Health Habits That Are Just Wasting Your Time

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Whether it is fitness or food, most people try to incorporate a list of habits into their daily lives in an effort in maximize good health. What you may not realize though is that some of those health habits aren’t doing what you think they are; they are actually a “waste of time”.

Good Health Through Working Out

Some advice has been handed down from generation to generation so we all think that it must be connected to good health. Here’s an example: “Feed a cold and starve a fever”. It turns out that this is not good health after-all. Drinking a lot of fluids when you have a cold and/or fever is always a smart idea; however, when you have a fever you are burning calories and you need to replace them to gain strength. If you are weak from lack of nutrition, the sickness will stick around a lot longer. As for a cold, it is true that chicken soup can break of the phlegm in your chest and throat, but doctors say any food is good. So the bottom line…feed a cold or feed a fever.

When people are trying to lose weight they often incorporate a time of day restriction into their diet. New research reveals that time of day doesn’t necessarily work. Officials at the UCLA Centre for Human Nutrition say going to bed hungry can interrupt sleep, which has an impact on your metabolism. They also say that if you exercise in the evening or participate in any physical activities, you should eat before bed.

Exercise Your Way to Good Health?

You would think no matter what type of physical performance you take part in would contribute to good health, but that is not the case according to personal training experts. Working out the right way can result in weight loss, muscle toning, and a positive mood; however, if the performance is done the wrong way, you can end up with zero results. A good example of this would be improper use of exercise equipment. Many people wonder why the hours they’ve spent working out at the gym haven’t helped. Personal trainers say one common mistake is with the treadmill. The treadmill is supposed to add strength to your legs and help burn calories. If you put the speed and incline so high that you have to hold on for dear-life, you are creating an ineffective balance, transferring the work to the machine instead of your legs. In addition to getting no physical benefits from the performance, you can cause back injuries.

Personal trainers recommend that you ask for detailed instruction on all fitness equipment before attempting to use it. If you forget from your last visit to the gym, don’t be afraid to ask for a refresher.

Several years ago the notion that people should visit the dentist every 6 months was presented in toothpaste commercial. The advertisement seemed to resonate with a wide audience as dentists reported patients flocking to their offices every 6 months. A review of 29 dental studies has discovered that there is no evidence to support the need to see a dentist twice a year if you have no serious dental problems. Once a year is recommended so that your dentist can catch any problems that might be developing. Studies do show that teeth cleaning once a year can lower your risk of heart disease. Good dental hygiene has long been connected to good health.

Whether it is hygiene, diet or physical performance, what you decide to include in your daily routine should be well thought out. A little careful planning can help maximize good health and help you avoid wasting time and energy.

 

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