Indoor plants such as the Peace Lily, Fern, and Cheese Plant, require plenty of watering, but can significantly contribute to a healthy living environment. Human beings were born to be outside surrounded by nature, but the urban society in which most people now live only allows them to spend a limited amount of time outdoors. People spend the vast majority of their time indoors, either at home or at work. For this reason, it is common to substitute nature with indoor plants for homes and offices. This is a good thing because houseplants can have an immensely positive effect on a person’s physical and mental health. You’ve trusted Mamavation to cover topics like 5 plants that can help you get more sleep, 5 morning centered rituals to become a better mother, and houseplants NASA says clean up indoor air, join us now as we explore plants you can bring into your home that can increase your health.
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The boost a person gets from being around greenery is due to the fact that house plants give off negative ions, and these have a very positive impact on both physical and mental health. Indoor plants also suppress the formation of mold and other compounds in the air around us which can affect health. A room full of house plants is less dusty and more humid.
There is also the achievement factor in being responsible for keeping houseplants alive and healthy, which adds to a person’s self-esteem and can give a subconscious feeling of self-purpose and charity. Lush green leaves are the sign of a person’s success in rearing a healthy living houseplant, through dedicated watering and maintenance.
But the best thing about keeping houseplants is that most of them require very little time and attention. They are inexpensive in comparison to the benefits that they bring to one’s life. But there are so many different types to choose from; how does an individual know which indoor plants are best for him?
The Peace Lily
The Peace Lily is a beautiful green indoor plant with pleasing white flowers that spring out in all directions. Not only is the Peace Lily pleasing to look at, but it can also significantly reduce the level of pollutants in a room. Believe it or not, furnishings, carpets, paints, and home appliances contain chemicals which excrete fumes into the air of the home. These fumes and contaminants are really bad for our health. (If you would like to know which types of furniture and mattresses are best to avoid this check out this investigation.)
The air inside the average home can be anywhere from 3-5x more polluted than the outdoor air on the main road. Some indoor plants, however, draw chemicals into their leaves, cleaning air levels. The Peace Lily is very effective and has been certified by NASA as a plant that detoxifies the air. Because they can grow very large when the plant is re-potted and the roots are given the space to grow, three large indoor plants such as the Peace Lily can take levels of pollutants in a room to virtually nil. Mamavation loves the Peace Lily for a detoxing plant. If you would like to learn more about plants that detox the air you breathe click here.
You can purchase a peace lily here.
Lady Fern
Ferns are easy to maintain and require humid surroundings and plenty of watering. Ferns are very good at attracting dust from the air so less falls into your living areas. High dust levels are linked to asthma and allergies. Houseplants reduce dust by 20 percent, by raising the humidity in a room. Dust particles are also attracted to plant leaves. Ferns are very leafy, hence they are well suited to lowering dust levels in a room. Lady Ferns have been used for thousands of years as a medicinal medicine for the following: increasing appetite, getting rid of fever and cough, faster relief from sunburn and cuts, prevention of harmful worms, balancing the digestive system, and prevention from asthma, pneumonia, and bronchitis. Other plants are known for medicinal qualities as well, such as aloe vera, wormwood and comfrey.
The Cheese Plant
The leaves of the Cheese Plant are thick and they are very effective for absorbing sound. Sound pollution raises blood pressure and stress levels. Having Cheese Plants in a house where there are children helps to absorb sounds from the children’s bedroom. For the best effects place Cheese Plants slightly away from walls.
You can purchase a cheese plant here.
There are many other houseplants, all of which will have a positive effect on the living space, and a person’s health. Choose large leafy plants like the Peace Lily, Fern, and Cheese Plant, with easy maintenance. Alternatively look for those which carry pleasant scents which can soothe the senses, such as Lavender which has been found to assist disturbed sleep; or plants with pleasing colors, such as Sunflowers or Daffodils. Yellow is the color of creativity and can provide inspiration when placed in a work environment such as the office.