This study about indoor air quality (IAQ) still blows me away:
“… lotions, paints and other products contribute about as much to air pollution as the transportation sector does, said lead author Brian McDonald, a CIRES scientist working in NOAA’s Chemical Sciences Division.”
Though not surprising, seeing this info in black and white just hit me different when I read it.
We don’t want to be around vehicle exhaust because of health effects. In addition, we don’t want to live in poor indoor air quality (IAQ). Especially, since the volatile organic compound (VOC) levels are almost equal to the VOCs in vehicle exhaust.
So, how do we live in a home with good IAQ?
In this article, we’ll explain why IAQ is important and how to create good IAQ in your home.
Why Is Indoor Air Quality (IAQ) Important?
Health, health, and health – in a nutshell, that’s why IAQ is important.
It can – and is – affecting our cells, organs, brain, hormones, weight, moods, mental health, thyroid, depression levels, sex lives, cancer rates and overall happiness and quality of life – and more.
One of the benefits of good IAQ that’s often overlooked is the connection to spirit and soul. When the body becomes un-gunked with toxins and chemicals, it’s much easier to connect with spirit during meditation. It’s much easier to still the mind and see things clearly.
How to we achieve good physical, mental and spiritual health?
By creating good IAQ.
How To Create Good Indoor Air Quality (IAQ)
There are 3 ways to create good IAQ in your home: buy healthy products, increase veneration, and purify your air.
The most effective of these is to buy healthy products – eliminate the source and solve the core problem instead of putting bandages on it.
By buying organic, chemical-free products, your IAQ can improve significantly. And (because nothing is perfect), the very few chemicals that might be brought into your home can be easily managed with a good air purifier that removes chemicals from the air. Alternatively, you could increase the fresh air in your home – just be sure it’s fresh air (vs. polluted as well).
Let’s look at some of the ways you can transform your bad air into good IAQ.
Remodeling
- Floors – Install ceramic tile floor with a healthier thin-set and grout – especially in areas of high moisture, such as a bathroom or kitchen.
Want a warmer feel?
Refinish (or install) solid hardwood flooring. Use nails or non-toxic glue, and finish it with a stain and top coat that are free of VOCs and HAPs.
- Paints – For the healthiest IAQ, look for lighter colors and zero-VOC paints that are also free of HAPs. In paint, both the base color (usually white) and pigment can have VOCs and HAPs. Lighter pigments, in healthier brands of paint, typically have zero-VOC options.
Cookware
Cookware affects your IAQ when it’s sitting idol and being used. The chemicals found in both Teflon and in coated-ceramic (ceramic that has a non-stick coating added) can off-gas at normal room temps… and off-gas even more when heated during cooking, creating poor IAQ. (The chemicals also seep into your food.)
Studies have shown that when people cook, their IAQ levels go up.
Using healthier cookware such as 100% ceramic, cast iron, and stainless steel can help minimize poor IAQ throughout the day.
The type of stove you have also matters greatly. Choose an electronic stove over a gas stove for better IAQ when cooking.
Clothes
Clothes, especially those made with synthetic materials, dyes, finishes, and designs, off-gas into the air all the day and night long.
Plus, our clothes are usually in our bedroom closet, off-gassing while we sleep at night. That means we’re breathing in poor IAQ while our bodies are trying to detox from the day.
The simplest way to find healthy clothes is to look for the GOTS Organic or Oeko-Tex Standard 100 certified labels.
How Can We Help?
When you buy healthier products, you create better IAQ – and thereby, can enjoy better health! Do it one step at a time, so that you can minimize the overwhelm that most people feel.
Want simple ways to make more changes? Want a partner in the process? Ready to transform your house into a healthy home?
Check out our healthy home coaching to see if it’s a good fit for you.
