If you’re a health-conscious person who’s always on the lookout for some quick and easy hacks that have the potential to make you feel or look better, there’s good news. The following nine healthful ad hoc hacks are so easy you can try any or all of them today. There’s no need to learn any special skills, view a medical documentary, spend a ton of cash, attend a science webinar, or even read a book. Simply peruse the list below, select one or more items that appeal to you, and get ready to enjoy life a little bit more. Of course, there are no guarantees that any of the suggestions will work at all, but many people have gotten good results from each item on the list.
1. Use a Sulfate-Free Shampoo
If you don’t already own a bottle of sulfate-free shampoo, now is the time. It can help to reset the cleanliness and general hygiene level of your scalp because it contains special clarifying agents that work for all kinds of hair. Buywow.com offers a sulfate-free shampoo, and is the way to go if you want a truly ‘wow’ experience during your shower or bath. Be careful when shopping because there are several imitation products that use tricky terminology in their advertising like low-sulfate (which is not the same as being sulfate-free), or less sulfate than regular brands, another way of saying it contains sulfates, but in slightly smaller quantities than ordinary shampoos. Stick with reputable sellers and make sure that what you’re buying is truly free of all sulfates.
2. Try a Standing Desk
Standing desks were all the rage back in the early part of the 1900s. Winston Churchill popularized them during WWII, but the trend died down as the office, and later computer, desk became a mainstay of work spaces everywhere. Fortunately, many keyboard jockeys in the digital age are rediscovering the benefits of standing desks. If you decide to try one, consider easing into the switch and perhaps dividing up the work day into 50 percent sitting and 50 percent standing. What do you stand to gain from a stand-up desk? For example, people who suffer from back pain often notice that sitting for eight hours, five days per week is a losing proposition.
Standing while you work releases your back from the prison of a cramped computer chair, encourages you to move around more, and allows the hips to move freely throughout the day.
3. Have a Refrigerator Strategy
Want a simple way to make smarter food choices? Engage in a refrigerator rearrangement strategy by placing nutritious items on the most convenient rack, typically center top. Instead of pastries, high-calorie drinks, and heavy foods, use those easy to reach shelves for fruit, vegetables, cold water, and similar items.
4. Leave Credit Cards at Home When Grocery Shopping
It’s just too easy to impulse buy at the grocery store when you use credit or debit cards for payment. Instead, make a detailed list before shopping, estimate the total cost, and then withdraw slightly more than that from the ATM. When you enter the grocery aisles with a relatively strict budget in place, and no chance to whip out the plastic for impulse foods, chances are that what you take home will not include junk foods.
5. Bring Lunch to Work
Eating out is fun, but it’s also expensive and tends to include “comfort foods” like fried vegetables, sweets, and heavy meats. Up your lunch nutrition and save a few bucks in the process by packing a sacked meal for most every work day. If the weather permits, enjoy some fresh air while eating and conversing with one or more “sack-lunch” friends. This method words best if you make wise choices for the midday meal, so consider including a fruit, a vegetable, a nutritious protein source, and maybe a small snack or sweet as dessert. And, don’t forget that water is an excellent drink choice for any meal, so add a bottle or thermos to the pack.
6. Wash Produce the Right Way
If you like to avoid eating dirty, contaminated produce, be sure to clean it correctly. A quick rinse under the tap won’t do. A much wiser approach is to add a tablespoon of baking soda to two cups of water and use the solution to thoroughly cleanse all produce before consuming it. A spray bottle is ideal for soaking food items with the baking soda solution, but don’t forget to rinse the stuff off completely with plain tap water when cleaning is complete.
7. Use Epsom Salts in the Bath
Epsom salts contain magnesium, which is an age-old remedy for tired, sore muscles. Plus, you can buy the product anywhere at very reasonable prices. Remember that all you want to do is sit and soak in warm water mixed with Epsom salts. Don’t use that same water for a regular bath. What’s the advantage of an Epsom soak? Some people think it helps them reach very deep levels of relaxation, probably because of the solution’s power to soothe tight, aching muscles and generally make the skin feel refreshed at the same time.
8. Plan Stretch Breaks
No matter what you do for work, add a few stretch breaks into each day’s routine. It’s not a workout or a competition to see how far you can bend or how long you can hold a position. The effort should focus on bending at the waist, raising arms above the head, sitting on a soft mat or rug while massaging your feet, and whatever other common body stretches help loosen tight areas of the body.
9. Plan a Whole Week’s Meals
Want to eat less junk food? Do an experiment by planning an entire week’s meals. Write down what you intend to have for breakfast, lunch, and dinner for Monday through Sunday. This is not preparation but planning only. Nor should you focus on dieting or being overly restrictive. Simply make a written list of what your next 21 meals will consist of. If you typically eat out one night per week, include that meal in the plan, noting what you will order while dining out.
