9 Essential Building Modifications for Healthier Living
I fully believe that our surrounding environments impact our moods, but did you know that your environment can impact your health as well?
I’m not talking about metropolitan pollution issues (though those do impact people’s health significantly), I mean in our homes directly. Especially for people like myself with chronic illness, materials we come into contact with on a day-to-day basis can unfortunately exasperate our conditions. For example, someone with Lupus might have a skin reaction to fluorescent lighting. Someone with Lyme may have arthritic complications that can lead to the avoidance of stairs.
If you follow me on Instagram (@holisticumbrella), you know my family and I just wrapped up building our new home in Costa Mesa, CA. We chose to build our own home for two reasons: first to have a custom home of our own using sustainable materials and eco-efficient processes where possible. Second, to make sure we’re utilizing best practices and materials to promote healthy living, especially for my Lyme and co-infections.
We choose Costa Mesa for access to live a healthier and more holistic lifestyle. For me, location is one of the most important aspects of creating healthy living opportunities. Sun and warmth were also non-negotiable. I love spending time outside soaking in the Vitamin D essential for our health. If possible, I recommend moving to a location you can be active in. Walk the dogs, walk to a coffee shop, take the kids to a local park to make friends. At our new home, we are fortunate to live near the back bay and only 10 minutes from the beach where we can participate in a plethora of activities like biking, hiking, paddle boarding, surfing, and much more. We now have access to some of the best eateries, grocery stores, fitness options, and beaches; with copious wellness opportunities to explore.
If uprooting and moving are not in the cards for you right now, don’t panic. There are many ways you can make adjustments to your current home to make sure you’re providing your body and immune system with the support it needs to thrive.
Here are my nine essential building modifications to help you live healthier and happier at home:
Ventilation - for our family that means many windows and doors to keep air circulating and bringing the outdoors in!
Air Purification - we upgraded to add an additional purification system to eliminate allergens, bacteria, and viruses in the air.
Water Purification Options - we put in a location for purified (osmosis) drinking water.
Water Filters for Increased Quality - we have a water filter and softener to provide us with clean water for daily usage (showers, sinks, etc.)
Circadian Lighting - with our lighting control system we can set scenes that allow the lights to come on, dim, or go off at the right times during the seasons, ensuring our body clocks stay synchronized with nature and allowing for better sleep and more energy.
Warm LED Lighting- also important for maintaining your body’s natural clock by reducing or eliminating unnatural blue light exposure.
Screen Covers – again to protect from blue light. Think of all the screens that produce blue light… phones, laptops, etc. Try to decrease ‘junk’ light when possible!
Window Tint- to reduce our energy usage and protect us from UV exposure.
Hardwood Floors - as much as I love soft materials on my feet, carpet is always hard to keep clean from dust mites, bacteria, and more. If you are prone to allergies, I recommend hard surfaces (wood, tile, stone) that are easy to clean and do not fester germs. As an alternative, I have washable rugs all over the house.