Houseplant Your Way To Better Health

Based on the research that has been done over the years, houseplants have been shown to positively impact your life. The plants can do everything from boosting your creativity to increasing your immunity to colds. Marissa Conrad wrote in Prevention, April 2008, the following recommendations:

1. To calm down use houseplants such as bamboo palm, Chinese evergreen, snake plant or arrowhead vines. One study found a 4-point drop in systolic blood pressure.
2. To become more creative use African violets. A study from Texas A&M University found that a group of women increased their creativity by 13%.
3. To fight colds use philodendrons or other ultra leafy plants in the bedroom. Because ultra leafy plants can add 5% more humidity into a room, that can be enough to alleviate cold symptoms. A study in Norway reported 37% less coughing and 25% less hoarseness in offices with these plants.
4. To cut exposure to harmful chemicals from cleaning supplies, printers, newly painted walls or varnished furniture, use the plants Janet Craig cane plant (dracaena family) and Sweet Chico. A study from Australia found that 1 Janet Craig plant or 5 Sweet Chico spathiphylum plants reduced the chemicals in a 130 square foot room up to 70%.

IceRocket Tags: jerry teplitz,houseplants and health,healthy houseplants