The Best Foods for Hydration

Don’t get us wrong. Eating any old food isn’t going to help you stay hydrated. Some foods can end up doing more harm than good. Double positive: most foods with a high water content are also full of beneficial nutrients. These include:

• Cucumbers

Cucumbers are made up of 95% water and are full of anti-inflammatory compounds. They help your body remove excess waste and reduce skin irritation. Cucumbers are also being researched for their anti-aging properties. Add this all together, and you’ve got one refreshing summer snack.

• Spinach

Spinach is made up of 91% water. Although other leafy greens have a higher water content, you maximize your water and nutrient content with spinach.

• Zucchini

Zucchini, or summer squash, has become more popular in recent years. It has a high water content of around 94%. It also brings all kinds of helpful antioxidants to the proverbial table.

• Strawberries

Vegetables aren’t the only food group that can help you stay hydrated during the summer. Some fruits—specifically, strawberries—have a 91% water content and are also rich in flavonoids, which help your brain function at an optimal level for longer. After a picnic, have a water-packed dessert that comes nicely packaged in a strawberry.

• Watermelon

Another one of the best foods for hydration is watermelon. Given the name, it shouldn’t be a surprise that it contains around 91% water. It also helps improve your complexion after all those sweaty days outside through lycopene.

• Celery

Not only is celery made up of 95% water weight, but it is also full of fiber and other essentials such as vitamin K, potassium, and folate. Don’t love the fibrous veggie? Fill the middle with peanut butter for protein and a water boost.

• Cauliflower

Cauliflower might seem like an unlikely addition to our list. However, it is made up of 92% water by weight. It also has plenty of vitamins like C and K that help lower cholesterol and your cancer risk.

The post The Best Foods to Eat For Hydration appeared first on EHE Health.

Common men’s health conditions

A combination of unhealthy lifestyle choices, poor health education, and other factors may raise men’s risks for certain health conditions. These include, but are not limited to:

• Heart disease. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), heart disease is the leading killer of men in the United States, accounting for 1 in 4 deaths.
• Lung conditions. The CDC notes that while lung cancer affects both men and women, the diagnosis is more likely in men. Other lung conditions, such as emphysema, may also be more likely in men.
• According to research published in the Canadian Journal of Psychiatry, while women are more likely to be diagnosed with depression, men are far more likely to die by suicide.
• Substance abuse. The Canadian Journal of Psychiatry also notes that most substance abuse disorders occur in men.
• Kidney stones. According to the National Kidney Foundation, about 1 in 10 Americans will develop a kidney stone in their lifetime. And men are at higher risk than women.

Essential men’s health screenings

The Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act (Obamacare, or the ACA) requires insurers to cover essential health screenings at no charge. You can get these screenings free from any doctor within your network, even if you have not yet met your deductible. Here are the criteria for each check.

• Abdominal aortic aneurysm screening: Men aged 65 to 75 who are current or former smokers
• Alcohol misuse screening: Everyone
• Blood pressure check: All adults over age 18
• Cholesterol screening: Based on your risk profile
• Colorectal cancer screening: Everyone aged 45 to 75
• Depression screening: Everyone
• Type 2 Diabetes check: All overweight or obese adults between 40 and 70 years old
• Hepatitis B screening and vaccine: Anyone considered high risk
• Hepatitis C screening: Everyone aged 18 to 79
• HIV screening: Everyone aged 15 to 65, plus anyone else at increased risk
• Lung cancer screening: Ages 50 to 80 who are heavy smokers or have quit in the past 15 years
• Obesity check: Everyone
• Syphilis screening: Anyone at high risk
• Tobacco use screening: Everyone
• Tuberculosis screening: Everyone at high risk

Depending on your age and clinical profile, your doctor may recommend certain preventive measures that are also covered as essential health benefits. These include, but are not limited to, statin medications or HIV preventatives.

Regular doctor visits are the best way to ensure that you remain healthy and fit throughout your life. In general, most healthy adult men should see a primary care physician once per year (along with additional visits if you get sick). If you have a chronic medical condition, your doctor may want to see you more often until your condition is well-controlled and stable.

Nutritional needs for men

In addition to doctor’s visits, proper nutrition and exercise can also help you stay fit. According to the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA)’s Dietary Guidelines for Americans, men aged 19 to 30 generally need about 2,400 to 3,000 calories per day, while those aged 31 to 59 need around 2,200 to 3,000. Men aged 60 and above need fewer calories, at about 2,000 to 2,600 per day. However, these are just averages. You can get more specific recommendations for your unique circumstances at the USDA’s MyPlate Plan.

Besides eating the right number of calories, getting the right nutritional balance is also important. You’ll need to learn what is considered a portion of each type of food. You’ll also need to understand how many portions of each type you need each day (found in the Dietary Guidelines above). And be sure to eat the rainbow! Different colors of fruits and vegetables contain various micronutrients essential to health.

Also, remember to drink plenty of water. Dehydration can be miserable at best and life-threatening at worst. You’ll need at least 8 glasses of water per day. If you’re exercising or working outside in the heat, aim for 8 ounces of water every 15 to 20 minutes. It’s better to drink small amounts regularly than large quantities all at once. If you start feeling dizzy or nauseous in the heat, get into the air conditioning, or at least into the shade. Sit down and drink a few sips of water at a time.

Physical exercise for men

You can get physical exercise in various ways, even if you don’t like the gym. Men of all ages should aim for at least 150 to 300 minutes of moderate exercise or 75 to 150 minutes of vigorous activity each week, spread across several days. This includes at least two days of strength training. Those aged 65 or over should include balance exercises as part of their routine.

Moderate exercise runs the gamut from recreational swimming and biking across flat terrain to yardwork, auto repair, or even playing with your kids or grandkids. Vigorous exercise, or cardio, includes anything that gets your heart rate up, such as shoveling snow, hiking or biking uphill, or even walking with a weighted backpack.

Balance exercises could include anything from ballroom dancing to walking backward. The point is to improve your steadiness on your feet and reduce your risk of falling.

Always check with your doctor before starting any new fitness routine, especially if you are over age 65 or have any underlying health conditions. Consider working with a physical therapist if you have a chronic illness, disability, or pain issue. These professionals have the specialized training and experience to design a customized fitness plan that improves your physical abilities while reducing pain.

The post Men’s Health Month: A Complete Guide to Men’s Health appeared first on EHE Health.

Is a beer belly really from too much beer?

One of the common misconceptions about beer bellies is that only drinking beer causes them. But any kind of excessive calorie intake adds to your midsection. Beer’s bad rap likely comes from the fact it tends to be consumed in greater volume than other drinks with higher alcohol percentages. Your average beer contains 150 calories and 5% alcohol content. That makes it easier to drink multiple in one sitting, quickly leading to an excess calorie load.

Beer bellies or excess belly fat occurs as a result of a consistent calorie overload of any kind. Whether they come from sugary foods, highly processed foods, or alcohol, all calories lead to fat storage in the body once they surpass your body’s metabolism level. Men are often more associated with this kind of fat retention than women since their bodies tend to store fat in their bellies. Women tend to keep more fat on their thighs, buttocks, and hips.

The consequences of a beer belly

A beer belly can have inconvenient consequences on your everyday size or wardrobe. But much more dangerous are the long-term effects on your health and the way they affect your present and long-term quality of life. An elevated waist circumference leads to an increase in health risks such as developing hypertension, Type 2 diabetes, heart disease, hypertension, high cholesterol, metabolic syndrome, joint pain, erectile dysfunction, and fatty liver disease. The older you get, the more your health risks increase which may result in death.

Another sign to watch out for is the hardening of an enlarged midsection. If you’ve had a beer belly for a while, it’s more likely to become quite firm due to an increase in internal organ fat. That fat begins to store inside and around the organs themselves, causing them to push the abdominal wall even further out. The fat that forms in between and inside your internal organs is called “visceral fat” and it can be extremely dangerous.

The presence of noticeable visceral fat dramatically increases your health risks, including a risk for stroke and Alzheimer’s. It is important to take action to lose weight and improve your cardiovascular fitness. Working to lose weight by making dietary changes, such as cutting out or reducing highly processed or sugary foods and alcohol, can decrease the possibility of an early death for the individual and help maintain your health as you age. Adding exercise to your weekly routine and heart-healthy dietary changes can make a significant difference.

The post Beer Belly: Real or Myth? appeared first on EHE Health.

Tips on eating better for mental health

Establish a dietary schedule

It doesn’t only matter what you eat; it matters how you eat. Establishing a schedule for your daily intake is one of the most important parts of eating well for your mind. If you haven’t eaten for several hours, your blood sugar can drop. Eating consistent, smaller meals during the day helps keep your mood consistent, especially if you notice that your mood changes with your blood sugar, as many people do.

If you’re one of nearly 80% of adults in the United States who consume caffeine each day, this tip is for you. Caffeine is a stimulant that can reduce sleep if ingested too close to bedtime. It takes about 30 minutes to take effect, but it has a half-life of about 6 hours and remains in the system for much longer. We recommend drinking any caffeine before 4 PM to optimize your sleep quality after 10 PM.

Give good fats their rightful place

Your body requires the right balance of healthy fats to keep performing optimally. Your brain, muscles, and other organs need fats from nuts, fish, dairy products, eggs, and olive oil. However, that doesn’t mean that all fats are necessary for your body to function. Trans fats wreak havoc on your cholesterol, which can continue to impact both your heart and brain health.

Include protein in each meal

Protein doesn’t always have to be meat, but you should always include protein with every meal. Most protein sources contain an essential amino acid that your brain uses to aid in mood regulation. Dairy products contain protein, as do beans, soy, lentils, nuts, tofu, and any source of meat.

Stay hydrated

Dehydration and symptoms of anxiety have been linked in recent studies. Up to 60% of the adult human body is water. Researchers recommend that men drink about 15.5 cups of fluid a day and about 11.5 cups for women.

Eat some meals with a group

There are many psychological benefits of eating food with others. This can help bring regularity to your life, slow down your food consumption, and make healthier choices.

Harness the mental power of your diet

Making wise dietary choices can go a long way for your physical and mental health. We are here to help you make that next step to better overall health! If you have more questions about implementing these tips to help your mental health, reach out to the health professionals at EHE.

The post How to Eat for Better Mental Health appeared first on EHE Health.

Unfortunately, not everyone gets the preventive care they need. While there is room for improvement in preventive care for everyone, minority populations have lower rates of receiving preventive care compared to white populations. There are several things that contribute to disparities in preventive care, including difficulty accessing care, cultural beliefs, cost, and awareness.

Health experts have pushed for more access and education around what types of preventive care people need and when. These efforts are critical to bridge the gaps for communities at high risk of chronic disease and premature death. The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS), the Office of Disease Prevention and Health Promotion (ODPHP), and other agencies like the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) recognize the importance of preventive care in reducing healthcare costs, increasing life expectancy, and improving quality of life for millions of people in the U.S.

Few Americans Get Recommended Preventive Care

In one study, only 8% of U.S. adults age 35 and older got all the “high-priority, appropriate clinical preventive services recommended for them.” About 5% didn’t get any preventive care at all. That includes things like:

• Annual wellness visits (physicals)
• Well-child visits
• Regular dental checkups
• Vaccinations
• Cancer screenings

Health Disparities Make It Harder to Access All Types of Care

A significant challenge in the U.S. healthcare system is overcoming the health disparities that make it hard for some communities and populations to access consistent, high-quality care.

• Lack of awareness. Many people are unsure about what preventive care, diagnostic services, and treatments they need, or how to get them.
• No primary care provider. Having a primary care provider (PCP) is key to quality preventive care. They take a holistic view of patient health, coordinating with specialists and hospitals to help ensure patients get the care they need.
• High cost of care. Those who lack insurance, or have a high-deductible plan, might avoid getting care because they can’t afford it.
• Limited access to care. Patients who live in rural communities, or lack reliable transportation might not be able to get in to see a doctor regularly.
• Discomfort or fear. Some people fear going to the doctor or the hospital and miss out on important preventive care and treatment that could reduce their risk of chronic illness and premature death.

Racial Disparities in Chronic Illness and Care Access

In the U.S., persistent racial disparities exist in healthcare coverage, chronic health conditions (including mental health), and mortality rates. The Center for American Progress published data in 2020 outlining some of these disparities. When compared with white communities, minority communities were more likely to experience:

• Lower insurance rates
• Higher rates of chronic illness, such as asthma, diabetes, heart disease, hypertension (high blood pressure), and obesity
• Higher infant mortality rates
• Higher cancer mortality rates
• Serious mental illness, including depression, anxiety, and severe trauma

Many of these issues are related to what health experts call social determinants of health (SDOH). These are factors in a person’s environment—where they live, work, play, and worship—that affect overall health, quality of life, and risk of illness or disease. Genetics and family history can also play a big role in your health risk.

How Preventive Care Bridges Health Disparities

Most people don’t have a lot of control over their SDOH and genetic risks. But there are things you can do to improve your overall health. Preventive care is one of the most effective ways to bridge gaps in care. Plus, most preventive care is available at little or no cost if you’re insured. For those without insurance, there are organizations that help cover the cost of screenings or offer low-cost options to get recommended care.

Lower your risk of chronic illness

Regular preventive care is the best way to reduce your risk of developing a severe or chronic illness. Chronic conditions often develop slowly over time. Seeing a provider regularly to get your health checked can help you or your doctor spot signs of early disease and take steps to improve your health. For example, your doctor will monitor your blood pressure and identify if your numbers are going up. They can help you make dietary and lifestyle adjustments to lower blood pressure naturally. They can also prescribe medications to keep blood pressure down and reduce damage to your heart and blood vessels that can lead to stroke or heart disease.

Reduce the risk of premature death

Catching diseases early—everything from the flu to cancer—can allow for more treatment options. Getting all your recommended preventive care, including screenings and vaccinations, can help lower your risk of illness and disabilities that can lead to premature death. For example, getting colorectal cancer screenings beginning at age 45 (or earlier if you are at high risk) is the most effective way to spot early signs of colon cancer. Detecting colorectal cancer when it’s in the early stages gives you a much higher chance of survival. The same is true for many other cancers, as well as chronic conditions like high blood pressure and diabetes.

Improve your quality of life

Doctors can help you take steps to reduce your risk of developing certain chronic conditions, or catch diseases early when treatment options are less invasive.

How to Get the Preventive Care You Need

These steps can help you access the right preventive care in the right place at the right time.

Schedule an annual checkup with a PCP

Start by seeing your primary care provider. If you don’t have a PCP, you can search online to find one near you that is accepting new patients. People of all ages should have a regular family medicine practitioner who they see at least once a year for an annual physical. They will monitor your health over time to assess trends and identify things that may indicate a problem, including:

• Elevated blood pressure
• Elevated blood sugar
• Elevated cholesterol levels
• Gaps in vaccinations
• Concerning skin changes
• As well as perform specific exams for men and women, such as a pelvic exam or prostate exam

A primary care provider will also review your medications each time you visit, or more often if you get a new prescription. This is especially helpful for people who see multiple doctors and specialists or are admitted to the hospital for care. When those doctors prescribe medications, your PCP can check to make sure they won’t interact with other medications or cause problems. They can also help you understand how and when to take your meds, and address concerns or side effects. If there’s a problem with one or more prescriptions, they can consult with your specialty physician(s) to find an alternative.

Get regular screenings

Regular screenings are another essential part of preventive care. The screenings you need depend on things like your:

• Age
• Sex
• Family history
• Current health and diagnoses
• Medical history

Your primary care provider can help you understand exactly what you need and when to get it. Most preventive screenings are covered by insurance, including Medicare, Medicaid, and private health insurance.

Preventive care is an essential step to better health for people of all ages. Talk to your doctor today—or find a PCP if you don’t have one yet—to get started.

The post The Power of Preventive Care: National Minority Health Month appeared first on EHE Health.

Top Tips to Eat More Healthy Food

We added “daily” into the mix because each day, the small choices you make eventually add up to become your lifestyle diet. Focus on one day at a time, and you will see more long-term benefits in the future. Here are our top tips for cleaning up your daily diet.

1. Swap your sugar for healthy alternatives

Sugars and highly processed foods go hand-in-hand. Pay attention to the kind of food you get from the grocery store. Try to start cutting out overly processed foods full of corn oil and corn syrup, sugars that make your blood sugars spike each time you eat them, leading to weight gain, high blood pressure, and even Type 2 diabetes in extreme cases.

Reducing alcohol intake is another one to cut down on if you want to make ongoing changes. This is because the sugar in alcohol can do a number on your body, causing all kinds of fluctuations in blood pressure and insulin levels.

2. Cook healthy food at home

Almost anything you can find to warm up or buy from a fast food restaurant will be full of preservatives, hard-to-digest sugars and carbohydrates, and unhealthy fats. By planning out your meals and cooking them yourself, you are automatically more aware of what goes into your food. This almost always leads to healthy food choices, giving you more control over your daily diet.

3. Stay on the outskirts of the grocery store or opt for local produce

Many grocery stores use a similar layout strategy. Often, all their natural products, fruits, and vegetables are on the outer aisles of the store. As you draw toward the middle, there are more preserved foods that don’t need to be temperature-controlled. Opting for local produce also helps guarantee the quality of ingredients that goes into your food since you can ask the grower about any chemicals used in production. Eating fresher healthy food from local producers also gives you access to more of the nutrients in the food as fruits and vegetables begin to lose nutrients through natural breakdown starting 24 hours after it’s picked.

4. Remember that carbs aren’t the enemy

Diet fads have demonized all kinds of things that we need in our daily diets. For example, carbohydrates and fats. You need carbs to replenish energy in your body and help it run smoothly. Don’t avoid food just because it doesn’t fall under a diet-food heading.

5. Don’t overcommit

Finally, don’t try to do everything at once. Start by becoming more aware of your food, and then each week or so, choose to cut something out or limit something. For example, do you typically eat fast food five or six times each week? Try to cut it down by half, then half again in a month or so. Changing too fast can set you up for a binge rebound.

Everything in Moderation—Even Healthy Food

Notice that we aren’t saying to make drastic cuts or all-encompassing changes to your current lifestyle. Long-term changes are what you’re going for, and making sudden radical changes is almost always unsustainable. Instead, make small healthy food choices and changes in moderation day-by-day. Days will turn into weeks, weeks into months, and months will become a lifestyle change that leads to a healthier you.

The post Healthy Food: How to Clean Up Your Daily Diet appeared first on EHE Health.

Let’s take a look at how to eat for better sleep, including which foods you should favor for a good night’s rest. 

Select the Right Times to Eat

Contrary to popular belief, snack time should not be just any time. Each time you consume food, your body releases insulin, which helps convert food into energy. If you eat too close to bedtime, this release of hormones can induce wakefulness in the brain that disrupts your circadian rhythm. Your circadian rhythm is your body’s natural clock that helps you fall and stay asleep. 

In addition to sleep health, the time you eat can also impact your overall health. When you consume food too close to bedtime, you don’t allow your body time for proper digestion. This can spell disaster for the quarter of the U.S. population that suffers from gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD). 

GERD causes gastric contents, including stomach acid, to splash back into the esophagus and cause painful heartburn and even a dry cough. Without ample digestion time before bed, those with GERD can experience severe sleep-depriving discomfort once laying down. Research recommends allowing roughly four hours for food to digest and move out of the stomach. 

Avoid Certain Foods

Now that you know when to eat let’s review the foods to avoid for better sleep. Items high in caffeine, like coffee, tea, and chocolate negatively impact both falling asleep and overall sleep quality. Any stimulating food or beverage with caffeine should be avoided before bed and consumed modestly throughout the day to prevent sleep troubles. 

Since insulin plays a significant role in the body’s energy production, it can also induce wakefulness in the brain. So, avoid all high-sugar foods, including candy, ice cream, and soda. These items spike your blood sugar and evoke a strong insulin response that can disrupt sleep. Likewise, those prone to indigestion caused by GERD should also avoid spicy or high-acid foods like peppers and citrus that can cause a symptom flare-up. 

Choose Foods That Promote Sleep

With a better understanding of which foods to avoid, you can begin to make healthy substitutions for better sleep. Opt for complex carbohydrate-rich foods, like whole-wheat bread, pasta, and rice. Research has shown that carbohydrate-rich foods like these can reduce the amount of time it takes to fall asleep and improve sleep quality.

You may also want to consider adding dinner ingredients that are high in Vitamin B6. Vitamin B6 plays a vital role in producing serotonin and melatonin in the brain, which aids in healthy and restful sleep. There is a wide variety of easily accessible foods high in Vitamin B6, including tuna, salmon, poultry, and various fruits and vegetables.

Change Your Diet, Change Your Sleep

Poor sleep health is not only frustrating, it’s debilitating. Fortunately, by switching up the time you eat and the foods you consume, you can significantly improve the quality of your sleep. 

The post Get Better Sleep with These Eating Habits appeared first on EHE Health.

There isn’t a one-and-done answer to this that you can take seriously. But there are basic guidelines and meal suggestions that you can use when you eat before and after physical activity during the day.

Healthy Eating Before and After Exercising

It isn’t recommended to eat less than 30 minutes before taking part in strenuous exercise. Some research suggests waiting an hour after you eat to exercise. If you feel the need to fuel your workout, we recommend eating something high in carbohydrates, low in fat, with a moderate amount of protein. But if you eat more than two hours before your workout, try eating something higher in protein and carbs and low in fat.

After exercise, your body is in a prime receptive mode, using its resources much more efficiently for 30 to 60 minutes after activity. So it’s important to eat something within that timeframe to help your body bounce back from the workout faster. At this point, you want something high in both protein and carbohydrates. Even your fat content can be slightly higher since your body will quickly burn it as energy.

Foods to Eat Before Exercise

Pre-workout, focus on things like fruits, oats, and eggs. Bananas are packed with carbs and potassium that support your muscles and help prevent muscle cramps. Oats are full of fiber and give you a store of carbs that gradually release as you burn through calories. Adding dried fruit to oatmeal gives you a vitamin boost and is a good source of easily digestible carbs.

Here are suggestions:

• Fruit smoothies

• Greek yogurt and granola

• Bananas

• Apples with peanut butter and raisins

• Chicken with a mix of rice and vegetables

• Scrambled eggs and avocado toast

• Oatmeal with fruit

What to eat after exercise

Post-workout meals should be a bit heartier to support recovery. Protein sources like chicken, eggs, tuna, and salmon help your muscles heal and build faster. Not getting enough protein after a workout will only slow you down. It is recommended to take in 0.14 to 0.23 grams of protein per pound of body weight within an hour after your workout. Sweet potato, oats, and fruits keep that carbohydrate supply going strong for a now-healing body as well.

Here are suggestions:

• Chicken with a mix of rice and vegetables

• Tuna salad sandwich or tuna on crackers

• Oatmeal with whey protein and fruit

• Omelet with an avocado spread

• Salmon and sweet potato

Although your specific exercise needs and food intake will vary (sometimes dramatically) from person to person, everyone’s body similarly synthesizes food. Use these guidelines and suggested meals and snacks to help you work out stronger, more efficiently, and bounce back faster from each activity.

The post Food and Exercise: How to Eat for Better Fitness appeared first on EHE Health.

The Basics

Creating a heart-healthy diet starts with understanding what you should eat and try to curtail. In general, aim to consume no more calories than you expend each day. The average adult needs about 2,000 calories per day, but you may need more or less depending on your age, gender, height and weight, and activity level. If you’re trying to lose weight, you’ll need to expend more calories than you take in. You can learn how many calories you need at the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s MyPlate Plan website.

Regardless of your specific calorie needs, heart-healthy eating basics are the same for everyone. They include:

• A variety of fruits and vegetables

• Whole grains

• Non-tropical vegetable oils

• Healthy proteins such as low-fat dairy, beans, nuts, seafood, and lean meat or poultry

• Low sodium

• Few processed foods

• Reduced sugar and alcohol intake

Additional Tips for a Heart-Healthy Diet

Heart-healthy doesn’t have to mean boring. Take this opportunity to learn more about spices and seasonings that don’t rely on salt for flavor. More ways to liven up a heart-friendly diet include:

Eat the rainbow: Challenge yourself to eat as many different colors of fruits and vegetables as possible.

Start with what you know: Toss some chopped veggies and fresh herbs into your stew, omelet, or other one-pot dishes.

Canned or frozen foods are fine: Don’t have time to process a lot of fresh produce? No problem. Look for flash-frozen fruits and vegetables or canned items without added sugar or salt.

Get your calcium: Need a healthy dessert alternative? Try tossing some frozen blueberries or strawberries into a cup of low-fat yogurt.

Expand your techniques: Most recipes that call for breading and frying have alternatives that rely on baking or grilling. Search the internet for recipes, and don’t be afraid to experiment.

Play with substitutions: We all love comfort foods, but there are easy ways to make your favorite high-fat comfort dish a bit more heart-friendly. For example, if you love macaroni and cheese, try making it with low-fat cheese and milk, reducing the butter, and adding fresh tomatoes and spinach. Or satisfy your sweet tooth with healthy dark chocolate instead of milk chocolate.

Indulge occasionally: Unlike a short-term fad diet, heart-healthy nutrition is meant to last a lifetime. If you implement a regimen of strict denial, you’ll only end up bingeing later. So give yourself permission to have an occasional treat. Just reduce the portion size or the frequency of consumption. For example, if you always have doughnuts on Saturday mornings, try having them just one Saturday a month. Or eat half a doughnut every Saturday morning alongside a healthy breakfast.

The post How to Create Your Heart-Healthy Diet appeared first on EHE Health.

For 45 million Americans every year, that includes weight loss. Many people will start restrictive (and sometimes expensive) fad diets that promise to shed pounds quickly.

Unfortunately, 95% of people who use these approaches either fail to lose weight or gain it back after the fad diet ends.

The Downside of Diets

A “fad diet” is a plan that promises dramatic weight loss in a short amount of time. Most involve restrictions, such as:

• Significant calorie restriction (eating less food)
• Eliminating specific foods (such as carbohydrates or sugars)
• Eliminating all foods for a certain period (such as a juice cleanse)
• Restricting meals to particular times of the day (intermittent fasting)
• Taking supplements or pills that promise to burn fat

Other diet plans may not have the same dramatic requirements. But, like all diets, they still center around restricting how much food you eat. Americans spend almost $80 billion a year on weight-loss products and dietary supplements. But health experts agree that fad dieting—and “dieting” in general—is not the most effective way to achieve long-term health.

What Happens When You Start

When you begin a restrictive diet, your brain and body identify the change. From an evolutionary perspective, your body interpret this as a famine—not having enough food—leading to an automatic biological response to:

• Slow your metabolism. Your body will burn fewer calories, because it wants to preserve the calories you have consumed to sustain daily activities.
• Release more hormones to encourage eating. Hormone levels change when you restrict calories, signaling your brain to eat more. Some research shows that these hormones take about a year to stabilize, making it harder to return to “normal” eating after a restrictive diet.
• Signal your brain to keep eating. Your brain needs fuel, and brain chemistry changes to make eating more pleasurable and rewarding when you’re dieting. Many people end up overeating later because of these positive signals.
• Learn how to avoid “famine” in the future. After you lose weight, your body learns from the experience. It adjusts hormones and metabolism to prevent similar weight loss in the future. That means diets that worked before probably won’t work as well the second time.

In addition to these physiological challenges, there are psychological challenges from fad dieting. You spend a lot of time thinking about or obsessing over food. If you lose weight and still don’t feel fulfilled, it can lead to depression or guilt. Those things can push you toward disordered eating that can become dangerous.

6 Nutrition Tips for Reaching Your Goals

This year, skip the plan to lose weight with a fad diet. Instead, take these small steps toward healthier habits that you can sustain over time.

1. Pay attention to what you eat throughout the day.

Before you make any drastic changes to your diet, track what you eat for a couple of weeks. Keeping a food diary can help you see how many servings of fruits and vegetables you eat, whether you are eating many processed or sugary foods, and whether your food portions are enormous. You don’t need to obsess about tracking every calorie that goes into your body, but getting a general idea is helpful to understand what changes to make.

2. Make small changes to your eating habits.

Instead of overhauling your entire diet, make changes slowly over time. For example, replace chips or French fries with fruit or vegetables at lunch. When that becomes a habit, swap out sugary sodas for water. These might not translate to significant weight loss immediately, but they can improve overall health and lead to slow, sustainable weight loss over time.

3. Add more lean protein, fruits, and vegetables each day.

Protein helps your body feel full. Fruits and vegetables provide quick energy in the form of healthy carbohydrates, so you’re less likely to reach for processed foods or sugary snacks like chips and candy. As you plan meals or snacks, start with lean proteins like chicken or fish, add fruits and veggies, then complete the meal with a small serving of bread, rice, or other whole grains.

4. Cook at home.

Restaurant meals usually have more fat and calories than meals you cook at home. One study of almost 12,000 adults found that people who ate five or more meals a week at home were less likely to be overweight than people who ate three or fewer meals at home. If you’re pressed for time to cook each night, set aside time on the weekends to plan meals, go grocery shopping, and prep food as much as you can in advance, so cooking is faster on busy weeknights.

5. Add movement to your day.

Exercise is essential for your health, especially for millions of people with sedentary jobs who sit at a desk most of the day. But that doesn’t mean you have to hit the gym for two hours to get the benefits. Adding movement could be a simple as taking a 5-minute break once an hour while you’re at work to go for a walk. Or doing sit-ups, push-ups, and squats during commercial breaks or for 5 minutes between streaming shows while you watch TV. It’s also helpful to find exercise activities that you enjoy. If you like your fitness routine, you’re more likely to stick to it. Try out new activities like swimming, biking, rock climbing, or a dance class.

6. Focus on getting quality sleep.

Sleep is an often-neglected aspect of good health, but getting more sleep can aid in your weight loss goals. Research shows that people who get fewer hours of sleep have higher insulin resistance. This can increase appetite, slow down metabolism, and affect attention and memory throughout the day. Getting adequate sleep (between 7 and 8 hours a night) can also reduce the risk of high blood pressure and depression in teens and adults. 

The new year presents an opportunity for a fresh start. Instead of jumping on the latest fad diet this year, set realistic goals and make small changes that can add up to significant health benefits over time.   

The post 6 Simple Nutrition Tips for the New Year appeared first on EHE Health.