Our lives are filled with scents; fresh smelling aromas that trick you into thinking they are natural or clean. While they may seem innocent enough, these fragrances are poisonous and highly toxic compounds that destroy our bodies.

Dr. Ben Kim writes, "A report that was released in September of 2007 by the Natural Resources Defense Council found that 12 of 14 brands of common household air fresheners contained phthalates. Phthalates are chemicals that are used to prolong the length of time that scented products maintain their fragrance. Regular exposure to phthalates can increase your risk of experiencing endocrine, reproductive, and developmental problems. Amazingly, some of the brands that tested positive for phthalates did not include phthalates on their lists of ingredients; some of these brands were even labeled as being "all-natural" and "unscented.""

Check out his list of evil products;

Highest levels of phthalates:

• Walgreens Air Freshener Spray (removed from shelves)
• Walgreens Scented Bouquet Air Fresheners (removed from shelves)
• Walgreens Solid Air Fresheners (removed from shelves)
• Ozium Glycolized Air Sanitizer

Medium levels of phthalates:

• Air Wick Scented Oil
• Febreze Noticeables Scented Oil
• Glade Air Infusions
• Glade PlugIn Scented Oil
• Oust Air Sanitizer Spray

Low levels or no phthalates detected:

• Citrus Magic
• Febreze Air Effects Air Refresher
• Lysol Brand II Disinfectant
• Oust Fan Liquid Refills
• Renuzit Subtle Effects

The vast majority of synthetic air fresheners emit significant amounts of terpene, a volatile organic compound that can react with naturally occurring ozone to create formaldehyde. Ozone, a form of oxygen, exists at some level both indoors and outdoors, so formaldehyde formation is practically inevitable wherever synthetic air fresheners are used. Indoor environments which may have elevated levels of ozone include those where photocopiers and ozone-generating air purifiers are used.

Why should you be concerned about being exposed to formaldehyde? Formaldehyde is classified as a human carcinogen by the International Agency for Research on Cancer.

With strong links to phthalates and formaldehyde, it's not surprising that a study that was recently published in the American Journal of Respiratory and Critical Care Medicine indicates that regular use of sprays can increase your risk of developing asthma by 30 to 50 percent. This study was performed by the European Community Respiratory Health Survey, and collected data from 3,500 people in 10 European countries.