There are 13 ways to improve your chances of living a life promoting happy, healthy. They can add to this list, but for convenience, we will attend to this issue in general bad luck.
At the destination, but the 13 habits promise a life of strength and vitality. Of course there are no guarantees, but many of the practices mentioned here have been published in scientific journals. Ignore them and they can be good with a great wager with her mental and emotional wellbeing.
Healthy Habit # 1: Eat breakfast every morning
The Breakfast eaters are champions of good health. Research shows that people who eat in the morning tends to provide more vitamins and minerals and less fat and cholesterol. The result is often a leaner body, lower cholesterol and less likely to eat too much.
"This act [breakfast] seems to make a difference in people total weight," says Melinda Johnson, RD, a spokeswoman for the American Dietetic Association (ADA). She says breakfast can deter hungry until lunchtime and make high-calorie options less attractive machine.
Not only that, researchers at the conference in 2003, the American Heart Association reported that breakfast eaters are significantly lower risk of obesity and diabetes compared to eating nonbreakfast achieve.
Another study published in the International Journal of Food Science and Nutrition showed that people who consumed breakfast cereal every day reported feeling better physically and mentally than those who rarely ate cereal in the morning.
For kids, breakfast appears to enhance alertness, attention and performance on standardized achievement tests, reports the ADA.
For all the benefits of breakfast, the Mayo Clinic recommends a meal with carbohydrates, protein and a small amount of fat. They say that any food that provides all the nutrients you need, eat a variety of foods is essential for good health.
But even with so much scientific support that breakfast is the proper body, many people have excuses for not eating in the morning. It does not include enough time and not feel hungry. For these people, Johnson points to the custom breakfast every day.
"When I prepare in the morning, it takes time for breakfast, because that would reduce sleep," said Johnson. "So bring me breakfast in me, and I know I am an hour, when I read emails in the office when you can eat. Right now, I am hungry because I have been for almost two hours . "
Healthy Habit # 2: Add Fish and Omega-3 fatty acids in your diet
The AHA recommends a serving of fish twice a week.
Besides being a good source of protein and a diet relatively low in the bad form of fat in the diet of fish called saturated fat, omega-3 fatty acids - which have been shown to reduce the risk of diseases of the heart.
Fatty fish like mackerel, trout, herring, sardines, albacore tuna and salmon are rich in two kinds of omega-3 fatty acids: eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA) and docosahexaenoic acid (DHA).
Foods such as tofu, soybeans, canola, walnuts, flax seeds and their oils contain alpha-linolenic acid (ALA), omega-3 than in the body. While the benefits of ALA are controversial, the AHA recommends foods that are still part of a healthy diet.
In addition to its health benefits for the heart, there is some evidence that omega-3 can also calm the overactive immune system, says Johnson. Despite this benefit is still being studied, she says seems to be a link between increasing omega-3 fatty acids in your diet and reducing allergies, asthma, eczema, and autoimmune diseases.
Healthy Habit # 3: Sleep enough
"The body must have sufficient time to rest," said Michael Fleming, MD, president of the American Academy of Family Physicians (AAFP). Otherwise, you can repeat the tired and cranky.
This may seem like common sense, but according to the National Sleep Foundation (NSF), more than two thirds of older adults suffer from sleep problems and many American adults do not receive the minimum amount of sleep you need to be alert.
Sleep is essential for good health and mental and emotional wellbeing. The NSF reports that people who do not sleep enough are more likely than others to develop mental health problems and use of health services. In addition, lack of sleep has a negative impact on memory, learning and logical reasoning.
ZZZS Not enough can be dangerous. More than half of adult drivers - about 100 million people - say they drive drowsy during the past year, according to NSF polls. Approximately one in five drivers - 32 million people - say they fell asleep while driving.
Each drive because they are over 100,000 accidents, 1,500 deaths and tens of thousands injured, reports the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration. The NSF recommends taking a nap of 15 to 20 minutes. Because it takes about 30 minutes of caffeine to work, take a nap while waiting for the caffeine to put on alert to help restore.
To avoid the pitfalls of lack of sleep, make sure that at least seven to 10 hours of sleep each night. Children need more sleep, depending on their age.
Healthy Habit # 4: Make social connections
Volunteers. Go to church. Join a club. Whatever you do, do it with people. The common activities are good for your physical and mental health, according to a study published in the March / April 2004 of the American Journal of Health Behavior.
It makes sense, says C. David Jenkins, PhD, author of Improving Health: A Handbook of behavior change. He says social ties have many advantages, including:
• The provision of information. You may think, for example, frequent nosebleeds, coughing and sneezing episodes are trivial, but as a friend or close relative being, he or she can be encouraged to go to a doctor. If symptoms seem to be a serious illness, the social ties that have saved their lives.
• Instrumental support. Friends and family can physically endure in times of need. They can help cooking, cleaning, shopping, errands, and drive to the doctor's office.
• The emotional support. Share your problems with someone you trust can help relieve internal load. "It's a load of your chest," says Jenkins.
• Provide a sense of belonging. This feeling not only helps to strengthen the identity of a person, but also helps in preventing and overcoming depression and anxiety.
Community tires also help improve mental functioning, says Fleming. Group activities can help keep the mind active and maintain the desired levels of serotonin - a substance in the brain associated with mood. "The lack of social interaction [lower] levels of serotonin," says Fleming.
We know that physical activity is a generosity of benefits, so it is puzzling why so many people simply do not. According to the CDC, over 60% of Americans do not exercise regularly.
If you need an incentive, here's a summary of the benefits of exercise, according to the National Cancer Institute:
• Helps control weight
• Keeps bones, muscles and joints
• Reduces the risk of developing hypertension and diabetes
• Promotes psychological well-being
• Reduces the risk of death from cardiovascular disease
• Reduces the risk of premature death
Studies have also shown a link between exercise and reduced risk of certain cancers.
In addition to long-term effects, moving the body with immediate benefits, says Cedric Bryant, chief exercise physiologist for the American Council on Exercise. The short-term results of the exercise include helping people to think and move to better manage stress, improve mood and get a boost of energy.
The excuses people give for not exercising frequently are the precise reasons for the exercise, says Bryant. People who say they are too tired or do not have time to not realize that exercise train people have more energy and be more productive with the rest of his time.
Healthy Habit # 6: good oral hygiene
Skip to floss every day could add 6.4 years of his life, according to Michael Roiz, MD, author of RealAge. In his book, Roiz lists flossing as one of the most important daily activities - along with exercise and quitting smoking - that could extend life.
Roiz calculation may cause some eyebrows, but the idea that oral health is connected to overall health is not implausible.
The mouth, in short, is an integral part of the body. "Teeth have a blood supply, and that blood supply comes from the heart," says Richard Price, DMD, consumer advisor for the American Dental Association (ADA).
Investigators suspect that bacteria that produce dental plaque enter the bloodstream. They say these bacteria somehow linked to the inflammation that occurs with plaque that blocks arteries and causes heart disease.
Other researchers have found a link between bacteria and oral diabetes, stroke, and the birth of premature infants and those with low birth weight.
In addition to preventing disease, flossing and brushing can help keep your teeth white intact for more than just cosmetic reasons. The teeth help you chew food, speak properly, and a smile - which, according to Price, can help you get your dignity.
Healthy Habit # 7: Get a hobby
Search for the word "hobby" in the Collegiate Church of Merriam-Webster, and find the definition of "a commitment beyond the regular employment, especially dedicated to relaxation."
Since they are relaxing activities, hobbies are usually enjoyable. Some people find joy in craftwork, bird watching, sports, flea markets, walking in the park, or playing cards.
The joy may help people living healthier and better recovery from illness. First, can participate in hobby to burn calories rather than sit in front of the TV.
In a study of people undergoing surgery, Jenkins found that people who participate in hobbies before their operation had better recovery six months later, compared with people who have no hobbies.
The participants with hobbies tended to have more drive and interest in things and other people, says Jenkins. "It was a more active orientation to life."
Healthy Habit # 8: Protect your skin
Our skin begins to age and where born, according to the American Academy of Dermatology (AAD), the best way to protect and look younger is to stay away from the Sun
The sun has harmful ultraviolet (UV) radiation that can cause stains wrinkles, dryness and age. The excessive exposure can cause sunburn, changes in skin texture, dilated blood vessels and skin cancer.
Avoid the sun is not always ideal or practical. To reduce the risk of skin damage, the AAA offers the following tips:
• Always use sunscreen with SPF 15 or higher.
• Place a wide-brimmed hat and protective clothing.
• Do not deliberately sunbathe.
• Try to fly between 10 hours and a quarter to avoid
Healthy Habit No. 9: Snack the healthy way
The ADA recommends five or more servings of fruits and vegetables a day as part of a healthy diet. These plant foods can do much to promote good health, including:
• Reduce the risk of some cancers
• Beat the signs of aging
• Improve Memory
• The promotion of heart health
• Improve the immune system
One way of fruits and vegetables in your diet is to have them as snacks. "If something [to improve your health] to do, concentrate on getting fruits and vegetables," says Johnson. "They're low in calories and rich in nutrients."
She says baby carrots and cut-up data is practical and tasty sandwiches. Other healthy snacks include low-fat yogurt and nuts (in moderation).
The best time to grab a snack when hungry between meals, says Johnson. But beware: the desires could easily be mistaken for signs of hunger, especially for people who are dieting.
Healthy Habit # 10: Drink water and eat dairy products
Water and milk are essential fluids for good health, but can also help with shedding pounds.
The body needs water to hydrate properly and people vary greatly in the amount of water they need. The joints need to be moving and vital organs like the heart, brain, kidneys and liver needs to function properly.
If you do not have enough water, your body goes into emergency mode, and clings to each water molecule can be found, according to the University of Minnesota Water Resources Center. The stored molecules appear as extra weight. The weight is only released when the body has enough water.
The calcium in milk, however, is known to be important for strong bones and teeth. Studies have also shown that it can help prevent high blood pressure, kidney stones, heart disease and colon cancer.
In the field of weight loss, three 8-ounce glasses of low fat milk or fat, seem to promote body fat loss while maintaining muscle mass, according to the ADA. The consumption of dairy products should be part of a balanced eating plan low in calories.
Healthy Habit # 11: drinking tea
"Decaffeinated tea is better," says Fleming, considering that the caffeinated variety can be dehydrating, and sugary drinks can cause weight gain.
There is evidence that tea can help improve memory and preventing cavities, cancer and heart disease. Fleming says that the overall research is inconclusive.
"There may be some beneficial effects of tea, in particular, the antioxidant potential, but no data of this law is very specific."
However, there is no doubt that a cool iced tea can be a refreshing treat on hot days. Try the taste of your tea with juices, fruits, cinnamon sticks, ginger and other spices.
Healthy Habit # 12: Take a daily walk
We have already pointed out the benefits of exercise in habit No. 5. Now, here's a tip on how to integrate physical activity into your daily life: WALK.
We are not talking about taking the time of his busy schedule to work - it is also important - but the infusion of life and movement of the limbs to save in your path.
"Just moving. Pace during phone calls while you brush your teeth while your child's soccer game," Bryant said, and pointed out that every 20 steps a person that is needed is a counter of calories burned .
An eight-year study of 13,000 people also showed that people who walked 30 minutes a day had a significantly lower risk of premature death compared with those who rarely exercised, reports the American Council on Exercise.
And there are plenty of opportunities to move the legs:
• Use the stairs instead of the elevator.
• Walk to the store.
• Window shopping at the mall.
• Leave your desk and instead of visiting their colleagues who send him an email.
• Walk and talk with friends instead of meeting for a meal.
Healthy Habit # 13: Plan
Maybe there is no better word in English to better illustrate how to incorporate healthy habits into their daily lives.
"A little planning goes a long way," said Johnson. "Eating healthy does not happen by accident."
For the most part, good fitness, skin protection, healthy teeth, weight loss, and social ties. Many of these habits of effort should be planned in the busy life.
For healthy eating, for example, help design a menu to time, make a shopping list, go to shop, prepare meals and breakfast and lunch.
