Friends, the other day, while surfing the internet, I was very surprised to learn that a normal person breathes in 8-10 liter of air per minute, taking 12-20 breaths per minute. A dog uses 15-25 liter of air and breathes 15 to 30 times in a minute. You may wonder, why I am mentioning dog breathing?
Well, friends for some of us our pet dog is a person too, so his air requirements have to be taken into account, after all, we are sharing the same air.
We are three adults and LEO, our pet Golden retriever living in a fairly big house, just let me calculate – We breathe in approx. 50 liters of air every single minute!
Whoaaaa, good indoor air is IMPORTANT!
During these COVID times, we are inside our home or in the workplace for almost 20-22 hours, breathing in the indoor air all the time.
We don’t even realize that the quality of this air directly affects our health since we are breathing it day in and day out. For most of us living in metros, small sit-out areas and balconies are the only places where we can relax out in the open for an hour or two, given the prevailing weather conditions?
We have become so accustomed to our modern lifestyle, there are so many gadgets all around us to make our life comfortable, we don’t even notice the sounds they make, lights, and frequencies they emit.
Our homes are insulated, we keep our doors and windows sealed, hardly any fresh air enters our home. Good ventilation is a must to get rid of heat, smells, and humidity. On top of it, we liberally spray air fresheners to keep the place smelling good, Colin, Lysol, Harpic, mosquito repellents and so many other chemicals that we use on a daily basis all contribute towards worsening the air inside our homes.
Presently, we are going through our annual rainy season, I find it extremely distressing to be outdoors with humidity levels touching 80-85% on some days. Airconditioning is a big relief, just ensure frequent filter cleaning to maintain air quality.
Ladies, we have replaced most of the natural materials with foam, fiberboards, synthetic carpets, etc., all these emit vapors and fumes that deteriorate the air quality.
Many allergies, respiratory problems, irritation in the eyes, nose, and throat, even frequent headaches and tiredness are some of the health issues linked to bad indoor air.
In our quest for convenience and comfort, we have turned our own safe sanctuary, our home against our own health.
Friends, to ensure natural airflow, to make my home breath, I open all the doors and windows and switch on the exhaust fans, as soon as I wake up, early morning outdoor air is fairly clean.
Try to surround yourself with natural materials. I have decided to replace my curtains, synthetic carpets and the pillow and cushion fillings with natural alternatives, just waiting for this COVID to goooo.. Meanwhile, thorough vacuum cleaning will do.
Nature is our best ally.
Remain tuned to it and, it will nurture us,
Renuka.