Plants!

I'm going to talk about something near and dear to my heart - plants!  Yup, that's right - plants!  So, let me start from the beginning.  The last several winters I noticed that two of the triplets, Natalie and Addison, would develope coughs after turning on the heating system for the cold season.  Last fall, shortly after turing on the heat, the coughing started again and we even had to seek medical treatment several times for Addy.  The doctor would perscribe her an inhaler and a course of antibiotics.  After several trips to the doctors I began to suspect that something was in the air in our house that was making two of my girls sick.  So, I began researching air purifiers but discovered that many of those actually release harmful ozone into your indoor air.  Blech!  Not for me!  However, in researching purifiers, I discovered a natural air purifier - plants!  And this time I have science to back me up!  That's right - rocket scientists to be exact!  NASA did a study proving that house plants can and do clean the air.  I will post some links at the end of this post.

So, I began a plant campaign.  I used to have house plants but got rid of them when the triplets were young because I feared they would get into them and eat them.  My goal was to put three plants in each bedroom and then a "plant colony" in the livingroom - which consists of six plants.  All the plants are placed out of reach of the children so I don't have to fear the baby getting into them.  I also purchased a large "console" type humidifier to replace the small individual room humidifiers I had for the bedrooms.

I'm please to report that my plant campaign was a huge success.  Since bringing the plants into the house there have been NO COUGHING ISSUES WHATSOEVER in this house.  NOT ONE.  Since having the triplets this has been, by far, the healthiest winter we have ever had.  No more problems with coughing, stuffy/runny noses, sore throats, etc.....  If your family sufferes from these same issues, I HIGHLY RECOMMEND INVESTING IN HOUSE PLANTS!  Such a cheap investment for you and your family's health.  I'm sure a good, quality humidifier helps too.  Although, once again, plants help to put humidity into the air as well.  So - now I can have better quality indoor air and I get to exercise my green thumb all at the same time.  Yay!

But don't just take my word -
http://www.zone10.com/nasa-study-house-plants-clean-air.html
http://www.treehugger.com/files/2009/02/air-filtering-plants-indoors-air-quality-benzen-formaldehyde.php
http://www.cleanairgardening.com/houseplants.html
http://www.coopext.colostate.edu/4dmg/Plants/clean.htm
http://air-purifier-reviewsite.com/blog/15-house-plants-you-can-use-as-air-purifiers/
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_air-filtering_soil_and_plants
http://www.humeseeds.com/purify.htm
http://www.sixwise.com/newsletters/05/02/01/the_health_benefits_of_house_plants_including_the_top_nine_healthiest_plants.htm