Improve your health with steps so simple you’ll barely notice the effort.
In the warmer, longer, lazier days of summer, the living may not be easy, but your life probably feels less chaotic. Even adults tend to adopt a “school’s out!” attitude in summer. That’s why this is a perfect time to improve your health in a fashion so seasonally laid back you’ll barely notice the effort.
To get you started, WebMD went to eight health experts in fields such as diet, fitness, stress, vision, and oral health. We asked them this: If you could only suggest one simple change this season to boost personal health, what would it be? Here are their top eight tips.
1. Give Your Diet a Berry Boost
If you do one thing this summer to improve your diet, have a cup of mixed fresh berries — blackberries, blueberries, or strawberries — every day. They’ll help you load up on antioxidants, which may help prevent damage to tissues and reduce the risks of age-related illnesses. Blueberries and blackberries are especially antioxidant-rich.
A big bonus: Berries are also tops in fiber, which helps keep cholesterol low and may even help prevent some cancers.
2. Get Dirty — and Stress Less
To improve your stress level, plant a small garden, cultivate a flower box, or if space is really limited, plant a few flower pots — indoors or out.
Just putting your hands in soil is “grounding.” And when life feels like you’re moving so fast your feet are barely touching the stuff, being mentally grounded can help relieve physical and mental stress.
3. Floss Daily
You know you need to, now it’s time to start: floss every single day. Do it at the beach (in a secluded spot), while reading on your patio, or when watching TV — and the task will breeze by.
Flossing reduces oral bacteria, which improves overall body health, and if oral bacteria is low, your body has more resources to fight bacteria elsewhere. Floss daily and you’re doing better than at least 85% of people.
Interested in the other five steps? Read on here.
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