“Happiness is good health and a bad memory.”
-Ingrid Bergman
#5. Avoid white flour
We all love pasta, white bread, and pizza. It’s what dreams are made of, right? Many of us ate our fair share of ramen noodles in high school and college, but unfortunately there are several issues with white flour based foods. The biggest one is that white flour is broken down into sugar. This sugar, if not readily used, is converted into fat, and thus this is how we end up with our “love handles” or that “beer belly”. In 2013, the American Medical Association identified obesity as a disease. Yup, you heard it. A disease. Combine this with millions of people that have Type II Diabetes and it’s pretty clear why this is something to pay attention to. Another common issue to consider is acid reflux or heartburn. White flour based products are acidic in nature. When broken down, these acids can cause inflammation to your stomach, resulting in abdominal discomfort and one of those dry, irritating coughs.
#4. Drink more water
Lattes, wine, beer, and energy drinks help us get the job done but they don’t fuel our body. It’s well known that our bodies are made up of mostly water. This means it’s essential to take in enough water so that our body can work the way it’s supposed to. According to the US Department of Agriculture, upwards of 30% of Americans don’t drink enough water. One of the biggest issues with not drinking enough water is that it will slow down your metabolism. When your kidneys don’t have enough H2O, they begin to rely on your liver to filter everything which, in essence, gums up the process. Be kind to your kidneys and drink lots of water!
#3. Eat green, leafy vegetables
Mom was right: eat your vegetables! Did you know the average American only consumes 60-70% of the recommended daily intake of vegetables per day? According to the USDA, our numbers have increased since 1970, but we are still lacking quite a bit in this arena. Again, it’s all about giving your body the fuel it needs in order to run at optimal performance.
#2. Reapply sunscreen
While millions of Americans put on sunscreen every day, very few people reapply. This is crucial for slowing down the aging process. Leading research suggests upwards of 70% of wrinkles come from sun damage. It is also a fact that most sunscreens only last 1-2 hours max. This means you should reapply throughout the day. Cities such as Portland and Seattle (despite having cloudy weather) have some of the highest incidences of melanoma according to the Centers for Disease Control. So even if you think you are good on sunscreen, chances are you need to reapply.
#1. Floss
When I first read about floss as a health benefit I thought it was crazy! It’s not. While some opinions on the matter vary, there seems to be a link between daily flossing and overall health. There has been some preliminary research that links the absence of flossing with heart disease and strokes. The rationale is that there is a lot of bacteria around your teeth and gums. Left unchecked, these bacteria can get into the bloodstream causing inflammation. Inflammation in blood vessels= recipe for heart disease and stroke. I think it’s fair to say eating cheeseburgers and pizza everyday will probably do more damage than not flossing, but at the end of the day is getting a filling on a new cavity really that much fun? Try to floss more. You won’t be disappointed.
To your skin health,
Team Reflect
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