- I'm a health journalist, but I'm not particularly interested in fitness or nutrition in my daily life.
- My job has made me more conscious of my health, so I've made some small changes to improve my health.
- Here are four simple but powerful things I started doing to become healthier.
As a health journalist, you might think I practice what I preach. But the mere thought of stepping into a gym makes me sick, there are rumors that he revels in quirky McDonald's and smokes cigarettes at parties (sorry, World Health Organization).
But writing about health, fitness, and nutrition almost every day has made it hard to escape the fact that continuing to live this way is probably not the best thing for my body.
Fortunately, experts say even small changes like 5 minutes of exercise can have a big impact on our health. So while I'm not going to prioritize getting eight hours of sleep over having another drink at the bar or meeting up with friends and not working out, have I started incorporating some small changes that could have a big impact on my health over time.
add protein to your diet
A recent study found that women who eat more protein become healthier as they age.
I don't want to have chronic health problems when I'm 70, so I don't think it would hurt to eat a little more protein.
I'm trying to eat less meat due to the climate crisis/animal cruelty/general guilt, so I try to keep this extra protein vegetarian.
I started spreading hummus on toast for breakfast, eating Greek yogurt with honey and raspberries, and adding beans and lentils to quick dinners like stuffed burritos and roasted veggie bowls.
Try to eat 30 plants a week
More young people are dying from colorectal cancer than ever before, but learning that eating more fiber can reduce this risk is a key finding in epidemiologist Tim Spector's research. As well as learning that people recommend eating 30 types of plants a week to increase diversity, it set off alarm bells. Intestinal microorganisms.
So, to eat 30 plants a week, I use as many vegetables as possible when making dinner. For example, add mushrooms, bell peppers, peas, and lentils to a classic onion, tomato, and garlic pasta sauce (7 plants in total!). . Also, when I go out to eat, I order things I don't normally eat and try to have a varied diet as much as possible.
Make low-impact exercise part of your day
I've never really done it Enjoyed it Exercise — I don't dislike yoga, Pilates, or spin classes, but they're extremely expensive where I live in London.
I definitely fall short of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention's exercise guidelines of 150 minutes of moderate-to-vigorous exercise and two muscle-strengthening sessions per week.
But research shows that even short-term exercise is better than nothing. So I started walking more so I wouldn't be hurting my body by hunching over my laptop all day. A 2023 study found that just 22 minutes of exercise a day was enough to offset the negative effects of sitting for long periods of time.
I like listening to audiobooks and walking around the neighborhood during my lunch break. I often spend my weekends walking and exploring new parts of the city.
I've also invested in a yoga mat and try to do 30-60 minute at-home sessions once or twice a week. This may help prevent back pain and lower stress levels by improving posture and muscle strength.
eat more pickles
Dr. Will Brusiewicz A gastroenterologist told me that fermented foods are good for your gut microbiome, so I took that knowledge and put it into practice. Not only is a healthy gut thought to have a positive impact on your overall health, including improved immune system function, but it's also an excuse to eat more pickles.
Now I eat a jar of cornichons a week. Most of the time I snack while cooking.
