Maintaining a Healthy Home Holistically 3

Martina Westcott
Hsoc 259
April 21, 2010
Maintaining a Healthy Home Holistically:
Natural Household Products as Safe Alternatives to Conventional Products

“If you want to learn about the health of a population, look at the air they breathe, the
water they drink, and the places where they live.”

-Hippocrates, Father of Medicine, 5th Century BC

Natural household products are an important part of maintaining health holistically. From

day to day, what is ingested, inhaled, and introduced into our bodies has effects on levels of

function and the state of our health. We spend up to 57 percent of our lives indoors, so it is

beneficial to make sure that indoor environments are safe havens to raise healthy children.1 High

levels of exposure to harmful fumes and aromas produced by conventional cleaning products

play a role in increasing rates of asthma, especially in young children. Conventional cleaning

products contain harsh chemicals that are irritating to both the skin and body. Asthma cannot be

cured, but by removing triggers in the home, this condition can be treated and patients can rely

less on biomedicine to control symptoms. Two main symptom aggravators for asthmatic patients

are bioallergens and chemical irritants.2 Natural cleaning products can be helpful in removing

both from the home. By removing allergens and synthetic chemicals from the home

environment, good health is maintained. Perspectives taken from current consumers of natural

cleaning products reveal an understanding of the environment as a point of access to a wealth of

resources that can serve to alleviate symptoms and enhance one’s quality of life. The efficacy of

these products is revealed in personal accounts. Moreso today than ever before, it is crucial to

regard the body as a precious vessel and treat it as such. In doing so, some are beginning to relate

to the environment in a new way, valuing responsibility to the environment as much as

1
Quigley, J. Healthy Spaces. 2010. Web. <http://healthyspaces.com/resources.html>.
2
Quigley, J. "Interview with Jim Quigley, Founder of Healthyspaces." Telephone interview. 28 Feb. 2010.
 Maintaining a Healthy Home Holistically 4

responsibility for their own bodies. Melaleuca, Inc, the Shaklee Corporation, and the Rainbow

Company are three institutions that pledge to protect the health of consumers and our

environment through increasing accessibility to natural cleaning products.

What are Natural Household Products?

Natural cleaning products contain components from the earth as primary constituents,

such as oils, herbs, or naturally- occurring chemical compounds. These products do not harm the

environment and do not introduce foreign chemicals into the body. Therefore, natural cleaning

products are typically non- irritating to the skin and eyes and far more gentle than harsh chemical

cleansers. In the context of this paper, just because something is ‘natural’ doesn’t mean it is less

toxic, or non- irritating all the time. Even cleaners that are safe enough to eat, like lemon juice,

can be irritating to the eyes or skin. Consumers should make decisions based on reading the

ingredient list for themselves, identifying any ingredients that may be toxic, and then deciding

whether to use that product in the home.

There are several labels approved by the FDA that one can use to identify whether or not

a product is organic, or in other words, natural. If a product is labeled “100% organic” all of the

ingredients used must be natural. If a product is labeled simply “organic,” it at least 95 percent of

its ingredients are organically produced. Finally, if a product is labeled “made with organic

ingredients,” it must contain at least 70 percent organic contents. The first ingredient on any

label is found in the product in greatest quantity, therefore it may be convenient to simply

identify this ingredient. Many products are mostly water. Therefore, the first ingredient can

provide a clue to the potency of the natural ingredient within the product of your choice.3

3
"USDA-FDA Organic Foods." USDA-FDA.com Nutritional Labeling, USDA Label Expeditor, Facility Consultant,
UPC Barcodes. 2006. Web. <http://usda-fda.com/Articles/Organic.htm>.
 Maintaining a Healthy Home Holistically 5

Not all natural cleaning products are equal. Like all products used in the home, especially

around children, it is necessary to research ingredients or subscribe to a company that pledges to

provide pure products. For instance, the Melaleuca Company adheres to the established

Australian standard that requires marketed Melaleuca oil to have a minimum of thirty- five

percent Terpinen and a maximum of ten- percent Cineole, the two main chemical components of

the natural oil, which ensures that the product is as pure as possible.4 The Shaklee Corporation,

another company that promotes natural products, maintains a Scientific Advisory Board of

medical professionals and scientists who regularly check the purity of products and make sure

EPA (Environmental Protection Agency) standards are met.5 These are features of companies

that have created transparency for consumers to identify exactly where their products are coming

from and can be trusted to provide pure products for the home.

Why Worry About the Environment?

Do you know what impacts the quality of your health?

www.ahha.org

We are our environment. Health does not end at the skin. Everything we do, from the

food we eat to the air we breathe, affects our health. In this diagram produced by the American

4
MacKenzie, Karen. "That Amazing Tea Tree Oil!" The Melaleuca Wellness Guide. Littleton, CO: RM Barry
Publications, 2005. p. 36.
5
http://www.shaklee.com/company_sab.shtml
 Maintaining a Healthy Home Holistically 6

Holistic Health Association, the environment is shown to impact health in an even stronger

capacity than medical care. While one may visit the doctor’s office once or twice annually, we

spend countless hours indoors in the course of our lives. Therefore the quality of the environment

cannot be separated from one’s state of health. Natural household products holistically maintain

health because they do not harm the environment. Unnatural, genetically engineered chemicals

used in the environment have been shown to harm the body.

ASTHMA STUDIES

Conventional Household Products Pollute the Body

Asthma is a condition that affects a large portion of the U.S. population and it is especially

prevalent among young children. “An average of one out of every 13 school-aged children or

nine million US children under age 18 have been diagnosed with asthma. It’s the most common

chronic childhood disease in the developed world and has become even more commonplace in

the last three decades.”6 Furthermore, in the US, the prevalence of asthma increased 75% from

1980-1994.7 An increasingly toxic home environment may play a key role in the development of

asthma and the severity of symptoms.

A 2004 study published in the New England Journal of Medicine revealed the harmful

effects of environmental irritants in amplifying asthma- related symptoms. The study, which

followed 937 children living in high- risk homes in seven major cities, found that a reduction of

irritants within the home served to decrease asthma- related morbidity rates.8 Children who were

exposed to fewer allergens within the home through stringent cleaning practices experienced less

symptoms of asthma including wheezing and coughing. They could also play for more extended
6
Landrigan PJ, Garg A. Chronic effects of toxic environmental exposures on children's health. J Toxicol Clin
Toxicol. 2002;40(4):p. 451.
7
"AAAAI - Statistics." AAAAI - American Academy of Allergy Asthma and Immunology - Www.aaaai.org. 2010.
Web. <http://www.aaaai.org/media/statistics/asthma-statistics.asp>.
8
Morgan, WJ., & Crain, EF et al. "Results of a home-based environmental intervention among urban children with
asthma." The New England Journal of Medicine 351.11 (2004): p. 2.
 Maintaining a Healthy Home Holistically 7

periods of time because their symptoms were alleviated. This study reveals the fundamental

connection between health and environment, one that companies promoting natural cleaning

products hope to make prominent in American consumer culture.

The Melaleuca Company promotes maintaining a healthy home. In a chapter of the

Melaleuca Wellness Guide entitled “Is Your Home a Healthy Home?” John K. Beaulieu exposes

the harms that can be unwittingly imposed on one’s family through the use of toxic chemicals in

household products. Some alarming statistics are presented as evidence of these harms. For

instance, “a product that kills 50% of lab animals through ingestion or inhalation can still receive

the federal regulatory designation ‘non-toxic’”9 Throughout the article, a number of products

used in almost every household in the United States are listed as containing cancer-causing

agents and chemicals that can irritate respiratory pathways or skin. One chemical that is common

in many household products, formaldehyde, which is also used to preserve human and animal

bodies for dissection, is described as capable of causing “spasms, edema of the larynx and

bronchi, and chemical pneumonitis”10 upon inhalation. Formaldehyde is found in common

brands of bubble bath, baby shampoo, hair spray, and other personal care products and, like dust

and allergens, has also been linked to childhood asthma.

In an article published in the Environmental Health Perspectives Journal entitled

“Formaldehyde Exposure and Asthma in Children: A Systematic Review,” literature reviews of

recently published studies provided quantitative evidence of a strong association between

formaldehyde in the home environment and increasing rates of asthma among children.

Specifically, “when compared with individuals with no formaldehyde exposure, those with the

highest levels of exposure reported in the seven studies (i.e., 80 µg/m3) would have 3.5-times
9
Beaulieu, John K. "Is Your Home a Healthy Home?" The Melaleuca Wellness Guide. Littleton, CO: RM Barry
Publications, 2005. p. 41.
10
Ibid., p. 45.
 Maintaining a Healthy Home Holistically 8

higher odds of asthma.”11 One study examined in this report focused on formaldehyde exposure

among infants from birth to two years of age, a critical window where exposure to formaldehyde

can have long- lasting effects due to the “small caliber of their airways”12 and found an even

stronger positive association with asthma for these children later in life. Therefore, it is

imperative that families keep their homes pure in terms of products used to clean furniture and

floors, especially in children’s rooms.

Some links to chemical and asthma remain unclear. For instance, a study in Sweden

identified yet another harmful agent found in many household items, phthalate compounds.

Phthalates are compounds that are used in conventional tupper- ware plastic containers as well as

moisturizers, nail polish, and vinyl flooring. These compounds are ubiquitous in most American

homes as well and leach out of products into the air. “Global phthalate production is 3.8 million

tons per year”13 and this figure is rising every year. The Swedish study concluded that “house

dust containing [phthalates]…is associated with higher rates of asthma.”14 The study included

Swedish children who were exposed to phthalate- containing products in the home. However, a

reverse causation factor has been considered by the American Chemistry Council, which

suggests that it is yet to be determined whether the presence of the phthalate compounds

ultimately leads to asthma or if the phthalate-containing products brought into the home to

combat asthma only further aggravate symptoms. Both situations may be contributing factors to

worsening symptoms. The example used is the practice of replacing carpets with vinyl flooring

to reduce allergens, which is often a response to asthma because parents are aware of the dust
11
McGwin G Jr., Lienert J, Kennedy JI Jr., 2009 Formaldehyde Exposure and Asthma in Children: A Systematic
Review. Environmental Health Perspectives 118(3): 313-317.
12
Ibid., 316.
13
Bornehag CG, Sundell J, Weschler CJ, Sigsgaard T, Lundgren B, Hasselgren, et al. 2004. The association
between asthma and allergic symptoms in children and phthalates in house dust: a nested case–control study
Environmental Health Perspectives112: 1393–1397.
14
Ibid., p. 1394.
 Maintaining a Healthy Home Holistically 9

mites carpeting can harbor within the home. Perhaps the Rainbow Cleaning System would work

well for these families! Although this particular connection remains unclear, other chemical

compounds like formaldehyde have been linked to asthma with high levels of certainty. The

preventive benefits of using natural cleaning systems in the home prevail.

Evidence suggests that conventional cleaning products cause illness; this is especially

important for children. During the interview, Ms. Hensen discussed the health benefits of using

natural household products within her own family in depth. With regard to the benefits of using

Melaleuca products, she asserted wholeheartedly that her “family’s health had improved greatly

since the introduction of Melaleuca cleaning products and supplements to the household.” Her

teenage son has suffered with severe asthma since birth and his condition was often aggravated

by strongly scented detergents and other harsh chemical products, including household bleach

and ammonia- based cleaners. She revealed that he had missed almost two months of school over

the course of his freshman year of high school due to asthma complications despite her best

efforts to keep the house clear of irritants like dust and pesticides.

When a friend suggested Melaleuca, Ms. Hensen was eager to explore the option. Her

first product was MelaPower©, a melaleuca oil- based detergent. Within weeks, she found that

her son was not experiencing the same sense of airway irritation as he had with other brands of

detergent. She then added Sol-U-Mel©, a multi-use cleaning solution that she uses throughout

the home in cleaning floors, appliances, and large areas such as kitchen and living room floors.

These products are part of the EcoSense line of natural cleaning products. Because Sol-U-Mel©

solution is sold in concentrated form, it is long- lasting through several uses. She especially

enjoys the versatility of uses for one product she has encountered using Melaleuca. Sol- U-

Mel© is just one example of such products that can be used almost anywhere in the home. Her
 Maintaining a Healthy Home Holistically 10

son has not had an asthma attack since she switched to Melaleuca products eight years ago. Now

a law school student at Temple University, he uses the products in his own home. When asked

how he feels since his mom first introduced him to Melaleuca products, he responds that

“Melaleuca changed his life.” He attributes his renewed ease of breathing to Melaleuca in large

part. Ms. Hensen’s personal testimony does not suggest that Melaleuca products are “miracle

solutions” to a whole host of health problems, but it does reveal the efficacy that consumers seek

when deciding on a purchase. Her experience reveals a vital tenet of natural, holistic healthcare

methods, which is, “In the wisdom of nature lies the solutions” to all of the ailments faced by

humankind today.15 We are not at a loss for natural cures because the environment has just as

many rich resources for promoting health as it always has. It is simply our responsibility to take

advantage of those resources. Using natural cleaning products is the first step for many families,

especially among those who are aware of the potential dangers of conventional products.

The long- term effects of using chemical elements like phthalates and formaldehyde have

been well- documented. However, a recent study by Ramon et al. identifies the short- term

effects of constant exposure to conventional cleaning products in the hospitality industry among

female housekeepers.16 In the study, a control group of 43 domestic workers who had been

diagnosed with either asthma or obstructive lung disease were instructed to keep diaries of

symptoms associated with their conditions, from difficulty breathing to asthma attacks at

different points during the day. The workers recorded the severity of seven symptoms that had

been selected by the panel of researchers at different points during the day. The study concluded

that exposure to traditional cleaning products, among them bleach- containing products,

15
Ausubel, supra note 7, p. 10.
16
Medina- Ramon, M. Zock J.P., Kogevinas M., Sunyer J., Basagana X., and Schwartz J. "Short- Term Respiratory
Effects of Cleaning Exposures in Female Domestic Cleaners." European Respiratory Journal 27 (2006): p. 1197.
 Maintaining a Healthy Home Holistically 11

aggravates lower respiratory tract symptoms among domestic workers. Although this study was

conducted in Spain where the pool of participants was localized, these results indicate that

conventional cleaning products are not only damaging to the health of children but also to adults.

Harsh irritants found in traditional cleaning products like bleach are dangerous to both the body

and the environment.

Natural Household Products Today: Drawing on the Past to Protect Our Future

Three major companies involved in producing natural cleaning products for sale

presently are the Shaklee Corporation, the Rainbow Company, and Melaleuca Inc. A brief

overview of the services offered by these companies will provide insight into the transforming

views of how to maintain a healthy home environment. All companies promoting natural

cleaning products share the same basic goal, and that is promoting health holistically by offering

alternatives to harsh chemicals that can harm the body and the environment. These companies

look to indigenous cultures for philosophy and ingredients.

The Shaklee Corporation has been operating since 1960. It is one of the pioneer

companies to promote natural cleaning products and biodegradable containers for household

products. Their mission statement nicely sums some of the ideas presented in this paper. This is

the Shaklee pledge: “We make products from the purest natural ingredients. And we take

stringent measures to keep out pesticides, contaminants, and other unnatural things that simply

don't belong there. But just as important as what we take from nature is what we don't take.”17

Shaklee set the standard for many similar companies that would follow.

Melaleuca, Inc. was founded by Frank VanderSloot in 1995. The overarching goals of the

company are to provide consumers with natural alternatives to chemically based cleaning

17
Shaklee Corporation. 2010. Web. 16 Apr. 2010. <http://shaklee.com>.
 Maintaining a Healthy Home Holistically 12

products, healing supplements, medications, and even beauty products. By working in concert

with the environment, the Melaleuca Company has brought to the forefront natural remedies that

have been used for centuries in other cultures. For instance, the pioneer product and namesake of

this innovative company was melaleuca oil, also known as tea tree oil. This oil is a natural

compound taken from an Australian plant which is considered “a useful dermatological with

antibacterial, antiviral, and antifungal properties.”18 Tea tree oil is used in a wide range of

products sold by the company, including toothpaste, mouthwash, soap, as well as its most basic

form as pure oil. Tea tree oil was used among Australian aborigines who realized the healing

power of the extract upon experimentation. Within that culture, “freshly crushed leaves were

applied directly to an injury, and then held in place with a mud pack”19 and healing was

accelerated. They named the herb bungawalbyn, which means “healing ground” in the native

language.20 Today, tea tree oil is used to treat conditions like acne, eczema, psoriasis, dandruff,

and athlete’s foot. It is found within a whole host of natural cleaning products, from teas to acne

medications. This company is one of many that have successfully brought this ancient herb back

to the forefront of health consciousness and natural remedies for common ailments.

The Melaleuca Company functions through word- of- mouth dissemination of consumer

based advice and success with products. One of the company’s slogans, “We’re telling about

Melaleuca, not selling it”21 speaks to this feature of promoting the products. Customers are

exposed to Melaleuca through informational sessions held within the homes of current users who

are given instructional materials to conduct the sessions themselves with other friends. As a
18
Messerole, Lisa. "Western Herbalism." Fundamentals of Complementary and Alternative Medicine. Philadelphia:
Churchhill Livingstone, PA. p. 145.
19
Beane, James. "History of Tea Tree Oil." What's Tea Tree oil Good For? Tea Tree Oil Uses, Tips,& Ideas. Tea
Tree Wonders T40 tea tree oil. 2007. Web. 01 Mar. 2010. <http://www.teatreewonders.com/history-of-tea-tree-
oil.html>.
20
MacKenzie, supra n. 4, at p. 22.
21
Barry, Richard M. "The Melaleuca Story” The Melaleuca Wellness Guide. Littleton, CO: RM Barry Publications,
2005. p. 10.
 Maintaining a Healthy Home Holistically 13

wellness company, the Melaleuca brand promotes a holistic focus on the entire individual’s

overall wellbeing and daily satisfaction with bodily function. Testimonies shared during

informational sessions are typically centered on personal experience with the product, from

health improvements seen after using natural cleaning products as in the case of Ms. Hensen, to

the practical efficacy of maintaining a healthy lifestyle without harming the environment. While

Melaleuca promotes a whole host of natural products, from lotions to cleaners, other companies

focus on improving the efficacy and the environmentally- friendly standard of a particular

household appliance such as the vacuum.

The Rainbow Cleaning System line produces vacuum cleaners that use a water filtration

system to collect dirt and allergens picked up instead of traditional bags that can harbor a host of

dust mites and other bacteria lifted from carpets during vacuuming. The idea of cleaning one’s

home is the goal to remove dirt, but some conventional vacuum cleaners only spread dirt and

dust mites as one empties filters and bags. Rainbow technology uses a water basin to trap

allergens in a fluid that can be easily disposed in the proper receptacle, either bagged and thrown

in the trash or flushed down the toilet. The innovative system also allows customers to add

natural components to the water basin prior to vacuuming, such as lemon or orange peels, to

fragrance the home naturally as you vacuum. This pragmatic system can be helpful for those who

are sensitive to dust and other irritants, especially asthmatic children and adults.

Conventional Household Products Pollute the Environment

Humans are only as healthy as their habitats. Therefore, by polluting the environment, we

poison ourselves. Conventional cleaning products pollute the environment and our bodies. By

poisoning the environment, we poison ourselves. Environmental security, which can be

understood as the capacity of humans to live harmoniously with nature or to maintain a

 Maintaining a Healthy Home Holistically 14

sustainable environment is inextricably linked with human security. This is why it is crucial to

make careful decisions about the purity of household products.

In an interview with Jim Quigley, founder of Healthy Spaces, a company that aims to

help local Philadelphia and Bucks County families create healthier homes and workplaces, the

interconnection between environmental health and bodily function was made clear. He described

an incident in which a thirty- year- old man with severe asthma called in to have an evaluation of

his work space hoping to identify a major environmental trigger that could be removed to ease

his symptoms. He had been taking his asthma medication every day, three times per day on his

worst days, and was very distracted by his asthma symptoms. Jim went into evaluate the office

and made shocking observations as he engaged in conversation with the man and completed the

formal checklist he uses in every evaluation. The first visual observation was an easy one. He

immediately identified wall-to-wall carpeting in the office that had not been vacuumed in a

number of months, a rich source of dust mites and bacteria. The second was the wall paper,

which he determined contained volatile organic compounds (VOCs) upon taking a sample and

evaluating it in the laboratory. Both formaldehyde, the dangers of which have been discussed,

and xylene were found in the wallpaper. The man was functioning from day to day in a very

hazardous environment, and Jim advised him to remove the carpet, remove the wallpaper, and

use paint with a natural base to see if his health improved. In a matter of days, the man’s

symptoms were alleviated to the point of no longer needing even one dose of his asthma

medication in the course of a day. By returning the office environment to a more natural state, he

was able to return his body to a more natural state of functioning as well by coming off of his

pharmaceutical medication. Several companies are making a healthy environment a priority in

their marketing strategies.22

22
Quigley, J. "Interview with Jim Quigley, Founder of Healthyspaces." Telephone interview. 28 Feb. 2010.
 Maintaining a Healthy Home Holistically 15

Melaleuca Inc. is an example of one company that is making strides to protect the

environment. The biodegradable nature of most Melaleuca products and containers ensures that

the environment will not be harmed through proper disposal. This is one of the extra steps the

brand makes to protect the natural habitat in which we all must live, which adds sustainable

value to the products. Because the products in Melaleuca’s cleaning line Eco Sense are

concentrated, they can be diluted with water instead of packed with chemical fillers to enhance

performance. Also, the concentrated nature of the products allows packaging in smaller

containers, which allows for less waste. This is a feature that customers like Ms. Hensen truly

appreciate. She asserts that she is personally committed to preserving the environment and this

was one of the main features that first drew her to the company. In her own words, she is “really

concerned with protecting the environment in any way [she] can.”23 The commitment to

preserving the environment is a part of the Melaleuca promise because the founders understand

that the earth provides benefits that require a sense of respect for the environment, a mutually

beneficial partnership between consumers and this universal habitat. All companies providing

natural household products make a similar pledge to protecting the environment.

Natural Household Products: The Best Choice for Your Home and Health

Natural cleaning products provide safe alternatives to harmful chemicals found in many

traditional products, from bleach to furniture polish. Considering that we spend up to 57 percent

of our lives indoors, it is beneficial to make sure that indoor environments are safe havens to

raise healthy children. At present, many environmental factors are responsible for the increase in

the number of allergic and autoimmune diseases, and evidence provided supports the hypothesis

that this increase may be caused by the widespread chemical contamination of the environment.
23
Hensen, S. "Interview with Sally Hensen, Executive Director within Melaleuca, Inc." Telephone interview. 28
Feb. 2010.
 Maintaining a Healthy Home Holistically 16

Several chemicals, like formaldehyde and phthalates in the home have been linked to rising rates

of asthma among young people, but consumers are not left hopeless. The goal is not to live in

fear of the world around us. Rather, it is to embrace the fruits of the earth and bring nature into

the home environment. Bacteria and dust mites were some of the first organisms to appear on the

planet, and these tiny organisms will not be disappearing anytime soon. All companies

promoting natural cleaning products share the same basic goal, and that is promoting health

holistically by offering alternatives to harsh chemicals that can harm the body and the

environment.

Perhaps the reemergence of indigenous practices is evidence that we are beginning to

remember that we are just one part of an unending cycle of life- we are nature. Therefore, the

environments we occupy are inseparable from our own holistic wellbeing. Just as some are

choosing natural products for healing rather than pharmaceuticals to stimulate the body’s own

innate ability to heal, people are looking for more natural products to surround themselves in the

home. The earth’s natural elements have worked synergistically with our own bodily systems for

thousands of years. Isn’t that the best seal of approval? Gentle, natural products are stocked with

ingredients from the earth like melaleuca oil. Even vinegar and lemon juice are natural acids that

can be safely used to clean in the home. Natural products offer a lifetime guarantee that has stood

the test of time. Good health starts with a healthy environment, so why not make your home a

healthy home?