on the best ways to be healthier in 2015

New Year's Resolutions always seem to be focused on losing weight. Admittedly, I even said a few days ago that was my resolution as well. However, "lose weight" resolutions should be about being healthy. I don't mean to discredit wanting to look good: building self-confidence is an absolutely spectacular healthy goal. But the focus here should really be about changing bad habits and improving overall wellness.

Below I list my top 6 healthy practices everyone should be focusing on in 2015. They're not magic weight loss regimens, but they will make you feel better, help you accomplish more, and build health habits that are sustainable for life. (Bonus: They probably will help you shed some pounds as well.)

1. Catch your ZZZs (but not too many)

If I had a nickel for every friend of mine in college who told me, "I thrive on like 4-5 hours a sleep," I'd be able to buy an inflatable mallet to whack them on the head with. No! It's just not scientifically accurate. Full grown adults should be getting 7-8 hours of sleep per night and children 5-17 should be getting 9-11 hours.¹ This number increases if you are pregnant, have been previously sleep deprived, or are not getting quality sleep (which you likely aren't if you're playing on your computer, exercising, or drinking alcohol before bed.

Those who skimp even by 20 minutes under the optimal sleep number (7 hours) have impaired mental and physical performance the next day compared to those who don't. Sleep no less or more than 7-8 hours a day is connected to health problems such as diabetes, obesity, cardiovascular disease, as well as cognitive impairment.

To learn more, visit these sites:

National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute (part of the NIH's) guidelines: http://www.nhlbi.nih.gov/health/health-topics/topics/sdd/howmuch

Why Seven Hours of Sleep May Be Better than 8
http://www.wsj.com/articles/sleep-experts-close-in-on-the-optimal-nights-sleep-1405984970

Connections between Sleep and Health 
http://healthysleep.med.harvard.edu/need-sleep/whats-in-it-for-you/health

Connections between Sleep, Learning, and Memory 
http://healthysleep.med.harvard.edu/healthy/matters/benefits-of-sleep/learning-memory


1.National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute. "How Much Sleep Is Enough?" National Institutes of Health, 22 Feb. 2012. Web. 02 Jan. 2015.

2. Drink more H₂O

The general guideline is that we should be drinking 8 cups (64 oz) of water a day, but I'm just gonna leave this here...

To learn more, visit these sites:

Water: Meeting Your Daily Fluid Needs:

http://www.cdc.gov/nutrition/everyone/basics/water.html

Water: How Much Should You Drink Every Day?:

http://www.mayoclinic.org/healthy-living/nutrition-and-healthy-eating/in-depth/water/art-20044256

Water, Hydration, and Health (a more technical document):
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC2908954/

3. Eat out less, cook more

Restaurant food is full of sodium and calories. Portions are often far larger than they need to be and as a result we, the restaurant patron, tend to over eat. Easily cut out calories and still have a satisfying, filling meal by cooking yourself! I find that beyond the taste of the food, cooking it myself leaves me more satisfied with less food than I get in a restaurant.

To learn more, visit these sites:

Larger Portion Sizes Contribute to U.S. Obesity Problem:
http://www.nhlbi.nih.gov/health/educational/wecan/news-events/matte1.htm

Drexel Study Finds an Entire Day Calories Saturated Fat and Sodium in an Average Restaurant Meal:
http://drexel.edu/now/archive/2014/January/Restaurant-Meals-Unhealthy-Choices-Study/

4. Make processed foods "sooo 2014"

Ugh, I know. We're busy and processed foods are so easy. But you know what they're not easy for? Your body.

Processed foods often are chocked full of sugar, sodium, fats, and preservatives and are designed in labs to be...well...addicting. However, processed foods have much less nutritional value than fresh food. And I'm not just talking Twinkies here. White flour pasta, canned foods-these are all processed foods just like packagd cookies, and crackers, and frozen meals. 

Cutting out, or at least reducing your consumption of, processed foods and instead turning to fresh veggies can drastically improve your health and 

To learn more, visit these sites:

The Extraordinary Science of Addictive Junk Food:
http://www.nytimes.com/2013/02/24/magazine/the-extraordinary-science-of-junk-food.html?pagewanted=all&_r=0

Is Processed Food a Pandora's Box for the American Diet?:
http://www.pbs.org/newshour/bb/health-jan-june13-food_04-29/

5. Move it, move it

Okay, so  this may be the most obvious one. We hear it all the time. Exercise more! But really, it is so so so important, for so many reasons far beyond weight control. Cardiovascular exercise and strength training improve blood pressure, mood, energy and can help stave of diseases like osteoporosis and type 2 diabetes, even cancer. And I'm not even talking about running half marathons every month or hitting the gym for 2 hours each day. Just parking further away in the parking lot, taking the stairs, or walking during your lunch break can make a difference. 

To learn more, visit these sites:

Exercise: 7 Benefits of Regular Physical Activity :
http://www.mayoclinic.org/healthy-living/fitness/in-depth/exercise/art-20048389?pg=1

The Benefits of Physical Activity:
http://www.hsph.harvard.edu/nutritionsource/staying-active-full-story/

6. Eat  s   l   o   w   l   y

This is a highly undervalued healthy habit. Chewing our food is the first step of digestion. The more we chew, the longer & slower we eat, the less food we will have consumed by the time our belly sends our brain the "I'm full!" signal.

So how much should you chew? About 40 times seems to be the consensus.

To learn more, visit these sites: 

Study Finds Additional Chewing Reduces Food Intake in Young Adults:

http://www.news.iastate.edu/news/2012/apr/chewing

What are the benefits of chewing food properly?:
http://www.livestrong.com/article/450220-what-are-the-benefits-of-chewing-food-properly/

Chewing Food FAQs:
http://www.berkeleywellness.com/healthy-eating/food/slideshow/chewing-food-faqs


Good luck on all your resolutions! Hope you keep these in mind going forward. Here's to a healthy, happy 2015!

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