Home Environment 101

detox the place you spend 90% of your time

The place we spend the majority of our lives—the home—is typically more polluted than any other space we inhabit. Most Americans spend 90% of their time indoors, and according to the Environmental Protection Agency, indoor air can be up to 100x more polluted than outdoor air. Indoor air pollution is ranked as one of the top 5 environmental dangers. HOWEVER, most people don’t know that there is so much we can do to transform our indoor environments from ones that hurt us to ones that help us.

As I write this, the air in NYC is red and thick after the devastating wildfires in Maui and Canada. As we are faced with more unpredictable weather patterns as a result of climate change, it is more important than ever to make sure our indoor environment is healthy and safe.

Simple swaps and upgrades can drastically improve our health by reducing our total “toxic burden”. Toxic burden is the accumulation of chemicals in the body from modern life that, when left unchecked, can build up and wreak havoc on the immune system and leave us susceptible to inflammation, allergies, cancer, and chronic disease. The more we can do to reduce this toxic buildup so it doesn’t overload our systems and create symptoms, the better. My recommendations for creating the ideal home environment center around reducing toxic exposure and structuring spaces, routines, and technology to improve sleep, recharge better, and nourish our bodies and minds so we can be our best selves when we step outside the home.

DO WE REALLY HAVE TO GO THE EXTRA MILE?

When it comes to adopting a healthier lifestyle, removing toxins from the home is the lowest lift change with the biggest impact. It requires zero effort and almost zero sacrifice beyond a modest cost. No, I am not suggesting you invest in pyramid scheme water filtration systems, nor do you need an infrared sauna and a cold plunge in your background to create a health oasis at home. But swapping things like cleaning products for clean alternatives is an easy, quick, and painless way to substantially make a difference in our health. These things really do matter. Likewise, by optimizing our space for mental health and recharging, we are better equipped to take on the outside world.

BOTTOM LINE — if you know anyone who has been diagnosed with cancer, experienced hormonal imbalances, struggled with infertility, or faced other health challenges with no straight answers, this should matter to you.

If you hope to age gracefully, function at peak fitness, prevent disease, and feel good for as long as you can, you should probably loosen your death grip on those Tide Pods (and no, you don’t need to eat them for them to be dangerous).

Refusing to make simple changes to your lifestyle just because something is familiar, or because “x person did it, and they turned out fine!”, too often leaves us vulnerable. Rarely do we look back on life and regret taking more care of our health. I can’t imagine how difficult it must be for people to look back and wish they’d been more open to change. Ignoring an easy fix like optimizing the home makes it harder for your body to keep you safe, effectively making your healthy cells swim against the current to stay afloat. Don’t you want to live in an environment conducive to thriving? Don’t make things harder than they already are.