Pillows Found Full of Fungi

Organic pillow lovers will be interested to know about a study that came to my attention recently that found that the average bed pillow is home to a host of potentially-harmful fungi. A University of Manchester research team found up to 16 types of fungi in pillows they analysed, the Allergy journal reported a while back. Researchers found that feather pillows had fewer species of fungi than synthetic versions, particularly in the case of a fungus which exacerbates asthma. The expert opinion was that pillows should be disinfected regularly as fungi appear in most environments. The study analysed samples from 10 pillows - 5 feather and 5 synthetic - which had been used for between 18 months and 20 years. The results were alarming - the fungal spores found in the pillows fed off human skins scales and dust mite faeces. The first of these types of experiments on fungal contamination in bedding were carried out in the 1930’s but little has been carried out since. Researchers found that all 10 pillows had a "substantial fungal load" with between four to 16 different species being found on each, whilst the microscopic fungus Aspergillus fumigatus was particularly common in synthetic pillows. This fungus commonly invades the lungs and sinuses and can worsen asthma. It is also known to cause infection in leukaemia and bone marrow transplant patients. Lead researcher Professor Ashley Woodcock said the findings showed there was a "miniature ecosystem" operating inside pillows. How to Sleep More Healthily People spend a third of their life sleeping and breathing close to a potentially large and varied source of fungi, which have important implications for patients with respiratory disease - especially asthma and sinusitis." A spokesperson for the charity Asthma UK said: "We are aware that patients at the severe end of the spectrum of asthma are more likely to be hypersensitive to fungi than others with asthma. However in BuyOrganics opinion, the researcher’s suggestion that we should switch to feather pillows may not be the best answer for Asthmas sufferers due to the amount of dust mites that can build up in these pillows over time. It is obviously advisable to choose a natural pillow, among the our top picks would be fillings that naturally repel dust mites and are also anti-fungal and anti-microbial. Our top picks would be wool, latex flakes or grain pillows, which have these properties as well as many more health benefits. All of our pillows at BuyOrganics are zipped so that the inside filling can be removed and cleaned naturally by placing in the sun and airing and the outside can be washed at 60 degrees, the temperature at which dust mites are killed. No need for nasty disinfectant chemicals!!