There are numerous ways that gyms can be toxic. In this posting I wrote last night, I refer to just a few. There's a whole thread on this entire subject which goes into more detail about the toxic components of materials used in the construction of gym interiors and some equipment. More later.....
Hi Nik,
I was so pleased to read your posting about the toxicity of gym environments, and know that I am not alone in feeling like this. I recently moved house and joined a gym that has just refurbished itself and has a swimming pool. As soon as you get in the gym's car park your senses are assaulted by high levels of chlorine in the air, and when you enter the building it gets much worse as you are instantly inhaling a toxic cocktail of synthetic noxious fumes from the new fittings - floor and equipment aswell. Although there is air conditioning and fans to circulate the air, the quality of the air itself feels really bad... loaded with chemicals. And, as the whole point of going to a gym is to improve my health and fitness, I feel deeply uncomfortable with the fact that being there, and inhaling this air deeply, is counterproductive to all my efforts to cleanse and detox my body on a predominantly living foods diet. I *know* these chemicals are carcinogenic. So why do gyms do it??
I am also starting to wonder whether some people are simply becoming more sensitive to their environments in general, and that this is part of a broader picture - especially among vegans, that takes in the other senses aswell. For example, I am finding that I am having to leave the gym earlier than previously because I just can't bear the music they are playing on the sound system. I even walked out of a spinning class because the music actually became painful to my ears aswell as offensive.
I am hoping to increase my outdoor training, maybe join a local running club, although I am missing the fantastic weights classes my previous gym ran.
Maybe we should start a campaign for cleaner (ie non-toxic) gyms?
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