The New York Times article, 35 Simple Health Tips Experts Swear By, highlights some interesting practices to think about, and we thought we would share the list:
Dr. Kali D. Cyrus: "When I find myself stuck in a pattern of negative thinking, I try not to complain for seven days. It retrains your brain to stop going down a negative path. I write 'Don’t complain!' on a sticky note right by my bed so I see it when I wake up."
Dr. Dariush Mozaffarian: "Dark-chocolate-covered nuts (at least 70 percent cocoa) are almost a perfect food. They combine two remarkable nutrient-rich foods — nuts and cocoa — and are high in phenolics, minerals, healthy fats and fiber."
Dr. Sophie Balzora: "Keep magazines, phones and any other reading paraphernalia out of the bathroom that will distract you from the task at hand — defecation! Studies show that extra time on the loo may increase your risk of hemorrhoids."
Becky Kennedy: "If something feels too hard to do, it just means that the first step isn’t small enough."
Alicia Roth: "I never force myself to sleep, and I don’t wind down in bed. I go to bed when I feel sleepy. This means my bedtime may vary slightly every night, but I fall asleep quickly."
Dr. Robert J. Waldinger: "I do small actions day to day that keep me connected with other people."
Laurie Santos: "The simple act of giving myself a break — two to five minutes to catch my breath between tasks — makes me feel less time-famished."
Dr. Jasmohan S. Bajaj: "What is a societally condoned dietary constituent that helps prevent liver disease, makes you alert and does not need to break the bank? Coffee!"
Peter Economou: "At night, I shut my phone down and meditate before I go to bed. In the morning, I meditate when I wake up — before looking at my phone."
Dr. Folasade P. May: "Each year, make a commitment during your birthday month to schedule all your annual health checkups."
Lisa Mosconi: "Often when I’m feeling mentally foggy, I use the 10-10-10 rule: Take a 10-second break every 10 minutes to stare at something 10 feet away."
Michelle Voss: "I look for opportunities for bite-size 'movement snacks.'"
Marion Nestle: "If you want to eat more healthfully, minimize your intake of ultraprocessed foods."
Michael Breus: "If you wake up in the middle of the night, don’t get up (unless you really have to pee)."
Judson Brewer: "Curiosity is a superpower!"
Dr. Frank R. Lin: "I make small efforts to protect my hearing, like covering my ears when I’m using the blender and wearing earplugs at concerts."
Dr. Pieter Cohen: "Healthy people, even those over 50 like myself, should not feel compelled to add a multivitamin or other supplement to their diet to stay healthy."
Michael Norton: "When teams at work have rituals, their members tend to find more meaning in their work."
Carlos González-Cabezas: "I do not rinse after brushing my teeth, particularly before going to bed. It helps fluoride toothpaste be more effective."
Cal Newport: "Create a secret, quirky phrase that you say to yourself when you stop your work for the day to shift out of professional mode."
Adam Alter: "When you’re stuck at something... spend five minutes coming up with the worst ideas you can."
Ian Kerner: "Too many couples get hung up on sex — either the sex they’re having or the sex they’re not having. I like to focus on what I call the 'erotic thread.'"
Johannes Thrul: "I regularly do alcohol abstinence breaks."
Dr. Aditi Nerurkar: "'Stop, Breathe, Be' is a three-second brain reset to help manage anxiety in the moment."
Emily Haller: "I’m a big fan of making fancy ice cubes by freezing lemon or lime juice with chopped berries or pineapple and herbs."
Lisa Damour: "When I need to clear my mind, I turn to what psychologists call 'soft fascination.'"
Dr. Indira Gurubhagavatula: "For me, it’s connecting with my husband in the evening."
Alua Arthur: "When approached with a difficult decision, we can use the 'deathbed test.'"
Christopher Gardner: "I don’t obsess over protein."
Nedra Glover Tawwab: "During my workday, one of the most restorative things I can do is listen to a song I love between clients."
Dr. Jordan D. Metzl: "Short bursts of intense exercise — burpees, sprints on a bike, taking the stairs at work — are both physically and metabolically valuable."
Sherry Cormier: "A couple of times a day, I consciously drop my shoulders, sigh and think to myself: 'Let go.'"
Emily Morse: "It’s so important that you talk about sex."
Dr. Lin Chang: "Diaphragmatic breathing... stimulates vagus nerve activity and potentially reduces gastrointestinal symptoms."
Dr. Peter Chin-Hong: "Wash your hands with soap and water. Remember that 20 seconds is optimal."