Did you know that the air inside your home is often more toxic than the air outside? In fact our indoor air environment is two to six times more polluted than the outdoor air environment. Indoor pollutants in dust and air are often generated from sources such as tobacco smoke, building materials, furniture, cleaning and hygiene products, air fresheners, computers, printers, cooking and from people themselves. Here are our top tips for reducing pollution and detoxing your home.

Air Purifying Plants

In 1989, NASA published the results of their Clean Air Study, stating which plants were best able to neutralise toxic chemicals in the air. Whilst plants are absorbing the carbon dioxide they need to survive they also take in particles from the air. Through the process of photosynthesis, they transform those toxic particles into lovely, pure, healthy oxygen which they then release into their environment.

Micro fibre Cloths

Micro fibre Cloths are made up of super-fine microfibres that have an asterisk-like structure. All of those nooks and crannies make it incredibly absorbent, which is why microfiber can hold up to six times its own weight in water! But it doesn’t just pick up liquids—it’ll grab onto anything, making it a perfect material for cleaning. The ultra-tiny fibres can fit into even the smallest crevices to pick up dust, dirt, grease, and bacteria.

Use Natural Cleaning Products

Full of petrochemicals and a host of other toxic ingredients, these cleaners release fumes and toxic residue that get ingested through inhalation and skin contact. Short term effects can be immediate and include asthma, skin rashes, dizziness, and blurred vision, while longer term effects from prolonged exposure can result in neurological impairments, respiratory ailments, birth defects, and cancer. Luckily there are a slew of alternative cleaning products that work just as well as the traditional chemical laced ones, and that will not slowly poison you and your home. And, in addition to purchasing ready-made non-toxic cleaners, consider making your own using easy to find ingredients like vinegar, baking soda, essential oils, and Colloidal Silver, a powerful disinfectant and immune booster.

Ditch Paper Towel

Many paper towel and napkin brands use bleach, chlorine, formaldehyde or bisphenol. Exposure to chlorine and formaldehyde may boost our risk of cancer, while BPA disrupts our endocrine system – which is responsible for our hormones. To mop up kitchen spills, try using cut-up old dish towels and t-shirts. They are absorbent, re-usable, and it’s likely you already have some old pieces hanging about in your home!

Install a Water Filter

Tap water contains chlorine, a disinfectant. Chlorine disrupts our gut flora and boosts our cancer risk. Some cities treat water with fluoride, a potential endocrine disruptor. Installing a water filter in your kitchen is easy to do, or you can purchase a unit for your counter to detox your kitchen. Whatever you do, don’t buy bottled water. You’re exposing yourself to the risks of plastic and creating environment waste, not to mention that companies draw from municipal sources, treat it and then bottle it. You might as well skip the middle man and the continual cost and install a water filter yourself.


Air Purifying Sprays

Rather than opting for the commonly used air fresheners which are packed full of synthetic fragrances and harmful chemicals, it is a good idea to opt for a more natural based spray that not only is fragranced using essential oils but also works to detoxify and purify the air around you. 1001 Remedies, Pur air spray vivifying fresh scent regenerates you and the essential oils work to kill common bacteria as soon as 15 minutes after spraying.

We live in a sleep-deprived world. A hundred years ago we slept 8-9 hours a night, now we average 6-7 hours a night. studies indicate that improving the quantity and quality has a more significant effect on overall health than either diet or exercise! Many people are unaware of how essential it is to get a good night’s sleep on a regular basis. When work or school deadlines arise, many consider staying up late or “pulling an all-nighter” an efficient way to get everything done. When considering lifestyle changes for brain health, one of the most important aspects to consider is sleep. We tend to not get enough sleep and our brains run on fatigue much of the time, as a result, our brains are over-stimulated, stressed, and tired.

1. Get a sleep schedule

Go to bed at a set time each night and get up at the same time each morning. Disrupting this schedule may lead to insomnia. “Sleeping in” on weekends also makes it harder to wake up early on Monday morning because it re-sets your sleep cycles for a later awakening. Do not nap within 8 hours of bedtime.

 

2. Avoid Caffeine before bed

Avoid drinks that contain caffeine, which acts as a stimulant and keeps people awake. Sources of caffeine include coffee, chocolate, soft drinks, non-herbal teas, diet drugs, and some pain relievers. Smokers tend to sleep very lightly and often wake up in the early morning due to nicotine withdrawal. Alcohol robs people of deep sleep and REM sleep and keeps them in the lighter stages of sleep. Avoid all of these things at least 6 to 8 hours before sleeping if you want a good night’s sleep. Also, try to avoid eating any kind of large meal within two hours of bedtime.

 

3. Resist using technology in bed

It is not uncommon for people to lie in bed and scroll through social media on their phone just before going to sleep. This is made even easier when your phone is charging next to your bed. The problem is that the light from our devices is "short-wavelength-enriched", meaning it has a higher concentration of blue light than natural light. Blue light  lowers the levels of the hormone melatonin, which is sleep-inducing. Blue light essentially tricks your body into thinking it is daytime, resulting in difficulty falling asleep. 

 

4.  Make sure you have a good mattress

It can be much harder to get yourself off to sleep if you are worried that you are worried that you're going to be tossing and turning just a few short hours from now, so try to stop yourself waking up a lot in the night. One of the main causes of waking in the night is through back pain, so try to minimise this by buying a decent mattress - and make sure you change your mattress every 8-10 years. Also taking an anti-inflammatory such as ibuprofen before you go to bed can help ease muscle spasms in the night.

 

5.  Avoid Alcohol

Many people think of alcohol as a sedative. Indeed, it does appear to help induce sleep. However, your sleep will be less restful and more disrupted. Alcohol can increase the number of times you wake up throughout the night and it stops you from getting the deep sleep you need to feel rested in the morning. Alcohol is also a diuretic and can cause you to wake up several times during the night to urinate.

 

6. Write down your worries

Once your head hits the pillow, problems of the day can start racing through your mind making sleep impossible. One way to stop this is to keep a pen and pad of paper by your bedside. Jot down your thoughts and worries and promise yourself you will address them in the morning.

 

7. Exercise

Exercise can help you to enjoy a better quality of sleep. Working out effectively can tire your body out gently, promoting a better night’s sleep. Releasing pent up tension through exercise is also highly beneficial, helping to banish stress before bedtime. Exercising also lowers your body’s temperature, which induces better sleep. When it comes to exercise, the most important thing is to feel fitter and healthier. If you are experiencing sleeping problems, try to exercise a little more or change the type of activities you do. Yoga is renowned for its relaxation and sleep benefits, while moderate-aerobic exercise like walking has been found to help people fall asleep more quickly.

 

8. Have a bed time routine

Sleep rituals should include quiet activities in the brief period before bedtime. How much time you spend unwinding may vary. If you fall asleep immediately on most nights, you may not need much time to transition. However, if you suffer from insomnia or have trouble with your mind racing as you try to fall asleep, a longer period of sleep rituals may be helpful. In general, 30 to 60 minutes will likely be sufficient. Activities such as having a long bath, doing some yoga or meditation, using a sleep balm and room spray and reading a book can help relax your body and mind helping you to sleep better.

 

Yoga is considered a mind-body type of complementary and alternative medicine practice. Yoga brings together physical and mental disciplines to achieve peacefulness of body and mind, helping you to relax and manage stress and anxiety. It utilizes mental focus and deep breathing while performing a series of special poses. Though it appears to be primarily physical, but what makes yoga radically different from traditional “workouts” is the remarkable internal impact of the practice. Yoga will help tone your body but while it’s doing that, it also helps you to be truly in the moment and infuses your spirit with positive energy. 

There are many different types of yoga to try out, its just about finding which ones work best for you!

 

Hatha Yoga

Hatha Yoga is a form of yoga that involves the practice of various  asanas (postures) and pranayama (breathing techniques), with a focus on relaxation. The breathing exercises heighten your awareness of the connection between the body and mind. By practicing yoga you will become more self-aware of the signals that your body gives. The main principle behind the practice of Hatha Yoga is breathing. Controlling our breath can help improve oxygenation in the body and reduces stress levels. Therefore, this practice encourages us to focus on our breath, maintain steady balance and promotes stillness in mind.

 

Vinyasa Yoga

Vinyasa means “movement linked with breath.” Postures are strung together in a short or longer flow. This style of yoga is often quite dynamic, which requires the mind to stay focused in the present to be able to keep up. Focusing keeps you from drifting off and helps you to be present in your body rather than stuck in your head. Vinyasa Yoga classes may incorporate music, meditation, or chanting. They will typically include a broad range of poses, including standing and balancing postures, twists, back bends, inversions, seated poses, and forward folds.

 

Yin Yoga

Yin Yoga is a slower-paced, more meditative version of the popular physical and spiritual discipline of yoga. In Yin yoga, the poses are held for a long period of time (typically three to five minutes or longer) to target the connective tissues (such as the ligaments) rather than focusing on the muscles. As this practice emphasizes stillness and silence, Yin Yoga prepares both the body and the mind for deeper experiences in meditation. 

 

Bikram Yoga

Bikram Yoga facilitates the recovery and rejuvenation of the human body, helps to cure chronic diseases and various injuries. On the physical level yoga expands flexibility, strength and balance. On the mental level it encourages raising self-confidence, develops self-control, improves concentration skills, evolves determination and assists in stress management. Bikram Yoga is a specially developed series of 26 hatha yoga postures and 2 breathing exercises. It is practiced in a room heated to + 40.6°C and run for exactly 90 minutes. The sequence of postures always remains the same in order to ensure a systematic workout of every part of the body. The hot and humid air warms up one’s body, so greater flexibility is attained, it is easier to perform stretching and the risk of getting injured is considerably eliminated.

 

Kundalini Yoga

Kundalini yoga is also called the "yoga of awareness." The primary aim of Kundalini yoga is to awaken the kundalini energy, which lies coiled, serpent-like, at the base of the spine. In Kundalini yoga, practitioners use breathing exercises, physical postures, chanting and meditation to unlock this energy. Each kundalini class begins with a chant and is followed up by a warmup for the spine. The main part of the class is the kriyas, which combine postures and breathing techniques and end with a meditation and chant.

 

Restorative Yoga

While it may feel like you’re not doing much in a restorative yoga Class…that’s the point. The mellow, slow-moving practice with longer holds gives your body a chance tap into your parasympathetic nervous system, allowing you to experience deep relaxation. You’ll also use a variety of props including blankets, bolsters and yoga blocks to fully support your body in each pose. Restorative yoga stimulates the parasympathetic nervous system, which slows the heart rate, regulates the blood pressure and relaxes the body. As such, Restorative yoga is considered particularly beneficial for those suffering from anxiety, insomnia or headaches, as well as other stress-related conditions. Restorative yoga is believed to boost the immune system and accelerate the body's natural healing process.

  

Iyengar yoga

Iyengar yoga is both careful and rigorous in its approach, characterised by a vigorous style that places great emphasis on safety and precision. The postures and sequences, developed for effectiveness, can be tailored to the individual needs of the students in a class, making this a method that is suitable for a wide range of people, no matter what their level of fitness or experience. The focus is on helping students achieve, maintain health and wellbeing. Iyengar does this through emphasising precision and alignment in all poses, using props to assist all people to be able to access yoga, and through sequencing – meaning there is importance placed on when and how poses are done.