Instant Health Boosters

Instant Health Boosters Getting fitter and healthier may sound like a big deal, but it doesn’t have to be: A simple lifestyle change here and there will amp up your immune system, get in better shape and increase your wellbeing.

Take your health into your own hands and incorporate these 11 instant health boosters into your daily routine—starting now! You’ll feel better, fitter, healthier and happier right away.

Wash Your Hands This should go without saying, but let’s get real—how many times have you seen a woman walk out of a public restroom without stopping at the sink? Or ask yourself, do you always wash your hands before preparing dinner? We use our hands a lot during the day—typing on our computers, shaking hands with people, opening and closing doors—and the bacteria sitting on all of these surfaces can really make us sick. Keep yourself virus-free and make a point to scrub your hands clean. It’s super-easy change to make!

Eat Yogurt According to a study in the ‘Journal of Periodontology’, eating just two ounces of yogurt a day can help protect you from developing gum disease. Yogurt is full of bacteria (good bacteria, of course!) that helps battle the germs in your mouth.

Don’t Let The Bed Bugs Bite Those Egyptian cotton sheets may feel like heaven, but if they’re not washed properly you can say hello to irritated skin. Bedding of all kinds is covered in tiny dust mites that can irritate your skin and also aggravate cases of eczema. When you wash your sheets, turn up the heat—the water should be at least 140 degrees to ensure that you kill all those pesky critters.

Intervals There’s nothing wrong with doing the elliptical machine for an hour a day, but if you’re looking to get stronger and torch calories faster, interval training is the way to go. Instead of jogging at 6.5 mph on the treadmill constantly, do four to six bursts of no-holds-barred cardio. These high-intensity spurts are actually just as effective as working out for an hour at a low-intensity. Intervals are a great way to increase your endurance much quicker.

Pucker Up Yes, passionately kissing is an instant health booster! Making out with your guy for 30 minutes can actually improve allergy symptoms by suppressing those chemicals that your body releases in response to allergens in the air.

Sip Green Tea Green tea is loaded with health benefits. It can boost your metabolism, improve your good-to-bad cholesterol ratio, and can even help prevent tooth decay by killing off the bacteria that cause plaque build-up. And if you’re on antibiotics, research shows that sipping on the stuff can actually help the medication do its job better by destroying that harmful bacteria three times as fast.

The Right Height Some of us are slaves to our sky-high stilettos, and the rest of us would wear flats even with our black-tie ensembles if we could. Why not meet in the middle? A pair of moderately-high heels (about 2 to 2.5 inches high) can help strengthen your pelvic-floor muscles, which is great for the bedroom! Another plus—they’re still sexy looking without being so high that your feet are crying by the end of the night.

Nosh On Red Grapes Eating a cup of this delicious fruit daily can help prevent the abnormal cells that lead to most types of breast cancer from forming. According to a study in ‘Cancer Prevention Research’, an all-natural compound found in grapes called Resveratrol may help stop estrogen from reacting with a person’s DNA—the process which can cause cells to become cancerous. And great news—red wine counts, too!

Cool Off Most people gravitate towards that steaming hot, sauna-like shower. But standing under cold water tells the brain to release your feel-so-good hormones. All it takes is two to three minutes in a cool, refreshing shower or swimming pool, and your mood will change!

When You’ve Got To Go, Go! Too many people fight the urge to use the restroom, even when they really have to go. But according to the American College of Cardiology, holding it in is bad for your heart. When your bladder is overly full, it puts more stress on your heart, increasing the chance of a heart attack in those who are at risk.

Bon Voyage Everyone needs a vacation. Studies show that women who take at least two vacations annually tend to be happier in their marriages than those who skip the trip. Why? Because those who take a break are less likely to feel tense, depressed and burnt out. So if you’re one of those people who think you “don’t have time” or “don’t need one,” no more excuses! Call your travel agent now and book that summer getaway.