Floss every day. That may help keep your arteries healthy. A 2008 New York University study showed that daily flossing reduced the amount of gum-disease-causing bacteria in the mouth. This bacteria is thought to enter the bloodstream and trigger inflammation in the arteries, a major risk factor for heart disease. Other research has shown that those who have high amounts of bacteria in their mouth are more likely to have thickening in their arteries, another sign of heart disease. “I really do think people should floss twice a day to get the biggest life expectancy benefits,” says Perls.
health hack
🍎 Health Hack: 5 Tips for a Healthy Gut
For Better Gut Health
- Eat slower. Chew your food well before swallowing. It may help you swallow less air and better sense when you’re full.
- Enjoy smaller meals. Eat in moderation to avoid overfilling your stomach and encourage digestion. A packed stomach may also cause reflux, or your food to come back up.
- Set a bedtime for your gut. Try to limit how much you eat after dark. Your GI tract is most active in the morning and daytime.
- Manage stress. Learn healthy ways to reduce stress like relaxation breathing, mindfulness, and exercise. Stress makes it harder to digest your food well.
- Create a routine. Try to eat around the same times each day. Your GI system may do best on a schedule.
🍎 Health Hack ~ Your Brain Loves These Foods
Eat your veggies. You’re not likely to forget this message. Getting adequate vegetables, especially cruciferous ones including broccoli, cabbage and dark leafy greens, may help improve memory.
Be sweet on berries and cherries. Berries — especially dark ones such as blackberries, blueberries and cherries — are a rich source of anthocyanins and other flavonoids that may boost memory function.
Get adequate omega-3 fatty acids. Essential for good brain health, omega-3 fatty acids, docosahexaenoic acid, or DHA, in particular, may help improve memory. Seafood, algae and fatty fish — including salmon, bluefin tuna, sardines and herring — are some of the best sources of the omega-3 fatty acid, DHA. Substitute fish for other meats once or twice a week to get a healthy dose.Â
Work in walnuts. Well known for a positive impact on heart health, walnuts also may improve cognitive function.
🍎 Health Hack ~ Fill Up on Whole Grains
How to enjoy more whole grains in your diet
Try these tips to add more whole grains to your meals and snacks:
- Enjoy breakfasts that include whole-grain cereals, such as whole-wheat bran flakes (some bran flakes may just have the bran, not the whole grain), shredded wheat or oatmeal.
- Substitute whole-wheat toast or whole-grain bagels for plain bagels. Substitute low-fat muffins made with whole-grain cereals, such as oatmeal or others, for pastries.
- Make sandwiches using whole-grain breads or rolls. Swap out white-flour tortillas with whole-wheat versions.
- Replace white rice with quinoa, brown rice, wild rice, barley or bulgur.
- Feature wild rice or barley in soups, stews, casseroles and salads.
- Add whole grains, such as cooked brown rice or whole-grain bread crumbs, to ground meat or poultry for extra bulk.
- Use rolled oats or crushed whole-wheat bran cereal in recipes instead of dry bread crumbs.
SOURCE: MayoClinic
🍎 Health Hack ~ Fill Up on Fiber
Some of fiber’s greatest benefits are related to cardiovascular health. Several large studies have found that people who eat the most fiber had a lower risk for heart disease. High fiber intake—particularly soluble fiber—seems to protect against several heart-related problems. . . . Fiber can help relieve constipation and normalize your bowel movements. Insoluble fiber is often used to treat or prevent constipation and diverticular disease, which affects the large intestine, or colon. Fiber may also play a role in reducing the risk for type 2 diabetes, the most common form of diabetes. Fiber in the intestines can slow the absorption of sugar, which helps prevent blood sugar from spiking.Â
🍎 Health Hack ~ Get a Little Sunshine
Head Outdoors
A few minutes in the sunshine raises vitamin D levels, and that’s good for your bones, your heart, and your mood. Plus, being outside means you’re more likely to move your body instead of parking it in front of the TV or computer. Choose nature over city streets, if you can. One study found that people who strolled in urban green spaces were calmer than people who walked in built-up areas.
🍎 Health Hack ~ Trade Screen Time for a Healthy Activity
Go Offline
Checking your email and social media a lot? Sure, your friends’ and family’s latest updates are just a click away, but do you really need to see pictures of your cousin’s latest meal? Let it wait until morning. Set a time to log off and put the phone down. When you cut back on screen time, it frees you to do other things. Take a walk, read a book, or help your cousin chop veggies for her next great dinner.
🍎 Health Hack: Want to Boost Your Metabolism?
Take a cold shower.
Sure, hot showers feel luxurious and will warm you up on a wintry day, but what else do they offer? Um, nothing. It’s cold showers that have an impressive array of benefits. And you need nothing other than a hefty dose of willpower to take advantage of them. One cold shower a day (lukewarm water won’t cut it) will improve circulation, increase metabolism, tighten pores, boost immunity and alertness, and speed recovery from a tough workout. To ease your way in, alternate between hot and cold water, a technique known as the “Scottish Shower.” Or switch over to cold water for the last couple of minutes, just like in the James Bond movies.
SOURCE
🍎 Health Hack: Are You Feeding Your Brain The Right Foods?
An August 2017 paper published in Nutrients . . . found that choline is essential for brain development, cognitive performance and resistance to cognitive decline associated with aging and neurodegenerative diseases.  Rich sources of dietary choline include:
- Egg yolks
- Turkey
- Beef
- Green split peas
- Liver
- Salmon
- Soybeans
- Mung beans
- Lentils
Health Hack: Step it Up
“Being active also is important to a healthy lifestyle. And it’s important in preventing serious problems like heart disease and diabetes. However, before you increase your activity level, talk to your doctor. Your weight is determined by the balance between the energy you take in (what you eat and drink) and the energy you use (physical activity). Every step counts. Studies have shown that every step you take helps you manage your weight and improve your overall health. You may want to track your steps with a step counter (pedometer) or an activity tracker. This can encourage you to increase your daily activity. The more steps you take per day, the better.”
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