You may hear so many tips on how to stay healthy each day that you don’t know what to believe anymore. Below are 27 health and nutrition tips that are backed up by science!
1. Sleep is key for your health
Sleep more? Who could object! Poor sleep is linked to a number of health conditions like insulin resistance, changes in appetite, weight gain, and reduced physical and mental performance. Be sure to get at least 7-8 hours of quality sleep each night.
2. Fatty fish are healthy
Fish are an excellent source of protein and healthy fat and help to reduce heart disease, dementia, and depression. One particularly good source of omega-3 fatty acids and other nutrients is salmon. Don’t hesitate to add that to your plate along with your daily fruit and vegetables!
3. Take care of your gut using probiotics and fiber
The research on the gut in the past few years has demonstrated how crucial it is to your body’s function. In fact, a disruption in your gut’s bacteria can cause some serious chronic diseases, including obesity. By taking probiotic supplements and eating plenty of fiber, you can help take care of your gut.
4. Don’t burn your meat
Do you know anyone who likes burnt foods? Are you one of those people? If so, avoid burning or overcooking your meat on purpose, and don’t eat it if you do it accidentally. Burnt meats can form harmful compounds that are carcinogens.
5. Get enough protein
Protein is a significant part of your diet. It is essential for boosting your metabolism, reducing cravings, and losing weight. Sufficient protein intake has also demonstrated to lower blood sugar and blood pressure.
6. Get your exercise
Exercise is key to a healthy lifestyle. In particular, cardio is a great type of exercise to do for your mental and physical health. If you have belly fat you need to reduce (see #22), then this can be the perfect way to make that improvement.
7. Don’t smoke or do drugs
Smoking or abusing drugs can put your heart at risk. Work to resolve these problems with your health first. Drinking too much alcohol is also a common problem that interferes with people’s health. If you enjoy drinking, strive to do so only in moderation.
8. Use extra virgin olive oil
This is one of the healthiest vegetable oils available as it has monounsaturated fats and powerful antioxidants that help to fight inflammation. These benefits help your heart, and therefore, you’re able to reduce your risk of dying from heart attacks and strokes by integrating it into your diet.
9. Minimize your sugar intake
Added sugar is rampant in modern diets. Limiting your sugar intake helps to reduce your risk for ailments like obesity, type 2 diabetes, heart disease, and some types of cancer.
10. Don’t diet
Fact: Dieting is one of the strongest predictors of future weight gain.
Everyone wants to look great in a swimsuit, but it’s often significantly more effective to adopt a long-term healthy lifestyle. Focus on creating a nutritious diet and an exercise routine you can stick to.
11. Eat eggs
Somewhere along the line, eggs got a reputation as being unhealthy, especially egg yolks. Here’s the truth: eggs are often called “nature’s multivitamin.” Studies have shown that they have no impact on cholesterol content or heart disease risk for the majority of people. There’s no reason not to include them in a well-rounded diet!
12. Avoid processed foods
Process junk food is one of the worst types of food you can put in your body. It’s specifically designed to trigger your pleasure centers and get you addicted. Additionally, it’s typically low in fiber, protein, and micronutrients, which means the only thing it provides your body nutritionally is added sugar and refined grains. Eat real food.
13. Don’t drink sugar calories
You’ve likely heard this mantra before – don’t drink your calories! Be specifically mindful of sugary drinks as those can do some real damage. Sugary drinks like soda or fruit juices are fattening and full of calories. They’re also strongly correlated with obesity, type 2 diabetes, heart disease, and other health issues.
14. Eat nuts
While nuts are high in fat, they’re also a healthy and nutritious food. They pack vitamin E, fiber, and magnesium into their tiny form. They can help you lose weight or fight off ailments like heart disease or type 2 diabetes.
15. Coffee isn’t bad for you
While coffee sometimes gets a bad reputation, it’s actually fairly healthy for you. When it isn’t loaded up with sugar or other “extras,” it’s high in antioxidants and has been linked to a reduced risk of type 2 diabetes, Parkinson’s, and Alzheimer’s.
16. Drink lots of water
Water – it’s the cure-all for just about everything. It can boost the number of calories you burn and increase your metabolism. The best time to drink water is 20 min before meals, which can help increase weight loss by giving you the illusion that you are full.
17. Avoid bright lights before sleep
When you’re exposed to bright, artificial lights before you go to bed, it may disrupt your body’s ability to put itself to sleep using the hormone melatonin. This can be remedied by utilizing a pair of glasses that block blue light. This allows the melatonin to be produced normally, which will help you sleep better.
18. Take vitamin D3 if you don’t get enough sun exposure
If you live in a particularly rainy or cloudy place, or you just don’t get out much, then you may not be getting sufficient vitamin D. Don’t let this impact your health. About 40 percent of the U.S. population doesn’t get enough of this vitamin. Supplementing with vitamin D3 can help your body remain balanced. You’ll have increased strength, reduced symptoms of depression, and a lower risk of cancer.
19. Eat your fruits and veggies
You’ve been hearing this since you were a little kid! It’s all true. Fruits and vegetables are full of vitamins, minerals, prebiotic fiber, and antioxidants. Eating enough of these in your daily diet will help you to live longer and lower your risk for ailments like heart disease, obesity, type 2 diabetes, etc.
20. Avoid artificial trans fats
Unlike natural, healthy fats you can find in food like avocado, trans fats are man-made. They have a strong link to heart disease and inflammation, which means they should be avoided at all costs.
21. Use herbs and spices
Need a way to spice up your diet? Say hello herbs and spices! They not only make your food more flavorful, but they also have a variety of powerful benefits for your body, which means you should include them in your diet as much as possible.
For instance, ginger and turmeric have health benefits like having anti-inflammatory and antioxidant effects.
22. Rid your body of excess belly fat
This isn’t about diet culture or subscribing to a certain body type. Belly fat has been linked to metabolic disease. Your waist size is actually a much stronger indicator of your health than your weight. If you struggle with belly fat, no shame! Just work to cut carbs and eat more protein and fiber. These are tried and true ways to reduce the bulk around your organs.
23. Skip the refined carbs
Just like fat, not all carbs are the same. Refined carbs are low in nutrients and have been processed to remove their fiber. This means they can harm your health when eaten in excess and also lead to metabolic diseases.
24. Saturated fats can be okay
You may hear fat and run, but studies have shown that saturated fat intake raises good cholesterol and lower risk of heart disease. It doesn’t sound too bad when you put it like that!
25. Lift weights as an exercise
Lifting weights can help you strengthen your muscles and improve our body composition.
26. Foster healthy relationships
Healthy social relationships are crucial for mental and physical well-being. If you have close friends and family members, you’re more likely to live a long and healthy life.
27. Pay attention to your food intake
No, this doesn’t mean you should obsessively calorie count (that isn’t healthy either). This means you should make sure you’re getting enough protein, fiber, and micronutrients each day so you’re nutritionally balanced. Studies have shown that individuals who track their food intake are more successful in sticking to a healthy diet and losing weight if that’s their goal.
Final thoughts
These 27 health and nutrition tips are based on science and can help you live a healthier, happier life. It’s not all about dieting and focusing on everything you put into your body. It’s about exercising, sleeping, socializing, and ensuring your body gets the right kind of nutrients. Visit our other articles for more about how to live a healthy lifestyle.
