TOXIC TAPERS
March 27, 2004 | 12:00am
I read with interest your article on the toxicity of paraffin candles. Because I had a lot of beautiful scented candles on stock, I continued using them in my home. I figured I would finish them first before buying the beeswax and soy candles that you recommended in place of the paraffin scented ones. Big mistake! After a big dinner party the other day where I lit my house with 101 scented candles to give that "Shangri-La" effect, my 11-year-old son developed the worst case of upper respiratory infection coupled with asthma. He was so ill for five days I was beside myself with guilt that I threw all our paraffin candles away. Can you explain again why paraffin is deadly to the health for the benefit of the readers so they don’t make the same mistake that I did and endanger their children’s health? What are the alternatives other than beeswax and soy candles which are difficult to get?
Guilty Mom
Most candles are made of paraffin, a petrochemical that contains 11 different toxins, two of which, lead and benzene, are known carcinogens. Breathing the soot released by paraffin is as dangerous as inhaling second-hand smoke. Just think that the black soot that shows up on our walls and furniture is resistant to cleaning and similar in composition to diesel soot. If it can blacken our walls, what is it doing to our lungs when we inhale it? Diesel soot has been studied and is known to be carcinogenic and toxic. Candle soot is similar in composition. No wonder your poor son got so sick with the 101 candles (no kidding?) scented candles you lit for that "Shangri-La" effect. A lot of your guests probably got sick too. And scented paraffin candles, even when they are not burning, emit benzene so they are even worse than the non-scented variety.
I understand there is a honey bee farm on the way to Tagaytay that is selling beeswax candles which are natural and toxin-free. I found soy candles in Candles and Scents, a little store on the 4th floor of Shangri-La Plaza. The brand is Nirvana. It is made of soy and vegetable oil. I bought one and it is so different from the paraffin candles. It burns cooler and disperses aroma more quickly, and best of all is soot-free. It is also water-soluble and biodegradable. Another alternative is a product that comes from France. It is a "diffuser" like a bottle lamp with herbal essential oils inside. It diffuses aromatherapy scents of your choice, but more importantly, it purifies, and disinfects indoor air and claims to have a therapeutic effect on the body. It is even recommended to be placed in children’s rooms to boost their immune system. This product comes in attractive bottles, similar to perfume bottles in different designs, depending on the scent one chooses. It is a bit pricey but for your health, it is worth a try. Call Yasmin, 0920-9080377 or Leslie, 0917-4868137 if you are interested in this product.
My energy level is so low and I have been fatigued for many months now. It is affecting my love life to a point that my girlfriend found me so boring that she broke up with me. When she’d ask me what plans I had for the evening, I would always answer, "I am so tired but if you want a quick bite at my home, you are welcome, otherwise you could make other plans." This happened several times that she got tired herself and broke up with me. I feel I am so overworked in the office and I also feel tired during weekends. I think I need a really long vacation before I could be recharged. This isn’t normal as I am only 30 years old. Is there anything I can do to get back my strength? I truly miss my girlfriend, but I don’t blame her for leaving me.
Kaput At 30
Some of my friends complain that even sleeping can make them feel tired. So you are not alone in your situation. Being drained is no longer the trendy domain of overstressed CEOs. Fatigue is affecting everyone, young and old, men and women. And it takes a toll on us emotionally and physically. It must be the air pollution in Metro Manila and the bad quality of the food we eat. The standard Filipino diet contains 150 lbs. of sugar a year, white flour and almost no fiber. What a dreadful diet! People are indeed suffering from high-calorie malnutrition. And they don’t even know what vitamins to take!
I looked into two books on energy and got some tips for your condition. One book is From Fatigued to Fantastic by Jacob Teitlebaum and the other one is Become an Energy Addict: Simple Powerful Ways to Energize Your Life by Jon Gordon. Both books give a lot of tips and advice on how to boost your energy level. Teitlebaum recommends some 10-minute energy breaks during the day. Every two hours is ideal:
a) Do ear lobe massages. Rub your ear, from lobe to top, with a gentle pressing motion. "Amazingly, your alertness will return," he promises.
b) Take some "self time." Get up from the desk, leave the mobile behind and take a walk. Get some air and sunshine! Humans are not meant to sit in front of a computer 12 hours a day!
c) Gordon recommends a "thank you" walk. "Flood your brain with positive neurotransmissions." Walk and think of things you are thankful for. The best time, he says, is after lunch because walking doubles your metabolic processes.
d) If your mouth and lips feel dry, drink a glass of water. Or a cup of tea. It is a good energy break.
e) Eat a small snack. If your body is telling you "feed me now or I will kill you" it may not be kidding. This is the adrenals starting to fail, and this could kill you. Just pick something healthy to nosh on, like a banana, an apple or a fiber bar.
f) Take a silence break. Ten minutes of silence is a great energizer. Gordon says, "Lock your door. This is a noisy world and noise keeps the mind too active. Breathe in and out, inhale and exhale from the bottom of your lungs. Repeat for 10 minutes.
g) Avoid "energy vampires." These are people who suck your energy away because they complain too much, criticize your every move and fill your head with nasty gossip.
h) Avoid short-term fixes, like a fourth cup of coffee, caffeine-filled soda, or a candy bar. Gordon calls them "the Mafia." "You can borrow quick energy but when they come collecting, you have to pay. These are like running on fumes rather than on fuel. "Other tips from the two authors: Eat breakfast. Have small healthy snacks. Call a friend and exchange pleasantries. Tell a joke. Turn off your cell phone and meditate on something pleasant. Take a snooze; a short nap could boost your energy. Sleep eight hours a day, exercise and have sex. These activities are healthy for the body. If you have tried all these methods and are still pooped, Teitlebaum suggests a hormonal checkup. Perhaps it’s your thyroid. There are a thousand ways to blow a fuse in the body. The trick is to replace all the fuses before they can blow. It takes only 10 minutes to boost your energy level!
For your questions, write to Mayenne Carmona at StarGate Media, 6th floor, Jaka Bldg., Ayala Ave., Makati City.
Guilty Mom
Most candles are made of paraffin, a petrochemical that contains 11 different toxins, two of which, lead and benzene, are known carcinogens. Breathing the soot released by paraffin is as dangerous as inhaling second-hand smoke. Just think that the black soot that shows up on our walls and furniture is resistant to cleaning and similar in composition to diesel soot. If it can blacken our walls, what is it doing to our lungs when we inhale it? Diesel soot has been studied and is known to be carcinogenic and toxic. Candle soot is similar in composition. No wonder your poor son got so sick with the 101 candles (no kidding?) scented candles you lit for that "Shangri-La" effect. A lot of your guests probably got sick too. And scented paraffin candles, even when they are not burning, emit benzene so they are even worse than the non-scented variety.
I understand there is a honey bee farm on the way to Tagaytay that is selling beeswax candles which are natural and toxin-free. I found soy candles in Candles and Scents, a little store on the 4th floor of Shangri-La Plaza. The brand is Nirvana. It is made of soy and vegetable oil. I bought one and it is so different from the paraffin candles. It burns cooler and disperses aroma more quickly, and best of all is soot-free. It is also water-soluble and biodegradable. Another alternative is a product that comes from France. It is a "diffuser" like a bottle lamp with herbal essential oils inside. It diffuses aromatherapy scents of your choice, but more importantly, it purifies, and disinfects indoor air and claims to have a therapeutic effect on the body. It is even recommended to be placed in children’s rooms to boost their immune system. This product comes in attractive bottles, similar to perfume bottles in different designs, depending on the scent one chooses. It is a bit pricey but for your health, it is worth a try. Call Yasmin, 0920-9080377 or Leslie, 0917-4868137 if you are interested in this product.
Kaput At 30
Some of my friends complain that even sleeping can make them feel tired. So you are not alone in your situation. Being drained is no longer the trendy domain of overstressed CEOs. Fatigue is affecting everyone, young and old, men and women. And it takes a toll on us emotionally and physically. It must be the air pollution in Metro Manila and the bad quality of the food we eat. The standard Filipino diet contains 150 lbs. of sugar a year, white flour and almost no fiber. What a dreadful diet! People are indeed suffering from high-calorie malnutrition. And they don’t even know what vitamins to take!
I looked into two books on energy and got some tips for your condition. One book is From Fatigued to Fantastic by Jacob Teitlebaum and the other one is Become an Energy Addict: Simple Powerful Ways to Energize Your Life by Jon Gordon. Both books give a lot of tips and advice on how to boost your energy level. Teitlebaum recommends some 10-minute energy breaks during the day. Every two hours is ideal:
a) Do ear lobe massages. Rub your ear, from lobe to top, with a gentle pressing motion. "Amazingly, your alertness will return," he promises.
b) Take some "self time." Get up from the desk, leave the mobile behind and take a walk. Get some air and sunshine! Humans are not meant to sit in front of a computer 12 hours a day!
c) Gordon recommends a "thank you" walk. "Flood your brain with positive neurotransmissions." Walk and think of things you are thankful for. The best time, he says, is after lunch because walking doubles your metabolic processes.
d) If your mouth and lips feel dry, drink a glass of water. Or a cup of tea. It is a good energy break.
e) Eat a small snack. If your body is telling you "feed me now or I will kill you" it may not be kidding. This is the adrenals starting to fail, and this could kill you. Just pick something healthy to nosh on, like a banana, an apple or a fiber bar.
f) Take a silence break. Ten minutes of silence is a great energizer. Gordon says, "Lock your door. This is a noisy world and noise keeps the mind too active. Breathe in and out, inhale and exhale from the bottom of your lungs. Repeat for 10 minutes.
g) Avoid "energy vampires." These are people who suck your energy away because they complain too much, criticize your every move and fill your head with nasty gossip.
h) Avoid short-term fixes, like a fourth cup of coffee, caffeine-filled soda, or a candy bar. Gordon calls them "the Mafia." "You can borrow quick energy but when they come collecting, you have to pay. These are like running on fumes rather than on fuel. "Other tips from the two authors: Eat breakfast. Have small healthy snacks. Call a friend and exchange pleasantries. Tell a joke. Turn off your cell phone and meditate on something pleasant. Take a snooze; a short nap could boost your energy. Sleep eight hours a day, exercise and have sex. These activities are healthy for the body. If you have tried all these methods and are still pooped, Teitlebaum suggests a hormonal checkup. Perhaps it’s your thyroid. There are a thousand ways to blow a fuse in the body. The trick is to replace all the fuses before they can blow. It takes only 10 minutes to boost your energy level!
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