Easy health and wellness tips

I keep both an online and paper diary and I try to check both every month to see how I’m progressing. (Image via F8 Photography)

As we hit the halfway mark of the year, I always like to look back to see if I’m progressing towards my dreams and goals.  A priority for me has been making sure my family is well taken care of. Beyond organizing schedules, I want to ensure their health is on point. Here are some easy tips that have helped me achieve my wellness goals. 

Health and wellness tips

One of the easiest ways to have a positive affect on wellness is nutrition. Simple strategies can build long-term healthy habits, especially when adopted early in kid’s lives. I set out to say no to added sugar this year. Of course, alcohol isn’t included, I mean processed refined sugars.

That means trying to stay away from sweets, chocolates and even pastas and breads. And getting my family to jump onboard has been easier by having healthy foods and snacks available for them.

Toast is considered a treat in our house. When we tuck into it, it’s so appreciated. (Photo credit: Mark Eleven Photography)

Monitoring screen time is another rabbit hole we all get sucked into… except our dog, Buddy, but I’m sure if he could, he would. When you basically carry your computer in your cell phone, it’s hard to break away from the screens. Sometimes (dare I say oftentimes?) we forget to connect with each other.

Far better if this is an indulgence and not your go-to. (Pic via F8 Photography)

I’m not just talking about my teen daughter, The Huz and I fall prey to this, too. I’ll admit this is REALLY hard for me. Writing for a living means being connected, responding to readers and being aware of the latest trends. But it doesn’t mean I have to be connected 24/7.

I’ve been trying to make sure we all spend more time disconnected. This means looking for enjoyable activities that take us off our phones. Being proactive like that is my best tip for getting off screens. You have to have activities at the ready.

Health and wellness

Another way I’m working to improve our family’s wellness is by letting go of tasks I’m less qualified to do, or simply don’t want to, so we have more time to spend together. One of my favourite outsourcing experts is our local cleaners, Fishman’s. As I started taking stock on our health and wellness, I started looking more into the environmental side of Fishman’s cleaning process.

I’m getting so much better at outsourcing errands! (Photo credit: Mark Eleven Photography)

Saying Fishman’s is the first and only wet cleaner in Calgary doesn’t mean anything unless you understand the significance. Traditional dry cleaning is called ‘dry’ because they use chemicals instead of water as the cleaning agent. The most popular chemical used is called PERC (short for perchloroethylene) and it’s nasty!

Fishman’s has eliminated ALL toxic solvents, including PERC, from their cleaning process. Their hypoallergenic and biodegradable detergents are way more gentle. Their wet cleaning process coats and protects clothing so it gets really clean and colours don’t bleed.

It also means your favourite purple tea party dress arrives wrinkle-free in the U.K. And you all know how I love dressing up for English tea parties!

I packed this dress in tissue paper and it arrived in the U.K. wrinkle free!

The added bonus is wet cleaning is non-toxic. This means carcinogens are kept out of your garments and your home. So when I’m wearing recently wet cleaned clothes and cuddle on the couch with my dog, Buddy, I don’t have to worry about transferring harmful chemicals onto his skin.

When you’re pressed for time, outsourcing can be a lifesaver. (Photo credit: Mark Eleven Photography)