You eat healthy, you hit the gym,you make time for yourself. That means your healthy right? You would think. But loads of us still have some some not-so-healthy-habits or beliefs that could leave you sick, tired, broke or injured down the road. Here’s how to avoid some pretty common yet not-so healthy mishaps.
- 1. YOU ALWAYS BUY ORGANIC SO YOU ARE HEALTHY
Buying organic is wise for certain foods, such as meats, strawberries and leafy greens, but it doesn’t make much difference for others, like bananas and avocados. Organic doesn’t always mean healthy. Organic soda is still loaded in sugar. Organic or not, sugar wreaks havoc on our bodies. And organic high-calorie, high-fat granola bars and sugary cereals are just as bad for you as the non-organic version. WHAT TO DO: Skip them all together. Make your own like this easy, yummy and yes organic granola bar.
- 2. YOU SKIMP ON SLEEP
Think it’s a good idea to get up at 5 a.m. and hit the gym? Not if you should be sleeping instead. Studies have consistently shown that we need at lease 7 hours of sleep a night for optimal health, and short sleep has been associated with a host of health problems, including high blood pressure, depression, diabetes, and a reduced immune system. WHAT TO DO: Plan to get to bed earlier or sleep in a bit.
- 3. YOU DRINK DIET SODA
Sure, artificially sweetened beverages may free of calories, but by no means are they good for you. A couple of studies released at the 2011 American Diabetes Association’s annual meeting suggest just the opposite. One found that older people who drank lots of diet soda saw their waistlines expand five times more over a decade than their peers who didn’t drink diet soda at all, while another showed that mice fed the artificial sweetener aspartame had higher blood-sugar levels. Artificial sweeteners like saccharin aspartame, neotame and Sucralose wreak all sorts of havoc on all your systems. WHAT TO DO: Stay away from them all together. Drink water flavours up with lemon, berries, parsley.
- 4. HEALTHY PACKAGING = HEALTHY; RIGHT? WRONG.
Food products that boast of being all natural may sound appealing and wholesome, but in fact, the US Food and Drug Administration has a pretty loose definition of just what that word means. ‘Natural’ pretty much means nothing. So look closer at the labels. Low fat is also another tricky claim. The FDA does have clear guidelines on when a product can claim to be low-or reduced-fat, but these products are usually higher in sugar, sodium and calories. In fact, because flavours are manipulated, you usually end up eating more of them to be satisfied. Remember healthy fats are good for you so make sure to read labels. WHAT TO DO: Look to eat healthy fats—nuts, seeds and you won’t be craving other not so good for you fats.
- 5. STILL NOT EATING ENOUGH WHOLE FOODS
You know they are good for you, but you don’t get around to eating enough. By now, pretty much everyone knows they should be eating at least five servings of fruit and vegetables per day. Eating plenty of produce helps reduce your risk of heart disease and several types of cancer, boost your immunity, make your skin radiate, think clearer and can help you manage your weight too. Hello what are you waiting for! WHAT TO DO: Make greens part of your everyday. Start day with a Green Go-Go Juice. Work it into your system and I guarantee you will start reaching for healthy whole food choices for the rest of the day.