Being healthier doesn't
have to mean overhauling your entire lifestyle. Sometimes all it takes is a few
simple changes. From eating more carrots to watching puppy videos (that's
right, puppy videos), these quick-and-easy tweaks to your daily health regimen
can make a huge difference in the way you feel.
Grab your toes and pull
"This boosts circulation after your feet have
been cramped in shoes all day," says Michele Summers Colon, DPM, a
podiatrist in El Monte, California. "Without proper circulation, the
muscles and nerves in our toes don't work properly. And that can cause pain in
your knees, hips, and back."
Wash
the linens
Dust mites, a major allergy trigger, love to hang out in your bed. Zap
'em by laundering sheets and pillowcases every week in hot water. Also smart:
Use mattress and duvet covers designed to keep mites out.
Fly
right
Flying? Turn on the air vent above your seat. "I fly a couple of
times a week," says Travis Stork, MD, an emergency medicine physician and
co-host of The
Doctors. "Part of the
way I stay healthy is by being very conscientious about all of the germs that
are on planes. I turn on the air vent and angle it so it blows air down in
front of my face—that's filtered air and it creates a little bit of a barrier
to keep the germs going around the cabin from getting into my nose or
mouth."
Do
25 jumping jacks
Move your body, no matter how briefly, to stop the stress response in
its tracks and change the channel on your mood, says Lisa Oz, author of US:
Transforming Ourselves and the Relationships That Matter Most.
Silence
your phone at night
Don't let your loved ones interrupt a deep sleep. "I alerted
friends and family to when I would be sleeping so I could minimize noisy calls
and texts," says Marni Hillinger, MD, a medical resident in New York City.
"Turning the phone off works, too!"
Keep
medical info handy
Put a card in your wallet that lists any allergies you have and
medications you're taking, in case you end up in the ER and are unable to speak
for yourself. Says John M. Kennedy, MD, co-author of The 15-Minute
Heart Cure, "It could
just save your life."
Get
your shots
Get a yearly flu vaccine? Great. Now add a TDaP booster. TDaP stands for
tetanus, diphtheria, and pertussis—and that last disease, also known as
whooping cough, is a particularly dangerous respiratory illness. In fact, cases
of pertussis in the U.S. have risen about 137% since 2000.
"For most adults, that means a nasty cough; in children, it can be
worse," says Ana Pantoja, MD, staff physician for AltaMed in Boyle
Heights, California. "So if you have kids or are around kids, it's
essential to get vaccinated." Even if you got the shot as a child, you
still need one booster as a grown-up. (You'll also need a tetanus booster every
10 years.)
Drop
your underwear
Going commando once in a while (say, overnight) couldn't hurt,
especially if you're prone to UTIs. "Wearing no undergarments—or just
cotton ones—allows the external genitals to dry and reduces bacteria growth
that could otherwise make its way into your urethra and cause a bladder
infection," says Sherry Thomas, MD, an OB-GYN and surgeon at St. John's Regional
Medical Center in Oxnard, California.
Going commando once in a while (say, overnight) couldn't hurt,
especially if you're prone to UTIs. "Wearing no undergarments—or just
cotton ones—allows the external genitals to dry and reduces bacteria growth
that could otherwise make its way into your urethra and cause a bladder
infection," says Sherry Thomas, MD, an OB-GYN and surgeon at St. John's
Regional Medical Center in Oxnard, California.
Crank down the volume
MP3 players can create sound up to 120 decibels—loud enough to cause hearing loss over time. "Follow the 60/60 rule: Keep volume coming through your headphones to no more than 60 percent of the max, for no more than 60 minutes a day," says James Foy, DO, an osteopathic physician in Vallejo, California.
Nuke the dish sponge
"This is the germiest thing in your house," says germ guru Charles Gerba, PhD, a microbiologist at the University of Arizona in Tucson. "About 15 percent of sponges contain bacteria that can make you ill." So toss them in the dishwasher once a week or microwave them damp on high for 30 seconds.
Don't lose sleep
Are your nerves keeping you up at night? "When my mind starts racing in bed, I think about the next day's challenges. Then, I take long breaths, thinking, Breathe in, breathe out," says Olympic swimmer Rebecca Soni. "It takes practice, but if you do it regularly, your body learns how to relax."
Check yourself out
"Do a full-body skin check once a month in a well-lit room," advises Joshua Zeichner, MD, director of cosmetic and clinical research at Mount Sinai Medical Center in New York City. "Grab a hand mirror if you have one. Ask a family member to check out your back if you can't see it. Look for new moles or old ones that have changed or grown (then have a dermatologist take a look). I also recommend a total-body check with a derm yearly—twice a year if you have a personal or family history of funny moles. Early detection is key in treating skin cancer"—the most common cancer in women.
Munch on carrots
The humble carrot never got much attention, but it's now a nutritionist favorite, thanks to its high vitamin A content—just one half cup has almost double the amount you need for healthy eyes. They're hot with chefs, too, making it easier to get your good-vision fix.
