Risks posed by the items and how to make your home cancer-proof.

Below are the risk factors for cancer and the steps that you can take within your home to reduce the chances of developing cancer due to conditions within your home. Small lifestyle changes can have a huge impact on reducing your chances of developing cancer.

• Radiation

Radon is an odorless and colorless gas that comes from a breakdown of uranium in the earth. It is a major source of radiation and can enter the house through cracks in the foundation of the building, building materials, well water, and various other sources. As radon is radioactive, it can contaminate the air that you breathe. Due to its carcinogenic nature, exposure to radon can result in the development of Lung Cancer. It has resulted in the second greatest number of cases of Lung Cancer.

Any house, no matter how old or new, can have a problem with elevated levels of radon in the house. The levels of radon, outdoors, are estimated to be 0.4 picocuries per liter of air. There is no safe level for this radiation. Even lower levels of radon can pose a risk of developing cancer. The non-ionizing emissions of a microwave are also a risk factor.

Mitigation measures: Testing the levels of radon in your home is not difficult. Several testing kits are available in the market. If the levels of radon are found to be elevated, a qualified radon service professional can be called to fix the situation as soon as possible. Radon reduction systems can be installed to reduce the level of radon by 99%. Radon levels can also be reduced by

• Sealing the cracks in the walls and floors of the building
• Using a photoelectric type of smoke detector instead of ionization smoke detectors
• Increasing the ventilation with pipes and fans by the process of sub-slab depressurization
• Replacing granite items if they are emitting high levels of radon

Removal of radiation is a major step towards the house becoming cancer-free. Detect possible sources of radiation in your house and select appliances that emit minimum or no radiations.

• Cookware

Most of the cookware sold nowadays is non-stick cookware. Such cookware has a non-stick coating that contains toxic materials like perfluorinated compounds and perfluorooctanoic acid. These compounds are used to make the food packaging grease-resistant or clothing stain-resistant as well. Any non-stick item will have some form of fluorine coating implanted on itself. Such coatings should be avoided.

Non-stick cookware is safe as long as the pan is not being heated. At room temperature, there is a negligible release of fluoride into the air. But not being heated is contrary to the purpose of non-stick cookware. They are designed to be heated for cooking food. This is where we might run into a problem.

It is a known issue that on heating, the coating on the non-stick cook pans will break down to release toxins in the air. Research have confirmed that these toxins can accumulate in the blood and cause chronic diseases like cancer. Water-resistant and stain-resistant fabrics also contain cancer-causing chemicals. These chemicals can contaminate the air that we breathe with invisible fumes.

Mitigation Measures: You should try to keep the exposure to such chemicals and toxins as low as possible. This can be achieved by getting rid of items that contain perfluorinated compounds. You should also avoid buying items like microwave popcorn, flame retardants, and stain-resistant carpeting.

• Personal Care items

This is for women who use make-up in their day-to-day life. Each year, they absorb roughly five pounds of chemicals through their skin. It is not a problem to take lightly. It is a serious and dangerous problem. Applying chemicals on the skin is worse than eating those chemicals. When you eat something, after intake, saliva will act on it. Then the strongly acidic environment of the stomach and various enzymes will break it down into less harmful particles and flush it out of the body.

When you apply these chemicals on your skin, they directly get absorbed into the bloodstream without any breakdown into lesser harmful particles. So, these toxins reach from toiletries and beauty products into all vital internal organs directly in large quantities.

In the market, thousands of chemicals are used in the manufacture of personal beauty care products. And a few of them have ever been checked through all safety measures. According to the National Institute of Occupational Safety and Health, around 900 chemicals are already known to be toxins that are used in cosmetics.

Mitigation measures: Nowadays, fortunately, you can find a variety of natural cosmetics available. When it is about your health and personal care products, one should follow this rule- If you cannot eat that material, don_рt apply it to your body. Before buying any beauty product you should look for a verified organic seal. You can also use the environmental working group_рs skin-deep cosmetic safety database where you can find a wide variety of products and brands and can get information about their composition.

• Plastic and storage materials

Bisphenol A (BPA) is a commonly used component in the manufacture of food packaging items and plastic containers. It is a cancer-causing agent. More than 200 researchers have concluded that BPA is harmful to the health of humans and might result in different types of cancer. It has been confirmed that eating canned foods and drinking canned beverages elevate the BPA levels in the body by an astounding 1000 percent in a matter of five days.

Canned food items are more harmful than plastics. However, when plastic is heated, toxic fumes might be released. These fumes can be absorbed by the food that we eat.

Mitigation Measures: The best way to avoid BPA is to avoid the consumption of canned food. You can reduce the impact of exposure to BPA by eating fermented food items and fermented vegetables. You can also try organic kefir or a probiotic supplement. These items contain microorganisms like bacteria that can break down the BPA that we had consumed. Further, these food items improve the intestinal absorption of BPA. The below tips can be implemented to reduce the exposure to BPA within the house and thus make your house cancer-proof:

• You must avoid using Styrofoam or plastic storage items. These can be replaced by glass, steel, or ceramic storage items.
• You must ensure that you use only glass bottles and dishes for the children.
• Using plastic wraps should be avoided at all costs. It must be ensured that you do not heat anything in a microwave that is covered by a plastic wrap.
• Natural fabric toys should be preferred for the babies in the house rather than plastic toys.
• If you decide to use plastic cookware, you must get rid of the scratched-up and older varieties. Make sure that you do not wash that cookware with harsh detergents, as this can cause more chemicals to seep into your food.
• Glass containers can be used to store food items.
• Instead of using bottled water, you can use water directly from a reverse-osmosis filter.
• You must ask your dentist to ensure that dental sealants are not applied to your or your children_рs teeth.
• In case you must use a plastic container, you can use the ones which have a recycling label number 7, number 4, number 2 or number 1. These containers do not contain BPA.

• Chemicals

The building materials and furnishings of your home are an adverse source of toxic chemicals. They contain various types of toxins like pressed wood products (which are known to emit formaldehyde) and VOCs (Volatile Organic Compounds) released from carpets and paints. Most of those items contain cancer-causing chemicals.

The toxicity of paints has decreased over the past 25 years. Still, paints release some harmful vapor such as VOCs, formaldehyde, benzene. These harmful fumes can be released from your walls after 30 days of application. Even after a year, these fumes may also leak in the air in low quantities. That is why it is important to ventilate that area in a proper repetitive manner.

Lead-based paints are another dangerous factor. When the paint starts to peel away, it starts releasing harmful lead particles that can be inhaled. Since the 1990s, many types of research have confirmed that lead is the greatest environmental threat to children. It can cause respiratory problems in adults also.

One of the major hazards in the furnishings is the flame-retardant materials (like drapes, mattresses, curtains, circuit boards, and television casings). They essentially contain polybrominated diphenyl ethers (PBDEs). Studies indicate that these might be carcinogenic.

Most herbicides or pesticides that you will be using your garden will be carcinogenic. Studies have confirmed that pesticides and herbicides used in the lawns can increase the risk of developing bladder cancer. Various environmental agencies have concluded that approximately 90 percent of fungicides, 60 percent of herbicides, and 30 percent of pesticides are carcinogenic. Below are a few herbicides and pesticides that are classified as carcinogens by various organizations:

• Carbaryl
• Lindane
• Heptachlor
• Permethrin

Mitigation Measures: Nowadays, it is easy for us to find non-toxic paints of high quality. They are also known as low VOCs or no-VOC_рs paints. You must also be careful to select non-toxic flooring and carpeting materials like bamboo or solid wood. You can also look for mattresses made up of wool. These are non-toxic and do not increase the chances of developing cancer.

The most obvious solution to the above problem would be to opt for organic produce and organic-raise animal products. Efforts must be made to ensure that organic methods are used to take care of our lawns and gardens. Various environmental groups have uploaded a list of non-carcinogenic pesticides on their websites.

You can replace synthetic pesticides with organic pesticides. For instance, ants and cockroaches can be deterred by using boric acid powder. All you need to do is sprinkle a bit of it in the inner corners of your cupboards. The pests will carry the powder to their nest on their feet and body. This will kill the remaining pests as well. Boric acid is not toxic to animals. It is only toxic for insects. Garlic paste combined with pepper is also an organic pesticide with no side-effects for humans.

•  Air

If you have a garage attached to your home, it can also increase the risk of cancer. Most commonly, it can cause Leukemia and other forms of cancer as well. Stored gasoline and released benzene from car exhaust and other fumes can come into your house. Inhaling these fumes can cause cancer. Along with this, we already have low quantities of benzene in the environmental air due to air pollution. But in the case of garages attached to the houses, they have three times more quantity of benzene, which is extremely harmful.

According to recent research, many household cleaning products contain toxins and potent carcinogenic components in high quantities. And in the case of chlorine bleach or ammonia containing cleaning products, you should be aware because they can increase the risk of cancer in your family. According to research reports, the risk of Breast Cancer is twice as 5] with those women who frequently use cleaning products and air fresheners when compared to those who rarely use these products.

Heterocyclic amines (HCA_рs) are released from charring, burning, or grilling meat, poultry, and fish in excessive heat. These components are responsible for increasing the risk of colorectal and stomach cancers.

Mitigation Measures: Air fresheners should also be avoided because they contain paradichlorobenzene in the spray. These components are toxic to the liver, kidney, and lungs. Other than these, some chemicals such as phthalates, phenol, formaldehyde, terpenes, styrene, and benzene should also be avoided.

The most effective strategies to prevent cancer include less exposure to environmental toxins like pesticides, household cleaning products, and synthetic air fresheners. It is very easy to avoid these products by being aware about harmful products. So, when you plan to do cleaning, use some non-toxic disinfectants for cleaning your household, rather than soap and water.

You can also make your own natural and homemade cleaning products. You can use these ingredients described below:

• Use baking soda with apple cider vinegar to clean bathtubs.
• Use baking soda with tea tree oil to clean your bathrooms and kitchen.
• Vinegar with castile soap, essential oils, and water to clean floors, windows, bathrooms, and kitchen.
• Vodka is a good disinfectant which removes stains of red wine and kills wasps and bees.

• Lighting

According to studies, the new generation of lights is resulting in increased cases of Prostate Cancer and Breast Cancer. Scientists have confirmed a link between LEDs (Light Emitting Diodes) and cancer. Nowadays, people prefer LEDs as lighting material in their homes. However, heavy exposure to LEDs could double the risk of Prostate Cancer. It also increases the chances of developing Breast Cancer by 50%. Older lighting materials also increase the risk of cancer. Mobile phones emit blue light. Using them at night also increases the probability of developing cancer. Research has confirmed that red-LEDs contain a neurotoxin which exhibits cancer potentials.

Only lights without short-wavelength illumination (non-carcinogenic) should be selected.

• Water

As per a report from an environmental advocacy group, carcinogenic products in tap water have risen astoundingly. These products increase the risk of developing cancer. Studies have confirmed the presence of up to 22 carcinogens in various samples of tap water. The most common ones are arsenic, radium, uranium, and water disinfectants. These contaminants create a risk for cancer. 87% of the cancer risk due to drinking or using tap water is because of arsenic and water disinfectants. Long exposures to arsenic can cause lung cancer, skin cancer, and bladder cancer. Water disinfectants can cause Liver Cancer.

The above measures must be taken to reduce the risk factors of cancer inside your house. These healthy changes can prove to be your best defense against disease. Once your home is cancer-proof, you can spread a healthy environment of positivity in your house. This environment of positivity helps you to make a more robust immune system that protects you from many health-related issues and elevates the resistance of your body against several diseases. After all, good health will not come from doctors or drugstores. It will happen based on how you live and the choices you make.