November 2014 ~ Crochet Addict UK

Sunday, 30 November 2014

Toxic Home Syndrome

00:00 Health, Toxic Home Syndrome No comments

UK homes are at risk of ‘Toxic Home Syndrome’

The air inside your home is causing more damage to your health than the air outside¹

Results from an exclusive Indoor Air Quality (IAQ) home study reveal UK households are at risk of experiencing aggravated health problems due to poor air quality inside the home.

The independent study tested the air quality in British homes; analysing the level of Volatile Organic Compounds (VOCs) present in the air. Out of the 122 homes tested in the UK, only 9% were considered in the normal category of recommended level of pollutant concentration, with the remaining 91% of homes above the recommended level².

“At the normal level, non-chemically sensitive individuals should not experience health issues from VOCs. As the TVOC level increases into the moderate, elevated or severe levels, individuals may experience aggravated health problems, and therefore, the need to address VOC issues becomes more critical” says indoor air quality expert Tim Robinson.

Mould is one of the key factors of poor indoor air quality and health risk. According to a new YouGov consumer survey, 58% of respondents have experienced mould or condensation in their home; with 19% of those have already suffered from a respiratory or dermatological condition while the remaining 81% could be at risk³.

As we move towards winter, condensation and mould become more prominent as we close windows and make our homes more airtight. Moulds release allergens, irritants and toxic substances that have been linked to immune system disorders such as asthma and allergies¹. Other pollutants released by items around the home – such as fireplaces, candles, air fresheners, textiles, furniture, cleaning products paint and detergents³ - add to this, creating a potent ‘pollutant soup’ in the home.

Peter Howarth, Professor of Allergy and Respiratory medicine at Southampton University, calls for increased awareness of what is being termed ‘Toxic Home Syndrome’. He comments: “There is a lot of noise about how outdoor air pollution affects your health, but we should look closer to home as this is where we spend most of our time. Indoor air can be more hazardous than outdoor air, particularly in young children and the elderly and where air quality is poorest. ‘Toxic home syndrome’ occurs when families are exposed to a potent mix of airborne pollutants arising from poor home ventilation, causing respiratory and skin diseases to occur more frequently.”

For more information on ‘Toxic Home Syndrome’, expert advice and top tips or to find out if your health and home is at risk visit www.myhealthmyhome.com

References

¹Camfil Farr (2012) Clean Air is a Human Right Report

² Prism & Waverton Analytics (2013) IAQ Home Study

^{³YouGov Consumer Survey (2014) Air Quality}

I've Made Friday Week 127

01:00 FO, Hat, Hooded Scarf, I've Made Friday, Reindeer, Scarf, Scarflette, Scoodie No comments

Good Morning everyone!

I hope your week is going well

and you are looking forward to the weekend.

Tomorrow is the schools Christmas Fair.

Then Sunday we get the Christmas Decorations down

ready for decorating the house.

I can't believe how close December is!

I've got lots to show you this week.

Here is what I made with Little Red this week.
We bought a selection craft kit.
It's the most popular craft kits from Baker Ross

The colour is actually black and dark red.

This is the hat for Little Red's

Crazy Hair day at school.

This is actually baby size.

It's from the Leisure Arts book:

Celebrity Baby Fashion

The Bobble Hat is from the book Crochet Boutique Hats.

Little Red loves the hat and wanted a scarf to match.

So mummy to the rescue.

I just followed the basic techniques of the hat

and replicated them in a scarf.

I finished my Deer Pattern from Lovely Baby Gift!

I cannot recommend this pattern highly enough!

It is a 5 out of 5.

The pattern is super easy to follow!

I made ours with a red nose and little red didn't want the mouth or scarf.

You can add them if you want.

I love him!

It is a pattern that is well worth the price!

Every different part of the pattern is easy to follow

and each part is so effective.

I made mine with a double knit acrylic yarn and 3 mm hook.

Here is what the full pattern looks like:

Amigurumi Deer Crochet Pattern, Crochet Deer Pattern, Animal Crochet Pattern, Reindeer, Christmas Deer, CP-134

You can purchase the pattern through:

Ravelry. Etsy, or Craftsy

Victoria's patterns are amazing!

Check out some of her other designs:

You can also Find her on Facebook

This week I've read (listened to)

In Cold Blood

by Mark Dawson

I was very pleasantly surprised by this book.

I didn't think the subject matter was something I would enjoy.

How wrong I was.

The book is well written and pulls you into the story.

The emotion and characters are believable and you just want to hear what happens next.

I can't wait to get the next in the series just to see what happens.

Will she make it? Will she finish her wish list?

The main character of the story is Rose.

She used to work for the English Government but things turned bad.

She is now out to seek revenge on the people

that ruined her life and meant that she wouldn't see her daughter

for 8 years.

There are lots of mixed emotions and lots of action.

It was a good read and I'm looking forward to more

of the stories in the series.

Now it's time for linky love.

Please feel free to share anything you've made.

Please visit other people to see what they have made.
Add the link to here on your blog so we can share the linky love.
I will try and visit as many people as possible.
I will reply to all comments as soon as I can

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