Conversations Unplugged
with Helen Christoni
We need oxygen to live, but oxygen is far from the only thing we breathe. From wildfire smoke and volatile organic compounds to mold spores and airborne microplastics, Helen Christoni of AirDoctor believes the air inside our homes deserves far more attention. In this conversation with STEMREGEN Founder and Chief Science Officer Christian Drapeau, Helen explains how air purification can help reduce everyday exposure to airborne contaminants and why the bedroom and the places where we gather should be the first places we think about cleaning the air.
Helen Christoni
AirDoctor combines filtration for particles with carbon filtration designed to capture gases and volatile organic compounds. Helen explains that pollutants originating outdoors can make their way inside and remain trapped there, whether they come from wildfire smoke, nearby agriculture, or other environmental sources. The same applies to particles generated or carried indoors, including mold spores and microplastics. Rather than assuming that living outside a city guarantees clean air, Helen encourages people to think about the home as a “non-toxic nest” where exposure to unwanted airborne contaminants can be reduced.
Choosing the right purifier, Helen says, comes down largely to matching the device to the size of the room. Her recommendation is to move the room’s air through filtration four to five times per hour, with particular attention given to where you sleep and where your family spends the most time. AirDoctor offers different sizes for bedrooms, offices, studios, and larger spaces, as well as an attachment for adding essential oils. For Helen, the goal is to make cleaner air part of the environment automatically rather than another task that requires constant attention.
The conversation becomes personal when Helen shares her family’s experience with STEMREGEN. She and her husband are both ultrarunners, and her husband underwent spinal fusion after competing at an elite level in events including Ultra-Trail du Mont-Blanc. Helen says he has followed a STEMREGEN protocol for more than a year since surgery and believes it has been a significant part of his recovery. He has since returned to running and has participated in shorter races, including a half marathon, although he has not yet returned to mountain racing. It is a fitting connection between Helen and Christian’s work: supporting health not only through what we add to our routines, but also by paying attention to the environment surrounding us every day.
