The Healthy Home Centre

The Air You Breathe
You can't see it, taste it or smell it, but if your home has a furnace or gas appliance your family could be at risk. Carbon monoxide (CO) is a poisonous gas created by burning fuel. Symptoms of CO poisoning include drowsiness, headaches and nausea. Overexposure can cause heart and brain damage or death. Unborn babies, small children, senior citizens and people with heart or respiratory illnesses are most at risk. If your home has a gas/oil furnace or fuel-burning appliances, install a CO detector near living and sleeping areas to detect leaks.

Lead
If your home was built before the 1970's, it could contain lead-based paint. Old furniture and cribs, toys, plumbing fixtures, window sills and pottery are common sources of lead. Very young children (pre-school) are at risk because of their natural habit of putting things in their mouths. Lead-based paint is only a problem if it is chipping, flaking, crushed, sanded, or chewed. In fact, removing old paint can be more dangerous than leaving it alone. There are very important safety guidelines for removing lead-based paint. Never do it yourself without first getting expert advice.

Childhood Illnesses - About Asthma
Between 7 - 10% of Canadian children suffer from asthma. It usually develops in early childhood. Asthma can go away as a child gets older, but not always. Symptoms include shortness of breath, chest tightness, coughing and wheezing. An asthma attack can be triggered by colds, pollen, pets, dust mites, indoor and outdoor pollution, cigarette smoke, and exercise. There is no cure for asthma, but symptoms can be made better by environmental changes and medication.

Babies and children will get sick from time to time with fever, coughs, earaches, runny noses and other minor ailments. If your child's symptoms concern you, always call your doctor or visit your nearest emergency right away. However, most common illnesses can be safely treated at home. Being able to recognize them can save you and your child the stress of an unnecessary visit to the emergency room.

Dust mites are tiny, microscopic relatives of spiders and ticks that thrive in warm, humid conditions. They feed on skin cells we shed every day. To most of us, dust mites are harmless. But the waste left behind by these creatures can cause severe reactions in children and adults with allergies, especially during sleep. The best ways to reduce the number of dust mites in your home are to wash bedding in hot water, dust often with a damp cloth and keep humidity at less than 60%. You can also put dust mite covers on pillows and mattresses.

Meats, poultry, fish and eggs are the most common sources of food poisoning. Food poisoning is worse for young children, who are smaller and whose immune systems are weaker than adults'. E.coli is one of the most deadly types of food poisoning. It happens when bacteria enter the body and create a deadly poison. In Canada, it is the leading cause of kidney failure in otherwise healthy children.

Here are some important tips for preparing healthy food:

The leading cause of food poisoning is improper cooling. Cooked food should not be left to cool on the counter for more than 2 hours.

Always follow 'best-before' dates on packaging.

When preparing a meal, never place raw vegetables on the same surface used to prepare meat.

NEVER give a child a hamburger unless it is completely cooked. There should be no pink inside and the juices should run clear. Harmful E.coli bacteria can live on the surface of under-cooked ground beef.

Pasteurization is the process of heating food to kill harmful bacteria like E.coli. Avoid giving your child unpasteurized food or drinks. Always wash fruits and vegetables. E.coli has been found on the surfaces of these too.

You can clean food preparation surfaces with a home made solution of 1/2 ounce (1 tablespoon) of 6% household bleach in one gallon of water, or a teaspoon of 6% bleach in a litre of water. (B.C. Ministry of Health, Health Files #59 "Ten Easy Steps to Make Safe Food")

Choose hardwood or tile floors over carpeted ones. Carpets attract all kinds of allergens including pet dander, dust mites and mold spores.

Open windows when cleaning or vacuuming to let in the fresh air and carry out dust and other particles.

If you smoke, do it outside. Tobacco smoke contains carbon monoxide, benzene and other poisonous chemicals. Warning: if you smoke either during or after pregnancy, you are placing your baby at higher risk for asthma, ear infections and SIDS.

Never use outdoor, fuel-burning appliances such as barbecues to heat your home. Indoors, they can produce enough carbon monoxide to kill you.

Click on any product image for close-up view and product description

Instant Lead
Test Kit
#H001 $12.50

Healthguard Dust Mite Covers
#H002-H009
$19.95-$79.95

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