In Genesis 1, we read about creation. The first three things created are light, water and air. These three are essential for life and for our health. They also appear in the eight health laws: sunlight, water and fresh air. In this blog, we are going to pay attention to the last one.
Sickening air
To be healthy, the lungs need air. Yet air can also be sickening. The air quality in the home is not always good. In the short term, this can cause symptoms such as headaches and shortness of breath. In the long run, it could even lead to lung disease, such as asthma. Nowadays, most people spend most of their time indoors, which is why clean air in your home is very important.
Foul airborne substances can include unpleasant odors, carbon dioxide (CO2), carbon monoxide (CO), particulate matter, volatile organic compounds, mold spores and excessive humidity.
The causes of poor indoor air quality are many. It can be due to the construction and design of the house and the materials used in it. For example, too few opportunities for ventilation or paint, furniture or flooring that give off harmful substances into the indoor air.
High humidity in the home leads to more dust mites and can lead to the formation of mold and other microorganisms that give off toxins, which can be very harmful to your health. This can cause allergic reactions, respiratory infections and asthma, among other things. Not without reason does the Bible give health rules in the case of mold in the home. This can be read in Leviticus 14:33-53, which indicates that mold must be rigorously removed, with the occupants not allowed to stay in the house.
Smoking is inadvisable for many reasons, but certainly for home air quality.
Finally, ordinary daily life brings waste products into the air. Such as exhaled air from people and pets, particulate matter from frying, cooking, candles or a wood stove. The level of hygiene in the home can play a role. At last, air fresheners and cleaning products can introduce volatile organic compounds into the air, which can lead to health problems.
The solution: ventilation
Of course it is important to bring as few harmful substances into your home as possible. So pay attention to that when (re)building, don't smoke and remove mold. But the most important way to keep the air quality in your home healthy is ventilation.
More than 100 years ago it was already written: “Air must be in constant circulation to be kept pure. The influence of pure, fresh air is to cause the blood to circulate healthfully through the system. It refreshes the body and tends to render it strong and healthy, while at the same time its influence is decidedly felt upon the mind, imparting a degree of composure and serenity.” 1T 702.2. The writer advocates opening windows in rooms where people reside. Ventilation is critical to the overall health of those individuals and the most important measure for healthy indoor air.
Practical advice
Open windows regularly and do not close vents. While cooking and for 20 minutes afterwards, turn on the exhaust hood. Cook with the lid on the pan and do not open the dishwasher immediately after use to reduce moisture in the house.
While showering, keep the bathroom door closed, so moisture doesn't seep into the rest of your home. Always turn on the fan if you have one. Dry the shower or bath well after use, so humidity disappears faster and mold has less of a chance.
Ventilate extra when drying laundry in your home to speed up the process and keep the humidity from getting too high.
Bedrooms are the rooms in the house where we spend a relatively large amount of time. Ventilating here is very important. In practice, the applicable regulations from the building code for ventilation in bedrooms often turn out to be insufficient for good air quality. Especially in smaller rooms and/or when more than one person sleeps in one bedroom. It is therefore advisable to open a window. Research shows that people who sleep with the window open fall asleep more easily and feel less sleepy during the day and can concentrate better.
Spiritual application
We can also learn lessons from everyday activities by applying them spiritually. Will our house become clean if we just use an air freshener? Maybe foul odors are gone for a while, but the dirt and dust are still there. It is better to throw open the windows and doors and dust and sweep.
So is it with "filth" in our hearts. It should not be masked with an air freshener. Iniquity does not disappear by keeping up appearances. We must set our lives so that we are focused on God. Then He can give us grace when we ask for forgiveness and the Lord can work in us and through us.
"While sweeping a room they may learn how the Lord purifies the heart. They would not close the doors and windows and leave in the room some purifying substance, but would open the doors and throw wide the windows, and with diligent effort expel all the dust. So the windows of impulse and feeling must be opened toward heaven, and the dust of selfishness and earthliness must be expelled. The grace of God must sweep through the chambers of the mind, and every element of the nature must be purified and vitalized by the Spirit of God." 6T 170.2.
“And every man that hath this hope in him purifieth himself, even as he is pure.” 1 John 3:3.
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