While it’s nice to have real houseplants indoors to add some greenery and freshen up the air, there are certain common types of plants you should avoid if you have pets. English ivy is a popular indoor choice because it’s easy to grow and it grows quickly, but your pet can experience serious health complications if it chews on the leaves. Easter lilies and daffodils are popular in the spring, but the flowers and even the pollen can cause serious damage to cats. Finally, pothos is a common houseplant, but should be avoided due to its toxicity.

ANDREWS MCMEEL SYNDICATION

Did you know that honey does not have an expiration date? That’s because the acid in honey makes it naturally antibacterial, so it is impossible for microorganisms and bacteria to grow in it. In fact, scientists have found honey in Egyptian tombs that is thousands of years old, and it was still perfectly edible. Honey can naturally crystalize and change color, which can impact the taste and aroma, but it’s still perfectly fine to eat.

ANDREWS MCMEEL SYNDICATION

Organic cotton linens are not only more attainable today than they were years ago, they can have other benefits, too. Buying organic cotton bedding helps support farmers who grow organic cotton, and it also helps eliminate unnecessary chemicals from your life. Conventional cotton bedding is often bleached and then dyed using heavy-metal dyes that can have formaldehyde resins. And if you choose sheets that are labeled “wrinkle-free,” they are treated with a chemical substance that is a suspected carcinogen. If you can’t find organic cotton sheets, light-colored bedding that is not wrinkle-free is the next best (healthy) thing.

ANDREWS MCMEEL SYNDICATION