Burning Incense Releases Cancer-Causing Chemicals

[Guest guest]

http://drbenkim.com/burning-incense-cancer.html

 

 

Burning Incense Releases Cancer-Causing Chemicals

 

By Dr. Ben Kim on January 24, 2007 Health Warnings

<http://drbenkim.com/taxonomy/term/9>

 

News articles on newscientist.com and mercola.com indicate that burning

incense can expose people to dangerous levels of cancer-causing chemicals.

 

Both articles are based on a study that was published in a September,

2001 issue of the /Bulletin of Environmental Contamination and Toxicology/.

 

Researchers collected air samples from inside and outside of a temple in

Taiwan, and found that the air inside the temple was highly concentrated

with a group of cancer-causing chemicals called polycyclic aromatic

hydrocarbons (PAHs).

 

One PAH called benzopyrene, which is linked to lung cancer in smokers,

was found to be 45 times more concentrated in the temple than in homes

where people smoked cigarettes.

 

The researchers also looked at total suspended particles (TSPs), a

measurement that reflects the total weight of small and potentially

harmful airborne pollutants that all of us are exposed to on an ongoing

basis. They found that TSPs inside the temple was three times higher

than it was at a local traffic intersection, and 11 times higher than

just outside the temple. Put another way, they found that a steady

volume of incense burning can create more harmful air pollution than

that found at a typical traffic intersection.

 

Although the concentration of PAHs found in the temple in this study is

almost certainly higher than it would be in a typical residence, this

study serves as a good reminder about the potential dangers of burning

incense and other scented products like candles in areas that are not

well ventilated.

 

This study also serves as a good reminder to allow fresh air to

circulate throughout one's living space. In the summer, windows should

be kept open whenever possible. In the winter, if various factors make

it difficult to keep one's windows open just a crack, it can be

beneficial to one's health to simply open a few windows for a minute or

two each day to allow some fresh air to enter the residence. All of this

assumes that one's neighborhood is relatively pollution-free; if the

residence in question is in a heavily polluted area, it may be best to

look at investing in a high quality indoor air purifier.

 

/Original study published in: Bulletin of Environmental Contamination

and Toxicology (vol 67, p 332)/

 

 

 

 

 

[Guest guest]

Im really glad to read this article. I always thought why my grandma

would die of colon(spread to liver) cancer when she lives, exercise

and eat healthily. But she always go to (full of incense) temple

often where you can't even see the people already because of the

smoke. I hope this article is really proven so I can show my dad

because he is also light alot of incense.

By the way, how can I explain about the same people who go to those

kind of temple and still alive and healthy?

 

marilyn

 

Chinese Traditional Medicine , Domingo Pichardo

<dpichardo3 wrote:

>

> http://drbenkim.com/burning-incense-cancer.html

>

>

> Burning Incense Releases Cancer-Causing Chemicals

>

> By Dr. Ben Kim on January 24, 2007 Health Warnings

> <http://drbenkim.com/taxonomy/term/9>

>

> News articles on newscientist.com and mercola.com indicate that

burning

> incense can expose people to dangerous levels of cancer-causing

chemicals.

>

> Both articles are based on a study that was published in a

September,

> 2001 issue of the /Bulletin of Environmental Contamination and

Toxicology/.

>

> Researchers collected air samples from inside and outside of a

temple in

> Taiwan, and found that the air inside the temple was highly

concentrated

> with a group of cancer-causing chemicals called polycyclic

aromatic

> hydrocarbons (PAHs).

>

> One PAH called benzopyrene, which is linked to lung cancer in

smokers,

> was found to be 45 times more concentrated in the temple than in

homes

> where people smoked cigarettes.

>

> The researchers also looked at total suspended particles (TSPs), a

> measurement that reflects the total weight of small and

potentially

> harmful airborne pollutants that all of us are exposed to on an

ongoing

> basis. They found that TSPs inside the temple was three times

higher

> than it was at a local traffic intersection, and 11 times higher

than

> just outside the temple. Put another way, they found that a steady

> volume of incense burning can create more harmful air pollution

than

> that found at a typical traffic intersection.

>

> Although the concentration of PAHs found in the temple in this

study is

> almost certainly higher than it would be in a typical residence,

this

> study serves as a good reminder about the potential dangers of

burning

> incense and other scented products like candles in areas that are

not

> well ventilated.

>

> This study also serves as a good reminder to allow fresh air to

> circulate throughout one's living space. In the summer, windows

should

> be kept open whenever possible. In the winter, if various factors

make

> it difficult to keep one's windows open just a crack, it can be

> beneficial to one's health to simply open a few windows for a

minute or

> two each day to allow some fresh air to enter the residence. All

of this

> assumes that one's neighborhood is relatively pollution-free; if

the

> residence in question is in a heavily polluted area, it may be

best to

> look at investing in a high quality indoor air purifier.

>

> /Original study published in: Bulletin of Environmental

Contamination

> and Toxicology (vol 67, p 332)/

>

>

>

>

>

[Guest guest]

I am not sure about the resins in incense, and which are safest, but

the most expensive candles(usually the ones churches use) are 100%

beeswax. Mostly all of the candle material burns, so there is less

in the air to get stuck in your lungs.

 

 

, Meg

<irish_blessings wrote:

>

> I use inscense all the time for my rituals and also candles as well

but I always have a fan going and it is only when i do my spells ans

such,, i don't have it burning all the time. Does it mean all the

time or on occasions.. Thanks