25 Practically FREE Ways to Improve Your Health
Transitioning to a healthier lifestyle can feel overwhelming at times, especially when you consider the financial cost of switching to healthier products. But what if I told you that there are many things you can do to improve your health that are practically FREE?
It’s also important to note that getting healthy involves building new habits in your life too, not just buying new products. Starting these new healthy habits is often free too! Some of these things may seem insignificant, but they really add up and all work together to improve your health and quality of life. Don’t underestimate the small things!
Here are 25 things you can start doing to improve your health that are FREE (or almost free!):
- Save glass jars from food packaging to re-use for storing your pantry goods or lunch items. Storing and heating your food in glass instead of plastic will help you avoid ingesting microplastics, as well as other hormone-disrupting chemicals like BPS and BPA.

- Open your windows to allow fresh air in. If you live near a busy road, do this before or after peak hours. Indoor air can often be more polluted than outdoor air! With VOCs from cooking, body care products, fragrances, cleaning products, and building materials, it’s important to allow fresh air into your home.
- Ask friends or family for cuttings from houseplants that you can propagate. Houseplants can help reduce stress, filter toxins out of the air, and boost your mood. You can get houseplants for free by propagating them! You will eventually need to buy soil for potting them, but inexpensive pots and planters can be found at the thrift store to drastically bring down the overall cost. You can also sometimes acquire full plants for free by joining online plant groups, “Buy Nothing” groups, and marketplaces like Facebook Marketplace.

- Use vinegar & baking soda to clean many things around the house. You can reduce your exposure to so many harmful chemicals by doing this, and I bet you already have these two ingredients.
- Turn ON the blue light filter on your phone & computer. Exposure to too much blue light in the evenings affects your circadian rhythm, reduces your body’s ability to create melatonin, thus making it harder for you to fall asleep. This can also cause additional hormonal imbalances.
- Set a bedtime and stick to it. Aim for 8 hours of sleep. Having a set bedtime routine can help you fall asleep easier and help you make sleep a priority in your life.
- Toss/donate any beauty & body care products you aren’t using (unless they’re natural toxin-free ones). Clearing out toxic products removes the temptation to use them, and getting rid of clutter improves organization, streamlines routines, and reduces feelings of overwhelm.
- Use wool dryer balls instead of dryer sheets. You will save money and reduce the amount of toxins you’re being exposed to. One package of wool dryer balls will last for YEARS.

- Thoroughly wash your produce. This helps to prevent food-borne illnesses, removes dirt and debris, and can help with removing pesticides. The best way to avoid exposure to pesticides is to buy organic food, but thoroughly washing all produce can help reduce the amount present, though it won’t fully remove them. Look for DIY produce cleaners on Pinterest!
- Listen to music that makes you feel happy and/or a podcast that inspires you in your health journey. Music has an amazing ability to affect our emotional state and well-being. There are also so many free podcasts or YouTube videos that you can listen to that will inspire and motivate you.
- Go for a 15 minute walk after dinner (or whenever you’re able). Walking is a great form of exercise, and it’s completely free to do! I recommend finding a quiet path in your neighborhood that’s surrounded by nature. Find a time of day that works well for you and is attainable to do regularly.

- Declutter your home. If this is an overwhelming task, just start with one small area. One closet, one drawer, one item. Even 5 minutes working at this makes a difference in the long run. You will be amazed at the benefits decluttering your home can bring. Check out my blog post here on the best tips for decluttering your home. I recommend checking out The Minimal Mom’s YouTube channel!
- Do the dishes every day instead of letting them pile up. You will feel much more motivated to cook in a space that’s fully clean and ready-to-go. I guarantee this will help you have more homecooked meals!

- Invite a friend over for coffee or tea. Someone who always makes you laugh! Laughter is the best medicine right?! In addition, improved social relationships can profoundly impact your sense of well-being.
- Put clean sheets on your bed. Dust mites, dust mite poop, and dead skin cells can accumulate on your bedding, which can contribute to skin reactions and respiratory irritation.
- Stop watching the news. You will feel far less stressed and anxious.
- Use your regular dishes, rather than plastic storage containers, to microwave leftover food. This is another way to reduce exposure to microplastics and chemicals found in plastic. Plastic should never be heated!
- Choose at least one day per week where you “unplug” and do not go on social media. You will feel happier, less stressed, and more productive, leading to improved physical health as well.
- Put your phone on flight mode while sleeping, or if that’s not doable, put it on the other side of the room (as far away as possible). This will reduce the EMFs that you are exposed to, which can greatly improve sleep quality.
- Don’t stand near your microwave while it’s in use, or use your stove/oven instead. Radiation levels go down the farther away from the microwave that you are.
- Bring your own to-go coffee thermos to a coffee place instead of using their plastic/paper ones (as long as your to-go mug isn’t also plastic!).
- Next time you go to purchase a box of cookies or granola bars, make them yourself instead. You’ll know every ingredient that’s going in them, and you probably already have the ingredients on hand. This is a great way to eat more whole foods and less processed foods.

- Do one minute of deep breathing next time you start to feel anxious or stressed. Take a long, slow inhale through the nose, then a long, slow exhale through the mouth, then repeat. This will bring your heart rate down.
- Dust your hard surfaces regularly with a wet/damp cloth to avoid recirculating the dust back into the air. Your lungs will thank you! Many toxins accumulate in dust, such as flame retardants, phthalates, and heavy metals.
- Volunteer for a cause you feel passionate about. Helping others is proven to be one of the best things you can do to improve overall happiness in your life. Improved happiness has a snowball effect of improving your overall physical health too.
I truly hope this list has inspired you and provided some new ideas on how you can improve your health without spending any more than you already are! With some simple lifestyle changes and easy habits, you can make a big difference in your life.
I also recommend checking out my post here on how to improve your digestion. Many of those tips are free too!
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