From mental health to physical health, healthy living doesn't have to be complicated.
What we've learned over the course of this year is that small changes can make a big difference in how you feel, and that simple tests can provide surprisingly large insights into your life.
Here are the 10 best health hacks discovered by TODAY.com in 2023. We hope it helps you succeed in 2024.
Improve your health with just 11 minutes of walking every day
It doesn't take long to get healthy. Just 11 minutes a day of moderate-intensity physical activity, such as brisk walking, can reduce your risk of developing heart disease by 17% and your risk of developing cancer by 7%, a research review has found. Performing this amount of exercise every day reduces your risk of premature death by 23%.
Another study found that walking just 8,000 steps once or twice a week was enough to significantly reduce the risk of death over a 10-year period.
wall squats can lower blood pressure
Experts are urging doctors to prescribe exercise to people with high blood pressure because exercise can lower blood pressure without drugs.
But what kind of exercise is best? According to a review of research, it's an isometric exercise that tenses your muscles without contracting them, especially wall squats.
Simple, yet incredibly intense. The lead author of this review suggests performing four wall squats lasting 2 minutes each, with 1 to 4 minutes of rest between them. This should be done three times a week to lower blood pressure.
Try the sit-to-stand test to see how healthy you are
Start in a standing position, sit cross-legged on the ground, and stand up again. All done without using your hands.
According to NBC News Medical Contributor Dr. Natalie Azar, this simple test tests your health because it requires cardiovascular health, good balance, agility, flexibility, and core and leg strength. It is said that it is an effective indicator to show the
Tart cherry juice helps sleep
After the treatment went viral on TikTok, experts told TODAY.com that tart cherry juice may be worth trying as a natural sleep aid, but only after checking with your doctor. That's what he said.
According to the Cleveland Clinic, tart cherries contain melatonin and tryptophan, which can help you sleep by increasing the amount of melatonin in your body.
A small study found that adults who drank tart cherry juice in the evening got more sleep.
Choose brands with no added sugar and pair them with other sleep-inducing foods, such as tryptophan-rich cheese or melatonin-rich almonds, suggests registered dietitian Bonnie Taubdix.
Try pickle juice to stop muscle cramps
Athletes may drink pickle juice during intense exercise. This is because it has the effect of relieving muscle spasms.
Pickle juice cannot prevent the development of muscle cramps. Rather, it prevents it from happening in the moment, the researchers told TODAY.com. The acid in the salt water triggers a nerve reflex in the throat that sends a signal to the spinal cord to stop the convulsions.
The next time you have muscle cramps, try drinking a tablespoon of juice from a jar of vinegar-based pickles to relieve symptoms.
Walking quietly makes you feel calmer.
Mental health practices include walking alone in nature, without distractions or crowds.
The idea is to “pay attention to each breath and step you take, listen to the sounds of nature around you, feel gratitude for the sun kissing your skin, and use your time for reflection,” says the Mindfulness Book. says Lara Delia, author of “Vibrate''. Higher Daily,” TODAY.com reports.
She added that Zen Buddhist monks have long practiced silent walking under another name: walking meditation.
Health benefits include reduced stress, a deeper connection to yourself, and lower blood pressure and heart rate.
Which alcohol is the “healthiest”?
The World Health Organization warns that any level of alcohol consumption is unsafe for your health. But if people choose to drink alcohol in moderation, experts say there are some preferred go-to options.
One of these is a glass of champagne or sparkling white wine, which has about 100 calories. Opt for dry white wine or dry sparkling wine, which doesn't have added sugar like many other drinks, nutritionists say.
Stop midlife weight gain with simple food swaps
Researchers have found that starch is a bigger problem than sugar when it comes to weight gain after age 40.
They advise focusing on “carbohydrate quality,” meaning swapping out certain carbohydrates for others.
A study found that people who ate more whole grains, fruits, and non-starchy vegetables gained less weight in midlife than their peers who ate a diet high in sugar and starches.
Find out how long your relationship will last with the Bird Test
The test, which went viral on TikTok, involves pointing out a bird to your significant other and seeing how they react.
Proponents of bird testing say that if they respond with genuine interest or show interest in why you're paying attention to the bird, you have a strong and long-term relationship with them. It is highly likely that a similar relationship has been established.
However, if your partner is ignoring the bird, the relationship is probably not very healthy.
Get rid of clutter with Swedish desk cleaning
The new year is about making a fresh start and letting go of old habits and things that are weighing you down.
That's where Swedish death cleaning comes in handy. This concept was introduced to the world by Swedish author Margareta Magnusson. “The idea is that we shouldn't leave piles of junk behind for our loved ones to clean up when we die,” she writes in her latest book.
When cleaning, we often have a hard time getting rid of things that have sentimental value when we really should. If that's the case, take a photo of the item, say thank you, and then let it go, she advises.
“Stay naked and stay organized. … It's a way of life. Don't hoard things,” Magnusson tells TODAY.com.
