February is widely regarded as the month of love and Black History Month. But did you know that there is one important day marked on February 6th that should definitely NOT be ignored?
February 6th marks the national Go Red For Women Day which is the American Heart Association’s national movement to end heart disease and stroke in women because it’s not just a man’s disease. In fact, more women than men die every year from heart disease and stroke. The good news is that 80 percent of cardiac events can be prevented with education and lifestyle changes.
This year, Merry Maids and Debra Johnson partnered with American Heart Association for the third year in row to show everyone that staying healthy doesn’t have to be expensive and can be done in the comfort of your own home by simply – cleaning!
Now, before you all laugh at me because, let’s face it, cleaning the house is not the most enjoyable way to spend your time, take a look at Merry Maids tips for ways to make cleaning fun which will help keep your heart healthy.
Take a look at Merry Maids tips for ways to make cleaning fun ana keep your heart healthy
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Fun And Easy Ways To Keep A Healthy Heart
Va Va Voom Vacuum Routine:
If the thought of choosing between going to the gym and vacuuming the living room stresses you out, you’ll find comfort in knowing you can burn up to 170 calories in just one hour of vacuuming*. While an hour may seem like a long amount of time, Johnson recommends vacuuming slowly in order for the vacuum cleaner to do its best work.
Bathroom Wipe Down Workout:
Scrubbing the tub and washing the bathroom floor are easy tasks to put on the backburner. Before procrastination sets in, consider that with a little bit of elbow grease and a microfiber cloth, cleaning the bathroom can be a workout of its own. And if cleaning the bathroom makes you break a sweat, what better way to reward yourself than by calling first dibs on the freshly cleaned shower?
Mopping and Bopping:
It might seem silly to turn your mop into a dance partner or a microphone, but having a little fun while you wash the floors is just what you need to take your floor-washing chores from mundane to exciting. Getting your groove on with the mop for just 60 minutes will increase the number of steps you take, increase your heart rate and result in approximately 170 calories burned*. For best results, use a microfiber mop and a bucket of warm water with a little dish soap.
If you need a little inspiration, take cue from Niles above!
A Little Tidying Goes a Long Way:
Everyday cleaning activities such as dusting, sweeping and folding can equate to some serious heart-healthy activity. In that crucial hour of straightening up before bed or getting organized before weekend guests arrive, you can get your blood pumping and burn approximately 102 calories*.
*Source: CalorieLab.com; data computed for weight of average 150-pound person
Merry Maids did their own little research in December of 2014 called “Get Moving, Start Cleaning, Be Heart Healthy”. The study presents the findings from a brief test conducted by Merry Maids in December 2014 among five Merry Maids teams members based in the Memphis, Tenn. area. The Merry Maids team members were armed with wearable fitness trackers during specified cleaning activities to determine estimates of how many calories the team members burned through vacuuming, washing the floors, cleaning the bathroom and performing light tidying.
Next time you put off cleaning and decide to transfer it to the infamous “tomorrow” (and please tell me I am NOT the only one who does that!), remember that by doing a little cleaning you are actually doing your heart a favor! So, let’s stay healthy and get to mopping!
For more information on fighting heart disease visit American Heart Association Go Red For Women.
To learn more about Merry Maids and Debra Johnson and get more fun cleaning tips, visit MerryMaids.com or connect with them via Facebook or Twitter!