BRUSH OFF WEIGHT GAIN
Don’t let the dust settle on your body ambitions. If your fat stores need a clear-out, start with the house you live in
Forget clean eating – clean living could be the key to tidying up your gut for good
The backlash against ‘clean eating’ is, rightfully, in the ascendance. But while purifying your diet might no longer be considered the path to health, it seems clean living is still a smart way to realise your fat-loss goals. Allow us to explain: Duke University found giving your home a regular dusting protects you from fat-triggering substances hiding in the accumulating film of fluff. Endocrine-disrupting chemicals, or EDCS, interfere with the function of your hormones. You may already know these chemicals – such as BPA and phthalates – as those found in household plastics and food containers, previously linked to fertility issues. Well, now it seems they’re leeching into our homes at alarming levels. About three micrograms were found to be enough to effect a change on your fat cells, which is far less than the average 50mg we are exposed to daily.
In the study, dirty surfaces not only caused subjects’ fat cells to grow by accruing extra triglycerides, but also increased the number of fat cells in the body. While surveys reveal more than a fifth of people claim their homes are near spotless, more than 90% of those tested had impactful levels of dust and EDCS. So bringing your spring clean forward means you can transform your body from the comfort of home. And we’d consider that a tidy profit.