FACT: 90% of the world’s population breathes dirty air!

The World Health Organization (WHO) released an air quality model which showed that more than 9 in 10 people live in areas that have unsafe levels of air pollution. Some air pollutants are 100 times more concentrated in your home than they are outside. According to the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), the levels of indoor air pollution in your home may be 2 to 5 times higher than they are outside. Indoor air pollution comes from more hidden sources than outdoor sources like car and traffic pollution.

The air in our homes can be polluted by toxic gases that are released from common, everyday household items such as:

• cleaning products
• cement
• paint
• carpet
• mattresses
• furniture
• particleboard

The use of home insulation also means that once these gases are released, they are more likely to be trapped within your walls. This can cause unpleasant side effects experienced immediately or several years later, such as memory and cognitive issues, fatigue, respiratory problems, skin complaints, irritated eyes, headaches, asthma, and allergies. Both the National Cancer Institute (NCI) and the Centers of Disease Control and Prevention (CCDC) have established that 80% of all cancers may be attributed to factors from your environment. Therefore, exposure to these carcinogenic chemicals and toxins are among the causative factors of cancer.

There are a number of different contributors to the rise in poor air quality indoors. Volatile organic compounds (VOCs) is listed as one contributor, which is a dangerous type of pollution from products such as aerosol sprays, cleaning products, and wood preservatives. Familiar VOCs names are benzene, formaldehyde and toluene. The variety of other contributors to indoor pollution include asbestos, carbon monoxide, cockroaches, lead, secondhand smoke, bacteria and viruses, carpets, dust mites and dust, pet dander, building and paint products, cleaning chemicals, formaldehyde, radon, and fire retardants.

Sociologists revealed that the average person in the U.S. spends 92% of their day indoors. People who are employed spend 2% of their time outside and 6% in transit between home and work. This means that the quality of the indoor air your breathe is very important to your health. The EPA states that poor indoor air quality is one of top public health risks people face each day.

You are dependent on good quality air to support your respiratory system and overall health. There are many ways that we can take measures into our own hands to make a difference in our personal environments. So, one great way to purify the air in your home and office is having beautiful green plants! Here are a few of my favorite air-purifying houseplants.

The Best Plants to Clean the Air in your Home

Gerbera Daisy

This plant may be a little higher maintenance by needing lots of sunlight and well-drained soil.

Good For: Removing airborne chemicals that are released from inks and dry cleaning including benzene and trichloroethylene.

Snake Plant

This plant does not need much light or water to survive, so they are an easy choice for your home.

Good For: Absorbs carbon dioxide and releases oxygen during the night (while most plants do so during the day).

Spider Plant

This plant is super resilient and requires very little maintenance. This long leafed ornamental plant has a high performance rate of removing 80% of p-Xylenes o-Xylene and ethylbenzene from the air.

Good For: Removing the chemicals that are released from artificial rubbers, pesticides, paint, paint thinners, and ink, including benzene, formaldehyde, and carbon monoxide.

Bromeliad

This broad-leafed plant is excellent at filtering out six types of Volatile Organic Compounds (VOCs) and can filter up to 80% of these chemicals from the air in just 12 hours.

Good For: clearing away the toxic chemicals that are released from paraffin candles and car exhaust fumes.

Red-Edged Dracaena

This vibrant plant can grow to be ceiling height, making it a great plant for filling up space. It grows best in sunlight.

Good For: Sucking up the toxic acetone released from nail polishes, nail polish removers, and other household items, and removing formaldehyde.

Lucky Bamboo (Bamboo Palm)

This stylish plant is very low maintenance and needs indirect sunlight. It’s believed to help put moisture back into the atmosphere, which is a great for air-conditioned homes.

Good For: Clearing away benzene and trichloroethylene.

Aloe Vera

This succulent has been used for thousands of years as a laxative, natural antidote to skin burns, and other healing properties. It grows best with lots of sun.

Good For: Clearing benzene, formaldehyde, and other chemicals found in cleaning products.

Peace Lily

This beautiful plant is relatively easy to grow indoors and requires very little TLC. It does well in shade and cooler temperatures.

Good For: Removing formaldehyde, trichloroethylene, benzenes, and ammonia from the air.

FYI: The lily flower is toxic to cats and dogs.

Golden Pothos

This plant is a great hanging plant for your kitchen, living room or office, as the leaves will grow down in cascading vines. It grows easily in cool temperatures and low levels of sunlight.

Good For: Clearing away formaldehyde from the air.

It’s also important to consider using good quality potting mix and materials for your plants. Using clay or non-toxic pots, organic soil, and not using any artificial fertilizers and sprays. With a few small investments for these beautiful plants, you can truly clean the air and have great décor in your home!

What type of indoor plants do you like? Leave comments below!

Reference:
Please see foodmatters.com for other great tips.

According to the ancient wisdom of Ayurveda, breast milk is thought of as nectar and breastfeeding is considered the primary method of giving love to your child. It is through breastfeeding that the child forms his/her first understanding of, and bond, with the mother – a relationship that will impact all that follows. Fortunately, breastfeeding does more than create a connection between mom and baby.

A mother’s milk is one of the most precious sources of vitamins for mammals. Breastfeeding assists in the development of an intricate immune system and most importantly, a healthy gastrointestinal tract, which houses 70% of our immune system. Breast milk is easier to digest than formula. The proteins in formula are made from cow’s milk, and it takes time for babies’ stomachs to adjust to digesting them. Moreover, by holding and breastfeeding your baby, you are teaching him/her how to regulate their body temperature through your breath and heart beat.

Tips for Breastfeeding:

• Breastfeed for at least 12 months.
• Breastfeed as soon as possible and often, and as long as your baby needs to.
• Don’t feel like you have enough milk? Breastfeed more often! Breast milk is supply and demand.
• Food before one is just for fun. It is encouraged to be exclusively breastfeeding for the first year.

The body develops a miraculous predecessor called colostrum, also known as liquid gold, during pregnancy and just after birth for the baby. This substance is super-rich in antibodies, protein, and minerals, all which lead the baby’s immune system off to the best possible start. The immune system is the body’s best defense mechanism for maintaining a healthy body; therefore colostrum promotes a strong immune system that is equipped to fight against cancer. Colostrum contains antimicrobial properties, which aids in reducing the frequency of infections and respiratory problems.

Breast milk changes as your baby grows. Colostrum changes into what is called mature milk. By the third to fifth day after birth, this mature breast milk has just the right amount of fat, sugar, water, and protein to help your baby continue to grow.

Health Benefits of Breastfeeding:

• Protects your baby from a long list of illnesses
• Protects your baby from developing allergies
• Lower your baby’s risk of SIDS
• Boosts your child’s intelligence
• Protects your child from obesity
• Reduce your stress level
• Reduce your risk of postpartum depression
• Reduce your risk of some types of cancers and diabetes

For more information about the health benefits, common questions, and learning to breastfeed, visit womenshealth.gov or breastfeedingusa.org, or speak to your local Birth Doula or Lactation Counselor.

Birth Center of St. Pete and Breath of Life Women’s Health Center are great local resources.

Tampa Bay Birth Network is a great support and educational resource.

When you walk around town, how many people do you notice walking around while looking down at their iPad or iPhone? The other night my husband and I went out for dinner and noticed seven children playing games on an iPad and ten adults checking email or texting.
It is estimated that the average child spends 7 hours a day on some sort of media device while teens and adults spend approximately 9 hours per day. With an increase in technology, what impact is this having on the spine and nervous system? And, is the “text neck” caused by constantly looking down at devices becoming an epidemic?

Effects of Increased Usage

When children are born, they spend the first few months trying to lift and hold their head up. This is a critical time during development because this action forms the C-shaped curve in the neck. This C-shaped curve is designed to support the weight of the head.

When or your child looks down at the computer, iPad, phone, etc. this reverses the c shaped curve that we developed as an infant, and places stress onto the nerves going into the neck and upper back. Overtime, this can lead to headaches, sinus/allergy issues, decreased immunity, neck pain, back pain, stiffness, carpal tunnel, or arthritis.

Impact of Heading Being Forward

In fact, research has shown that for every inch forward that the head goes, the weight on the upper back is increased by ten pounds. So, if your child’s head is looking down at the iPad, and the head is positioned two inches forward, this adds 20 pounds of additional weight onto their developing spine.
As a chiropractor, I am seeing individuals in their 20’s come in with massive amount of degeneration and arthritis forming in the neck because of this new epidemic of “text neck”. Think about it- Millennials are the first generation to grow up with technology in front of them!
Since we become more dependent on technology as time evolves, here are top 2 tips to maintain your spine and nervous system:

1. Hold the technology at eye level so that you and your kids are not looking down
2. Get under chiropractic care from an early age! Gentle and specific chiropractic adjustments allow you to maintain the C-shape curve in the neck, and relieve any stress that is placed onto the nervous system, and prevent future health challenges from occurring!

If you know anyone with “text neck”, have them contact our office by emailing blossomfamilychiro@gmail.com or calling 727-498-5643. We can help!

With summer coming to an end, kids are going back to school….and we all know what that means, GERMS! First your little one comes home with a snotty nose, then mom gets it, then dad. It’s a family affair!

There are several things that I recommend families in my practice do when trying to stay healthy throughout the school year. Here are my top 3 tips.

1) Get Plenty of Sleep

Research now shows that sleep directly affects the immune system. When we sleep, our body creates and releases certain disease fighting substances. Our bodies needs these hormones, proteins, and chemicals to fight off disease and infection. Sleep deprivation decreases the availability of these substances and leaves us more susceptible to viruses and bacteria. If we are sleep deprived and become sick, we will stay sick for a longer period of time because our bodies lack the resources to fight off the bad guys!

Here is a guide as to how much sleep you and your family should be getting each night based on age:

• 1-4 weeks: 15-16 hours per day
• 1 -12 months: 14-15 hours per day
• 1-3 years: 12-14 hours per day
• 3-6 years: 10-12 hours per day
• 7- 12 years: 10- 11 hours per day
• 12- 18 years: 8-9 hours per day
• 18 years- adulthood: 7-9 hours per day

2) Take A Vitamin D Supplement

Vitamin D plays a HUGE role in your health, influencing nearly 3,000 of your genes and playing critical role in your immune response. Vitamin D is being called a “miracle nutrient” for your immune system because it enables your body to produce over 200 anti-microbial peptides (these peptides help to fight a wide range of infections)! In fact, a recent Japanese study showed that school children taking vitamin D3 supplements were 58% less likely to catch the flu.

I recommend that all members of the family take a daily D3 supplement. My favorite brand is the liquid D3 drops from Innate Choice. Innate Choice is a quality, affordable brand developed by a fellow chiropractor, scientist, and nutrition expert, Dr. James Chestnut. My husband and I have been taking this for years to keep healthy!

3) Get Adjusted Regularly!

The nervous system controls every system in our bodies including our immune system. When the spine is misaligned, it places stress on our nervous system and our immune system is weakened. Research shows that chiropractic adjustments increase white blood cell counts and boost overall immune function by 200%. In order for us to be as healthy as possible, we need regular chiropractic adjustments to ensure that our body is functioning optimally.

The majority of people know how important proper dental hygiene is. From a young age, we have been taught to brush our teeth twice a day, floss, and visit the dentist twice a year. This ensures that we have bright white smiles, that we prevent cavities, and tooth decay. We know that in order to keep our smile perfect, it requires maintenance.

What About Spinal Hygiene?

We all understand the importance of oral hygiene….but what about spinal hygiene? Do we give our spine the same attention that we do teeth? Most individuals have never thought about spinal hygiene, what it means, or how it can affect our body. However, if we can understand how important our spine is, we will understand EVERYONE should be under regular chiropractic care throughout his/her life.

Your spine is incredibly important because it houses the nervous system which controls virtually every aspect of your body’s ability to function. In the same way that you get your oil changed, or your teeth cleaned, your spine requires the same maintenance with chiropractic adjustments. While you don’t need to be adjusted twice a day, you should be adjusted routinely to keep your spine in the proper alignment so that your body can function optimally!

When misalignments (subluxations) occur in your spine, it places stress onto your nervous system and can not only cause pain, but other health conditions like migraines, sciatic pain, carpal tunnel, fibromyalgia, digestive problems, dizziness, etc. Just like brushing removes unwanted particles from your teeth, chiropractic adjustments remove these unwanted subluxations. By placing the spine into the correct alignment, your body is able to function properly, and prevent many health conditions from ever occurring!

Being Proactive vs. Reactive

It is important to keep proper spinal maintenance in mind when it comes to being proactive with your health and taking care of your body. Many people will wait to visit a chiropractor until they are in pain, only to find that they have multiple subluxations and issues that could have been prevented with regular chiropractic care. Often times, if people wait until they are in pain, they have already done a great deal of damage to their spine; some that may not be reversible.

Last year, I had a woman come into the office with severe neck pain. She told me that the pain had only started last week after she slept funny. However, when we took an x-ray of her spine, she had stage 4 degeneration. The disc spaces were severely narrowed, she had massive amounts of arthritis formed, and her neck was fused together due to the massive amount of bone spurs. Although she only started feeling pain the week before, she had waited too long to come into the office. There was nothing chiropractic could do to help. At that point, she was facing surgery. After I explained that the degeneration started when she was a child, the woman cried and said that she wished she had come into the office 20 years earlier.

If people came to see a chiropractor at the same age they started taking care of their teeth (as an infant), many of these issues could be prevented. Just like your teeth, car, or relationship, if we don’t maintain our spine, it will fall apart.

If you are ready to take control of your health and see how your spine and nervous system are functioning, contact our office to schedule a new patient appointment at blossomfamilychiro@gmail.com or at 727-498-5643.

Your body will thank you 🙂