Detox Your Home By Samantha Steele
BE WELL
AIR
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verwhelming scientific evidence shows that the environment within our homes often contains pollutants, and that illnesses caused by exposure to these pollutants can be a serious threat to our health. Even the newest and most “efficient” homes can lack airflow, and certain building materials and furnishings are known to off-gas harmful substances. In fact, studies from around the world have directly linked the exponential rise of degenerative disease in our country to the exposure of harmful chemicals in our workplaces, water, and homes. So many of us have been trapped inside with the recent COVID restrictions; we have been even more overloaded with indoor toxins, which can compromise the immune system. Removing this immune stress gives us the power and literally the “breathing room” to repair and/or maintain health, especially during such a critical time as this. By proactively detoxing the air and water in your home, you can create a safe haven from contaminants and improve your overall health and well-being.
104 — Spring 2021 CAROLINA MOUNTAIN LIFE
Put Houseplants to Work Indoor plants not only brighten your home, they are very useful in purifying the air and adding oxygen to your space. In a significant 1989 experiment conducted by NASA, researchers looked for ways to effectively detoxify the air within space station environments. They found that indoor plants can effectively scrub the air of cancer-causing volatile organic compounds (VOCs) like formaldehyde and benzene. Further research found that soil microorganisms in potted plants also play a part in cleaning indoor air. Palms, spider plants, dracaena, pothos, philodendrons, sansevieria, rubber plants and peace lilies are good choices for indoor air purifiers. Old Air out, Fresh Air in Change your HVAC air filters about every three months, more as needed. Choose a high quality filter that attracts and captures microscopic particles such as smoke, molecules from coughs and sneezes, bacteria and viruses, as well as large particles, such as lint, household dust and pollen. Open your windows and doors for some fresh, circulated mountain air! Spring is a wonderful time to pull out all your stored window and door screens and open up the house to air it out. Allow the wind to briskly blow through all your spaces, freshening your indoor air with the cool mountain breezes. When wintertime returns, consider purchasing an indoor air purifier that filters out dust, molds, bacteria and viruses. Ditch Artificial Fragrances The synthetic scents used in plugins, canned air fresheners, and other “fragrance mechanisms” contain toxic substances, some of which are actually neurotoxins that can affect your brain. Instead of that plug-in or aerosol freshener, use an essential oil diffuser or a nebulizing machine to diffuse pure essential oils. Some of my favorites are thyme, rosemary, and eucalyptus, especially during “virus season.” Lavender, lemon and
peppermint are also nice, clean fragrances. Some essential oils are processed with solvents that have harmful VOCs, so choose botanical fragrances that are organic or wild-crafted, and that are extracted through distillation, not with solvents. Seek out the purest oils that you can find for the most profound effects on air quality.
WATER The Basics of Bathing I’m hoping by now, most of us realize the importance of consuming plenty of fresh, clean water each day. But is your water really “clean”? If you have a municipal water supply, it definitely contains high amounts of chlorine. It would be very wise to filter the chlorine out of your drinking water, but if it’s in your budget, consider filtering the water you shower and bathe in as well; bathing in chlorinated water can kill the good bacteria that resides on your skin. You might ask, “Isn’t that a good thing?” Actually, it’s not. According to the U.S. National Library of Medicine, part of the National Institutes of Health (NIH), “Symbiotic microorganisms occupy a wide range of skin niches and protect against invasion by more pathogenic or harmful organisms. These microorganisms may also have a role in educating the billions of T cells that are found in the skin, priming them to respond to similarly marked pathogenic cousins.” Plainly put, a healthy skin microbiome will act as a primary defense against invaders, and killing your skin microbiome with harmful chemicals such as chlorine can be bad for your health. Drinking Water Options So many folks spend quite a bit of money on bottled water out of convenience. Why not install a water filter instead? It is well documented that dangerous toxins from plastic water bottles can leach into your water. The most notable of these is bisphenol A (BPA). BPA can cause a myriad of health problems. According to the Mayo Clinic, research has shown that BPA can seep into food or beverages
