If your home-away-from-home is an office, you can take steps to make sure your time spent there is as healthy as possible. One of the easiest things to do is to add a houseplant to your desk environment. The golden pothos plant is beautiful, easy to maintain and is a superstar when it comes to air purification. This plant can provide air purification for about 100 square feet of space, so you’re helping to clean your air and perhaps some of the air for your colleagues who are closest to you.

ANDREWS MCMEEL SYNDICATION

Incense sticks seem like a healthy choice to burn in your home; after all, these fragrant sticks are often used in places like yoga studios and spas. But the reality is, anything that burns is releasing toxins into the air, and as sweet-smelling as incense sticks are, they contribute to an unhealthy indoor air environment. If you want to bring scents into your home, it’s best to consider using a diffuser, which warms up natural essential oils. Choose a diffuser that does not use a candle (since the candle can emit pollutants) and can be plugged in to warm up the oils.

ANDREWS MCMEEL SYNDICATION

There’s a lot of information online about the safety of plastic cling wrap when used in the microwave. Old plastic wrap was made with PVC, which contained plasticizers called phthalates that were considered to be hormone disrupters. But nearly 10 years ago, PVC was phased out in favor of polyethylene plastic, which is phthalate-free. Unfortunately, even polyethylene plastic has been found to contain chemicals that are linked to endocrine disruption and some cancers. Whatever the answer is, there’s no need to use plastic wrap in the microwave at all. Simply cover what you’re heating with a dampened paper towel or cover the bowl with a plate. It’ll prevent splatters and get your leftovers hot in no time.

ANDREWS MCMEEL SYNDICATION