Five Home Improvements That Encourage Better Health

Most people try one thing or another to achieve and maintain a healthy lifestyle. Others try to fully embrace healthy eating and exercise to ensure they remain as fit and healthy as possible. However, most people don’t realize there are several home improvements they could make that may also improve their health.

 

1. Turn the Den Into a Gym

Stop fostering a sedentary lifestyle. Take the television and the video game systems out of the spare room, and replace those items with exercise equipment. You can stick with the old standbys such as an exercise bike or a treadmill. However, there are so many pieces of exercise equipment available these days, you can find something to fit everyone. Video games don’t have to be completely removed either. Choose a gaming system and games that encourage movement from the players, such as a dance or sports game.

 

2. Central Heat and Air

Consider installing a central heat and air system in your home so that your entire family can be comfortable all year around. Becoming too hot or too cold can cause illness. Also, if your family is clustered around a small heater or a window air conditioner, they are not going to be getting the necessary exercise their bodies need to be healthy.

 

3. Install a Pool

While this may seem like an extravagant purchase, swimming laps will actually give you a fantastic aerobic and cardio workout. Your children will also love having a swimming pool, and it will encourage lots of outdoor time away from the electronics. If you don’t want to sacrifice your den, you can turn your backyard pool house into a workout room, and have a good place to get your exercise in. If you really want to relax you could even transform a sturdy shed into a sauna or steam room for a post workout soak. (http://www.shedsunlimited.net/outdoor-backyard-swimming-pool-house-for-sale.html)

 

4. Clean Your Air

If the previous owners of your home were smokers or you have smoked in your home, then it is time to clean the air. Smoke absorbs into carpets and paint, so you will need to replace the carpet and repaint the walls and ceiling. If you see a brownish tint on your ceilings, that is a sure sign of smoke damage. You should also have a professional company clean your air ducts, and the air in your home will have a fresh clean restart.

 

5. Flooring Choices

Those with severe respiratory issues or allergies may benefit from installing a different type of flooring. Bamboo and cork flooring are both considered to be extremely allergy-resistant and environmentally friendly. Cork is exceptionally resistant to the build-up of mold or mildew.

 

These tips can improve the physical, mental and emotional health of your entire family. Nothing is more important than the good health of your family, so make your home healthier and your entire family will benefit.

Categories: Better Health, Home, improvements

Walk Your Way to Better Health

There’s a form of exercise that doesn’t cost a penny or require any fancy equipment, can easily fit into your everyday life and that almost anyone can manage. It’s called walking, and we’ve been doing it for three million years now.

And since May is National Walking Month, now’s the perfect time to start aiming to walk a little bit more every day.

A health ticking time bomb

Inactivity is the world’s fourth biggest killer, which is worrying as Britain has become a nation of couch potatoes. The average British adult walks just nine minutes in a day. That’s probably how long it would take to walk from the couch to the fridge a few times and to get from the car to the house. It’s no wonder we’re the fattest nation in Europe.

This means bad news for our health, as not getting enough exercise is connected with everything from diabetes and obesity to cardiovascular disease and cancer.

Benefits of walking

While taking the leap from the couch to the running track may be too extreme for some, almost everyone can enjoy the health benefits of walking whatever their fitness level. If back or joint pain is putting you off doing any exercise, walking could actually ease your symptoms while strengthening your bones to prevent osteoporosis and back pain.

Psychologically, walking’s great for clearing your head and working through issues, and will also help you get a better night’s sleep if you find it hard to nod off. It also makes us feel good. Walking, like all types of exercise, floods our bodies with endorphins which are an instant pick-me-up.

It will keep you out of your GP’s waiting room too. Walking has been shown to reduce your risk of diabetes, stroke and dementia. If you’re trying to keep your weight down, walking’s a great way to burn calories and get some aerobic exercise. Why not key your details into the British Heart Foundation’s calorie counter to estimate how many calories you could burn to motivate yourself?

Easy ways to walk more

Chief medical officers recommend that we get 150 minutes of moderate exercise a week through activities like walking. Make a few of these lifestyle changes and you’ll easily manage that.

• Walk to work

If you can walk to and from work, do it. As summer finally arrives, there’s nothing better than a stroll in the sunshine to soak up some vitamin D and unwind after a stressful day.

If you live too far away to walk, you could at least take public transport most of the way and get off a few stops early to incorporate some walking into your commute.

• Lunchtime walking

Ditch your lunches at your desk and take a stroll during lunchtime. Meet a friend for lunch in a café or sit in the park if the sun’s out. You’ll actually feel like your brain’s had a rest and you’ll come back to your work with newfound gusto.

• Ease up on emails

Got something to say to a colleague? Don’t send them an email or instant message. Actually get up, pop over to their desk and have a chat with them. It may be a radical move for some, but all those steps really add up.

• Get a pedometer

Just being aware of how many steps you take in a day by using a pedometer has been proven to motivate people to walk more. Why not set yourself a challenge and reward yourself if you manage certain number of steps in a month? You’ll soon be spotting lots of opportunities to clock up those steps, like taking the stairs instead of the lift and volunteering for tea rounds.

• Rethink your weekends

Go for a longer weekend walk instead of sitting at home. Britain is blessed with stunning coastlines, rolling hills with rewarding views and swathes of lush, green countryside. So why not shake up your weekend routine and head outdoors for some healthy fresh air and a walk with your nearest and dearest?

British walking group Ramblers is trying to encourage us all to walk more and take pleasure in walking. You can follow their maps or join one of their walking groups nearby you if you need a bit of support and encouragement.

• Get a dog

While we would never suggest that you get a dog unless you are 100% committed to taking care of it long-term, people with dogs tend to be fitter because they’re forced into taking it for short walks twice a day, even when it’s dreary outside.

• Up the ante

If you’d like to push yourself a bit or try something new, try picking up the pace, swinging your arms  and go power walking or even racewalking, which is actually considered an Olympic sport. If you’re starting out on a treadmill, why not increase the incline to make your legs work a bit harder?

Do you walk to stay fit? How do you fit it into your lifestyle?

Categories: Benefits, Better Health, Easy Ways, exercise, lifestyle, staying fit, Steps, Tips, walk, Walking, work