Smoking or non-smoking which would you prefer? You're probably now wondering what I'm on about... Of course I know you'd never think about lighting up and smoking a cigarette in church but have you ever considered the health risk of lit candles and incense in your church or place of worship.

I didn't either until I came across an article that opened my eyes to it. Did you know that that the air in some churches can be a bigger health risk to you than standing at the side of a motorway or freeway and breathing in the toxins (carcinogenic polycyclic hydrocarbons) of 45,000 vehicles?

No! That's not a typing error it really was that high!

The study was done by a university in Europe who also found that the air in some churches also contained "tiny solid pollutants" ? at levels which were up to 20 times over the legal European limits. These solid pollutants consisted of soot and other toxic chemicals given off as the candles were burned down. These pollutants could affect people suffering from lung problems like asthma and bronchitis. The times of the year with the most pollution were found to the major holidays like Christmas and Easter because of the higher number of candles burned.