Seriously why? My husband and his family constantly talk about air. Wind and breezes that come through the house. Air conditioning is bad. The importance of "changing the air". The importance of having a few days of "sea air".
It's not just my husband's family. When I'm out and about, I hear loads of people talking about air. Mostly about how it is bad for you and will make you sick.
Even the Italian news said to only use air conditioning to make your house a maximum of 4 degrees cooler. So if it's 35 degrees outside, 31 degrees is an acceptable indoor temperature with a/c? I know it's not good to make your house 20 degrees when it's 35 degrees out because it will make you feel a bit cruddy going in and out of big temperature changes often. But it will not make you sick with an infection, virus, etc. Just a little more run-down and tired.
The things I hear Italians say about air and air conditioning seem a bit odd to me. Furthermore I don't think any of it is based on scientific facts, but yet Italians believe it to be completely true.
I thought germs, bacteria, and viruses made one ill, not air.
In the States we may occasionally talk about pollution in certain cities, but I don't ever remember obsessing about air.
My MIL is also obsessed with humidity...
Posts: 87 | Location (City & State): Torino | Registered: 04 December 2006
Welcome to Italy! I suppose all countries must have their pet topics and your observations appear consistent with what I have seen and heard and I think there are a few threads on the topic here too. My advice, for what it is worth, is not to get too uptight about it. I still go about my business as I did before I came to Italy and with time people come to accept the fact that seeing as I am foreign I must be immune to colpi d'aria and the like.
My neighbors often start holding their necks if I forget to roll up the windows in the car, even in summer. It doesn't bother me though, I apologize and roll up the widows so they don't have a draft on their necks. I figure they probably put up with a lot of goofy American habits of mine, so I owe them.
I wouldn't get uptight about it if my husband and MIL would allow me to open the windows or turn on the a/c in our home. It is a battle to turn on the a/c, even when it is 30+ degrees out. I wish I could just turn on the a/c in peace, without having to win a battle (them telling me I will catch my death) in order to turn it on. ugh!
I see you're from Genova. I lived in Nervi for 2 years...I really miss it! Loved it there!
Posts: 87 | Location (City & State): Torino | Registered: 04 December 2006
Originally posted by Amy Cortese: I wouldn't get uptight about it if my husband and MIL would allow me to open the windows or turn on the a/c in our home.
My husband is especially cautious about air now that we have a baby. In the middle of June, before it was really hot, he didn't want to open the windows at night. I already couldn't sleep because it was too hot for me and I remember one early morning conversation:
Me: Can we open the windows? I can't sleep because it's hot.
Husband: It's still too cold! I need a blanket even with the windows closed. Do you want the baby to get sick?
Me: Okay, can you just tell me when we'll be able to open the windows?
Husband: No, because I could say July 1st but it still might be cool then.
Me: Can I turn the fan on if I point it just at me?
Husband: It seems silly to turn the fan on if the windows are closed.
Me:
Lately it's been so hot that he vows we'll be getting air conditioning. That's what he says every summer.
I really have tried... for 13 years now, but this is almost impossible with a child! My son's Italian grandparents are pretty lousy at being grandparents for what its worth, but on the rare occassions we are all in Sicily they get really angry with me and basically accuse me of trying to kill my son if he walks in the house without slippers or takes a bath or shower after a meal. My mom is a Pediatrician and she has assured me that these things will not harm a child, but if I were to respond by disagreeing my in laws would probably call the priest for an exorcism! Speaking of air... I am kind of obsessed to in a different way, just brought a brand new fan 10 minutes ago (this mother is BIG) and I honestly cannot wait to get home and put it full blast in my face. What a dork, eh? My son has air conditioning in his room and he sets it at 21 degrees... what would Italians say to that??
My husband is especially cautious about air now that we have a baby. In the middle of June, before it was really hot, he didn't want to open the windows at night. I already couldn't sleep because it was too hot for me and I remember one early morning conversation:
Me: Can we open the windows? I can't sleep because it's hot.
You actually ask for PERMISSION! Wow, my OH just does it and tells me to “go away with short, jerky movements” if I disagree.
Originally posted by Alice Twain: Maybe for the very same reasons why Americans (and generally speaking English-language people) are obsesed about sunlight! ^___^
But sunlight has been scientifically proven to cause skin cancer, no? What diseases or illnesses has air in Italy been scientifically proven to cause?
Posts: 87 | Location (City & State): Torino | Registered: 04 December 2006
Originally posted by Alice Twain: Maybe for the very same reasons why Americans (and generally speaking English-language people) are obsesed about sunlight! ^___^
But sunlight has been scientifically proven to cause skin cancer, no? What diseases or illnesses has air in Italy been scientifically proven to cause?
It's a known scientific fact that exposure to large amounts of hot air causes uncontrollable rises in blood pressure, bewildered shaking of the head and spasmodic indignant spluttering.
Originally posted by Amy Cortese: But sunlight has been scientifically proven to cause skin cancer, no?
True, but only in case of EXCESSIVE or CONTINUED exposure. On the other hand, too little sun exposure causes D vitamin unbalance and therefore is connected to bone diseases.
quote:
What diseases or illnesses has air in Italy been scientifically proven to cause?
Not so much air as COLD. Cold drafts (or drafts on wet skin) can cause a series of different paniful simptoms. Exposure to cold, for instance, can inflammate a preexisting osteoarthritis condition and make it worse, localized cold drafts can cause the muscles to spasmodically contract and inflammate, causing pains similar to those of osteoarthritis even in people who do not hace such a condition; sitting on a cold surface can cause urinary tract inflammations, which may turn into full-fledged cystitis, or can be a trigger element in haemorrhoids: eating or drinking a too cold food or drink can cause the blood to "cocnentrate" on the inenr parts of the body in the attempt to warm up the too cold organs, thus causing a blood pressure imbalance that can cause fainting, or a congestion of said organ. These are a few examples. All, except the first, examples of which I can witness, having suffered from all of the above problems at some point of my life.
Alice has explained it all. Be careful now. Our trip to Croatia was with a younger (much younger than me) couple and they wouldn't let their kids go in the water after eating for at least and hour or so.
In California it was a couple of burgers, potatoe salad, beer, water mellon etc. fallowed by a good swim. I'm still alive after all those times. Maybe it's genetic.
Yes, and with Alice's explanation, it is surprising that millions of Americans subjected to air conditioning on a regular basis aren't falling like flies!
It's a known scientific fact that exposure to large amounts of hot air causes uncontrollable rises in blood pressure, bewildered shaking of the head and spasmodic indignant spluttering.
So this is my problem when my father-in-law comes to visit...
Posts: 731 | Location (City & State): latina italy | Registered: 06 November 2006
Originally posted by alaskaitaly: Yes, and with Alice's explanation, it is surprising that millions of Americans subjected to air conditioning on a regular basis aren't falling like flies!
I was just think along similar lines. What with all this air about, we should all be very careful! But now I'm confused...Air could apparently give me osteoarthritis, cystitis, river niles, but if I don't get any air then I might start to SWEAT and that it's another evil which one must doing avoid at all costs. What's a person to do?
sitting on a cold surface can cause urinary tract inflammations, which may turn into full-fledged cystitis.
I've always thought that Urinary Tract Infections and Cystitis were caused by bacteria infecting the urinary tract. Also sitting on a cold surface too? Never heard that. But I'm curious and my dad is a GI...will ask him about all these illnesses you wrote about that are caused by coldness. Unless there are some doctors here in the forum that could comment on what Alice has said? Because I have a feeling my dad is going to have a bit of a laugh over it. I've already had lengthy discussions with him about what illnesses or infections wind, breezes, fan air, and air conditioning can cause (to try to put my husband's fears of air to rest), but I will ask him about all these new things Alice has mentioned here. Who knows? Maybe the Italians are right...maybe I should be more careful with a/c and sitting on cold things.
Posts: 87 | Location (City & State): Torino | Registered: 04 December 2006
It's a known scientific fact that exposure to large amounts of hot air causes uncontrollable rises in blood pressure, bewildered shaking of the head and spasmodic indignant spluttering.
So this is my problem when my father-in-law comes to visit...
Oh my goodness...my husband in the other room must think I'm crazy because I can't stop laughing at this post! Too funny!
Posts: 87 | Location (City & State): Torino | Registered: 04 December 2006
How odd! I was chatting to a friend of mine the other night who is Slovenian born (here in Aust) about this very thing, never having seen this post before. She and i were talking about this exact thing and how her family freaked out last (southern) summer when her baby was born and it was over 40 degrees and she actually let the baby sit with just a nappy on. We discovered that my family have the same fear of the wind/air as hers.... and mine come from north Italy and hers from just over the border in Slovenia. So it seems this fear of the air is bigger than just an Italian thing!
Posts: 5 | Location (City & State): Sydney, Australia | Registered: 28 May 2008
It's a known scientific fact that exposure to large amounts of hot air causes uncontrollable rises in blood pressure, bewildered shaking of the head and spasmodic indignant spluttering.
So this is my problem when my father-in-law comes to visit...
Oh my goodness...my husband in the other room must think I'm crazy because I can't stop laughing at this post! Too funny!
laughing hard here.. and the fegato !
I have often wondered how they can manage in sports cars or motorini ?????????? tutta quel' aria
Posts: 66 | Location (City & State): Australia | Registered: 01 June 2008
sitting on a cold surface can cause urinary tract inflammations, which may turn into full-fledged cystitis, or can be a trigger element in haemorrhoids
I think this is mainly a problem for women wearing thong or no underware under a miniskirt sitting on a metal bar stool, legs facing a cold draft.
Expats in Italy Forum 
Oh my goodness...my husband in the other room must think I'm crazy because I can't stop laughing at this post! Too funny!