4 Everyday Things That Will Make You Healthier

When you want to get healthier, what is the first thing you do? If you’re like most of us, you start reading a bunch of articles and putting together a budget for things like gym memberships, workout equipment to keep at home, and replacing your current pantry contents with super healthy (and super expensive) diet foods.

But what if you didn’t have to?

There are all sorts of staples you likely already have on hand or have really easy access to that you can use to help improve your physical (and mental) health. Here are just four of them!

Therafirm

1. H2O

Even if you live in a place where drinking the tap water isn’t the best idea, you likely have bottled water readily available. Start drinking it! Water is a super substance. It helps with every aspect of your health. Staying properly hydrated helps you fight off headaches, helps your body process food and rid your body of waste, improves your overall appearance and ensures that your muscles and bones stay properly lubricated. That’s the old news.

Here’s something that you might not have thought of: by replacing your soda, juice, coffee, tea and energy drinks with water, you are immediately cutting hundreds (maybe even thousands) of calories out of your diet. What’s more, if that water is cold, your body will actually burn calories warming up the liquid after you drink it so that it is easier to absorb.

2. Socks

Wear socks. Seriously. During the warmer months of summer when most of us are running around (figuratively speaking) in flip flops, the idea of socks might be gross but they are an important garment. You should, at the very least, be wearing them while you work out.

Socks absorb sweat, which helps keep things like athlete’s foot at bay. Some socks, like compression socks, are even built to help your body improve its circulation. People who suffer from even minor swelling around their ankles and in their feet and legs should be wearing compression socks like those from Therafirm to keep problems like blood clots from happening. This goes for people who have to spend a lot of time on their feet during the day, too.

3. Natural Light/Fresh Air

Most of us have been programmed to avoid the sun because too much exposure can cause cancer. The truth is, though, that getting outside and getting some fresh air and sun every day is good for us. Sunlight, remember, isn’t all bad. It contains the much needed Vitamin D. Exposure to sunlight has been proven to improve moods and help people better battle against depression and other mental health issues.

Getting outside, even for a few minutes every day, can help people deal with anxiety, clear their heads and better focus on the tasks at hand. So, instead of avoiding the outdoors, slather on some sunscreen and get at least twenty minutes of natural light and fresh air every day.

4. The Stairs

Elevators are for suckers (and, to be fair, people who need assistance in getting around). Whenever you have the chance to take the stairs you should do so. Heck, you might even have some in your home!

Stairs are listed as one Fitbie’s best household objects for getting fit. You can walk up and down them or use them as balancing and raising agents during workouts. Do a couple of stair laps each day. If you live or work in a high rise building, don’t worry—you can do this too! Simply get on or off the elevator a couple of flights away from your destination and take the stairs the rest of the way!

There are lots of things that we have on hand (or that surround us) every day that we take for granted. These things, though, can have a tremendous impact on our health. Look around—what every day object do you see that you can use to improve your physical or mental health?