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Guest Post by Kiera
After leaving Montana and moving to Massachusetts, I began to spend more time in gardens and learning about plants. I began wild crafting herbs and learning about their benefits. Being around plants lifted my spirits noticeably. I realized how much plants affected me overall, and realized in the jobs where I always got sick, kept me in a poorly ventilated room, often with no windows and no room to breathe. I can’t stand hospitals, because whenever I ended up in one, it meant I didn’t get to go back outside until I got released.
Plants are grossly under-appreciated today, but without them we could never be. And I wondered, what was causing my endometriosis? My confinement? Being stagnant and disconnected? I’d struggled for a long time not feeling like I belonged, so I moved across the country. There I came face to face with the fact that I had been very disconnected from what was around me. I’d grown up in the “Conventional Age,” full of fast food, isolated time in front of the television, antibiotics and antihistamines, and chemicals used in almost everything. I was a sickly kid, I dealt with strep throat consistently, nosebleeds, colds, allergies, pink eye and depression. Now that I look back, yeah, it makes a lot of sense I dealt with that so much. There was a fear of the outside, of eating right from the plant. We were conditioned to believe that food had to be processed a certain way to be safe. Humans have divorced themselves from the nature which we originated from. The theory of biophilia implies that the survival of humans depends on being around vegetation. Since the beginning of time, we have needed to be around plants to live. They provide our food, shelter, oxygen, and medicine. Without plants, it is impossible for humans to survive!
Why is it that we have had such an increase in illnesses? We spend about 90% of time indoors. Pollution is almost always worse indoors, but all plants purify the air to some degree.
In 1989, NASA and the Associated Landscape Contractors of America published a joint study investigating the ability of plants to remove toxins from the air. In our indoor environments, they can neutralize particulates, ozone, benzene, formaldehyde, volatile organic compounds, carbon monoxide and trichloroethylene. The process by which plants clean contaminated air is amazing! First, plants absorb pollutants through their leaves and transport the toxins to their roots, where they are converted into a source of food for the plant. Plants give off water vapors that create a pumping action to pull dirty air down around the roots, where it is again transformed into food for the plant! The study looked at the effects of plants on sick building syndrome, an illness caused by a buildup of toxins, chemicals and excess carbon dioxide in an indoor space. There are a wide range of symptoms, including fatigue, dry skin, coughing, headaches and eye irritation. In Norway, a two year study found that when plants are introduced to an indoor environment, fatigue was reduced by 20%, headaches by 45%, coughing by 40%, and dry/sore throat by 30%. Have you been feeling like you’ve got a cold that just won’t go away? Recurring headaches? It’s possible you just need to liven up your home or office!
While the cause of endometriosis remains unknown, most experts agree that environmental pollutants play a significant role in its development. Marianne Marchese, ND, author of 8 Weeks to Women’s Wellness: The Detoxification Plan for Breast Cancer, Endometriosis, Infertility and other Women’s Health Conditions states: “Environmental factors must be considered. Since endometriosis is a hormone responsive disease with an immunological component, environmental exposure that affects a woman’s hormonal and immune system must be addressed.” Formaldehyde, a common household pollutant, has been linked to endometriosis in one particular study. Benzene and trichloroethylene have been strongly suspected of influencing endo. In addition, there is also indication that women with endo tend to take longer to detox environmental pollutants from their bodies. It seems very, very clear that these toxins are only harming our bodies, and how incredible that plants can be so beneficial, especially in the modern age.
Humans and plants have a symbiotic relationship. In photosynthesis, plants remove carbon dioxide from the air, when they use light, carbon dioxide, and water to create glucose, proteins and lipids the plants needs to sustain itself. In turn, plants create oxygen and release it into the air. This can help with fatigue, high levels of carbon dioxide can increase drowsiness. Higher levels of oxygen can also improve constant headaches and insomnia. Studies have shown that tumors and cancerous cells cannot grow in well oxygenated environments, and it’s believed that low oxygen levels can be a contributing factor to endometriosis. Hyperbaric Oxygen Therapy is beginning to be used on Endo patients, with some success. Plants can bring healing to everyone, and I think it’s a no brainer that women with endo can benefit greatly from having plants in their home!
Indoor plants just don’t seem to stop giving! They regulate humidity levels, and either too high or too low humidity increases the risk for cold and other illnesses. They also decrease dust, mold and can help build immunity to allergies. Plants reduce the amount of excessive background noise, lowers the levels of stress and negative feelings, and increases productivity and performance! There just doesn’t seem to be a reason to not have plants!
Some Great Plant Ideas to bring into your home:
Aloe Vera—In my opinion, this is one of the best plants you can have. Not only does Aloe remove formaldehyde from the air, the gel inside the leaves is a great topical treatment for burns, insect bites, cuts, abrasions, and other mild skin problems. It is a natural band aid and antiseptic. The gel is simply fileted from the leaf, and the plant heals itself. You can also juice the gel and take it internally. It is extremely nutrient dense, full of vitamins, minerals, amino acids, antioxidants and enzymes. Aloe requires very little watering, and it’s very low maintenance. It should be planted in a wide container with good drainage. You should water about once a week to discourage rot, and give it indirect sunlight. Also a very tidy plant, you won’t get a lot of debris from aloe.
I had one that was doing well, but when I had to move it didn’t make it. I hope to get another aloe plant soon; it was really great to have around the house!
Mint–I like having a mint plant near my work area to help with congestion. I have dealt with sinus and chest congestion most of my life, but keeping a peppermint plant nearby keeps my airways clear and also helps prevent headaches. When the essential oils are released into the air and inhaled, it helps your memory and sharpens your concentration. This is one of those plants that just keeps on giving! The more you pick from it, the fuller it will grow. It also grows incredibly fast! It’s great to make tea from freshly harvested peppermint, putting a spring in a glass of water, add it to meats and salads, use it for herbal steams or in the bath. Growing mint in your home will absolutely help you breathe easier, and you will never have to buy peppermint again!
Peace lily— One of NASA’s top ten plants for removing air pollution, it’s a popular house plant that requires little care. Peace lilies are great for absorbing mold spores in the air, and a slew of chemicals: acetone, alcohol, formaldehyde, benzene, and trichloroethylene. It does great in humid environments with low light, so it’s ideal for bathrooms, laundry rooms, basements, and other places where mold is a problem. If you are like me and have mold sensitivities, this may be an effective solution to dealing with it. Peace Lilies require a lot of water, and should be watered heavily once a week. Be aware that under watering can make it more prone to insect attacks. Keep away from pets and children; the Peace lily is beautiful but deadly.
Gerbera Daisies—If you suffer from insomnia, this could be a great plant for you! They release oxygen at night and is shown to help improve sleep. They also absorb benzene, which is known to cause cancer. Its long lasting flowers will keep their home bright and cheery all through the winter! This is another low maintenance plant; all it needs is plenty of light, good drainage a heavy watering once in a while. I hope to get a few for my bedroom soon; they are gorgeous in addition to being a superior house plant!
It is so incredible to see how humans and plants coexist! Since our very beginnings, plants were what provided us with our most basic needs. They continue to benefit us today, and now more than ever do we need to understand their importance! They play an integral role in our health, and in this age in which we are alienated from our roots and disease is so widespread, it is time we fully embraced the powers of plants. We just can’t live without them, so let’s start living with them again!
Indoor Air Quality Plants. N.p., 2012. Web. 27 Mar. 2014.
“The Benefits of Indoor Plants.” Ambius. Ambius, 2013. Web. 24 Mar. 2014.
“Sick building Syndrome and How House plants can help cure it.” House of Plants. N.p., 2005. Web. 26 Mar. 2014.
“Types of Houseplants that Clean Indoor Air.” Sustainable Baby Steps. N.p., 2013. Web. 24 Mar. 2014.
Murray, Jennifer. “How House Plants Keep You Healthy.” Canadian Gardening. N.p., n.d. Web. 28 Mar. 2014.
Marchese, Marianne. 8 Weeks to Women’s Wellness. First ed. Petaluma, CA: Smart Publications, 2011. Print.
