Source: featuresblogs.chicagotribune.com
Author: Julie Deardorff

You know you’re in a yoga or massage studio when the smell of Nag Champa incense–a blend of patchouli and sandalwood–permeates the air. But you may not want to breathe too deep. Incense contains potent pollutants, notably benzene, toluene and formaldehyde–known carcinogens found in tobacco smoke, according to the UC Berkeley Wellness Letter.

“A study in the journal Cancer linked long-term incense use with a significant increase in cancers of the upper respiratory tract (nose, tongue, mouth and larynx, for instance,) but not lung cancer. Incense also pollutes the air with fine particles that can be inhaled and can contribute to cardiorespiratory disease.”