From mental health to physical health, healthy living doesn't have to be complicated.
Small changes can make a huge difference in how you feel, and simple tests can provide surprisingly deep insights into your life – as we've learned this year.
Here's what it's like today in 2023com Discover the 10 Best Health Tips. We hope they help you thrive in 2024!
It doesn't take a lot of time to get healthier. One review of studies found that as little as 11 minutes of moderate-intensity physical activity per day, such as brisk walking, reduced the risk of heart disease by 17% and the risk of cancer by 7%.Such a large amount of daily exercise also reduces the risk of premature death by 23%.
Another study found that walking 8,000 steps once or twice a week was enough to significantly reduce the risk of death over 10 years.
Exercise can lower blood pressure without medication, so experts have been urging doctors to prescribe it for people with high blood pressure.
But what kind of exercise is best?A review of studies suggests that this is an isometric exercise in which muscle tension is applied without contracting the muscles, especially wall squats.
It's simple, but very intense. The lead author of the review recommends doing four wall squats, each lasting 2 minutes, with 1 to 4 minute rest intervals apart. This should be done three times a week to help lower blood pressure.
Two people sit together to make a wall. (filippobacci / getty images)
Start in a standing position, then sit cross-legged on the ground, then stand up again – all without the need for hands.
NBC News medical contributor Dr. Natalie Azar said this simple test is a valid indicator of health because you must have strong cardiovascular fitness, good balance, agility, flexibility, and core and leg strength to complete it.
After this ** went viral on TikTok, experts told Todaycom, tart cherry juice as a natural sleep aid may be worth a try – but only if you consult a doctor.
According to the Cleveland Clinic, tart cherries contain melatonin and tryptophan, which aid sleep because they increase the amount of melatonin in the body.
Small studies have found that adults who drank tart cherry juice at night slept more.
Choose a brand that doesn't contain added sugar and consume it with other foods that can induce sleep, such as cheese that is high in tryptophan or almonds that are high in melatonin, Bonnie Taub-Dix, a registered dietitian, advises.
Athletes sometimes sip kimchi juice during strenuous exercise because it makes muscle spasms less severe.
Kimchi juice does not prevent the development of muscle spasms;Instead, it prevents them from happening in the moment, researchers told Todaycom。The acid in the saline triggers nerve reflexes in the throat that send signals to the spinal cord to stop spasms.
The next time you have muscle cramps, try drinking a tablespoon of juice from a jar of vinegar pickles to relieve it.
Mental health practices include walking alone in nature, undisturbed, in a place where there are no crowds.
The idea is to "pay attention to every breath and every step, listen to the sounds of nature around you, be grateful for the sun kissing you," Lalah Delia, author of the mindfulness book "Vibration Higher Every Day," told Todaycom。
She added that Zen Buddhist monks have long practiced jingxing, or walking meditation, under different names.
Health benefits include reducing stress, connecting with yourself more deeply, and lowering blood pressure and heart rate.
The World Health Organization warns that drinking alcohol at any level is safe for health. However, experts say that if people choose to drink in moderation, then there are some preferred options.
One of them is a glass of champagne or sparkling white wine, which contains about 100 calories. Nutritionists say choose dry white wine or dry sparkling wine, which don't have added sugar like many other beverages.
Researchers have found that starch is a bigger problem than sugar when it comes to weight creep after age 40.
They recommend focusing on "carb quality" – swapping out certain carbs for others.
One study found that people who ate more whole grains, fruits, and non-starchy vegetables gained less weight in middle age than their peers who indulged in sugary starchy diets.
This test, which is all the rage on TikTok, involves pointing out a bird to your significant other and observing how they react.
Proponents of the Bird Test say that if they're genuinely interested in responding or curious about why you're paying attention to the bird, there's a good chance you're in a strong, long-lasting relationship.
However, if your companion is blind to the bird, then the relationship is not so healthy.
The new year is all about new beginnings, letting go of old habits and things that frustrate you.
This is where Swedish Death Cleaning can help – Swedish writer Margareta Magnusson introduced the concept to the rest of the world. "The idea is that we shouldn't leave a pile of trash for our loved ones to clean up after we die," she wrote in her latest book.
When it comes to cleaning, it is often difficult for people to get rid of items that should really be thrown away but have sentimental value. If this is the case, take a picture of the item, thank it for it, and let it go, she suggests.
Keep it bare and organized. That's the way of life. Don't hoard things, Magnussen told todaycom。