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Household chores are certainly not the most interesting activities to do, but new research has shown that washing dishes, cooking and gardening are enough to reduce the risk of heart disease and prevent premature death.
According to researchers at the University of California, San Diego, doing standing work (like preparing meals or doing housework) can reduce the risk of cardiovascular disease by 43%, reduce heart disease (43%), reduce the risk of stroke (30%) and reduce the risk of dying from heart disease by 62%. Housework may not be considered a physical activity, but these results show just how beneficial it is to keep moving.
In the study, experts looked at how the women spent their day, including standing still, sitting, walking, running, or sitting in a car. Each person was given a research-grade accelerometer to get accurate measurements of time spent moving over seven days. Interestingly, those who were willing to do more household activities had lower risks.
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“The study demonstrates that all movements matter for disease prevention,” said the paper’s lead author, Dr. Steve Nguyen. The evening norm. “Spending more time in the movements of daily living, which includes a wide range of activities that we all do while standing and out of our chairs, has resulted in a decreased risk of cardiovascular disease.”
Researcher Dr. Andrea LaCroix adds: “Much of the movement engaged in by older adults is associated with the tasks of daily living, but this may not be considered physical activity. Understanding the benefits of everyday movement and adding it to physical activity guidelines can encourage more movement.”
It’s time to get out your cleaning gloves…
15 plastic-free cleaning and laundry products
Amber Brown Glass Refillable Bottles
You can choose whether these stylish bottles come with a trigger sprayer or a pump and you can also customize the label on it. They are perfect replacements for plastic bottles: cleaning sprays, shampoo and conditioner, hand wash, dishwashing liquid, etc. They can be recharged at local charging stations. We offer Ecover refills for cleaning products (list of retailers here) and Faith in Nature for personal hygiene (list here).
SHOP NOW, from £8, ETSY
Ecoegg for laundry – lasts up to 210 washes
Ecoeggs are a sustainable alternative to washing capsules and detergents. It’s a recycled plastic egg, filled with mineral granules, that you put in your washing machine like a normal capsule. Refillable mineral tablets have proven to be good for allergic and sensitive skin and are also much better for waterways.
Point! The Ecoegg is great for everyday washing, but you might want to consider a stronger stain remover on the dirtiest clothes or the natural bleach mentioned in the next slides. You can also add extra fragrance to your laundry with essential oils.
BUY NOW, £6.99, Lakeland
Coir dish brushes
We love these sturdy dish brushes that not only do the job well, but also look much better in our kitchens. Their description reads: “Each cleaning brush is handmade and the bristles are made from very strong and durable coconut fiber.”
BUY NOW, £9.90, Wearth London
Organic Cleaning None Sponge
Swap those yellow and green sponges that throw plastic into our sinks with these cute washable pads. Although they are much finer than a traditional sponge and definitely different to use, they are ideal for washing plates, bowls and glasses. They can be machine washed and are then fully recyclable when they reach the end of their life.
BUY NOW, £9 for 2, Wearth London
Guppyfriend laundry bag
This laundry bag collects the microfibers that escape from your clothes in the washing machine. You just put your load in the bag and then put the whole bag in the machine. Once loaded, the microfibers will remain at the bottom of the bag. These cannot be recycled in most cases, but this method prevents them from entering waterways and inevitably heading to the ocean.
BUY NOW, £24.95, and keep
Ecover All Purpose Cleaner
It is an excellent cleaner that can be used to refill reusable bottles like the glass ones mentioned earlier. This product can be found at most Ecover refill stations but, if you prefer to buy a bottle, rest assured that it is made from recycled plastic and plant-based materials and is fully recyclable.
BUY NOW, £2.99, Ecover
Bamboo clothespins
It’s an obvious swap away from the plastic clothespins that have crept into our homes.
BUY NOW, £4.95, and keep
Reusable paper towels
Replace single-use plastic paper towels with these much more attractive, natural and washable cloths.
BUY NOW, £14, Wearth London
Beeswax wraps
Replace cling film with beeswax wraps. They are perfect for fruits, vegetables, bread and bowls of leftovers. You simply warm the wax with your hands and it molds around anything.
SHOP NOW, from £10, The Beeswax Wrap Co.
natural bleach
This natural bleach in a paper bag, from Mangle & Wringer, is a great alternative to large plastic bottles of harsh chemical bleach. On their website, the description reads: “Our natural bleach, also known as oxygen bleach, is a safe, non-toxic and biodegradable alternative to chlorine bleach. aggressive chlorine. When dissolved in water, it releases oxygen which acts as a powerful stain remover and deodorizer. It breaks down harmlessly to oxygen, water and sodium carbonate. This product miracle brightens white and colored fabrics and prevents them from yellowing It is excellent for removing organic stains like tea and coffee stains, fruit juices, food sauces, grass stains, pet stains. blood and red wine.Natural bleach is also a great alternative to bleach in the bathroom.Dissolve in warm water to safely clean and disinfect toilets and clean drains.Also use to clean and whiten easily and safely safety sinks, tubs, cups, mugs, teapots and coffee pots.”
SHOP NOW, from £3.50, Mangle & Wringer
Ecover dishwasher tablets
These tablets are water-friendly and the cardboard packaging is fully recyclable. Ecover has this to say about tablets wrapped in plastic on its website: “Dishwasher tablets don’t react well to moisture in the air. In fact, it causes them to crumble. We want to you open your box to find tablets, not powder, so we wrap every tablet. Our dishwasher tablets wrappers are made of polypropylene and each pack weighs only 0.3 grams. soluble film that meets our biodegradability standards.We are actively researching an alternative to this type of packaging – we are looking for plant-based options that meet our standards.We are not there yet, but when we find one alternative, we will change.
BUY NOW, £7, Ecover
e-cloth
These reusable and washable garments clean multiple surfaces with just water. The starter pack includes an electronic cloth for bathroom, kitchen, windows, multi-surface polishing and glass.
BUY NOW, £14.73, Amazon
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