Improve Your Indoor Air Quality, Improve Your Health!
The quality of the air we breathe affects our health. We have choices about some of what we bring into our home or workplace. According to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), on average we spend 69.54% of our time indoors at home. When adding indoor workplace time, one can spend over 90% of the time inside. What can you do to help the quality of the air you breath? Here are some suggestions…Are there things you do that improve the air you breathe that ultimately affects your health?
Bring in Some Greenery ~ Plants can improve the quality of your indoor air by removing certain harmful chemicals. For me, plants must be easy to grow and hardy if they’re going to stay alive in my environment. Here are some possible choices that have met my needs. My two favorites are the snake plant and aloe vera. My snake plant is the hardiest I’ve ever grown, and I love seeing natural greenery in my home.
Open the Window/Door and Let the Fresh Air In ~ Personally I live in the Northeast where it gets cold in winter. When it’s frigid with unbearable windchill, I don’t open a door and window then. Even in the Northeast, these days are limited. Some experts recommend daily ventilation. Most weeks, I will open a door and window weekly even for 15-20 minutes bringing in that fresh air. It really makes a difference.
Take Off Your Shoes Before Entering Your Home ~ You bring in dirt, dust and other pollutants that can affect the quality of your indoor air and what you breath. If you’re interested in improving the air you breathe, reading about and knowing the affects of wearing shoes in the house may be helpful and of interest to you. Having this knowledge can motivate you to make changes.
Add a Himalayan Salt Lamp ~ Love the three in my home and the warm, soothing glow they radiate into each room. They are placed where I spend the most time. I appreciate them for their health benefits too. Such lamps come in a variety of shapes, sizes and colors. Not all are created of equal quality. Make sure your purchase is made of pure Himalayan salt crystals and the company works to preserve the quality of the crystals. There are so many benefits to using them like for purifying your air, reducing electromagnetic radiation, reducing airborne infections, easing allergy symptoms and promoting better sleep.
Regularly Clean or Replace Furnace and Air/Water Filters ~ When we change these filters, we put a reminder on the calendar for next time. In the past, time has gotten away from us and we’ve forgotten when the next changes are due. This can have a significant impact on the quality of your indoor air not to mention the longevity of your heating system too.
Avoid Using Toxic Cleaning Products ~ Read, read and then read again your product labels. Don’t give up on trying to find non-toxic alternatives. They are out there. I am a consultant for the Pure Haven product line. It’s what my family and I use along with so many other people and families. I became a consultant because I am proud to stand behind this company and to share with others what I’ve found. I appreciate all Pure Haven does bringing us quality products including no compromise on ingredients. Check into their product line as they may help you end your search, as they did for me, for clean, all plant-based alternatives.
Keep Smoking Outside Your Home ~ As most people know, smoking and second-hand smoke can create serious health issues for everyone. Did you know there are over 7,000 chemicals in second-hand smoke alone, hundreds are toxic and 70 cause cancer. Restricting smoking to outside will limit the toxins in your home environment.
Vacuum and Dust Weekly ~ There are many reasons for vacuuming your house weekly. If you need convincing of its benefits to your carpet, health and home, this article has insightful information. Use a HEPA-type bag or filter on your vacuum, as they contain the finer, dirt particles. This is one area I could improve on. Often times I take the perspective, “if it looks dirty, clean it!” I have to rethink this and step it up a bit on how frequently I vacuum my home. We all have areas for improvement and this is definitely one area for me.
Consider an Air Purifier ~ A quality air purifier can help remove indoor pollutants from the air you breathe and especially if you have allergies or asthma. There are a number of purifiers out there. Here are best rated room purifiers for 2020. There are whole house units available too.