Health in the Home
Health in one’s home is a broad topic which covers everything from safety concerns to environmental topics to living a healthy lifestyle. This can include diet, exercise, leisure activities, seating and bedding, cleanliness and cleaning products.
Many accidents, especially involving children and older people, happen in the home. There are serious hazards associated with stoves, furnaces, kitchen knives, tools, stairs, poisons used for pest control or cleaning, and more. Using common sense goes a long way towards reducing the dangers.
New materials used in carpeting, furniture and paint give off chemicals which can immediately affect people with allergies and cause long-term health problems. In case of fire, foams used in furniture and synthetic carpeting create toxic fumes that kill. Radon, present in many homes, is the second leading cause of lung cancer. Lead in older paint poses a risk to children. And homes subjected to water damage may have growths of mold which cause reactions in some people. Of course smoking in the home is a health problem for everyone who lives there because of the dangers of secondhand smoke.
Lifestyle choices will inevitably be tied to our homes. Those people who choose to eat a healthy diet are more likely to eat meals at home. People who exercise regularly will have better muscle tone reducing their chances of falls, and improving their aerobic capacity. Exercising at home often involves setting aside some area as a home gym.
Even seating and mattress choices affect health. Bad sitting posture or mattresses with poor support can lead to back problems.
One always wants to keep a home clean and free from germs and microscopic pests to reduce the chances of infection.
A home is more than a box which provides shelter. Essentially, almost every choice we make in our homes has some effect on our health.