The fresh start that the beginning of a new year represents for many people inspires resolutions to improve our bodies and our minds. To guide you as you look toward a healthier 2018, we have gathered some of the most useful health tips we could find, based on research we published in 2017.
Generosity — and it doesn't take much — makes us happier. Brain scans show it works.
Relieve Your Worried Mind
Worriers waste a lot of mental energy. It's as though they are constantly multitasking — doing one task and trying to monitor and suppress their worries at the same time. Expressing your fears in writing can help you reboot your brain and reclaim mental bandwidth.
Paint It Blue
People recover from stress a lot quicker in blue light than in one with regular white lighting. Or is it the absence of red wavelengths that makes the difference?
Don't Look. Listen.
We can hear the emotions behind people's words far better when we aren't concentrating on their faces.
Getting out and moving for just one to two hours a week lowers your risk for depression. It works even better if you are out in nature.
Let Your Kids See You Struggle
Mistakes are good for everybody. When kids see parents struggle, they learn how to persist.
De-Clutter, It's Easier than You Think Are you holding on to too much stuff? Here's a way to honor sentimental items of clothing or toys without succumbing to clutter.
Work on Your Actual, Not Virtual, Social Skills
Texts and social media can't duplicate the benefits of person-to-person interactions. Spending time with others is good for your health and others', too.
Try a Little Mindfulness
You really can calm down. Student stress was skyrocketing at the University of Oxford in England. Students who followed an eight-week course to learn mindful meditation techniques were not nearly so distressed at exam time. It could work for you, too.
Remember, Cancer Is a Numbers Game
All of us can cut our risk of cancer. Nearly half of all cancers are the result of risk factors that we can control.
Nuts Are a Protection Racket for Your Heart
Nuts are seeds, so they pack a major nutritional punch, with special benefits for your heart.
Dieting: Small Changes, Big Progress
You don’t have to make radical, overnight changes to your diet in order to improve your health. In fact, the opposite may be true. Pick changes you can live with.
Gravitate to Whole Grains
Give whole grains in bread, pastas and salads a chance. You'll lose weight and reduce your risk of diabetes and colorectal cancer.
Worried about climate change? Eating beans instead of beef once a week could reduce global greenhouse gases up to 75 percent. It's not bad for your health, either.
Indulge in a Little Chocolate Therapy
A little chocolate every day or so can reduce your risk of atrial fibrillation. Best to be sure it's dark chocolate.
Think Before Going Gluten-Free
The are some good reasons to go gluten-free. Heart health is not one of them.
Reconsider Salt
What if everything we thought we knew about salt and blood pressure turns out to be wrong? Eating more foods high in potassium, calcium and magnesium may be more helpful in controlling blood pressure than limiting salt.
Getting The Fats You Need...and Avoiding Those You Don't
A new advisory should help clear up confusion about which fats to eat and which to avoid.
Don't Make Killer Dietary Choices
Nearly half of all the deaths caused by heart disease, stroke and type 2 diabetes are related to eating too little of the good stuff and too much of the harmful stuff.
Cut Your Cancer Risk with Energy-Dense Foods
Foods that pack lots of nutrients in each calorie can cut your risk of cancer.
Avoid the ER If You Possibly Can
When an out-of network anesthetist puts you out, the bill can knock you out all over again.
Wishing you a happy, healthy 2018 from everyone at TheDoctor.
