In the early 20th century, an influenza epidemic killed millions and infected more than a quarter of the global population. Today, influenza epidemics tend to be far less deadly, but there are no guarantees. The flu evolves, and it is possible that one day a deadlier version will sweep across the globe.

The good news…

According to health officials, the key to winter health is a healthy home, and a healthy home is a clean home.

Most of us spend the vast majority of our lives indoors, especially during the winter. The issue with that is air pollution. Although we tend to think of air pollution as an outdoor problem,…

We all tend to associate lung cancer with smoking cigarettes. That’s what happens: You smoke, and then you pay a horrible price. But smoking doesn’t explain away all lung cancer. People who have never smoked nor had significant exposure to a smoker are diagnosed with lung cancer all the time. In fact, each year there…

Many people think of allergy season as spring and summer, but for many asthma and allergy sufferers, the “season” is a year-round event. In fact, symptoms often worsen during the wintertime because of all the additional time we spend indoors. The indoors are worse because you have to deal with more allergens at even higher…

The medical community has long recognized chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) as a significant problem. However, a recent study indicates that people are at a significantly higher risk of the disease than previously estimated. According to a team of Canadian researchers, 25 percent of all people age 35 and up will develop some form of…

For decades now, government has put regulations in place to control air quality. What we’re discovering recently, however, is that those efforts are not enough in some cases and misguided in others. In fact, indoor air quality is a far greater concern than the pollution outdoors, and in that regard, the government can only do…

My name is Michael. I am a middle-aged man living in Orange County, CA, and I am very fortunate: I have a beautiful daughter, a wonderful wife, a loyal dog and a mischievous but always charming cat.

I’ve also battled severe allergies my entire life. Over the years, I’d learned to manage the triggers and…

Recognizing the truth about indoor air quality and the need for air filtration is just the first step in what can be an extremely confusing and challenging process. There is a lot of competition on the market right now. There is also a great deal of misinformation on the Internet and available from other sources.…

In recent years, extreme storms throughout North America have seemed commonplace. Most recently, these terrible weather events have hit eastern Canada and the northeastern United States particularly hard.

Hurricanes and numerous other rain-heavy events have ravaged these areas, which has left many residents coping with flooded basements and extremely high humidity levels.

When such an event occurs,…

Most people with allergies suffer far more than they have to. As a society, we put so much focus on medication and other remedies, and don’t give nearly enough attention to controlling our environment and managing our triggers. Take control of your allergies. Read the strategies outlined below, and incorporate them into your routine.
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Led by Dr. Melinda Power, a team of researchers at the Harvard School of Public Health conducted a study on the effects of traffic pollution. The evidence uncovered provides significant support to the notion that long-term exposure to traffic-related air pollution affects brain functions.

In fact, the team was able to demonstrate a relationship between…

We know that traffic pollution affects our lungs negatively, but we’ve never known precisely how or to what degree. Recent scientific studies, however, are beginning to change that. In fact, one of the newest studies has provided evidence that children living close (< 0.34 miles) to a freeway are sustaining lasting respiratory damage.

The research…

The IQAir HealthPro Plus is one of the best-selling portable HEPA air purifiers on the market. Not only is this a popular pick among residential consumers, it is a top choice with industrial and commercial clients as well. This might not come as a surprise to you. After all, IQAir is a pioneer in this…

Fostering a healthy home environment is vital, especially now as cold weather sets in, and you and the family spend a lot more time indoors. In the following article, we’ll discuss five simple yet effective strategies for creating and maintaining a healthy home.
1. Reduce pollutants and toxins.
During the winter, we shut all the…

Pollution billows out of factory smokestacks and pours out vehicle exhausts. We see it; sometimes we smell it; and because of that, the danger is apparent. Poor indoor air quality, on the other hand, is much more dangerous. We don’t see it; we don’t smell it; we don’t recognize it; and within the confines our…

A new Danish study has provided more evidence to a troublesome theory: A mother’s exposure to airborne pollutants at work significantly increases the likelihood that the unborn child will develop asthma later in life. The study used registry data of nearly 50,000 mothers and their seven-year-old children. The general population demonstrated a 16.1-percent occurrence of…

Millions of people suffer from allergens lurking indoors and out. In fact, allergies are a growing phenomenon. Allergies have become one of the leading causes of chronic sickness, and they generate more than seven billion dollars for the healthcare industry in the United States alone. It’s truly staggering.

Perhaps what is most stunning is that we…

Numerous recent scientific studies have lent credence to the notion that air pollution can lead to premature births. Air pollution, both indoors and out, are at the greatest concentrations in dense urban areas, and thus pregnant women living in cities and even large towns are much more likely to experience a premature birth than the…

Managing allergies is all about avoiding triggers, and for many sufferers, pet dander is a potent trigger. Therefore, reason tells us that the best course of action is to avoid owning dander-producing pets altogether. Of course, this isn’t all about reason. We’re emotional creatures, and love of our pets doesn’t necessarily reconcile with best logic.…

For those with allergies, managing symptoms and avoiding triggers are the keys to happiness. In books and online, there is a great deal of resource material available to sufferers. Most of this information focuses on the spring because springtime is the worst time for those with allergies. It is not the only time, however, and…