Don’t smoke or do drugs, and only drink in moderation

Don’t smoke or do drugs, and only drink in moderation

If you smoke or abuse drugs, tackle those problems first. Diet and exercise can wait.

If you drink alcohol, do so in moderation and consider avoiding it completely if you tend to drink too much.

read at  https://www.healthline.com/nutrition/27-health-and-nutrition-tips#section15 

Do some cardio

Do some cardio

Doing aerobic exercise, also called cardio, is one of the best things you can do for your mental and physical health.

It’s particularly effective at reducing belly fat, the harmful type of fat that builds up around your organs. Reduced belly fat should lead to major improvements in metabolic health (59Trusted Source, 60Trusted Source, 61Trusted Source).

more information at  https://www.healthline.com/nutrition/27-health-and-nutrition-tips#section14 

Make sure to eat enough protein

Make sure to eat enough protein

Eating enough protein is vital for optimal health.

What’s more, this nutrient is particularly important for weight loss (52Trusted Source).

High protein intake can boost metabolism significantly while making you feel full enough to automatically eat fewer calories. It can also reduce cravings and your desire to snack late at night (53Trusted Source, 54Trusted Source, 55Trusted Source, 56Trusted Source).

Sufficient protein intake has also been shown to lower blood sugar and blood pressure levels (57Trusted Source, 58Trusted Source).

more information at https://www.healthline.com/nutrition/27-health-and-nutrition-tips#section13 

Eat vegetables and fruits

Eat vegetables and fruits

Vegetables and fruits are loaded with prebiotic fiber, vitamins, minerals, and many antioxidants, some of which have potent biological effects.

Studies show that people who eat the most vegetables and fruits live longer and have a lower risk of heart disease, type 2 diabetes, obesity, and other illnesses (50, 51).

Read more at  https://www.healthline.com/nutrition/27-health-and-nutrition-tips#section12 

Take vitamin D3 if you don’t get much sun exposure

Take vitamin D3 if you don’t get much sun exposure

Sunlight is a great source of vitamin D.

Yet, most people don’t get enough sun exposure.

In fact, about 41.6% of the U.S. population is deficient in this critical vitamin (42Trusted Source).

If you’re unable to get adequate sun exposure, vitamin D supplements are a good alternative.

Their benefits include improved bone health, increased strength, reduced symptoms of depression, and a lower risk of cancer. Vitamin D may also help you live longer (43Trusted Source, 44Trusted Source, 45Trusted Source, 46Trusted Source, 47Trusted Source, 48Trusted Source, 49Trusted Source).

Avoid bright lights before sleep

Avoid bright lights before sleep

When you’re exposed to bright lights in the evening, it may disrupt your production of the sleep hormone melatonin (39Trusted Source, 40Trusted Source).

One strategy is to use a pair of amber-tinted glasses that block blue light from entering your eyes in the evening.

This allows melatonin to be produced as if it were completely dark, helping you sleep better (41Trusted Source).

Don’t overcook or burn your meat

Don’t overcook or burn your meat

Meat can be a nutritious and healthy part of your diet. It’s very high in protein and contains various important nutrients.

However, problems occur when meat is overcooked or burnt. This can lead to the formation of harmful compounds that raise your risk of cancer (38Trusted Source).

When you cook meat, make sure not to overcook or burn it.

Drink some water, especially before meals

Drink some water, especially before meals

Drinking enough water can have numerous benefits.

Surprisingly, it can boost the number of calories you burn.

Two studies note that it can increase metabolism by 24–30% over 1–1.5 hours. This can amount to 96 additional calories burned if you drink 8.4 cups (2 liters) of water per day (35Trusted Source, 36Trusted Source).

The optimal time to drink it is before meals. One study showed that downing 2.1 cups (500 ml) of water 30 minutes before each meal increased weight loss by 44% (37Trusted Source).

Take care of your gut health with probiotics and fiber

Take care of your gut health with probiotics and fiber

The bacteria in your gut, collectively called the gut microbiota, are incredibly important for overall health.

A disruption in gut bacteria is linked to some of the world’s most serious chronic diseases, including obesity (31, 32Trusted Source).

Good ways to improve gut health include eating probiotic foods like yogurt and sauerkraut, taking probiotic supplements, and eating plenty of fiber. Notably, fiber functions as fuel for your gut bacteria (33Trusted Source, 34Trusted Source).

Get enough sleep

The importance of getting enough quality sleep cannot be overstated.

Poor sleep can drive insulin resistance, disrupt your appetite hormones, and reduce your physical and mental performance (26Trusted Source, 27Trusted Source, 28Trusted Source, 29Trusted Source).

What's more, poor sleep is one of the strongest individual risk factors for weight gain and obesity. One study linked insufficient sleep to an 89% and 55% increased risk of obesity in children and adults, respectively (30Trusted Source).

Eat fatty fish

Fish is a great source of high-quality protein and healthy fat.

This is particularly true of fatty fish, such as salmon, which is loaded with omega-3 fatty acids and various other nutrients (22).

Studies show that people who eat the most fish have a lower risk of several conditions, including heart disease, dementia, and depression (23Trusted Source, 24Trusted Source, 25).

Avoid processed junk food (eat real food instead)

Processed junk food is incredibly unhealthy.

These foods have been engineered to trigger your pleasure centers, so they trick your brain into overeating — even promoting food addiction in some people (15Trusted Source).

They’re usually low in fiber, protein, and micronutrients but high in unhealthy ingredients like added sugar and refined grains. Thus, they provide mostly empty calories.

Eat nuts

Despite being high in fat, nuts are incredibly nutritious and healthy.

They’re loaded with magnesium, vitamin E, fiber, and various other nutrients (9).

Studies demonstrate that nuts can help you lose weight and may help fight type 2 diabetes and heart disease (10Trusted Source, 11Trusted Source, 12Trusted Source).

Additionally, your body doesn’t absorb 10–15% of the calories in nuts. Some evidence also suggests that this food can boost metabolism (13Trusted Source).

In one study, almonds were shown to increase weight loss by 62%, compared with complex carbs (14Trusted Source).

Don’t drink sugar calories

Sugary drinks are among the most fattening items you can put into your body.

This is because your brain doesn’t measure calories from liquid sugar the same way it does for solid food (1Trusted Source).

Therefore, when you drink soda, you end up eating more total calories (2Trusted Source, 3Trusted Source).

Sugary drinks are strongly associated with obesity, type 2 diabetes, heart disease, and many other health problems (4Trusted Source, 5Trusted Source, 6Trusted Source, 7Trusted Source).

Keep in mind that certain fruit juices may be almost as bad as soda in this regard, as they sometimes contain just as much sugar. Their small amounts of antioxidants do not negate the sugar’s harmful effects (8Trusted Source).

27 Health and Nutrition Tips That Are Actually Evidence-Based

Written by Kris Gunnars, BSc on June 7, 2019

It’s easy to get confused when it comes to health and nutrition.

Even qualified experts often seem to hold opposing opinions.

Yet, despite all the disagreements, a number of wellness tips are well supported by research.

Here are 27 health and nutrition tips that are actually based on good science.

Read now at:  https://www.healthline.com/nutrition/27-health-and-nutrition-tips