Incense

I enjoy burning incense for its wonderful smell and watching the whisps of smoke dance about. But I decided to research the health effects and this is what I came up with.

From Wiki:

Incense smoke contains various contaminants including gaseous pollutants, such as carbon monoxide (CO), nitrogen oxides (NO_x), sulfur oxides (SO_x), volatile organic compounds (VOCs) [4–8], and absorbed toxic pollutants (polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons and toxic metals). There is no question that those contaminants are carcinogenic and can cause respiratory diseases, but the risk of those depends on the exposure.

Sounds like I need to be careful how much I burn, for how long, and the amount of ventilation where I'm burning it. I've generally been using it in my shed where I sit in a comfy chair and read. But sometimes the room gets really smoky. And while it may look interesting, I can't imagine daily exposure can be all that healthy for my lungs, considering I have asthma. Maybe I should just take it outside. I'm not going to give it up, because its something I enjoy, but moderation is probly key. Surprisingly, I've been burning incense for a few years now and I haven't experienced any shortness of breath, coughing or wheezing. I guess better to change the way I use it before any problems start.