Healthy Home,  Wellness & Wellbeing

Why it is Important to Create a Healthy Home

Our health and well-being are our most precious assets and should be treated as such. This is the precise reason, health, safety and wellness should be at the forefront when designing and creating a home. There are many factors we must take into consideration for wellness, beginning with the most basic elements of life and expanding into our modern-day comforts and conveniences.

Clean air continues to be a primary health concern in the United States and around the world. The burning of fossil fuels along with agricultural activities threaten our outdoor air, while synthetic chemicals and compounds create a toxic mix indoors. New energy-efficiency homes have more air quality issues since less fresh air filters in through gaps and seams. This can create a condition where the indoor air is two to five times more polluted than the air outside.

Drinking water in the U.S. often contains higher than allowable levels of carcinogenic matter including lead, arsenic, glyphosate, and atrazine. Chemicals in our water, along with harmful byproducts of chlorine and the addition of fluoride, which is known to cause dental fluorosis and thyroid disorders, are serious problems in our country.

Artificial lighting and noise pollution can create additional stress. Fluorescent and LED bulbs are devoid of near-infrared light, a wavelength which is important for eye and cellular health. This is increasingly important since many of us spend 90% of our day in buildings that use artificial lighting. The increased exposure to blue-green light, or light over 3000K at night disrupts the natural circadian rhythm necessary for proper sleep and cell regeneration. Excess noise pollution or high frequency noise can contribute to stress, mood disorders, and have been linked to heart disease.

A less discussed, but increasingly dangerous concern is man-made electromagnetic radiation (EMR). We are continuously enveloped in electromagnetic frequencies. Some are natural to the earth and we have adapted to the frequency through our evolution. Others are a creation of our modern world. EMR’s emitted from electronics, like laptops, tablets, cell phones and smart appliances are shown to have serious health consequences. Our bodies have a limited ability to handle radiation. However, the continuous and accumulative build-up we experience daily is harmful to our DNA, immune systems and cognitive functioning. According to the World Health Organization (WHO), “the electromagnetic fields produced by mobile phones are classified by the International Agency for Research on Cancer as possibly carcinogenic to humans.” With an increase in Wi-Fi, cell phones, and the introduction of 5G, greater consideration needs to be taken to protect our families and reduce or eliminate our exposure.

Mental and spiritual health are two additional factors we must consider when designing our homes. Mental and mood disorders are on the rise, and conditions present in our built environment have been proven to play a role. Our most basic elements of life, as well as the items we choose to provide comfort, can contribute to the mental and spiritual satisfaction we desire as humans. It is important to surround ourselves with natural Biophilic Design or Feng Shui elements that support our unique bodies and boost our mental and spiritual well-being.

Designing a healthy home means addressing each area of concern and finding realistic solutions.  The air we breathe and water we drink should be treated as the important life sustaining source they are.  When we source products for our home, health and safety should come first.

 

To learn more about wellness design, follow us at www.wellnessviadesign.com or on Facebook and LinkedIn.

Kristina is a Licensed Interior Designer and Certified Health and Wellness Coach. Her passion and dedication to healthy living and the environment began in college as her own health declined. For her, the toxicity of the air, water, food, electromagnetic radiation, building and consumer products found and consumed in our homes and businesses became evident. Kristina realized these issues play a key role in her health and the declining health of our society. Through years of experience and research Kristina has obtained a wealth of knowledge. As the ‘canary in the coal mine’, Kristina has learned firsthand the importance of putting wellness first when creating a balanced and beautiful environment.

One Comment

  • bch tl grafik

    Very nice post. I just stumbled upon your blog and wanted to say that I’ve really enjoyed browsing your blog posts. In any case I’ll be subscribing to your feed and I hope you write again soon!

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