The times when people did not know about electric lighting are long gone - at least in the countries that we call "civilized" or "developed". True, in Russia there are remote places where electricity does not always "reach" - for example, in the Arctic, in the tundra and not only: in such corners people use kerosene lamps and candles as lighting devices.

Scented candles - a dangerous romance

In our everyday life, candles are rarely used for their intended purpose, but they have a different function: with their help it is very fashionable to create a romantic atmosphere - romantic dinners show by candlelight in almost every melodrama - and scent the air in the rooms. At first glance, this is a wonderful way to brighten up our everyday reality, and this use of candles can only be welcomed, but specialists - chemists, ecologists, etc. - do not think so. On the contrary, most of them believe that the craze for scented candles cannot lead to anything good - however, here we are talking about their regular use, and many people, carried away by various exotic practices, light candles almost every day.

Meanwhile, studies show that burning scented candles can release as many toxins into the air as lighted cigarettes - something that many aromatizers do not even know about it. Often, such candles are lit in order to get rid of unpleasant odors, and they are left to burn all night, and even in the bedroom - the concentration of harmful substances in the air does not decrease, but increases.

As a result, the risk of acquiring respiratory diseases, skin problems and even oncology increases - it is unlikely that anyone needs such acquisitions. Are we going to have to give up the scented candles that have become so popular?

Paraffin candles are a chemical product

Fortunately, not all candles are harmful, but only those made with the help of the achievements of the great science of chemistry. This science is really great: today we can enjoy many benefits, thanks to talented chemists, but in recent decades, chemistry has been used not to make our life easier, but on the contrary, to add problems - unintentionally, as the owners and managers of large industrial enterprises claim. Paraffin candles are one of these products: they seem to be needed, but at the same time pose a health hazard.

It is clear that there will be no harm from one candle that we light from time to time, but many people - especially young and middle-aged women, are addicted to lighting candles every time they take a bath, and during dinner too - and at the table besides adults, there are also children. When a paraffin candle burns, toxic compounds - benzene and toluene - are released into the air, and they do not have time to burn, because the combustion temperature is low.

About benzene and toluene: the harm of paraffin candles

Why are these chemical compounds so dangerous?

They are widely used in industry - for example, benzene is one of the most used products. On its basis, rubber, synthetic rubber, plastics and other artificial materials are produced; paints, dyes for fabrics and leathers, explosives and even medicines. As flavors, benzene and its derivatives are used in perfumery and Food Industry- in very small quantities, but it is better to talk about this separately.

The main route by which benzene enters the human body is through the respiratory tract, therefore people who work where there are constantly benzene vapors in the air often suffer from sleep disturbances, weakness and dizziness. If small doses of this substance enter the body regularly, over several years, the kidneys and liver begin to work poorly in a person, the functions of the nervous and circulatory systems are disrupted; also can develop diseases of the bone marrow and blood, up to leukemia. Acute poisoning is rare - you need to get a large dose of benzene for this, but sometimes they end tragically.

Toluene is also an aromatic compound, and it is this that is the raw material from which benzene is obtained, and also trinitrotoluene is a well-known explosive, since toluene "knows how" to ignite within a few seconds. It also enters the body through the respiratory system, but it can also through the skin, and immediately affects the nervous system, and then the circulatory system - sometimes the changes are irreversible.

Is it really that dangerous?

These descriptions may seem inappropriate - after all, there is little benzene and toluene in paraffin candles, and they can only bring harm if you breathe poisonous fumes for days, but everything is not so simple. In everyday life, we are constantly surrounded by things made on the basis of chemicals: synthetic fabrics, carpets, finishing materials, household chemicals, and there are a lot of chemical additives in food products - you can't list everything. If we also add paraffin candles here, and light them regularly indoors, the state of health will deteriorate even more “stable”, although no one will get sick or die right away.

British researchers state that the rare use of paraffin candles is not dangerous for health, but at the same time, they advise to ventilate the room when they burn to reduce the amount of toxins in the air. As usual, opinions differ here too: some doctors believe that there is no particular problem - after all, there is no direct evidence, however, when they appear, it may be too late for many scented candle lovers.

By the way, although the church is now becoming a commercial one, and its ministers often strive for profit, the lighting of paraffin or other candles besides wax, in God's temple, conscientious priests call "godless" and "disgusting" business - and this is not accidental.

Wax candles - no soot and toxins

Wax candles are composed entirely of natural substances, and cannot be harmful to health, even if there are a lot of them burning in the room. In the old days, church candles were made only of beeswax: such candles burn evenly, do not smoke and do not emit any harmful substances into the air.

Now on sale there are scented candles made of wax with propolis, which are not only not harmful, but also useful: it is recommended to light them indoors during epidemics, to relieve stress or just to create a romantic atmosphere - you can have dinner with such candles without fear. True, they are more expensive than paraffin candles - however, like everything natural.

In recent years, soy wax has become popular - it is cheaper than beeswax, and is also 100% safe if it does not contain impurities; unfortunately, according to the standards, candles are considered soy if there is only 1/4 of such wax in them, but serious manufacturers of such goods do not produce. Soy wax candles can be easily processed: the wax is melted and poured into a mold, and if desired, it can be tinted and scented with your favorite essential oil.

Distinguishing wax candles from paraffin candles is not difficult. If the paraffin is cut, it crumbles, and the wax is cut easily and evenly; in addition, wax candles do not leave black soot - they cannot smother the glass.

A new threat to the health of the nation has emerged. When you eat an apple, pear, plum, green cucumber or pepper, take a good look at the surface of the fruit. Does it shine brightly? Is it smooth and shiny? If so, be careful!

There is a possibility that they are covered with a wax solution of paraffin, which, according to medical authorities, poses a very serious threat to the health of Americans. The wax shell encloses the fruit in a protective layer, which prevents the loss of water and juices, preserves the taste and fresh look... But this layer is very harmful to health. By eating the fruit, we get something like a wax that cannot be absorbed by the body. Paraffin is a product of oil refining, and our body does not have a single organ, not excluding the liver, that could process it.

Dangerous wax is deposited in the body. So doctors have reason to be concerned. Many new diseases have emerged in America with the introduction of commercially processed foods. We must not leave paraffin in our body, the paraffin that carries disease. In my opinion, 24-36 hour fasting sessions and longer fasting periods throughout the year will help rid the body of this dangerous food.

Remember that when fasting a large number of the released vital energy produces a tremendous cleansing work in the body!

At the heart of every disease is its cause, which no medicine can eliminate.

New powerful poisons invade your food

More than a thousand synthetic food additives included in the national diet, which in many ways "provides" us big number diseases. For years, our diets have been overloaded with allegedly "harmless" supplements that have proven to be hazardous to our health.

Nevertheless, many of them are still used today.

Take a loaf of industrial white bread, it has been processed, bleached, dyed, enriched, refined, softened, canned, flavored. And all this with the help of synthetic chemical ingredients. Now it is almost impossible to buy a loaf, 100% consisting of wheat flour whole grind, free from aromatization and synthetic food additives.

The human body is a collection of individual cells, and nothing else. If you eat well, if your food meets the basic needs of growth and function, these cells will allow you to live up to 120 years or more. But when a person does not take into account his body, breathes dirty, stinking air, then his cells react accordingly, and the person is sent to a hospital bed or to a cemetery. When he contaminates his food and changes its composition with synthetic chemicals, this inevitably damages the cells of the body, they begin to function poorly, because they cannot adapt to such substances.

How can the body function well if it is loaded with synthetic food additives?

The only advice is to eat food as close as possible to natural foods, try to avoid chemically processed foods. Eat the most natural food you can get. Read the labels on the products you buy carefully! Ask questions in the store about any food that interests you, even write to food manufacturers and ask them for a full analysis of the products they sell.

In 24-36 hours of fasting, you can get rid of most commercial poisons. If you feel that you can no longer cope with them, carry out a seven-ten-day fast, thoroughly cleanse the body. You will be amazed at how many toxic substances were in your food. Remember that commercial interests have nothing to do with interests in your life and health.

Eat a little at lunch,

at dinner even less

and even better to lie down -

sleep without dinner at all.

Benjamin Franklin

When you are hungry, life energy does a cleansing work in your body.

The body is self-cleaning, self-healing and self-healing. When you stop eating, wonderful things happen in your body! If you want to keep your body clean, you must starve! Try to fast several times, you will feel something that you have never felt before - an inner cleansing that leads you to Health!

Salt. What you learn about it simple product, will surprise you!

Will you use sodium to season your food, which turns into caustic alkali in water? Or chlorine, a highly poisonous gas? "A ridiculous question," you say. "No sane person will do this."

Of course not. But the startling truth is that most people do this because they don't know that these highly active substances form an inorganic crystalline substance known as SALT.

For centuries, the expression "salt of the earth" has been used to mean something good and important. There is nothing more wrong. After all, this dangerous product that you add to your food every day undermines your health. Let's take a look at the facts:

1. Salt is not food! There is no more justification for its use in cooking than for the use of potassium chloride, calcium chloride, barium or some other reagent taken from the pharmacy shelf.

2. Salt is not digested or absorbed by the body. It has no nutritional value. Salt does not contain vitamins, organic substances or any nutrients. On the contrary, it is harmful and can bring a lot of trouble to the kidneys, gallbladder and bladder, heart, arteries and other blood vessels. Salt can dehydrate tissues, rendering them critical.

3. Salt can be heart poison. It also increases the excitability of the nervous system.

4. Salt helps to flush calcium out of the body and acts on the mucous membrane covering the entire gastrointestinal tract.

If salt is so bad for the body, why is it so widely used? Mainly because salt has become a habit that has been ingrained for millennia. But this habit is based on a serious misunderstanding. The prejudice is that our body needs salt. However, many peoples, such as the Eskimos, never eat salt and do not suffer from it. In a person who has been kicked out of this habit, salt produces a sensation similar to that of a cigarette in a person who has never smoked. For some species of animals, salt is an absolute poison, especially for poultry. It is also known that pigs die from large doses of it.

Scented candles create a mood, relieve fatigue, envelop with a bouquet of aromas - and release harmful chemicals.

Experts say that breathing scented vapors all evening is no less harmful than being a passive smoker for several hours. In a room where scented candles burn for a long time, the concentration of hazardous substances in the air is about the same as in cigarette smoke.

Of course, there is no need to give up candles. But it's worth considering safety precautions.

You've probably noticed that aroma lamps or aroma candles often do not give off exactly the smell that is indicated on the package. For example, the annotation says that the candle should smell like an orange or an apple with cinnamon, but when you light it, the room smells like something unfamiliar, albeit pleasant.

The answer is simple: even if the candle is scented with natural essential oils, the fragrance burns out in the process. The oil becomes very hot, the chemical structure of the substance changes, and the aroma is distorted. At the same time, the vast majority of aroma candles sold in our stores contain artificial flavors, which in themselves are not good for health.

BAD LUCK

More recently, the environmental council of the state of Oregon (USA) raised the topic of the dangers of scented candles. The reason was an unpleasant story that happened to a resident of the city of Portland, Ashley Henry. The woman was seriously carried away by scented candles, forced the whole apartment with them - and as a result, she developed bronchial asthma. She developed hypersensitivity to volatile chemicals. Now, not only are there no candles in Henry's house, but also perfume and air fresheners. Even the fragrance components that are part of shampoos and washing powders cause a woman to feel a strong burning sensation in the respiratory tract and can provoke an asthmatic attack.

According to doctors, Ashley got off easy: the substances contained in the candles can lead not only to asthma, but also to eczema and other skin diseases.

WHAT ARE THEY DANGEROUS?

Take a good look at the ingredient list on the candle label. It certainly has an item "aromatic fragrance". This perfume, in turn, is quite complex. chemical composition, which manufacturers in most cases do not consider necessary to describe in detail. And it would be worth it.

In particular, it was found that many candles contain diethyl phthalate - an artificially synthesized substance, an ester of orthophthalic acid. It acts as a fixer: with its help, the smell becomes persistent. At the same time, it was proved that diethyl phthalate in large quantities can cause problems with the reproductive system. It is especially harmful for pregnant women to inhale it: it can provoke the appearance of birth defects in a child.

The most popular candles are those made of paraffin wax: they are inexpensive and last long. But when paraffin is heated, such unpleasant volatile organic substances as benzene and toluene are released into the air. They hit the respiratory tract: with constant and prolonged inhalation, they can lead to asthma and even lung cancer.
Another important ingredient in a candle is the wick. It should be made of natural fabric, not lead. When heated, lead releases compounds that negatively affect the nervous and cardiovascular systems. In America, the use of lead in candle wicks was banned back in 2000; here it is still allowed. Fortunately, such candles are easy to recognize: if a thin metal rod shines through the white cotton of the wick, it is better to refrain from buying.

WE NEED SUCH CANDLES

Scented candles made from beeswax and soy wax can be considered absolutely safe. Beeswax is a 100% natural substance. Burning down, such candles emit delicate aroma honey and propolis. Soy wax is a relatively new and also completely natural product, obtained, as you might guess, from soy beans.

Compared to paraffin candles, bee and soy candles burn much cleaner, practically leaving no soot. As a rule, they are flavored with natural essential oils, not synthetic ones. The only drawback of wax and soy candles is that they are the most expensive. But this is the case when you shouldn't skimp on the feeling of a holiday.

BURNING OR NOT BURNING?

And if you have already stocked up with paraffin candles for the holiday - what, throw them away? Of course not.

• Light scented candles only in a pre-ventilated (at least 10 minutes) room.

• Don't burn many candles at once. There are no exact safety standards - it all depends on the size of the room and the candles themselves. So use common sense and double your caution if there are small children or allergy sufferers in the house.

• Do not make candles burn around the clock throughout the apartment.

• Do not try to mask unpleasant odors with them.

If you burn a candle a couple of times a week for 20-30 minutes, even paraffin wax will not do much harm.

Text: Lyudmila Potapchuk

Scented candles can be unhealthy, according to American scientists. Most at risk are those who use candles often to create a relaxing or romantic atmosphere.

As a rule, these candles are lit in poorly ventilated rooms even in the evening. Because of this, lovers of various aromas sleep in a smoky room with a high content of toxic substances in the air. The first signs of harmful concentrations of carcinogenic benzene and toluene to humans are dizziness and breathing problems. In this case, it is necessary to ventilate the room immediately and extinguish the scented candle.

Experts from the University of South Carolina have collected many varieties of scented candles and tested them thoroughly. They were primarily interested in the substances that are released during the burning of the candle.


It turned out that burning paraffin candles emit vapors containing various carcinogens - benzene and toluene. Toluene is a highly toxic poison that affects the body's hematopoietic function, just like its predecessor, benzene. These chemical elements are especially dangerous for allergy sufferers and asthmatics, as they can cause a sharp exacerbation of the disease. A large amount of accumulated harmful substances can cause the development of various skin diseases, the occurrence of a cancerous tumor.

The experts explain that the rare use of scented candles will not harm. However, if you start using such candles every day, or just on a regular basis for several years, and even in a poorly ventilated room, this can lead to serious health problems.

Alternatively, scientists have suggested switching to natural wax candles, which cost more than paraffin candles. But when burning pure wax, no harmful substances were found by scientists.

How can you tell them apart? Remove the shavings from the candle with a knife - the paraffin wax will crumble.

Many people involved in spiritual development and yoga often use candles. For example, lighting them while doing some practice and creating a special atmosphere in the room. In yoga there is such a shatkarma (purification practice), like looking at the flame of a candle, called trataka... Also trataka is.

The candle is a symbol of connection with the Cosmos, the Higher mind. Her fire is the light of our soul, our bright thoughts. Like a small sun, the fire of a candle helps transformations in a person and the movement towards a righteous life. The softness and pliability of wax expresses a person's readiness for obedience, his humility, and a short burning - an unfaithful life that is easy to extinguish, its fleetingness. When a person prays while lighting a candle, he makes a sacrifice to God (instead of animals), thereby showing his respect and humility.

It is believed that if you look at the fire, it clears the person's aura and the space around.

The history of candles goes back hundreds of thousands of years. The first candles were made from animal fat and oily fish, as opposed to wax and paraffin wax candles today. They originally looked like a small torch. The wick was invented by the Romans, the Chinese and Japanese continued their work. Some used rice paper as a wick, others rolled the papyrus into a tube and dipped it into a container containing fat. Also, candles were made from resin and plant fibers. The American Indians mined the wax by burning the bark of the gum tree or resin tree. Candles were also made from pine resin. Much later, cotton and hemp fibers began to be used for wicks.

In the Middle Ages, they began to make candles from bee wax... This made it possible to avoid the disadvantages of fat candles, since the wax does not give off any soot or an unpleasant odor, it burns brightly and evenly. But fat in large quantities is easier to get than wax, so wax candles were expensive, however, as they are now.

In 1850 was invented paraffin from which most modern candles are made. Paraffin is obtained from oil and shale. The massive extraction of paraffin made it possible to make cheap candles, since it cost much less than wax and similar substances. The material for paraffin candles is, of course, paraffin, but mixed with stearin (stearin 1 makes the candle softer, making it less fragile). Fatty dyes are used: they dissolve perfectly in paraffin and give even saturated colors. At the end of the twentieth century, a "candle renaissance" began all over the world. Decorative scented candles have become an indispensable attribute of the holidays, an original gift, an interior decoration. In addition to the traditional elongated candles, you can now find figurine candles, gel candles in glasses, floating tablets, tea candles (in an aluminum case), candles in glassware or coconuts.

Unfortunately, the fruits of scientific and technological progress are not always favorable for people. The use of most modern candles can be very harmful to human health! This is what I want to talk about below. So, why candles are harmful ...

Firstly, when paraffin burns, it releases benzene and toluene into the air, carcinogens that are very harmful to a living organism. Along with carcinogenic benzene has mutagenic, gonadotoxic, embryotoxic, teratogenic and allergic effects. Toluene is a general toxic poison causing acute and chronic poisoning. Its irritant effect is more pronounced than that of benzene. It causes endocrine disorders and reduces performance, prolonged contact with small doses of toluene can affect the blood. Due to its high solubility in lipids and fats, toluene accumulates mainly in the cells of the central nervous system.

Secondly, many manufacturers use a complex compound as a fixer for aroma resistance - diethyl phthalate, which chemists classify as a moderately toxic category. It can cause allergic reactions and eczema, dizziness, headache, violation of the rhythm of breathing, lacrimation, nausea and vomiting. It has a teratogenic and mutagenic effect, which is very dangerous for pregnant women. With regular exposure, it can affect the nervous and respiratory systems, internal organs and blood cells, and contribute to the formation of malignant tumors. By the way, very often this fixative is used in perfumery.

Thirdly, chemical (helium, stearic 1 and paraffin) candles almost all contain up to 70% of various additives, dyes, fragrances and other ingredients. Artificial additives are often used in the production of scented candles. It is good if these flavors have a neutral effect on human health. There is a high probability that the perfume in the candle will be cheap synthetic, which means harmful, the dye will also be used in such a way as to reduce the cost of the product.

Even if the candle is scented with natural essential oils, the fragrance burns out in the process and its effect can be harmful. The oil becomes very hot, its chemical structure changes and the aroma is distorted. Therefore, I do not advise you to abuse even natural scented candles ...

Rare use of paraffin candles will not bring any strong harm, but systematic use will have an effect on your body. If a paraffin candle burns in a ventilated room 2-3 times a week, for about half an hour, nothing bad will happen.

Candles are often lit in poorly ventilated rooms even in the evening. Because of this, lovers of various aromas sleep in a smoky room with a high content of toxic substances in the air. Be sure to ventilate the room! Scientists state the fact that inhaling the vapors of a scented candle throughout the evening is tantamount to several hours of secondhand smoke.

In small rooms, a large number of lit candles are especially dangerous. 1-2 is enough.

You should not light candles for several hours at a time and use them as an air freshener.

Buy safe scented candles made from natural beeswax or soy wax. Beeswax candles do not even need to be scented - they smell of honey and propolis when they burn, but suitable ones are often added to them. essential oils... Soy wax is obtained from soy beans - they learned how to make candles from it not so long ago, but they were immediately appreciated by experts. There are candles that use palm and coconut wax. To identify a paraffin or wax candle, remove the shavings from it with a knife. The paraffin wax will crumble.

Safe, scented with natural aromas, candles are sold only in specialized stores. The smallest beeswax or soy wax candle can be more expensive than a whole pack of paraffin candles.

If you set yourself a goal, then, surfing the Internet, you can find a wide variety of original eco-friendly wax candles. Now many craftsmen offer their works of authorship. Personally, I found very interesting option for myself - herbal wax candles.

And my last parting word, dear reader: carefully study the wick of the candle. If you notice a metal rod in the weaving of the wick, it is a lead thread. Well, the harmful effect of lead on the cardiovascular and nervous systems has long been known to us ...

Hopefully whoever reads this article will become more attentive to the choice of candles.

Take care of yourself and be healthy! OM.

1. Stearin(French stearine, from the Greek stear - fat) - an organic product obtained from fats. Consists of stearic acid with an admixture of palmitic, oleic and other saturated and unsaturated fatty acids. Now you can find vegetable stearin, it is obtained by pressing chilled coconut or palm oil.