Air-Purifying Houseplants
By Sara Butler
Do you know what your home has in common with a spaceship? Probably poor air quality. One of the most significant risks to your overall health and wellness is indoor air pollutants. The environments indoors allow for air to stagnate, meaning that pollutants can build up in amounts greater than humans should be exposed to. That’s why NASA completed a study a few years ago to help improve indoor air quality naturally and efficiently -- and that’s where they discovered the power of the common houseplant. Here are a few plants you can easily use to help purify the air in your home and make it safe for your family to breath.
What’s the Problem?
Unfortunately, people spend about 90 percent of their time inside and that means that indoor air quality matters. The synthetic building materials used, upholstery, and cleaning products can all contribute to a buildup of toxic compounds in the air, but natural sources like mold, bacteria, and pollen can also make the air inside your home or office building dangerous to your health. Luckily, there’s an easy way to help combat the yucky stuff that finds its way into the indoor air.
How Houseplants Help
Plants are your friends. They help absorb some of the things in the air, such as carbon dioxide, that are bad for you and turn it back into breathable air. Microorganisms in the plants also help to cleanse the air of things you don’t want to breathe in.
Plants also have the side effect of impacting mood, making any environment a more positive one.
A Few Good Plants
Make sure you choose a plant that is suited to the environment you’re going to place it in. Some plants, for example, need more sun than others or specific soil conditions. Make sure it’s a plant that you are able to provide for, so it can thrive and help to cleanse the air in your home or office. Here are few plants to consider:
- Spider plants – There are really easy to grow and are great for beginners or people that may forget to water a houseplant daily. It needs bright, indirect light to thrive.
- Dracaena – There are 40 varieties of this plant, so finding one to suit your needs should be easy! Just know these can be toxic to pets.
- Ficus – This is a great indoor plant for large spaces. It’s low maintenance and thrives in indirect, bright light.
Clean your air and brighten up your space with some easy to care for plants.
To learn more about your health, wellness, and fitness, see your local chiropractor at The Joint Chiropractic in Queen Creek, Ariz.