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Five Ways To Improve Your Health And Finances

Five Ways To Improve Your Health And Finances

By Cameron Huddleston, GOBankingRates.com (TNS)

You know healthful habits can help you improve your physical and mental well-being, ward off chronic diseases, and even prolong your life. But did you know they can also help you save money?

That’s right: Taking steps to improve your health can also improve your finances. In fact, the savings can be substantial and long term. Here are five ways to improve your health — and finances.

Eat Less Meat

One way to improve your finances and health is to cut back on meat.

“Studies do show that people who eat less meat tend to be leaner and less likely to gain weight than people with higher meat intakes,” said Kristen Gradney, the owner of a nutrition consulting firm. Numerous studies have also shown that switching to a vegetarian diet can lower cholesterol levels, she said.

Plus, you can cut your grocery bill by replacing meat sources of protein with beans and vegetables. A can of beans usually costs less than $1.

Quench Your Thirst With Water

You’ve probably heard that you should drink eight 8-ounce glasses of water per day, but that rule isn’t supported by hard evidence. In fact, water needs vary person to person.

But the truth is, water is your best bet for hydration because it’s calorie-free and inexpensive. Considering households spend an average of $850 a year on soda, and drinking just one soda every day can add 10 pounds of extra weight in a year, according to Drink Water First, your wallet and waistline will thank you for sticking to water. Just skip bottled water, which costs 240 to 10,000 times more per gallon than tap water, according to the Natural Resources Defense Council.

Drink Less Alcohol

Various studies have found that moderate consumption of alcohol actually helps your heart. However, if you drink too much, those benefits are outweighed by an increased risk of high blood pressure, liver damage, certain types of cancer, and other problems, according to the Mayo Clinic. So what’s a moderate amount? One glass of wine a day for women and men older than 65 and two for men 65 and younger.

Limiting — or eliminating — your alcohol consumption will also save you money. Consumers spend an average of $445 a year on alcoholic beverages, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics. Cutting back or eliminating your alcohol consumption can save you several hundreds of dollars every year.

Exercise With Friends

Exercise is an easy way to improve your health. Not only does physical activity help you control your weight and combat chronic health conditions, it can also make you feel happier, relieve stress, and give you more energy. Exercise can also lead to higher wages because it boosts productivity, according to a study published in the Journal of Labor Research.

Quit Smoking

You probably don’t need to be told that smoking is bad for you — it’s an accepted fact. But if the warnings that smoking can lead to lung disease, heart disease, and cancer haven’t convinced you to quit, maybe the high cost of your habit will.

The average price for a pack of cigarettes is $6.24, according to the Campaign for Tobacco Free Kids. So if you have a pack-a-day habit, you’re spending nearly $2,300 a year on cigarettes. Plus, smokers pay $35 for related health costs per pack they smoke, according to the American Cancer Society — which adds up to almost $13,000 a year if you smoke a pack a day.

Photo: Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources via Flickr

This Week In Health: Close The Fridge And Go Outside

This Week In Health: Close The Fridge And Go Outside

“This Week In Health” offers some highlights from the world of health news and wellness tips that you may have missed this week:

Southern Comfort Makes Y’All Sicker: A new analysis of eating patterns has identified the Southern United States as having the most dangerous eating habits for heart health. The study, conducted by the University of Alabama, identified six common food choices that characterized the Southern diet, including sugary drinks, fatty and fried foods, processed meats, and organ meats. All are known to contribute to poor health. The lead researcher for the project recommends those following the Southern diet stop doing so.

Don’t Get Expired: New tech looks to answer an age-old question: Does this look okay to you? Scientists from around the world have been developing surefire ways to determine if milk, eggs, fish, and vegetables have expired — regardless of what the dubious date printed on the food might say.

Doctors Urge Individuals To Get More Vitamin D : Doctors have started recommending Vitamin D supplements as a critical part of a healthy lifestyle. Although maintaining a good diet and getting enough sunlight should produce sufficient Vitamin D, recent trends have shown that deficiency has reached a new high of 1 in every 5 adults, as well as 1 in every 6 children. A lack of Vitamin D is associated with a series of problems, such as heart disease, diabetes, cancer and multiple sclerosis.

Should Red Tape Trump Innovation? The debate between scientific research and regulation continues to rage, on a new front: The discovery of an enzyme called CRISPR-Cas9 opened new avenues for genetic research, including altering embryonic DNA. Chinese scientists attempted the latter last year, prompting condemnation from around the world. The international nature of the scientific community makes these new frontiers difficult to navigate, and even harder to regulate. Cultural values, religious influence, and political structures all impact how progress will proceed — and which countries will be successful.

Photo by Kurman Communications via Flickr

3 Diet Trends Explained

3 Diet Trends Explained

As American waistlines continue to expand, so does the number of diet plans promising to shrink them. But many crash diets, juice cleanses, or canned smoothies often fail to deliver long-lasting results. Temporary changes in diet rarely solve the problems caused by years of unhealthy eating. Instead, guidelines that encourage long-term change in diet can make a significant difference in energy, weight, and overall health. To help decode all the health jargon, here are some of the most popular diet guidelines.

The Paleo Diet

A relative newcomer to the health and nutrition scene, paleo (short for Paleolithic) has rapidly gained popularity among fitness experts. Based on what proponents dubiously claim was the human diet during the Paleolithic era, the plan prohibits processed food, alcohol, dairy, legumes, and even salt. The focus is instead on natural, high-fat, high-protein foods such as grass-fed meat, fish, and vegetables. So while white bread might be taboo, bacon can now claim to be a health food.

For those hesitant to give up the occasional slice of cake or glass of wine, the paleo diet also includes the 85:15 rule, meaning that the diet must only be followed 85 percent of the time. This equates to roughly three non-paleo meals each week.

The paleo diet is best suited for weight loss, muscle building, or those prone to iron deficiency. Those suscepitble to high cholesterol levels are better off trying another food plan. More information about the paleo diet can be found here.

Gluten Free

Though generally prescribed for medical reasons, some believe a gluten-free diet can also prove beneficial to those without gluten allergies or Celiac disease. Proponents of the gluten-free lifestyle argue that gluten — a protein found in wheat, barley, and rye — can have myriad negative effects on those without a diagnosed gluten sensitivity, including weight gain, exhaustion, and even depression.

Starting a gluten-free diet can be intimidating, but there is a wide range of products available to keep restrictions as limited as possible. Gluten-free cereals, pastas, and baking mixes can often be found in the average grocery store, making it easy to make home-cooked gluten-free meals.

A gluten-free diet can be extremely helpful to those with severe food allergies, but it is generally not recommended for those simply looking for a healthier lifestyle. More information on gluten intolerance and a gluten-free lifestyle can be found here.

Vegetarian

As the FDA debates eliminating lean meat from its dietary guidelines, vegetarianism is shedding its hippie image. Though many people choose to eat vegetarian for ethical reasons, the diet also offers a number of health benefits, including higher energy, weight loss, and a stronger immune system.

This diet comes in several shades, ranging from standard vegetarianism to a stringent vegan diet. The differences are simply in the variety of animal products consumed.

Vegetarians choose not to eat animal flesh of any description, though they usually consume dairy and honey. Vegans eliminate all animal products and animal-derived products from their diet. This includes dairy, eggs, and honey. (Self-described “pescatarians” are not, despite popular myth, vegetarians, as they only eliminate meat and poultry from their diets, while continuing to eat fish, dairy, and honey.)

Due to their non-consumption of meat, vegetarians must be careful to ensure they have enough protein and iron in their diets.

All variants of vegetarianism have proven health benefits, including weight loss, reduced cholesterol, and reduced risk for heart disease. More information can be found here.

Photo by U.S. Department of Agriculture via Flickr

Six Simple Ways To Never Overeat Again

Six Simple Ways To Never Overeat Again

By Emily Abbate, FITBIE.com (TNS)

Overeating is one of those mindless things you almost always regret. Pending the environment, it can be caused by a number of things, ranging from good food being around, to eat all at once (i.e. chips), to your lack of preparation for a meal with friends. One thing we can all agree on? Life, and our stomachs, are much better when we reel it in and keep our eating habits in check. Check out these six ways to squash overeating, adapted from The Better Man Project.

1. Preload. Going out for dinner? A half-hour before you leave, eat a 200-calorie snack that contains at least 15 grams of protein. With a gut full of satiating protein and fewer hunger hormones circulating, you’ll consume fewer calories at the restaurant. Two good snack choices: a whey protein shake, or an apple with string cheese (contains satiating fiber and fat, too).

2. Stop before your tank is full. Picture a gas gauge in your belly. “E” means you’re ravenous and “F” represents a full tank. Aim to stay between half and three-quarters of a tank by eating before you feel famished and stopping when you’re satisfied, not stuffed, said Matt Lawson, M.A., a weight-loss coach for iBehaviorCoach.

3. Chew on it. You’ve heard this one before: Chew each bite 40 times. Well, there’s science behind it. In one study, men who chomped that many times per bite ate 12 percent less than those who chewed 12 times. Researchers believe chewing longer before swallowing speeds the release of gut hormones linked to feeling satisfied.

4. Eat like a restaurant critic. Take time to note the texture, flavor and smell of your food. Think about where it came from, the source. Saying to yourself, “Wow, this grass-fed rib eye from Wyoming is juicy,” can create a vivid meal memory that keeps you feeling fuller longer, a U.K. study found. (Note: That line works best when you’re actually eating a grass-fed rib eye from Wyoming.) And eating mindfully automatically will slow you down if you typically shove your food into your mouth.

5. Plan your grocery trips. Hungry shoppers really do load their carts with more high-calorie options, a study in JAMA Internal Medicine reports. The best time to shop is after breakfast on a weekend, said Anita Mirchandani, R.D., a New York City dietitian. If that’s not a good time for you, preload before you go. Also, studies show that going to the grocery store with a list will reduce the likelihood that you will purchase high-calorie foods that catch your eye.

6. Buy new dinnerware. The average U.S. plate has been enlarged by 23 percent in the last century. No wonder our waistlines have ballooned! The fix: Eat from plates with wide or colored rims. They make small portions seem larger because the plate looks more filled, according to research in the International Journal of Obesity.

Photo: Alysa via Flickr