WELLNESS--When we are out in the world we don’t have much control over what we are taking in from the different environments we visit. With all the toxins outside, it becomes even more important to optimize our home environment in order to stay healthy. If you are feeling low energy or dealing with frequent colds or flu’s it may be your home that is contributing.
If we are ill or short on energy, there could be many factors contributing including stress, sleep deprivation, poor dietary choices, or lack of exercise. Some of the less obvious but also pervasive culprits to feeling unwell are mold, pesticides, or toxic cleaning products.
People that are experiencing allergies and noticing that they are worse when they are home may have mold in the home. To find out if there is mold in your home a mold specialist can come to the home and run tests. Some ways that mold starts to grow is if there are water leaks, past flooding, or obvious condensation in the home. Mold can still be present even if none of the above mentioned signs are present.
Another way to tell if your home is healthy is by noticing the health of your pets. Animals are also affected by mold and can get chronic sinus issues if there is mold present in the home. If there is condensation anywhere in the home be sure that no people are animals are sleeping in that area.
Pesticides usually come into the home from the fruit and vegetables we purchase at the store and products used for cleaning. Here is a list of pesticides to avoid when purchasing supplies for your home. As far as fruits and vegetables, the best way to avoid unwanted chemicals is to spend a little more money and buy organic.
Finally, some estimates say that up to 70 percent of all household toxins come in from our shoes. There is a reason that many cultures remove shoes before coming into the home and it’s to prevent illness and the spread of unwanted bacteria and dirt. Besides keeping the home floors and rug cleaner, we are also preventing illness by keeping our shoes off our floors.
When we have a passion for our health and well-being, we realize that it’s not only exercise and food that keeps us well. There are many components to being healthy including our home environments as well. While it’s challenging to control the environments we visit, it’s much easier to control our home surroundings. Clean with non-toxic solutions and use non-toxic laundry detergent whenever possible.
If sinus issues are chronic, check for mold and buy a HEPA filtration air purifier. Be sure you and guests take shoes off at the door, and only use paraben free natural products on your skin and hair.
(Christian Cristiano is an acupuncturist in LA, TV host of Wellness for Realists and writes on wellness regularly for CityWatch. Christian can be reached at 323.935.3420. twitter: @CristianoWFR)
-cw
Is Your Home Making You Sick?
