There are many natural and homemade cures available to improve your health and wellness; these may include anything from meditation to staying away from charred meats and added sweets.
Even competent professionals tend to disagree on what constitutes healthy eating. Determining what you ought to be doing to improve your health can be challenging as a result.
However, evidence backs up certain wellness recommendations, in spite of all the controversies.
These are 27 scientifically supported health and nutrition recommendations.
Reduce your intake of sugary beverages.
The main sources of added sugar in the American diet are sugary beverages including sodas, fruit juices, and sweetened teas (1Trusted Source).
Regretfully, results from multiple research indicate that even in those without extra body fat, drinking sugar-sweetened beverages increases the risk of heart disease and type 2 diabetes (2Trusted Source).
Beverages with added sugar are especially bad for kids since they can cause obesity in kids as well as diseases like type 2 diabetes, hypertension, and non-alcoholic fatty liver disease, which typically don’t manifest until adulthood (3Trusted Source, 4Trusted Source, 5Trusted Source).
Better options that are healthier are:
Water teas without added sugar effervescent water coffee
Consume seeds and nuts.
Due to its high fat content, some people steer clear of nuts. On the other hand, seeds and nuts are highly nutritious. They include a wealth of vitamins and minerals, fiber, and protein (6Trusted Source, 7Trusted Source).
Nuts may aid in weight loss and lower your chance of heart disease and type 2 diabetes (8Trusted Source).
Furthermore, a sizable observational study found a possible correlation between a low consumption of nuts and seeds and a higher chance of passing away from heart disease, stroke, or type 2 diabetes (9Trusted Source)
Steer clear of highly processed meals.
Foods labeled as ultra-processed (UPFs) have ingredients that have undergone extensive modification from their original state. They frequently include preservatives, artificial sweeteners, salt, added sugar, highly processed oil, colors, and flavors (10Trusted Source).
As examples, consider:
quick food snack cakes
frozen food
bundled cookies and chips
Because UPFs are so delicious, it’s easy to overindulge in them and they stimulate brain regions linked to rewards, which can result in consuming too many calories and gaining weight. Research indicates that eating a lot of ultra-processed food can increase your risk of developing type 2 diabetes, heart disease, obesity, and other chronic illnesses (11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16).
They typically contain minimal amounts of fiber, protein, and other nutrients in addition to low-quality components such refined oils, added sugar, and refined carbohydrates.
Have no fear of coffee.
Coffee is very beneficial to health, although there is some dispute around it.
Coffee has been associated in some studies to longevity, a lower risk of type 2 diabetes, Parkinson’s and Alzheimer’s disease, and a host of other disorders. It is also high in antioxidants (16Trusted Source, 17Trusted Source, 18Trusted Source, 19Trusted Source).
It seems that consuming 3-5 cups of it daily is the most beneficial amount, but pregnant women should limit or stay away from it entirely as it has been related to low birth weight (18Trusted Source).
Coffee and other products containing caffeine should, however, be consumed in moderation. Heart palpitations and insomnia are two health problems that can result from consuming too much coffee. Limit your daily coffee consumption to no more than four cups in order to enjoy it safely and healthily.
Consume fatty seafood.
Fish is a fantastic source of healthful fat and high-quality protein. This is especially true for fatty fish, like salmon, which is abundant in other minerals and anti-inflammatory omega-3 fatty acids (20 Trusted Source, 21 Trusted Source).
Research indicates that individuals who consume fish on a regular basis are at a lower risk of developing heart disease, dementia, and inflammatory bowel disease (22, 23, 24, Trusted Sources).
Get adequate rest.
It is impossible to overestimate the significance of having adequate good sleep.
Inadequate sleep can lower your physical and mental performance, cause insulin resistance, and mess with your hormones that control hunger (25Trusted Source, 26Trusted Source, 27Trusted Source, 27aTrusted Source).
Furthermore, one of the biggest individual risk factors for weight growth and obesity is getting too little sleep. Individuals who have sleep deprivation often choose foods that are higher in calories, fat, and sugar, which may result in unintended weight gain (28Trusted Source, 29Trusted Source).
Give your gut bacteria something to eat.
The gut microbiota, or the collection of bacteria in your digestive tract, is crucial to your general health.
Numerous chronic illnesses, including as obesity and a wide range of digestive issues, are associated with disruptions in gut flora (30Trusted Source, 31Trusted Source).
Consuming fermented foods like yogurt and sauerkraut, taking probiotic supplements when necessary, and getting lots of fiber are all beneficial approaches to enhance gut health. Interestingly, fiber feeds your gut microorganisms and acts as a prebiotic (32Trusted Source, 33Trusted Source).
Continue to drink water.
One significant but frequently disregarded indicator of health is hydration. Maintaining adequate blood volume and good bodily function can be achieved by staying hydrated (34Trusted Source).
The greatest method to stay hydrated is to drink water, which has no calories, sugar, or chemicals.
Drink enough to sufficiently slake your thirst, even if there isn’t a specific amount that each person needs to consume each day (35Trusted Source).
Steer clear of highly burnt foods.
A wholesome and nutrient-dense component of your diet might be meat. It has a high protein content and is nutrient-rich (36Trusted Source).
But when flesh burns or gets charred, issues arise. Harmful substances may occur as a result of this charring, raising your risk of developing some cancers (37Trusted Source).
Aim to avoid burning or scorching meat when cooking it. Furthermore, cut back on your intake of red and processed meats, such as bacon and lunch meats, as these have been related to an increased risk of colon cancer as well as an increased risk of cancer overall (38Trusted Source, 39Trusted Source, 40Trusted Source, 41Trusted Source).
Before going to bed, stay away from bright lights.
Your body’s ability to produce the sleep hormone melatonin may be interfered with in the evening by strong lights, which contain wavelengths of blue light (42Trusted Source).
Wearing blue light-blocking glasses is one method to help lower your exposure to blue light, especially if you use a computer or other digital screen for extended periods of time. Another is to stop using digital devices 30 to 60 minutes before bed (43Trusted Source).
As night falls, this can improve your body’s natural production of melatonin, which will improve your quality of sleep.
If you are vitamin D deficient, take it.
Vitamin D deficiency is common among most people. Maintaining appropriate vitamin D levels can help to optimize your health by strengthening your immune system, lowering your risk of cancer, improving bone strength, and reducing symptoms of depression—even though these widespread vitamin D deficiencies are not immediately harmful (44, 45, 46, 47).
Your levels of vitamin D may be low if you do not get enough sunlight.
It’s a good idea to have your levels checked if you have access to one so you can adjust your levels with vitamin D supplements if needed.
Consume an abundance of fruits and vegetables.
Fruits and vegetables are rich sources of antioxidants, vitamins, minerals, and prebiotic fiber, many of which have powerful health benefits.
Research indicates that eating more fruits and vegetables extends life expectancy and reduces the risk of obesity, heart disease, and other diseases (48Trusted Source, 49Trusted Source).
Consume enough protein.
Consuming adequate protein is essential for good health because it gives your body the building blocks it needs to produce new tissues and cells (50Trusted Source).
Furthermore, maintaining a moderate body weight depends heavily on this nutrient.
A high-protein diet can help you feel fuller and increase your metabolic rate, or how many calories you burn. Additionally, it might lessen your need to nibble late at night and curb cravings (51Trusted Source, 52Trusted Source, 52aTrusted Source).