health
Defend yourself against airborne toxins
- Article by: Men's Health
- Updated: August 25, 2012 - 3:59 PM
The list of common household threats and their effects is downright scary. Here's how you can limit your exposure.
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Dust mites mating in your bed. Mold growing in the damp, dark corners of your basement. Radon seeping through cracks in your home's foundation. The list of common household threats and their effects -- including lung damage, impaired memory, increased cancer risk, weakened sperm and death -- is downright scary. The summer issue of Men's Health breaks down some of the most common contaminants and explains how you can limit your exposure.
To beat dust mites, the magazine advises using a mite-proof mattress case, washing sheets in hot water and vacuuming or steam-cleaning carpets. Mold, whose effects range from wheezing to lung infection, will require a rough scrub with bleach. The magazine also offers tips on dealing with such gases as carbon monoxide and radon. And bacon fans, watch out: Nitrates, added to cured meats to preserve color and freshness, can cause cell damage in the lungs.
MEN'S HEALTH
Fit or fat? Step off the scale to find out.The August issue of Self magazine spells out alternatives to the traditional, sometimes torturous, habit of stepping on the scale.
"Those digits can deceive, making you feel pudgy when you're not or giving you false slim-security," according to the magazine. Instead of counting, Self suggests using body mass index, which considers your weight relative to your height, or body fat percentage to figure out how fit or fat you are.
Stumped on which to choose? The magazine has a quiz to help you figure it out. Questions include: Do you work out regularly? Are you thin but have no muscle tone? Are you overweight? While they're not exactly scientific, the questions are designed to help readers figure out if they should pony up for a body fat test (some methods can cost more than $100) or if BMI (which you can calculate for free at Self.com) is a sufficient measure.
SELF
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