5 ways you can promote wellness in your home
Wellness has become big business, powering everything from plant-based diets to wearable technology. Now the movement is taking on the American home. And why not? We spend 90% of our time indoors, two-thirds of it at home. It makes sense to create the healthiest possible home environment, including clean air and water, plus a positive connection to nature.
Our five-step wellness plan will send you on your way.
Start by stocking up on heart-healthy small appliances: a blender for vitamin-packed smoothies and soups; a multicooker for easy, nutritious home-cooked meals; a kitchen scale to help with portion control. As for large appliances, ovens with steam cooking make it easy to prepare lean fish and vegetables.
Next, carve out a quiet nook for reading, meditation and yoga, or another form of light exercise to bring balance to your day.
Heating pros also recommend upgrading your furnace filter to capture more fine particulates, from the 1-inch-thick variety that most systems come with to a filter that’s up to 5 inches thick. You might also think about retrofitting your HVAC system with a whole-house air cleaner. The average cost is $1,800, but satisfaction rates are high, especially for homes with allergy sufferers.
If your water test detects the presence of contaminants, you need to install a point-of-use filtration system. There’s now a wide range of options, from undercounter filters that connect to the kitchen faucet ($100-$500) to whole-house reverse-osmosis systems that require professional installation and servicing ($1,000 and up).
Next, eliminate drafts and lower energy costs further by sealing air leaks around windows and doors with caulk and weather stripping. Also check that there’s adequate insulation in the attic, especially if you live in an older home, since building codes didn’t used to require it.