10 Best Air Filtering House Plants, According to NASA

Using space station technology to ensure the safety of your home may be easier than you thought. The National Aeronautics and Space Administration conducted the NASA Clean Air Study to demonstrate the effectiveness of particular plants to purify air. As homes become more insulated and efficient, they also make it easier to trap indoor air pollutants. Chemicals like benzene, formaldehyde, and ammonia can come from household items and pollute your home’s atmosphere without any visual warning. Neglecting the quality of the air you breathe on a daily basis could result in serious consequences. Illness, allergies, asthmaand frequent headaches are just a few of many inconveniences that come from airborne particles floating around your home. Air pollution is also one of the reasons the can affect your digestive system. There’s no need to dish out hundreds of dollars on expensive appliances when you’ve got Mother Nature. According to NASA there are plenty of plants that soak up harmful particles in the air and release fresh oxygen – all while adding a decorative touch.   Where does it all come from? One of the scariest things about indoor air pollution is the seemingly harmless nature of its many sources. Listed below are some of the most common ways a home can become polluted. • Glues and Adhesives • Carpets (especially new carpets) • Chemicals in household cleaners (instead of using poisonous household cleaners you can make your own natural household cleaners) • Foam insulation materials • Paint • Pressed-wood products (plywood, particle board, and medium-density fiberboard) If plants are good enough for the pioneers of space travel than they must be doing something right. They also might spark a new found hobby of gardening as well! The plants listed below are 10 of the most effective air filters Mother Nature has to offer. 1. English Ivy (Hedera Helix) The English Ivy is ideal for pots because its invasive nature allows it to spread easily. Research found it to be particularly useful in eliminating airborne fecal-matter particles. The plant is also great for a family with smokers in it. It’s ability to soak up carcinogens from second-hand smoke helps to purify small areas. It’s also versatile when it comes to growing conditions and doesn’t require much maintenance. 2. Golden Pothos (Epipremnum Aureum) NASA considered this plant one of the most effective choices for eliminating formaldehyde. People that have struggled to keep plants alive can rejoice – this one is incredibly hard to kill. It doubles as an effective eliminator of carbon monoxide as well. The vines grow fairly quickly and look great suspended from elevated areas. 3. Boston Fern (Nephrolepis Exalta Bostoniensis) This lush plant functions really well as a natural air humidifier. While it’s busy adding humidity to the environment it also does a great job eliminating formaldehyde. Its large feathered ferns span as large as 5 feet and allow just a single plant to have a noticeable impact. 4. Dracaena (Dracaena Deremensis) The long striped leaves of this plant can easily thrive indoors with only small amounts of sunlight and moderate watering. It’s an excellent way to eliminate trichloroethylene that comes from solvents and varnishes. A single plant can grow over ten feet tall, but pruning will keep it short if you prefer. 5. Bamboo Palm (Chamaedorea Elegans) The Bamboo Palm can easily fit into smaller areas with indirect lighting. NASA found it to be one of the best air filters for benzene and trichloroethylene, and a great humidifier. This palm is a bit smaller than others and easy to grow in shady areas. It releases a good deal of moisture into the air and is considerably resistant to insect infestation. 6. Dragon Tree (Dracaena Marginata) This plant is a widely popular option for office spaces and homes for its attractive look and effective purifying power. It pulls xylene – a chemical released from car exhaust, paints, and cigarettes – from the air with little need for maintenance. It can also be potted together and trained to grow into a braid for visual appeal and added purification. 7. Peace Lily (Spathiphyllum) The Peace Lily is one of the most visually appealing plants on the list with its unique white flowers. It boasts one of the highest transpiration rates on the list as well. Use it to remove trichloroethylene, benzene, acetone, and alcohols from the air. Just be cautious of the plants high toxicity and keep it out of reach of children and pets. 8. Lady Palm (Rhapis Excelsa) The Lady Palm requires a lot of watering during the spring and summer but makes up for it with its heavy resistance to insects. The lush leaves of this palm grow thick and with rich color without much effort. Its said to be a versatile and effective filter for multiple indoor pollutants. 9. Spider Plant (Chlorophytum Comosum) The Spider Plant requires natural light but shouldn’t be exposed directly to the sun. It thrives in moist environments with bi-weekly watering and grows at impressive speeds. Owners prefer to place these plants near the fireplace and kitchen where carbon monoxide may build. 10. Snake Plant (Sansevieria Trifasciata) The Snake Plant is unique in that it sucks in carbon dioxide and releases oxygen during the night. Many people chose to keep it in their bedroom or carpeted living room. It’s simple to take care of and prevents the formaldehyde that leaks from your carpet and wood furniture from sticking around the air. If you have pets than you should be aware that most indoor plants aren’t safe for pet consumption. If you plan on growing plants in or outside of your home you should be aware of their toxicity. You can consult with your vet and see how it may affect your dog, cat, or any other animal that may consume it.

http://www.healthyandnaturalworld.com/best-air-filtering-house-plants/

10 ways Lemons kick ash

Lemons are so versatile and can be used in many ways to enhance your health. Lemons have been used for medicinal properties since ancient times. They have been cultivated in China and India for about 2,500 years. There are a lot of culinary uses for lemons in food and drink, and lemon is also used as a cleaning agent. This time I would like to share with you 10 uses for lemons that can improve your health. There are many more uses for lemon as a medicine, but let’s look at some of them:

1. Improve skin hyper-pigmentation

The citric acid in lemons does have natural lightening components. For a lightening mask apply 1 teaspoon each of lemon juice, natural yogurt and honey on your skin once a day for about 20 minutes. That is a slow process that will take some time until you see results. When using lemon on your skin, use sunscreen and avoid unnecessary time in the sun as lemons make your skin sensitive to light.

2. Treat acne and acne scars

Lemons have antibacterial properties because they have a low pH, so some sources say that they are effective at killing the bacteria that causes acne and improves acne scars. For best results, make sure you use full strength, undiluted lemon juice. Undiluted lemon juice dries the skin, so use a moisturizer afterwards. Find here easy and effective natural homemade skin treatment to stop skin breakouts.

3. Relieve cold symptoms and sore throat

Lemons contain high vitamin C which improves the immune system and speeds up recovery from infections. You can add lemon and honey to a tea to relieve cold symptoms and sore throat. Do it 3-4 times a day when you have a cold. See this great recipe for cleansing ginger lemon tea.

4. Treat dandruff

You can create a hair mask that uses 2 ingredients that are known to get rid of dandruff: lemon and yogurt. You can add honey to the mask or a few drops of carrier oil (such as almond oil) to prevent dryness of the hair. Just wash and rinse your hair, then rub the mask into the scalp, and leave for 10-15 minutes. You may apply this mask 2-3 times a week. Find here more natural treatments for dandruff.

5. Ease constipation and improves digestion

Adding the juice of half a lemon to a glass of warm water first thing in the morning will enhance digestion. Lemon helps the bowel to dispose waste, including preventing constipation. Find here more natural remedies for constipation.

6. Relieve insect bites

The acidity from the lemon juice will quickly help to treat insect bites and stings and will relieve the itching associated with insect bites. Apply fresh lemon juice to the insect bite to soak the area completely. It may sting a little bit, but the lemon juice will help with the healing process and help fight off infection.

7. Whiten teeth

Squeeze approximately 1/4 lemon and add 2 tablespoons apple cider vinegar. Dip a brush in the mixture, brush and rinse your mouth well. The mixture can help remove wine, coffee or nicotine stains. Please note – excess acidity could erode the tooth enamel, so don’t repeat this treatments more than once to twice a week. Find here more natural methods for teeth whitening.

8. Lemons and diabetes

Adding lemons or other acidic substances to your diet can help you control your blood glucose levels. Adding acid to any food lowers its glycemic index, because the acid slows digestion and prevents sudden spikes in blood glucose levels. Also their high content of soluble fiber and vitamin C have been found to have beneficial properties for people with diabetes.Find here more 6 foods to control diabetes.

9. Treat kidney stones

People who tend to suffer from kidney stones can reduce the recurrences and prevent new calcium oxalate stone formation by drinking plenty of water that will make the calcium oxalate more soluble and less likely to form crystals. You can add to your water half a cup lemon juice a day, as lemon juice also helps to reduce stone formation. You may also want to read my article about how to treat kidney stones naturally.

10. Strengthen and whiten finger nails

First of all you need to clean your nails and remove any polish. Then soak the nails in the lemon juice for few minutes and wash hands. You can apply a hand lotion or moisturizer to prevent your hands from drying.

How to select and store lemons

1. Choose fully ripened lemons That contain the most antioxidants. They should have a full yellow color as those that have green tinges have not fully ripened.

2. Choose lemons that are heavy for their size as it means that they have thin skin and more flesh and juice. They should have peels with a finely grained texture without wrinkling, soft patches and dull coloring.

3. Lemons will stay fresh for about one week if kept at room temperature, away from direct sunlight. You can store the lemons in the refrigerator where they will keep for about four weeks.

4. Lemon juice can also be stored for later use. Place freshly squeezed lemon juice in ice cube trays until frozen.

Lemon not only aids digestion, but is also one of the best foods to cleanse your liver and encourage the production of bile, allowing your liver to flush out toxins much easier.

http://www.healthyandnaturalworld.com/how-to-use-lemon-as-a-medicine/