Issue link: https://cp.revolio.com/i/633516
eco-friendly alternatives wherever possible, invest in a good air purifier for your home. Airborne chemicals pose one of the greatest pollution threats in the home — and they will pollute you rather easily. ere are air purifiers designed for smog, smoke, and particles; for chemicals, gases, and fumes; and for mold, viruses, and bacteria. Some are designed to handle it all. It just depends on what the main indoor concern may be and how much you want to spend. More than 90 percent of particulates you want to filter are small enough to be handled by a HEPA (high efficiency particle absorption) filter. If you suffer from allergies or asthma, air purifiers can help reduce your symptoms. Also change the air- conditioning filters in your house oen. Get the ducts cleaned yearly. If you don't want to invest in an air filter today, the simplest and quickest way to keep your air toxins low at home is to be diligent about ventilating your house frequently. Open the windows! Get some cross- ventilation going by opening windows at opposite ends of a room or section of the house. Do this for thirty minutes a day and, if you live near a highway or road, avoid peak traffic hours. TIP: Use plants, such as spider plants, aloe vera, chrysanthemum, Gerber daisies, fern, ivy, and philodendrons to help filter toxins from your household air and add oxygen. Water Filters Purchase a household water filter or at least install one on each major faucet. You can do this yourself or hire a professional to come in and install a more sophisticated system. Again, let your budget and personal situation be your guide. ere are a variety of water treatment technologies available today, and it's up to you to decide which one best suits your circumstances and the investment you want to make. Obviously, if you live in an apartment building or co-op, you will be limited as to what you can do, but using individual filters on each faucet can work tremendously well. How Bad Is Your Water? Unfortunately, this question cannot be answered easily based on how your water looks and tastes. Numerous toxins can still be in your water without your sensing it. If you receive your water from a public water supply, you can get a general idea about the quality of your water by researching your community's Annual Quality Report and ask your water utility (the company that sends you your water bill) for a copy of their annual water quality report. is report will list the detected contaminants, the potential source(s) of those contaminants, and the levels at which those contaminants were present in the water supply. If you have young kids, are pregnant, or are thinking about pregnancy in the future, you'll want to test your tap water for lead contamination, since lead is especially dangerous and levels can vary enormously from house to house. Once you know what's in your water, you can find a filter that's geared toward getting rid of the specific pollutants, if any, that may be present. Don't forget also to consider additional contaminants unique to your home and that may be present in your individual water Don't forget also to consider additional contaminants unique to your home and that may be present in your individual water supply, such as copper, which may be leaching from your household plumbing. If you have a well, you can hire someone to conduct private testing. Local public health departments frequently offer basic water testing services, while private drinking water laboratories can analyze your well water for additional contaminants that are of special concern to residents of your region of the country. Common analyses performed on well water supplies include tests for bacteria (total coliform), nitrates, and hardness. In addition, well water can also be checked for herbicides and pesticides if you live in an agricultural area. You may also choose to have tests performed for radon or arsenic, especially if these contaminants are a common problem in groundwater in your region. Page 38 | Abby's Magazine - www.AbbysHealthAndNutrition.com