, and Breast Cancer. The study reveals the toxicity of the element and its possible interactions with breast tissue over long- term exposure Aluminium is known to have a genotoxic profile, capable of causing both DNA alterations and epigenetic effects, and this would be consistent with a potential role in breast cancer if such effects occurred in breast cells31 While the connection between aluminum and breast cancer r emains highly debated and continues to draw researchers, there are several chemicals that have been notably proven harmful to the body.The long- term effects of using chemical elements like aluminum, phthalates, and formaldehyde have been well- documented. However, a recent study by Ramon et al. identifies the short- term effects of constant exposure to conventional cleaning products in the hospitality industry among female housekeepers. 32 In the study, a control group of 43 domestic workers who had been diagnosed with either asthma or obstructive lung disease were instructed to keep diaries of symptoms associated with their conditions, from difficulty breathing to asthma attacks at different points during the day.The workers recorded the severity of seven symptoms that had been selected by the control panel of researchers at different points during the day. The study concluded that exposure to traditional cleaning products, among them bleach- containing products, aggravates lower respiratory tract symptoms among domestic workers. Although this study was conducted in Spain where the pocket billiards of participants was localized, these results indicate that conventional cleaning products are not only modify to the health of children but also to adults. Harsh irritants found in traditional cleaning products like bleach are dangerous to both the body and the environment.Conventional Household Products Pollute the Environment Humans are only as healthy as their home grounds. Therefore, by polluting the environment, we poison ourselves. Conventional cleaning products choke the environment and our bodies. By poisoning the environment, we poison ourselves. Environmental security, which can be understood as the capacity of humans to live harmoniously with nature or to maintain a sustainable environment is inextricably linked with human security. This is why it is crucial to make careful decisions about the purity of household products.In an interview with Jim Q uigley, founder of Healthy Spaces, a company that aims to help local Philadelphia and Bucks County families create healthier homes and workplaces, the interconnection between environmental health and bodily function was made clear. He described an incident in which a man with severe allergies called in to have an evaluation of his work space hoping to identify a major environmental trigger that could be removed to ease his symptoms. He had been taking Claritin every day, three times per day on his worst days, and was very distracted by his allergy symptoms.Jim went into evaluate the office and made shocking observations as he employed in conversation with the man and completed the formal checklist he uses in every evaluation. The first visual observation was an easy one. He straight identified wall-to-wall carpeting in the office that had not been vacuumed in a number of months, a rich source of dust mites and bacteria. The second was the wall paper, which he determined contained volatile organic compounds (VOCs) upon taking a standard and evaluating it in the laboratory. Both formaldehyde, the dangers of which have been discussed, and xylene were found in the wallpaper.The man was functioning from day to day in a very godforsaken environment, and Jim advised him to remove the carpet, remove the wallpaper, and use paint with a natural base to see if his health improved. In a matter of days, the mans symptoms were alleviated to the point of no longer needing even one dose of Claritin in the course of a day. By returning the office environment to a more natural state, he was able to return his body to a more natural state of functioning as well by coming off of his pharmaceutical medication. some(prenominal) companies are make a healthy environment a priority in their trade strategies. 33 Melaleuca Inc. is an example of one company that is making strides to protect the environment. The biodegradable nature of most Melaleuca products and containers ensures that the environment will not be harmed through proper disposal. This is one of the extra steps the brand makes to protect the natural habitat in which we all must live, which adds sustainable value to the products.Because the products in Melaleucas cleaning line Eco Sense are concentrated, they can be reduce with water instead of packed with chemical fillers to enhance performance. Also, the concentrated nature of the products allows packaging in smaller containers, which allows for less waste. This is a feature that customers like Ms. Hensen truly appreciate. She asserts that she is personally committed to preserving the environment and this was one of the main features that first drew her to the company. In her own words, she is really concerned with defend the environment in any way she can. 34 The commitment to preserving the environment is a part of the Melaleuca promise because the founders understand that the earth provides benefits that require a sense of respect for the environment, a mutually beneficial partnership between consumers and this universal habitat. All companies providing natural household products make a similar pledge to protecting the environment. Natural Household Products The Best Choice for Your Home and Health Natural cleaning products provide safe alternatives to harmful chemicals found in many traditional products, from bleach to furniture polish.Considering that we spend up to 57 percent of our lives indoors, it is beneficial to make sure that indoor environments are safe havens to raise healthy children. At present, many environmental factors are responsible for the increase in the number of allergic and autoimmune diseases, and evidence provided supports the hypothesis that this increase may be caused by the widespread chemical contamination of the environment. Several chemicals, like formaldehyde and phthalates in the home have been linked to rising rates of asthma among young people, but consumers are not unexpended hop eless. The goal is not to live in fear of the world around us.Rather, it is to embrace the fruits of the earth and bring nature into the home environment. Bacteria and dust mites were some of the first organisms to appear on the planet, and these tiny organisms will not be disappearing anytime soon. All companies promoting natural cleaning products share the same basic goal, and that is promoting health holistically by offering alternatives to harsh chemicals that can harm the body and the environment. Perhaps the reemergence of indigenous practices is evidence that we are beginning to mobilize that we are just one part of an unending cycle of life- we are nature.Therefore, the environments we occupy are inseparable from our own holistic wellbeing. Just as some are choosing natural products for healing rather than pharmaceuticals to stimulate the bodys own innate ability to heal, people are flavor for more natural products to surround themselves in the home. If the body is a templ e of the soul, then the home is the temple of the body, and the environment encapsulates it all. There are no divisions among these components. The earths natural elements have worked synergistically with our own bodily systems for thousands of years. Isnt that the best seal of approval?