Keeping yourself and your family in the best of health can take a considerable effort. However, the effort is worth it to live your best and healthiest life. Once you begin practicing these habits and discover how great they make you feel, you’ll want to keep them up all the time. Here are some steps to take to make your home a healthy place to live and to help yourself and your family to have as healthy a life as possible.
A Clean Home is a Healthier Home
Germs live on all the surfaces of our homes, and we need to eliminate as many germs as possible. A clean home begins with washing all your counters and floors with a household cleaner. Keep your surfaces dust-free, as dust can cause respiratory problems. Change and clean your curtains and linens regularly to eliminate them as a source of infection.
An additional risk for respiratory diseases can come from mold in your home. Statistics show close to 40% of the homes in the U.S. are at risk for damage from basement mold. As you are cleaning your home, inspect all your baseboards and corners for mold. If you discover mold in your home, contact a mold remediation contractor, so they can safely remove the mold from your home.
A Nutritious Diet Makes a Healthier Body
The food we eat is fuel for our bodies, so it’s essential to choose our meals wisely. A daily diet that includes lean proteins and low-fat dairy choices will help us keep our bones and internal organs healthy. Whole grains give us energy and keep our bowels regular. When we choose and serve foods low in sugar, we cut down on tooth decay and eliminate empty calories from our family’s food.
If you or any of your family members are overweight, losing that excess weight will help improve their health. According to the CDC, if you lose 5% to 10% of your current weight, the loss will result in a boost to your health. Even such a relatively small weight loss can lower blood pressure, cholesterol, and blood sugar. Check with your doctor for healthy suggestions on how to reduce weight in a healthy way.
A Lifetime of Healthy Habits Begins in Childhood
Part of our parenting responsibility is to teach healthy habits to our children. Children learn from us, so we must realize they see our efforts (or lack thereof) to stay healthy as their example for a healthy life. Simple habits like washing their hands before meals and after using the toilet are an excellent way to start. Establish a balance of time for play or healthy exercise with times for rest and study.
From the time they are young, children should be introduced to the family doctor and become used to visiting them. Children will, therefore, begin to see regular doctor visits as a valuable tool for their lifelong health. According to the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, children between ages one and four should have seven “well-child visits” to a doctor. These visits can discover any health concerns that need attention, plus provide instructions to parents on what future steps should be taken for the children’s health.
We all want our families to be healthy, so keeping a healthy home should be one of your top priorities. When we provide nutritious food choices and encourage regular doctor visits for our family members, we give each family member a blueprint for health. With the addition of moderate exercise and getting help for any mental health problems, you’ll be giving everyone their best chance for their healthiest life. These steps take effort, but lifelong health is a priceless gift.
