One Minute Health Advice
60 second health
Courtesy of Women's Health
Got a Minute?
Add up all the things you're supposed to do every day to stay healthy (the sleeping, the sweating, the veggie steaming, the Sudoku solving) and it can feel like a full-time job. But studies show you can reap major body benefits -- whether you double the calories you burn in a workout or reduce your risk of cancer -- in 60 seconds or less. That should leave plenty of time for Netflix, YouTube, Zappos, you know, the important stuff.
When You First Get to Work
The change: Check out a funny Web site
The benefit: Fewer colds. Instead of starting your day with office e-mail, try a gutbuster from a site like Will Ferrell and Co.'s funnyordie.com. Research suggests that a moment of mirth increases the body's secretion of immune-boosting growth hormones and endorphins.
During the Week Before Your Period
The change: Order a glass of wine with dinner
The benefit: Less PMS. The study of Women's Health across the Nation recently linked moderate alcohol consumption (about one drink per day) to fewer pre-period mood changes and headaches.
When You're at the Drugstore
The change: Read the fine print on sunscreen labels
The benefit: Better SPF protection. A recent test of sunscreen products found that 83 percent of them don't provide adequate sun protection. To guard against both UVA and UVB rays, look for products that contain zinc (or zinc oxide) and titanium (or titanium dioxide).
On Your Way Home From Work
The change: Stop by the florist
The benefit: Less grouchiness the next morning. New research from Harvard University shows that even people who say they're not "morning people" report feeling happier and more energetic after looking at flowers first thing in the am.
When You Skin Your Knee
The change: Dab some honey on it
The benefit: Fewer Band-Aids required. A study in the International Journal of Clinical Practice shows that natural disinfectants in honey can speed healing, reduce the risk of infection, and soothe pain. Just apply a thin layer over small cuts and scrapes.
When You're Having Your Annual Check-up
The change: Tackle the tough stuff first
The benefit: A better relationship with your doctor. Research shows that patients who bring up difficult issues at the start of an appointment are more likely to be satisfied with the visit and to adhere to their M.D.'s recommendations.
When You Want a Snack
The change: Pop pistachios
The benefit: Improved cholesterol levels. In research at the Inova Fairfax Hospital in Falls Church, Virginia, people who ate two to three ounces of unsalted pistachios a day for four weeks raised their HDL cholesterol (the good kind) by 6 percent. Buy them pre-shelled to save your nails, too.
During a DIY Pedi
The change: Examine your feet
The benefit: Early skin-cancer detection. Melanoma can develop even in places that don't see much sun. The three most common on the feet: the soles, between the toes, and around or under the toenails. See a doc if you notice spots that are new or asymmetrical or that change in size, color, or thickness.
When You're Yawning at 3 P.M.
The change: Choose coffee over cola
The benefit: Reduced diabetes risk. Coffee has fewer cals and more antioxidants than most sodas -- and a Finnish study found that folks who drank three to six cups per day were 50 percent less likely to develop type 2 diabetes than those who sipped two cups or less.
