5 Surprising Things that Could Improve your Health

Everyone knows that if you want to stay healthy you need to eat a balanced diet, consume as many plant-based foods as possible, and drink lots of water. We all know to exercise moderately, to sleep for at least 8 hours and to avoid cigarettes, alcohol and drugs. But there’s much more to staying in good shape than that, including these surprising things that can benefit your.

5. Flavoring Your Food

Incorporating herbs and spices into your meals can make a huge difference to your health and well being. Herbs are a great source of many essential nutrients that we struggle to obtain from other foods, and they also contain antioxidants that help to prevent cell damage. You only need to consume small amounts to get these benefits, and dried herbs are just as good as fresh ones where these phytonutrients are concerned.

It’s a similar story with spices. Everyone has heard about the amazing benefits of turmeric these days, but it’s not the only spice that packs a bunch. Cayenne, ginger, cardamom and even cinnamon can all provide additional health benefits, as can the use of black pepper, as it contains a compound known as piperine that works wonders on its own but also acts as a potentiator for other spices.

4. Be Close to Nature

Research has shown that our mood, creativity and productivity improves greatly the closer we are to nature. This means that an employee with a window-office right next to a beautiful garden is going to be more efficient than one with a central office surrounded by other workers. But the amazing thing is that you don’t need a big garden and a great view to benefit from this.

Research has also shown that simply having plants in your office or having a landscape painting to look at can provide many of the same benefits, especially where creativity is concerned. Of course, the benefits are best felt when you’re actually out and about, so if you have a lush garden at home or at work, then spend some time in it every day. If not, just get as close to nature as you can.

3. Focus on your Gut

96% of Americans don’t eat enough fiber and a lack of fiber contributes to increased risk of heart disease, colon cancer and diabetes, all major conditions that kill more Americans than anything else. This is no coincidence, and if you want your health to improve long-term then you need to add more fiber to your diet.

It’s not just your long-term prognosis that will change either. Your gut is the foundation of your health and impacts everything that you do. If you’re ever felt constipated or have had diarrhea you will have experienced this yourself. It takes over your day, it leaves you distracted, and puts you in a state of malaise.

If you eat lots of fiber, maintain a good balance of gut bacteria and have healthy bowel movements, every aspect of your health will improve significantly.

2. Care for your Teeth

Time and time again researchers have found that there is a strong connection between bad oral health and bad heart health. In the past these findings have been dismissed, as it stands to reason that smoking, drinking and a poor quality diet will all impact on someone’s oral health as much as their cardiovascular health, but recently scientists has found a closer link.

They know, for instance, that people who get regular dental check-ups are less likely to have heart problems, and that people who brush and floss regularly are less likely to suffer from coronary heart disease and strokes. It seems that the bacteria in your mouth can steadily impact your heart over the years, so make sure you take as much care of your teeth as you do the rest of your body.

1. Take Time Away from your Phone

The obsession that we all have for or electronic devices is taking over our lives. Not only is it creating a nation of inattentive, unsocial insomniacs, but it’s also causing more traffic accidents and significantly increasing the number of deaths from distracted walking. It’s a great time to be a personal injury lawyer but it’s a bad time to be young, because for anyone growing up today this is the norm and will continue to be seen as healthy.

If you really want to benefit your health, put the phone down when you’re busy, when you’re doing something else, and when you’re trying to go to sleep.