Healthy for Life

Hi there! Isn’t it a sumptuous September! Maybe for some of you it’s a time to do a little nut gathering and getting back into the swing of things, or for some people it’s the beginning of a little down time. For me and probably a lot of you out there, it’s getting back into some housework that was overlooked during our lovely heated summer days. So with the onset of those refreshingly cool days it is a perfect time to accomplish some of those household tasks.

I don’t know what it is about cleaning that we can go for hours upon hours thinking that there won’t be any consequences to our bodies. You must treat it as a type of workout, and if you look at it as a type of exercise, it can be beneficial and fun as well.

Generally an exercise routine consists of 30 minutes to an hour. So you may want to consider allowing yourself about that amount of time frame for cleaning. Doing a little at a time won’t make cleaning seem like an overwhelming job; it will be easier on the bod and free up more time.

Like any physical activity you will need energy, so make sure you have eaten something about an hour before with protein and carbs, like whole grains, veggies and fruits. And don’t forget about drinking water! Also, before starting your body needs to be warmed up for about 5 or 10 minutes. Taking in a few deep breaths and stretching is crucial as always to help prevent muscle soreness and injuries. Cleaning tasks sometimes involves various precarious positions. It is important that you are aware of your form and posture at all times while you are executing your chores. The old “wax on, wax off” rule applies here as well. Alternating which arm and hand you’re using helps to work out both sides of your body, and it’s great for balancing your brain, too (for chores like cleaning windows, dusting or vacuuming). Pay attention when you are bending over, holding your stomach in and keeping your knees bent. If you have back issues, having a stool to sit on while you’re doing certain duties can help.

Take breaks in between tasks and do some stretching. Use stairs or a chair to stretch out your legs. Or just lie on the floor and bring your knees into your chest to ease back pressure. The doorway is good for stretching out your back, shoulders and arms by putting your arm across your chest while holding on to the inside of the doorway. Also, straighten your arm, holding on to doorway, reversing body position to stretch out chest and biceps.

Having your windows open is nice for keeping the fresh air flowing, especially if there is a lot of dust flying around or if you are using products that emit strong odors. If you have allergies, wearing a mask is definitely a good idea. You may want to consider using chemical free products, especially if you have breathing issues, children and pets. Pay attention to those products, they could be wreaking havoc on you or your family.

So psych yourself up, put on some highfalutin motivating music, and let the cleaning begin. It can be a great time to get the family together too. It’s never too early or late to start members of the family with designated chores. Start in small amounts. Good luck and safe sanitizing!

Here’s a list of calories burned while keeping the casa maintained. It can depend upon how much effort and vigor is implemented while doing chores (based upon a 150 pound person and one hour):
• Cleaning house or a cabin in general, about 220 calories
• Washing the car, windows, or cleaning garage, 204 calories
• Dusting, straightening, changing bedding, taking out the trash, 170 calories
• Laundry while standing, putting in washer or dryer, folding, hanging clothes or packing suitcase, 130 calories
• Rearranging furniture, 204 calories (no wonder my mom was constantly doing this!)
• Sweeping, 112 calories
• Scrubbing the floors, 129 calories
• Mowing the lawn, 187 calories
• Gardening, 136 calories
• Raking, 146 calories
Sources: calorie count about .com/activities home, wiki.answers.com/Q/How_many_calories_burned_doing_house_work

If you have any health topics, health success stories or a family recipe for a health cure, please email me at juls11@peoplepc.com or drop it off at Hometown Focus. Thanks for your support!