With all the hype about going green, it would be nice to find some natural ways to keep our homes and bodies healthy. Well, by adding a few different plants throughout your home, you can do just that. Seeing the green color of plants can have a calming effect on the body, as it is a color that creates a cool, relaxing mood. One’s systolic blood pressure can even be lowered just by adding some greenery to the home. Energy can be boosted, coughs and sniffles decreased, anxiety reduced, and headaches eliminated when a home has plants in it.
Think about it, when we are sitting in our homes or even offices, we are generally dealing with stale air. We continuously inhale the same air as it travels through our ventilation systems indoors and toxins begin to build up in the atmosphere. On top of this we spray beauty products, cleaning products, air deodorizers, and even cooking sprays into the confined atmosphere of our homes. In essence, we are polluting the air we breathe most everyday. Many plants take in these atmospheric toxins and use them as natural food, while releasing fresh, clean oxygen into the air we breathe.
By adding household plants, we can clean the air in our homes and make our bodies healthier, without adding any more harm to the environment. Some of the benefits of indoor topiary include: faster recovery from mental fatigue, reduced sound and stress levels, increased optimism, better moods, fresher air, improved decor, increased self-esteem, higher production rates, and more. The air will even smell nicer and cleaner! It is suggested that there be one house plant for every 100 square feet in a home or office for maximum benefits. Also, the faster a plant grows, the more air it can clean. It’s best to place these plants near vents or windows to provide best circulation to and from them.
Here are some house plants that can improve our health, as well as add a little "umph" to interior design:
African violet — This plant boosts oxygen flow to the brain, which can evoke a sense of relaxation. Its purple color also stimulates the release of endorphines and adrenaline. The release endorphines in the body helps to improve one’s mood and ease stress. The adrenaline helps promote creativity.
Boston fern — This plant soothes dry skin, and acts as a natural humidifier. The plant absorbs atmospheric toxins and breaks them down into fuel, while releasing water vapor in return.
English Ivy — This plant neutralizes the chemical benzene emitted by paper products and office equipment. Benzene is a chemical that slows thinking and breaks concentration as it attacks the central nervous system.
Eucalyptus — This plant helps to clear congestion. Inhaling the scent of eucalyptus raises the levels of fluid in the respiratory system, breaking up the phlegm that causes congestion.
Gerbera daisy — This plant absorbs carbon dioxide and gives off oxygen at night, which makes breathing easier and sleep deeper. Growing these in the garden and filling a vase with them for each bedroom will improve the whole family’s sleep by ten percent or more.
Peace Lily — This plant reduces levels of microscopic mold spores in the air by sixty percent. The plant saps up the mold spores through its leaves and transforms them into food down at the roots. It reduces spore build-up on shower tiles and curtains, providing less scrubbing time and less sneezing. The peace lily also absorbs atmospheric vapors such as alcohol and acetone. It is the perfect plant for bathrooms, laundry rooms, and kitchens.
Spider plant– This plant is one of the most powerful natural air cleansers. It guards the body against wheezing, headaches, and brain fog. Within two days, approximately ninety percent of toxins from the air inside one’s home can be killed by this plant. Spider plants can even rid the home of traces of carbon monoxide and formaldehyde.
So, with just seven plants in and around your home, you can sleep deeper, breathe better, think more clearly, moisturize your skin, and relieve stress. And all this can be done without using any electricity, fuel, harmful chemicals, or other sparse resources. This is truly a wonderful way to go green and improve one’s health.
Sources:
Previous knowledge
http://www.squidoo.com/healthy-houseplants
http://www.aolhealth.com/healthy-living/home-remedies/houseplants-health-benefits
http://www.houseofplants.co.uk/healthbenefits.html
http://www.cbn.com/health/goldfarb_houseplants.aspx?option=print
