What to Consider When Buying an Air Purifier

Are you a smoker? What about a pet owner?  Do you keep all your doors and windows closed most of the time? If so, there is a good chance that the air inside your home isn’t as healthy as it could or should be. That is why you may want to think about purchasing an air purifier.  Air purifiers are electronic machines that work to clean up the air. They do this by trapping, and often eliminating, harmful bacteria and air particles, and other toxins in your home. In fact, you don’t even have to be a pet owner or a smoker to benefit from the use of an air purifier; anyone can.

Image via WikipediaIf you are like most other Americans, when it comes to purchasing an air purifier, you may make the decision to purchase one and then go right out and buy one.  Although it is nice to get a product right away when you want it, there are disadvantages to doing so.  Essentially, you may be purchasing a product that is poor in quality. Without the proper amount of research, you will never know.

As mentioned above, it is important that you examine the quality of an air purifier before purchasing it. You can easily do this online. A large number of online websites allow internet users to comment, rate, or write reviews on a product that they have purchased. These products also include air purifiers.  If you know of anyone who uses an air purifier in their home, you may also want to think about asking them for suggestions.  Feedback from those who own the same product is the best way to learn about the quality of it. 

In addition to the quality of the product, it is also important that you examine the size of the air purifier you are interested in buying. When it comes to the size of an air purifier, you do not necessarily need to focus on the size of the actual machine, but you should focus on the size of the space that it is designed for. With cheaper, low-cost air purifiers, you will find that they only tend to treat the air in small rooms. These rooms commonly have a square footage of about 250-350 feet.  If you are looking to treat the air inside a larger room, you may need to spend more money on a larger air purifier. 

Image via WikipediaIt is also important to consider the cost of an air purifier.  Many individuals, regrettably, make a mistake when doing this. That mistake is believing that the purchase price is the only cost that they need to worry about. While there are some air purifiers that are filter-less, not all are. Many of these air purifiers, the ones that require filters, need to have their filters changed every so often. This can be as little as once every couple of years or as much as a couple of months.  It is important that you keep the cost of replacement parts, including filters, in mind.  When doing this, you may find that an otherwise low-cost air purifier turns into one that is too expensive for you to afford.

Since, in many cases, air purifiers are considered expensive, you are advised to look for air purifiers that come with warranties.  In most cases, you will find that many air purifiers have a manufacturer’s warranty. That warranty typically tends to last about a year.  If you are spending more than $400 on an air purifier, you may want to think about getting an extended warranty.  If you purchase your next air purifier from a retail store, you may need to pay for the warranty.  Despite possibly having to pay for an extended warranty, you will find that it is worth the cost. Should anything happen to your expensive air purifier, a warranty would, in most cases, prevent you from being out of luck.

The above mentioned points are just a few of the many that you need to take into consideration, when buying an air purifier. As previously mentioned, an air purifier can be a large purchase. That is why you are advised to fully research and examine all aspects of that purchase before making a final decision. It is the only way to make sure that you are not wasting your money.

A Few Examples of Air Purifiers:
    

Video - Homemade Vanilla Body Cream

Here is a delicious recipe - for your skin! In fact, it looks so good, it made me a little hungry....   I'm running low on my favorite lotion right now, so I may try this soon!  Check it out, and feel free to share your own recipes or natural non-toxic beauty suggestions below.

And if you don't want to make your own, find out which products you can purchase that are TRULY natural and safe - find fact sheets with info, ratings, reviews, and more at at www.thenaturalproductdirectory.com.


Non Toxic Vanilla Body Cream
Sophie Uliano, NY Times Best Selling author of Gorgeously Green, the Gorgeously Green Diet, and Do It Gorgeously, shows you how simple it is to make your own beauty products. Vanilla Body Cream. Get all the indgredients at gorgeouslygreen.com/store

New Resource: Natural Beauty Products Directory

Today we have a special announcement to make....   A week or two ago, we hinted at our upcoming new website, and it is now live! Of course it is still a work in progress - and probably always will be - but it is currently up and running and ready to use.

But first, check out this important excerpt from an article by Ageless Beauty:

Image via WikipediaIf you spend a moment or two in the beauty section of a department store, you’ll probably walk away feeling totally overwhelmed by all of the lotions, potions, and serums that you’re recommended to use each day.

The beauty industry is booming, and it can get pretty confusing to try to separate the good from the bad, and the safe from the toxic when it comes to your daily skin care regimen. Fortunately, you can go back to basics when it comes to caring for your skin to see the greatest results in a smooth, fresh complexion.

You see, your skin is just like any other organ in your body: living, breathing, and in need of nutrition to stay young and healthy. Just in the same way that your health would be compromised if you constantly ate junk food and never exercised, your skin can be compromised if it’s overloaded with toxic chemical ingredients.

In reality, the majority of commercial beauty products are loaded full of chemical ingredients that affect the health of your skin and could even cause serious issues like skin cancer. Yes, many of these chemical ingredients are hard to pronounce and even harder to figure out what they will and won’t do for your skin.

To give you an example, a product ingredient like propylene glycol has been linked with kidney and liver abnormalities, dermatitis, and skin irritation. Sodium laurel or lauryl sulfate can cause cancer when combined with other chemical ingredients by penetrating the delicate barrier of your skin and allowing toxic ingredients in.

And don’t even get me started on parabens! Parabens are found in a wide array of over-the-counter beauty products, but they’re really bad news. In fact, on May 3, 2011, the French National Assembly voted to pass a bill that would ban the use of parabens in consumer products because they’re endocrine disruptors¹.

Parabens are used as preservatives to extend the shelf life of a beauty product, but because up to 60 percent of a product is absorbed directly into the skin, parabens pose a serious risk as they’ve been linked with disrupted hormone function. A 2003 study in the United Kingdom detected parabens in 18 out of 20 breast cancer tumors, likely the result of direct product absorption affecting healthy cells²

Instead of risking exposure to a number of dangerous chemicals in your daily skin care routine, natural is best to hydrate, nourish, and rejuvenate aging skin.  

[1] "France Passes Bill to Ban Parabens and Phthalates in Cosmetics”, Natural Cosmetic News - Natural Blog for the Cosmetic and Personal Care Industry June 16, 2011
[2] Clarke, Linda, "Metro - Paraben-free Products: What Lies Beneath," Metro- Choose Your City June 14, 2011


The article above describes, in scary detail, why we created our new website. And without further ado, here is the link: http://www.thenaturalproductdirectory.com (more products added weekly, so be sure to check back soon, and submit your product requests as well!)

Recent CSA News

This time of year, there are tons of updates and articles on CSAs - I browsed through a whole bunch of them, enjoying the pictures, learning about the varieties of different produce offered in different areas of the US, interesting CSA options I hadn't seen before (coffee??) and plenty of fresh, tasty-looking recipes. Here are just a few of the bounty of recent posts and articles on the summer's bounty of CSA offerings.  (The first one is particularly interesting in offering a cost comparison, which we also did back in February, but it's nice to see someone else coming to the same conclusion!)  And of course, if you don't know what a CSA - Community Supported Agriculture - is, find more info here: http://www.newholisticliving.com/csa.html

Image via WikipediaCSA Share: July 2, 2011 « Michelle, etc.
I've mentioned before that I'm keeping track of the actual cost of our CSA per week and also the value of equivalent items from the grocery store. I'm comparing the goods to Peapod, Giant's home delivery grocery service, ...
Publish Date: 07/02/2011 14:42
http://metc.wordpress.com/2011/07/02/csa-share-july-2-2011/

CSA Week 2: Radish Cakes « Gluten Free Gobsmacked (includes a couple of tasty recipes)
A couple weeks ago, we opened our first CSA box with joy and glee. Zoe flipped the top open with a giggle. ”It's like Christmas, Momma!” she exclaimed. Ha! In my mind, I was thinking “Thank God Christmas doesn't come ...
Publish Date: 06/29/2011 1:28
http://glutenfree.wordpress.com/2011/06/28/csa-week-2-radish-cakes/

Join a Coffee CSA for Fresh Beans on Your Doorstep Every Month
There's more to coffee than pre-ground grocery store blends, and if you're ready to explore it, consider joining a Coffee CSA (Community Supported Agriculture.) The CoffeeCSA project connects coffee lovers around the ...
Publish Date: 06/25/2011 16:00
http://lifehacker.com/5815464/join-a-coffee-csa-for-fresh-beans-on-your-doorstep-every-month

CSA Weeks 3 & 4 | Sargent Choice (Lots of recipes!)
CSA Weeks 3 & 4. June 30, 2011 at 3:49 pm. As you may know, picking up our CSA box from Ward's Berry Farm at the Boston University Farmer's Market is one of the most exciting parts of our week here at Sargent Choice. ...
Publish Date: 06/30/2011 15:49
http://blogs.bu.edu/sargentchoice/2011/06/30/csa-weeks-3-4/

CSA Project – Week Three – First Meat Share « With Fork & Knife
CSA Project – Week Three – First Meat Share. July 2, 2011. tags: CSA, High Point Farms CSA, share. by The Swedish Chef. In the bag this week: 1 3.5-4 lb free range chicken, 1 lb nitrate-free smoked bacon, 1 lb lean grass fed ground beef ...
Publish Date: 07/02/2011 6:37
http://withforkandknife.wordpress.com/2011/07/02/csa-project-week-three-first-meat-share/

Related Articles on CSAs:

• Healthy Eating Tip: Join a CSA (fitsugar.com)
• How to Get the Most Out of Your CSA (thekitchn.com)
• The Prudent Pantry: Meal Planning for CSA Members (savings.com)
• Everyone Benefits from CSA (via thegreenschoolhouseseries) (wilderside.wordpress.com)
• Being part of a CSA (fincadelpueblo.wordpress.com)

Other Community Supported Agriculture Resources:
  

Video - Community Supported Agriculture

Here is a really great video about Community Supported Agriculture, from the farmer's perspective. It really gives you a good idea of how this model benefits not only you, the consumer, but the farmer as well. It's such a win-win concept! One thing I hadn't thought about before is the debt that farmers incur, when using a traditional farming model. What she mentioned about the CSA method "breaking the debt cycle" really hit me - as someone who is pro-financial balance/anti-debt, and involved somewhat in the financial planning world, it is so cool to see how this holistic approach truly is improving the lives of everyone involved. Check it out, and if you haven't already, visit our website to find out how you can connect with a local CSA in your area! http://www.newholisticliving.com/csa.html

Food Network: Community Supported Agriculture
Community Supported Agriculture (CSA) offers a holistic approach to the production of sustainable food grown in urban areas. In this story, we learn of one urban farmer who successfully uses the CSA model to produce long-term sustainable crops that a...

Related Articles on Community Supported Agriculture:

• Community Supported Agriculture (thevacavillehousewife.wordpress.com)
• Making Community Supported Agriculture Work for You (aka Being Outside of Your Food Comfort Zone) (theunlikelyorganic.com)
• Community Supported Agriculture and Why It's Good to be a Localvore (theunlikelyorganic.com)
• Everyone Benefits from CSA (via thegreenschoolhouseseries) (wilderside.wordpress.com)

How to Eat Local, Stay Healthy, and Save Money

There are few ways to better reduce your toxic load than to clean up your eating. Avoiding processed foods (see our Cooking From Scratch blog for some great tips and recipes), and eating organically are the best ways to do this. Some people shy away from buying organic foods due to a perceived higher cost, and lack of understanding of the value. But as some of our previous blog posts have demonstrated, it doesn't have to be more expensive to eat organically, and even if your food bills are slightly higher to start with, this may be offset by lower medical bills in the future!  Eating clean and natural foods without all the chemicals and additives can help your immune system and whole body function better and better over time, as your body rids itself of toxins, and all your systems begin to work together as they are supposed to.

While organic produce can be found in just about any grocery store nowadays, we believe that eating locally-grown foods is a much more valid choice for holistic living - both supporting your local farmers and community, protecting the environment from unnecessary fuel usage, and providing you with fresher and therefore healthier foods, which have not been stripped of vital nutrients during transport and storage.

Image via WikipediaShopping at your local farmer's market is a great choice for finding fresh, local, and often organic foods - and can also be a lot of fun which the whole family can enjoy together!  There are literally thousands of farmers markets throughout the US (as well as other countries), and more crop up every day, as more people opt to support their local communities and make healthier food choices.You can find lots of local farmers market listings at one of our favorite sites: http://www.localharvest.org/

If you are super-busy like me, and find it hard to get out to a farmer's market on a regular basis, a CSA may be a great option for you. Community Supported Agriculture has grown in popularity by leaps and bounds over the past few years. (When I first moved to Columbus, I could only find 5 or 6 CSAs in my local area; 8 years later, there are about 30 available - and more every year!) Using this model, customers are able to purchase a share of a farm's produce during the growing season, and the farmer has a built-in market, and also gets an influx of money right when they need it - during the spring planning season - rather than hoping to recoup their costs later throughout the year, and being uncertain as to how much planting to do. Typically shares are collected at a centrally located drop-off point - or in some cases even delivered directly to your door! This model creates much more efficiency through the whole process, reducing waste and maximizing food dollars.

Image via WikipediaIn most areas, summer CSA season is now in full swing. While some of the crops were delayed this year due to all the rain this spring, July brings an ever-increasing bounty of harvest, and I am greatly enjoying it, even if the first few shares are small. In my area, our CSA now includes lettuce/salad mix, cucumbers, herbs (dill, basil, cilantro, etc.), summer squash, mushrooms, and more. Green beans, peppers, and tomatoes are something to look forward to! (Your selection of available fruits and vegetables will obviously vary depending on your location.)

And remember that the CSA model is now used for many different things other than fruits and vegetables, so you may be able to increase your local food choices more than you would think. I also currently participate in a meat CSA (organic, local meats), and am also aware of a local herb & honey CSA, and local cheese, milk, and bread options through a CSA format as well. Many farmers of many different types are embracing the CSA model as a profitable and efficient way to get their products into the hands of consumers - and it's economically feasible for the consumer as well - often at a cost equal to or less than buying organic through a grocery store.

For more information on CSAs, as well as how to find one in your area, visit http://www.newholisticliving.com/csa.html.

Video - Common Toxins in Your Water

Here is a short video detailing some of the common toxins you are exposed to (almost constantly) without maybe realizing it. It is cut off somewhat abruptly, and he seems to be selling some sort of DVD set on his website, but he's got some pretty good info there. For some other resources to do your own research, see below. (Note: If video does not appear below, click link to view.)

DETOXIFICATION
DETOXIFICATION: Your Path to Better Health and Disease Prevention: Essential information for anyone wanting to live a long healthy disease free life. Invaluable for individuals suffering from environmental illness or multiple chemical sensitivity. St...


Educational Resources: