6 surprising health benefits of houseplants

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The many health perks of houseplants By Angela Haupt Editor, Health and Wellness One of the first things I discovered after becoming a “plant person” is how much math it requires. There are the basic logistical equations: What’s the best fertilizer ratio, soil chemistry, and watering frequency? But also: How many more plants can I reasonably afford, and how many will fit in my house? The answer doesn’t matter; it’ll never be enough. I love houseplants for countless reasons, including their beauty and the thrill of nurturing them and watching them grow. I've also long suspected they make make healthier and happier, so I asked some horitculture experts if that's true. The answer was a resounding "yes." Houseplants can reduce anxiety, sharpen attention and productivity, and brighten your outlook. “We see a clear connection with the fact that being around plants improves cortisol levels in our body,” Melinda Knuth, an assistant professor of horticultural science at North Carolina State University, told me. “We hold our stress hormone, cortisol, in our saliva, and we know this is decreased when we’re around plants.” That's all the permission I need to buy a few new ones this weekend. READ MORE   Share the story

What else to read A Sugar Replacement May Be Linked to Heart Attacks and Strokes. Don’t Throw Out Your Stash Yet By Haley Weiss A new study has an unsettling takeaway. But the data aren't conclusive. Read More » People with Long COVID Have a Higher Risk of Early Death and Serious Disease, Study Finds By Jamie Ducharme A new study finds that people with Long COVID are more likely to have heart and respiratory disease than people who did not get COVID-19. Read More » Now We Need to Worry About Harmful ‘Forever Chemicals’ in Our Toilet Paper Too By Jeffrey Kluger A new global study finds harmful PFAS chemicals in toilet paper and sewage. Read More » Here's How the Other Major Insulin Makers Are Responding After Eli Lilly's Price Cap By Nik Popli Health policy experts say Eli Lilly's competitors are now facing increasing pressure to respond. Read More » Keto vs. Vegan: What to Eat if You Want to Save the Planet and Your Health By Aryn Baker From vegan to keto, a new study evaluates the climate and health impacts of popular American diets. Read More »

ONE LAST READ Mental health in the pressure-cooker world of food The high-end restaurant industry can be an emotional crucible, subjecting prep cooks, servers, and others in the food-service food chain (pun intended) to an environment that can be challenging and even toxic for even the most mentally resilient individuals. Annabelle Timsit, writing for the Washington Post, looks at how some of the world’s greatest chefs are working to ensure their staff’s mental health is a priority in situations where their restaurants suffer one of the industry’s most discomforting setbacks: losing a Michelin star. Read More »

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