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GREEN MEDICINE TIPS
Is Your Office Making You Sick?
Joel Kreisberg, DC
Disclosure: Joel Kreisberg, DC, is the director of education and service
development at Practice Greenhealth, a nonprofit organization dedi-
cated to “greening” healthcare.
obacco smoke, mold, pesticides, chemical cleaners, radon,
T carbon monoxide, asbestos, formaldehyde, and lead—the
“short” list of the most common household contaminants.
Although concentrations of these toxicants may be small, we still
have much reason to be concerned about the poor quality of
indoor air and its detrimental effects on our health. Sadly, the
average person will spend between 80% and 90% of his or her time
indoors—be it home, car, or work—exposed to such contami-
nants. The green health professional is wise to keep a keen eye on
signs and symptoms of exposure.
Tobacco smoke: By far, data suggest that tobacco smoke is
the most common concern for indoor exposure. In particular,
secondhand tobacco smoke significantly impacts children’s
health, including upper- and lower-respiratory infections and
asthma attacks.1 The main solution is to keep homes smoke free,
asking family and guests to smoke outside. No-smoking zones in
cities throughout the United States have grown as urban plan-
ning has committed to reducing the risks of health effects from
tobacco smoke.
Biological contaminants: Molds are the most common
example of such contaminants. However, other biological con-
taminants can include dust mites and pet dander along with
roaches and other small household pests, as well as microbio-
logical contaminants. Often these pollutants occur in areas of
our homes or offices that have excess moisture or the availability
of food. To prevent such exposure, it is advised that cooking and
eating areas and any accompanying appliances are kept clean
and dry. In addition, proper ventilation is essential for keeping
biological pollutants from gaining hold in a building.
Pesticides and cleaners: These commonly used products
are pollutants actively applied to our indoor and outdoor envi-
ronments, often without knowledge of the potential health
effects on sensitive people. The National Pesticide Information
Center (www.npic.orst.edu) offers quick, easy access to the most
up-to-date information about pesticides. Data suggest that 75%
of all households in the United States are contaminated with at
least 1 pesticide.2 For their part, cleaning supplies often contain
chemicals that can negatively impact our health. Hence, reduc-
ing chemical exposure from pesticides and cleaners is a crucial
step to green health. One way to achieve this is through environ-
mental purchasing, which involves switching our purchasing
choices from traditional chemical cleaners to office and house-
hold cleaners that are nontoxic by design.
Asbestos, lead, and formaldehyde: All 3 are common
48 Integrative Medicine • Vol. 8, No. 6 • Dec 2009/Jan 2010
Resources
• Agency of Toxic Substances and Disease Registry: www.
atsdr.cdc.gov/csem/exphistory/ehindoor_pollution.html
• American Lung Association, Air Quality: www.lungusa.
org/site/pp.asp?c=dvLUK9O0E&b=35381
• The Deirdre Imus Environmental Center for Pediatric
Oncology: www.dienviro.com/index1.aspx?BD=17866).
• The Environmental Protection Agency, Indoor Air
Pollution, An Introduction for Health Professionals:
www.epa.gov/iaq/pubs/hpguide.html
• Medline Plus NIH, Indoor Air Pollution: www.nlm.
nih.gov/medlineplus/indoorairpollution.html
• National Pesticide Information Center: www.npic.orst.edu
• The World Health Organization, Indoor Air Pollution:
www.who.int/indoorair/en/
• US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention,
Indoor Air Quality Information: www.cdc.gov/nceh/
airpollution/indoor_air.htm
building products of the 20th century that have since been
proven harmful to humans. Asbestos, commonly used for insu-
lation, produces small enough dust particles to lodge deep in the
lungs and cause mesothelioma, a terminal cancer. Lead, while
still used in wastewater systems, is now banned in paints and
plumbing; however, older homes can be problematic.
Formaldehyde is a preservative that was found in wood treat-
ments including paneling and processed wood materials.
Precaution is advised. Learning how old a building is can tell you
the possible risks of the buildings contaminants.
Radon and carbon monoxide: These are odorless gases,
common in homes or offices that have older furnaces, gas stoves,
or poorly designed foundations. If gas or solids are burned
inside the home or office, the risk of carbon monoxide poisoning
is significant. A carbon monoxide detector, the simplest preven-
tative measure, is critical for every kitchen and furnace area.
Radon, a natural byproduct of uranium decaying within the
earth’s mantle, is odorless and poisonous, and a detector must
be used to find it. Recent studies suggest that radon exposure is
responsible for 14 000 deaths in the United States every year.3,4
Test kits can be purchased at a local hardware store.
Kreisberg—Green Medicine Tips
Lowering the Risk
Lowering risks of indoor exposures involves 3 measures:
source control, proper ventilation, and air cleaners. Checking
buildings for each indoor contaminant can easily be done and is
worth encouraging every patient to do. Proper ventilation is nec-
essary for maintaining a healthy indoor environment. Air clean-
ers or filters, while not required, are recommended for sensitive
patients or for buildings that need remediation or are located in
neighborhoods that have high exposure to air pollution.
In the United States, data suggest that 30 to 70 million
workers exhibit symptoms of sick-building syndrome.5
Symptoms of upper-respiratory distress, such as chest tightness
as well as lethargy, nasal congestion, dry throat, and headaches
can all be caused by indoor pollutants. Completing an environ-
mental exposure history with every patient is an essential task of
any medical clinician. The Agency of Toxic Substances and
Disease Registry (www.atsdr.cdc.gov/csem/exphistory/ehin-
door_pollution.html) has an easy-to-use series of case studies
that provide busy health professionals with the invaluable skills
of recognizing indoor air pollutions and exposure components,
as well as a guide to completing a work history or an environ-
mental history. The usefulness of these skills become clear as you
broaden your understanding of environmental impacts on
patients and family alike. Learn these skills well. It seems that
Americans will only continue to spend more time indoors.

Joel Kreisberg, DC, a chiropractor and clinical homeopath, is an adjunct

professor for the School of Holistic Studies at John F. Kennedy University in
Pleasant Hill, California. As mentioned in the disclosure, he is also the direc-
tor of education and service development for the nonprofit organization
Practice Greenhealth.

References
1. US Department of Health and Human Services, Centers for Disease Control and
Prevention, Coordinating Center for Health Promotion, National Center for Chronic
Disease Prevention and Health Promotion, Office on Smoking and Health. The
Health Consequences of Involuntary Exposure to Tobacco Smoke: A Report of the Surgeon
General. Rockville, MD: US Department of Health and Human Services; 2006.
2. US Environmental Protection Agency, Office of Radiation and Indoor Air. The Inside
Story: A Guide to Indoor Air Quality. Available at: http://www.epa.gov/iaq/pubs/
insidest.html#Look7. Accessed October 15, 2009.
3. US Environmental Protection Agency, Office of Radiation and Indoor Air. EPA
Assessment of Risks from Radon in Homes. June 2003. Available at: http://www.epa.
gov/radon/pdfs/402-r-03-003.pdf. Accessed October 15, 2009.
4. Oliver LC, Shackleton BW. The Indoor Air We Breathe: A Public Health Problem of the
90’s. Public Health Records, Sep-Oct 1998. US Department of Health and Human
Services. Available at: http://www.anapsid.org/cnd/files/airwebreathe.pdf.
Accessed October 15, 2009.

Kreisberg—Green Medicine Tips Integrative Medicine • Vol. 8, No. 6 • Dec 2009/Jan 2010 49