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.
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.
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.
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!
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.
I shop local, and organic. All my fruits and veg get a quick vinegar dip before they are put out to eat or cooked! I use an air purifier on each level and if we have to use something with toxins or an awful smell, we’ve got a boat load of N95 masks on hand!
I use essential oils for cleaning
Making use of natural cleaners around the house like lemon juice and vinegar.
Making use of natural cleaners around the house for our pets and grandchildren.
Yes and thankfully it’s easier to do nowadays.
Essential oils for cleaning. Vinegar, baking soda, all of that. Home made solutions are our choice for herbicides, too. But this interests me because it’s time to get our duvets professionally cleaned and last time I did, when it came time to go to bed, I was too lazy to throw the duvet cover on mine. Never again. I woke up with a chemical burn wherever my naked skin had come into contact with the duvet through the night. Now, I need a new cleaner and would love to win a gift certificate to introduce me to Fishman’s. I know they’re a trusted name in Calgary and after 70 years in business, it’s easy to see that they change with the times. Three generations! Wow. That’s an accomplishment.
Oh, wow. What a fright!
I try to eliminate chemicals by using vinegar as my main cleaner! Thanks for the chance to win
An oldie, but a goodie health and wellness tip!