1. Keep the kitchen for cookingIf the kitchen is the hub of your family life, you're likely eating 15% more during the day, according to the Food Lab at Cornell University. Director Professor Brian Wansink cites the Lab's study in which photographs were taken of 230 kitchens in Syracuse, New York, and revealed:
"Women who kept crisps on the kitchen counter weighed 8lbs more than their neighbours who did not. Those who had just one box of breakfast cereal that was visible – anywhere in the kitchen – weighed 22 pounds more than neighbours who did not."
Here's how to make your kitchen the healthiest room in the house:
- Keep only healthy food in sight. Store nuts/grains/pulses/fruit/veg in clear jars and bowls where you can see them, but stash unhealthier processed food in cupboards.
- Put a clear glass bowl of fresh fruit at eye level in an easy to reach place for all the family.
- Don't have too many chairs or stools in your kitchen – there will be less chance you'll hang out and snack between meals.
- Don't keep a wine rack if you want to watch alcohol intake – we're twice as likely to consume something if we can see it clearly says Professor Wansink.
- Serve food on individual plates rather than taking large dishes to the dinner table. Having to move from the table to help yourself to seconds or thirds cuts down on overeating.
2. Use smaller platesThe larger the plate, the smaller you perceive the portion, so a smaller plate will naturally help you feel more satisfied with a healthier amount. The Food Lab conducted a study that found if we just swapped larger plates for smaller ones (use a 10-inch instead of a 12-inch plate) we would eat 22% less but feel just as full.
3. Be clever about the colour of your dishesThe colour of your plate and the corresponding colour of your food is crucial to prevent overeating: a lack of contrast can lead to a 22% increase in serving size, according to the Food Lab. For instance, a white plate with white rice won't help limit portion control, so try using a red plate instead.
4. Give black-out curtains a second thoughtDo you wake up too early? It may be tempting to use black-out curtains so daylight doesn't disturb you, but natural light has a profoundly positive effect on our circadian rhythm. Natural light controls the sleep/wake cycle along with the immune system, hormones, blood pressure and all brain/body functions. Neuroscientist Dr Akhilesh Reddy from Cambridge University explains:
"We get far less exposure to light in the daytime [10 times less] and more in the night than our ancestors, who were biologically-speaking very similar to us. So, the distinction between night and day is blurred, and thus our body clock does not get a strong day-night signal. Studies have shown that this difference in natural lighting versus modern work alters our body's melatonin profile which in turn affects sleep," he said.
This can even affect our fertility: sleep allows our inner body clock to perform its biochemical functions at the same time every day and night. A disruption in this can reduce melatonin secretion, which is important to fertility in both men and women.
5. Dim the lights (blue and otherwise)Those designer downlights may make your home look modern, but having lights too bright in the evening can hinder your ability to fall asleep. Dim the lights to allow your body to reflect the natural rhythm of the day. And also ditch screen time at night. Too much 'blue' light exposure from electronic devices at night suppresses the production of melatonin responsible for controlling sleep and wake cycles. It has also been found to increase the risk of cancer and type 2 diabetes, as well as being detrimental to overall immunity. Harvard researchers conducted an experiment comparing the effects of six and a half hours of exposure to blue light to exposure to green light of comparable brightness. The blue light suppressed melatonin for about twice as long as the green light and shifted circadian rhythms by twice as much – three hours versus 1.5 hours.
6. Make your bedAccording to the National Sleep Foundation, those of us who make the bed in the morning are 19% more likely to get a good night's sleep. There appears to be a connection between feeling good about where you sleep and actual sleep.
7. Paint your bedroom wallsThe colour of walls can alter your sleep, eating habits and mood. According to the Pantone Colour Institute, red is a high arousal colour, which stimulates the senses and raises blood pressure. It can also make us eat quicker, according to Professor Brian Wansink – as can a bright white kitchen. Soothing blue and green hues slow down the heart rate and breathing. This calming effect makes it an ideal bedroom colour for anyone stressed or teenagers. A good rule of thumb: if a colour occurs in nature (blue reminiscent of sky/sea) it will be more relaxing than a non-natural colour, which will be more exhilarating. A study by hotel chain Travelodge showed that a light blue colour is best for a good night's sleep (seven hours, 52 minutes) whereas purple was the worst (five hours, 56 minutes).
8. Turn down the heatingYour bedroom should ideally be 65 degrees for a decent night's sleep, according to the National Sleep Foundation. The natural rise and fall in body temperature is linked to your sleep cycle. It will be at its lowest at 5am and slowly climb as your day begins. If you are too hot in the night this will alter the body's natural dip in temperature and result in a restless night. Keeping your home cooler is much better for overall health and wellbeing and by lowering the temperature you could also lose weight by making your body burn more calories to maintain heat.
9. Bring the outside inIndoor air can be as much as 12 times more polluted than outdoor air, according to the National Institute of Horticulture. With compounds from paint, furniture, building material and clothes present in our homes, certain indoor plants can help remove Volatile Organic Compounds: research from NASA shows that houseplants were able to remove up to 87% of air toxins in a 24-hour period. According to a study published in HortScience the best plants to have are English ivy, variegated wax and asparagus fern. And according to research by the University of Agriculture in Norway keeping house plants can help fight the effects of the common cold. They found plants like the rubber plant, spider plant, peace lily and ficus lowered the symptoms of sore throat fatigue and headaches in participants. They believe that this was due to the increase in humidity levels.
10. Get a fish tank
There's a good reason your dental surgery may have a fish tank. A study by researchers at the National Marine Aquarium at Plymouth University and University of Exeter have found that aquariums not only lower blood pressure and heart rates but increase the feeling of happiness after having watched fish swim in an aquarium. Even watching a DVD of an aquarium reportedly had a positive effect on participants. The more fish there were, the greater the health benefits.
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