Hello fellow health nuts and welcome back to the blog! As I write this in mid-January, I’m sure many of us have our heat blasting and windows sealed while temperatures drop outside. Thus, I thought it would be a good idea to put together some natural ways to purify your air and water so that you can stay healthy and strong throughout these cold months.

1. Get a water purifier. I don’t know if you all face a similar problem, but here in Brussels the water is extremely high in calcium which leaves an awful film around the faucets and glasses. While small amounts of calcium are safe to consume, it might not be the best idea to have this as your only drinking water. There have also been articles stating that calcium-enriched water can inhibit hair growth so it’s important to get a filter not only to purify your drinking water but also for your shower head- keep your hair healthy and strong! 

Another tip for a grimy kettle/ dishwasher/ shower head is to boil one part vinegar to three parts water and gently scrub the appliance clean of any film. I like to do this every other week to prevent excessive build-up and to avoid ingesting said film when making tea though you may only need to do this once a month if your water is not as calcium-heavy.

2. Bring the green inside. Speaking as someone who has a history of killing plants this tip may be a bit intimidating but there are many plants that are both durable and purifying. Having indoor plants can help improve indoor air quality. According to scientists studying the air-purifying capacities of plants:

“plants can absorb many other gases in addition to carbon dioxide, including a long list of volatile organic compounds (VOCs). Benzene (found in some plastics, fabrics, pesticides and cigarette smoke) and formaldehyde (found in some cosmetics, dish detergent, fabric softener and carpet cleaner)  are examples of common indoor VOCs that plants help eliminate. These VOCs and other indoor air pollutants (such as ozone) have been linked to numerous acute conditions, including asthma and nausea, as well as chronic diseases such as cancer and respiratory illnesses.” [1]

If you also have a black thumb then here is a list of the 10 easiest to care for house plants that also double as air purifiers :) 

3. Open your windows. With low temperatures raging outside I know this tip might seem less than comfortable but it could have a great effect on your air- and it’s free! I like to air out my apartment in the morning as I find the cold air helps wake me up and cleans out some of the stale sleep smell. Even as little as five minutes each day will do wonders.

4. Get an oil diffuser. It shouldn’t come as a surprise as I’ve written about it quite a bit here on the blog but I love all things scented. Whether it’s fresh baked goods, incense, flowers or diffusers- I want it all in my house :) As it turns out though, essential oils like tea tree oil, eucalyptus, clove and rosemary also have anti-bacterial and cleansing properties. Most diffusers are quite inexpensive and can be decorative so not only will your place be clean and smell great but you’ll also have a stylish new mantle piece ;)

5. Take your shoes off. This may be a no-brainer in the winter with mushy snow and ice outside but it’s a nice reminder that what is on the ground outside should stay outside. Not only will you avoid bringing in dirt, bacteria and feces inside that could muck up the air quality but you’ll also keep your floors cleaner for longer. The less mopping, the better. 

6. Burn beeswax candles. This last one I found online and was intrigued by the reasoning behind it. I have yet to try it out for myself but beeswax does smell great so I guess there’s nothing to lose. If any of you have tried this one let me know down below :)

“The reason particles float in the air around us is because they are positively charged ions. The air is cleaner in the woods, or near a waterfall, for example, because nature creates negative ions, which bind to the positive ions, causing them to be heavier and fall to the ground. Burning pure beeswax candles artificially creates this phenomenon indoors, cleaning the indoor air” [2]. 

Thank you all so much for stopping by this week and I hope that you found one or two tips that you can adopt to improve the air and water quality in your home. If you have any special hacks of your own that I didn’t mention here please leave them down below so that others can benefit from your wisdom :)

See you all here next Tuesday for a fresh blog!

Xoxo,

Alexandra 

Sources:

1. Palermo, Elizabeth. “Do Indoor Plants Really Clean the Air?” LiveScience, Purch, 29 July 2013, www.livescience.com/38445-indoor-plants-clean-air.html.

2. Kirschner, Chanie. “12 Ways to Get Clean Air without Chemicals.” MNN, Mother Nature Network, 9 Oct. 2018, www.mnn.com/health/healthy-spaces/stories/11-ways-get-clean-air-without-chemicals.