Text Credits: Nivedita V 

Incense sticks are one among the primary components that is used in the prayer services. Though these incense sticks smell amazing and help in creating a rejuvenating aura in the room, it is a known fact that incense sticks constitute of saw dust, machilus wood and characol. On the lighting of these sticks, air pollutants like sulphur dioxide, formaldehyde, carbon monoxide, and oxides of nitrogen are being emitted. Thus incense sticks mainly deteriorate the air quality inside the household and act as a catalyst in developing lung cancer.

Here are five reasons why you need to stop using incense sticks at home on a regular basis:

Toxic to the cells of your body

When you breathe the smoke emitted by these incense sticks it can cause destruction to the cells in your body because the smoke emitted is highly toxic. The inhaled smoke can cause a change in the DNA which could eventually lead to genetic mutation. These genetic mutations in turn stem the growth of various cancer cells in our body.

Affects the respiratory system

Incense smoke is said to contain fine particles that can go deep into your airways and affect your lungs much worse than the smoke from a cigarette can. Some incense stick’s smoke have been proven to be more harmful than the smoke from cigarettes as the smoke from incense sticks contain higher amounts of particulate matter (particles suspended in the air, many of which are hazardous to health).

Increases your risk of asthma and COPD

Another shocking fact is that the amount of smoke inhaled by the women who are exposed to smoke from incense sticks is the same as the amount of smoke inhaled from a cigarette. It is noticed that women who burn incense sticks regularly at home are also subjected to developing COPD (chronic obstructive pulmonary disease) and asthma. This is because the pollutants that are emitted from these incense sticks can cause inflammation of the bronchial tubes that pass air into the lung as these particles found in the smoke from incense sticks are finer than those particles found in the smoke from a cigarette.

Deteriorates your cardiovascular health

The regular use of incense sticks in your household can subject your cardiovascular health to higher mortality rate than the households that do not regularly burn incense sticks. Your cardiovascular health can be impaired due to the regular inhalation of the emitted smoke which consists of volatile organic compounds and particulate matter. Inhalation of such toxic substances can be problematic for the blood flowing and it can also cause blood vessel inflammation.

Triggers neurological symptoms

Due to the increased concentration of carbon monoxide in the smoke emitted by the incense sticks, daily exposure to the smoke may cause increased headaches among the family members, difficulty in concentration and forgetfulness. By the regular burning of incense sticks, one may end up causing indoor pollution as the smoke increases the concentration of carbon monoxide in the air and nitrogen oxide in the blood. This is bad as the concentration of these gases can cause problems by affecting your brain cells.

The post Can The Burning Of Incense Sticks Be As Harmful As Smoking Cigarettes appeared first on FWD Life | The Premium Lifestyle Magazine |.