Is a dusty house making you fat?

Cleaning the house is a chore we would all like to skip…

It’s not just boring; it takes up time that could be spent doing things that are so much more enjoyable.

But did you know that skipping out on house cleaning just might be behind that extra weight you’re carrying on your thighs, hip, buttocks and abdomen?

That’s right; a new study is bringing some amazing information to light.

Those excess pounds you’d just love to lose could be about much more than just the calories you eat, your thyroid function or even your carb-to-protein consumption…

The real reason you can’t lose them? Researchers have found that having a dusty house could be at fault.

That’s because the dust in your house contains environmental pollutants known as endocrine-disrupting chemicals or EDCs that can affect the hormones in your body.

These EDCs, like flame retardants, phthalates and bisphenol-A (BPA), can disrupt your thyroid, adrenal gland, pancreas and even the sex hormones, and have been linked to weight gain. That’s why they are also called “obesogens.”

They come into your home on the products you buy every day and wind up in your household dust for you to inhale, ingest, and absorb through your skin.

Fat-growth chemicals

The study, conducted at Duke University, took samples of household dust from 11 different households.

Extracts from seven of the 11 dust samples triggered pre-adipocytes (immature fat cells) to develop into mature fat cells and accumulate triglycerides (a type of fat).

Extracts from nine samples resulted in a larger pool of precursor fat cells.

Just one dust sample had no effect.

The researchers also found that two chemicals especially resulted in the highest development of fat — pyraclostrobin (a pesticide) and the flame-retardant TBPDP, and DBP, a commonly used plasticizer.

According to the study, just three milligrams of dust resulted in fat production.

This is a scary finding considering that it’s estimated that children take in 50 milligrams of household dust every day so you can just imagine how much you’re consuming each and every year.

Is it any wonder that fat has accumulated around your middle?

A clean house and a slim body

Thanks to this new research, you now have one more thing you can control in your battle against the bulge…

Your household dust.

So, here’s what you can do to use this new information to get slim and trim.

1. Don’t let the dust sit – First and foremost, don’t let the dust in your house accumulate. Clean regularly and thoroughly so that you are exposed to less of those hormone-disrupting EDCs in your everyday life.
2. Wear a mask – When you’re dusting, wear a mask to prevent inhalation of those fat-inducing chemicals.
3. Exercise the dust away – Use your new cleaning regimen as a time to get more active. Put on some music and dance as you clean. The time will go faster and you’ll have fun doing it.

Now that you know the damage a dirty house can do to your hormones and your waistline, use the steps above to keep a clean house and get back to your ideal weight.