Easy ways to get healthier

From kitchen to bath, there are simple ways to more wellness. Consumer Reports suggests the following.

• Splurge on a premium blender. A blender can be a great way to infuse your diet with healthful recipes, including vitamin-rich smoothies, fiber-packed whole-fruit juices and nutritious soups.

• Go hands-free. You don’t have to be a germaphobe to appreciate a toilet you can flush without touching the handle. American Standard and Kohler have introduced “touchless toilets” that flush when you wave your hand over a sensor. Kohler offers a conversion kit for $50 that brings battery-powered notouch flushing to any toilet.

• Make your bedroom an allergen-proof zone. Encase box springs, mattresses and pillows in covers made from woven microfiber fabrics (with a pore size no greater than 6 micrometers) designed to keep them free of dust mites and animal dander. Wash your bedsheets weekly in hot water and dry on high heat.

Five ways to clear the air

Animal dander, dust mites,

mold, pollen -- it’s all right there in the air, not to mention your bath towels, bedding and furniture. These particles can exacerbate respiratory symptoms, bronchitis and asthma for people with such conditions. There’s no silver-bullet solution, but Consumer Reports suggests these DIY measures:

1. Control moisture. Use an air conditioner (with a clean filter) or a dehumidifier to help keep things dry in the basement and other damp spaces, where mites and mold tend to thrive.

2. Air it out. Open windows when weather permits and turn on exhaust fans at other times to remove indoor pollutants. You can also use portable or wholehouse air purifiers that have a clean-air delivery rate of more than 350 or a minimum efficiency reporting value of more than 10.

3. Cut down on toxins. Instead of ammonia and bleach, try milder cleaning substances; a 50-50 solution of water and vinegar can be used to clean windows. The solution can even cut through grease and mildew. Purchase items such as paint, paint strippers and adhesive removers in small quantities so that you’re not storing partially used containers. Even closed, these products can emit gaseous volatile organic compounds, according to the Environmental Protection Agency.

4. Test your home. Houses built before the late 1970s may have been constructed with toxic materials such as asbestos, and homes in certain parts of the U.S. are more likely to contain radon, a colorless, odorless gas that increases the risk of lung cancer. Testing is the only way to detect radon; check the map at epa.gov/radon to see whether you’re in a high-radon area. A radon level of 4 picocuries per liter of air (pCi/L) indicates that you’ll need to fix the problem through a qualified radon-mitigation contractor, according to the EPA, though even lower levels carry some risk.

5. Vacuum regularly. It’s a simple way to help control airborne particulates: Vacuums suck up dust that settles on carpets, furniture and other surfaces. Consumer Reports recommends choosing a top-rated one that cleans while minimizing emissions back into the air.