We all want a beautiful, comfortable, cosy and immaculate home. A place that makes guests feel welcome and at-home but also a little bit awed and envious. Likewise, we all want a body that is lean and toned, fit and healthy. A body that radiates the kind of natural beauty that comes with good health… And also makes people feel a little bit awed and envious. Rather than spending a fortune on gym memberships and a premium for that steam room that you never use, perhaps now is the time to think about making some upgrades to your beloved home. Upgrades which will not only wow neighbors and guests but will also make it much easier to live a healthier happier lifestyle. Whatever your budget and however grand a canvas your home represents we can all add some touches both large and small to make it easier to live a healthier lifestyle without compromising the carefully honed aesthetic of your home.
A pool
It’s quite possibly the most lavish addition one can make to the home and certainly not one to which every budget will be conducive. However, a home pool can not only give your house a sense of real opulence, it can be the best workout buddy you ever had. A pool requires regular maintenance, both of the water itself and the water pump. However, in many ways it pays for itself in health and fitness as swimming offers one of the most comprehensive workouts possible. Swimming offers resistance training and an incredible cardiovascular workout all in one. As you push against the water, you work numerous muscle groups together while burning insane amounts of calories. This is why swimmers have such lean and muscular bodies. What’s more, a pool is likely to add considerably to the value and wow factor of your home!
A vegetable garden
We all know that the key to a healthy diet lies not in the foods that we avoid, but in the foods that we consume. Sure, we all need to resist the allure of pizza, ice cream and chocolate but we also need to ensure that our diet is packed with natural and organic sources of the vitamins, minerals, protein and fiber our bodies need. The best way to ensure this is by eating lots and lots of organically grown fruits and vegetables. The trouble is that getting these from the supermarket shelves can be inordinately pricey.
A cost-effective long-term solution may be to invest in the growing of a vegetable garden or a greenhouse. These will help to ensure that your every meal contains some delicious, home grown organic produce that’s just bursting with nutrients unlike much of the produce on supermarket shelves which may be genetically modified or grown for a pleasant appearance rather than nutritional content.
A home gym
If a pool isn’t appropriate or even feasible for your home, a home gym can be a surprisingly affordable option. You’d be amazed at how you can squeeze enough equipment to facilitate a full body workout into even a small spare room.
Sure, the gold standard may be a spacious room that’s equipped with rows and rows of free weights and packed with glistening weight machines and cardiovascular equipment like treadmills and cross trainers. However, if space and budget are an issue, there are lots of ways in which you can get in a great home workout. A small set of dumbells can be obtained for a relatively low price as can a pull up bar, a set of push up bars, an ab roller and a yoga mat. The best bet is to decide which exercises will make up your workout sessions and reverse engineer what you’ll need from there.
There are numerous benefits to working out at home. The most obvious is that it leaves one no room for excuses. Long day at work? No matter, your home gym is there for you all day every day. Don’t want to venture into the cold, dark morning to go for a run or hit the gym? No problem, grab yourself a bottle of water and hit your home gym for the perfect way to start the day.
A drinking water filter
Good hydration is essential to good health. Staying hydrated benefits our minds and bodies in numerous ways. It can help us to lose body fat by increasing the number of calories we burn. It can help to keep our immune systems functioning healthily and assist our kidneys in flushing toxins out of our bodies. It can also aid cognitive function and keep our brains, sharp and alert throughout the day.
Yet, while drinking plenty of water has amazing benefits, your tap water may contain contaminants which could offset these benefits. That’s why it’s recommended that you install a drinking water filter that uses activated charcoal to filter out unwanted adulterants leaving you with crystal clear, refreshing tap water. There are many different kinds on the market. Some are tap mounted while some fit under your sink, the choice is yours.
A recycling bin full of plastic
Plastic is problematic. Not only is it lousy for the environment, but it can also be detrimental to our health. Many of the plastic drink and food containers sitting in kitchen cupboards all over the world contain Bisphenol A (BPA) which carries a range of health dangers. It has been linked to heart problems, increased risk of diabetes and heart disease and even cancer.
Fill your recycling bin with these harmful plastics for your health and your family’s and replace them with glass, wood or BPA free alternatives.
Include Plants
A house that’s filled with houseplants, aside from looking beautiful has a range of health benefits for residents and guests alike. Firstly, houseplants act as natural air purifiers, oxygenating the room while filtering out airborne nasties. Secondly, they have a naturally calming effect, creating a sense of peace and harmony in the room. Thus, for your physical and mental health, houseplants are an absolute must.
As you can see, whether you have a big budget or just a handful of petty cash, it doesn’t take much to add health enhancing upgrades to your home!
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