“Slow breaths stimulate the vagus
nerve, and that will slow down your heart rate,” says Patrick McKeown, author of The Breathing Cure. Re-dress salads. There’s nothing
more counterproductive than drenching an otherwise healthy salad with a high-calorie, preservative- laden dressing. Make your own with extra virgin olive oil, vinegar, and spices. Olive oil is rich in healthy monounsaturated fats and spices are loaded with antioxidants. Meanwhile, the acetic acid in
the vinegar disables an enzyme that digests some starches, which Arizona State University researcher Carol Johnston, Ph.D., says can help prevent blood sugar spikes from carbs in the rest of your meal. Chill out. Enjoy the
bliss of a hot shower, but turn it cold for the last minute. The sudden chill triggers
the release of “cold shock” proteins, which strengthen nerve connections in the brain, potentially improving cognition and memory. If you have heart
disease or another chronic condition, ask your doctor before turning your shower water to cold. Make rice nice. Highly processed
white rice has been stripped of much of its nutritional value, but one simple trick turns it into a superfood. Chilling rice after cooking changes
the structure of its sugar molecule chains from something that can spike blood glucose levels into less digestible-resistant starch. This type of carb passes through to
the lower parts of the digestive tract, where it feeds your microbiome’s “good” bacteria. “Resistant starch is one of their
We know from previous studies that when people slow down, they eat
significantly less.” — Paige Cunningham, Ph.D.
favorite foods,” says Florida State University microbiologist Ravinder Nagpal, Ph.D., of The Gut Biome Lab. Spice it up. A new study conducted
at Penn State University supports prior research showing that adding hot spices to meals induces people to eat slower and consume fewer calories, yet feel more satiated than people eating identical meals with milder seasoning. “We know from previous studies that when people slow down, they eat significantly less,” says Paige Cunningham, Ph.D., lead author of the study. “We suspected
that making a meal spicier might slow
people down . . . and therefore eat less.” Have more sex. Engaging in regular romps burns calories, lowers blood pressure, strengthens muscles, aids digestion, and improves sleep and mood, among other
benefits. Sex even triggers neurogenesis, the creation of
new brain cells. “Sex can give a boost to virtually
every aspect of health,” proclaims psychologist David Yarian, Ph.D., a certified sex therapist. Read food labels. To eat right, you
need to know what you’re putting in your mouth. Fortunately, ingredient labels on products and nutrition information on restaurant menus reveal the oft-alarming amount of calories, sugar, sodium, carbs, and saturated fat in foods. Compare nutrition just like you compare prices. And be sure to
note serving size, which is often just a fraction of the contents in the package. Fidget a bit. As kids, a lot of
us were told to stop fidgeting, but idly drumming our fingers, swinging our legs, or pacing around while on the phone or during other sedentary activities can help to burn calories when we may otherwise be sitting inert. Studies show fidgeting not
only burns calories — about one-third more than sitting still — but also helps concentration and relieves stress. “If you allow the body’s natural
drive to move,” says Mayo Clinic obesity expert James Levine, M.D., “the likelihood is you are actually going to be healthier, happier, and thinner, and, quite frankly, live longer.” Stretch out. Staying limber can
help enhance mobility, ease chronic pain, reduce risk of injury, and improve sleep, but our oft-sedentary lifestyle works against it. Sitting uninterrupted for long
periods of time tightens up hip and butt muscles and compresses the lower back. Experts recommend getting up every half-hour to move around for a minute or so, and finding some time to stretch. Adjust your attitude. To be healthy,
it helps to think healthy. Numerous studies show that people who think positively live longer and healthier lives than those who tend to think negatively. Rothenberg suggests focusing on being grateful for what you have rather than resentful for what you lack. “Cultivating gratitude can increase
positive feelings,” she says. “It acts as a therapeutic complement for treating anxiety and depression.”
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