It is exceptionally hot and dehydration is inevitable. In the midst of this heat, make sure you are taking care of the living things around you. The dehydration you may be feeling translates to the living things around you too. Plants are not just there for the aesthetic, they have tremendous health benefits too,  a recent study conducted by Clas Bergvall  an ethnologist relayed that plants, “lower the levels of indoor contaminants and keep people feeling healthier.” Bergvall noticed how his wife got so much more joy from being around plants. Consequentially, he wanted to know what they did for people emotionally, and so conducted a study at Umea Sweden University.

After 8 years of research, the ethnologist found that plants had a tremendous impact on emotional well-being, he also came to find, people across centuries have shared a “metaphysical” connection to plants.

“For one thing, plants seem to make people more contemplative and self-reflective, Plants are often linked to people, places and memories—they are often given as gifts from close friends, for example—so having them around helps people snap out of their busy lives and think about things that are important to them…Plants also remind people of the passing of time. They often look different in the morning than they do in the evening, said Bergvall, and this can keep people in tune with changes in their surroundings.” Bergvall told Live Science.

He was not alone, plant specialist Donna Lynn Sidhu, also found that “Plants are an expression of nature’s beauty. They help people incorporate the natural environment into their chaotic lives, and their influence can go as far as to be spiritual.”

Some research points

• “Research suggests that indoor plants reduce symptoms of fatigue, headache, cough and dry skin.
• Plant-filled rooms contain up to 60 per cent fewer airborne moulds and bacteria than rooms without plants, studies show.
• The following plants are best at decontaminating air and balancing humidity: Areca, Reed and Dwarf date palms; Boston ferns, English ivy and Peace Lilies.”

Looking after the plants in our lives is a massive trust from Allah, having a plant and not taking care of it, will undeniably be questioned. Plants need a little TLC, they like to be spoken to, to hear the Quran, to be taken care of. Think of it like this, if a plant is visiting at your home, it means it does not have access to natural sunlight, and water to survive. It is essentially relying on your kindness, organisation skills, memory, and mercy to stay alive. Don’t take this lightly, every living creature has a purpose, they are individuals, that we must respect. These videos by Milas Mama on Youtube will give you a mini crash course in cohabiting with the plants in your life.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=egd7oiURVi8

Previous houseplant tour video

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=G2GEuomK3ok