Page 20 - Florida Sentinel 7-10-20

Health
RELYING ON SUPPLEMENTS
Your body needs a lot of dif- ferent vitamins and minerals to work the way it should. It might seem easier to get them all in a pill. Some dietary supplements, like calcium, can help fill in gaps, but they’re not meant to replace good nutrition. Your body can use several of those nutrients better if you get them through food.
JUICE CLEANSES OR DETOXES
These might sound like a good way to lose weight and give your digestive system “a break,” but most of the weight loss is water. What's more, it deprives you of vital nutrients, like proteins and fats. Your lungs, liver, and kidneys are designed to remove toxins from your body, so the best eating plan is one that gives you the vita- mins and minerals you need to keep those organs healthy.
DRINKING DIET SODA
While cutting down on sugar is good for you, artificial sweeten- ers may cause different issues. Studies show that people who drink diet soda tend to eat more, especially more high-calorie foods. They also usually have a higher body mass index (BMI). Your healthiest choice is always water. You can always add some flavor with things like raspberries, cucumber, mint, lemon, or lime.
CUTTING OUT CARBS
Carbohydrates are a micronu- trient -- they give you energy and serve as fuel for your muscles and your brain. So getting rid of them completely, as with the keto diet, may not be a good idea -- and it’s not easy to give them up forever. It’s a better idea to establish good habits you can stick with for the long haul, like having more carbs when you’re active and fewer when you're not.
‘CATCHING UP’ ON SLEEP
Sleeping in on the weekends sounds great, but it doesn’t make up for not getting 7 to 9 hours a night during the week. It can ac- tually mess with your body clock and make you feel groggy. You also might have trouble focusing or reacting. The best way to get back in rhythm is to go to bed earlier and wake up about the same time every day.
DRINKING RED WINE
This popular choice has an- tioxidants called polyphenols that are thought to be good for your heart. In fact, no study has shown any definite health bene- fits of drinking red wine. You can still enjoy it in moderation -- one 5-ounce glass a day for women, two for men. But there’s no rea- son to start drinking it if you don’t already. And overdoing it with alcohol has been linked to heart disease, stroke, high blood pressure, and certain cancers.
DRINKING BOTTLED WATER
Studies have shown that bot- tled water isn’t any better for you than tap water. In fact, govern- ment standards are higher for tap water. And some impurities, like microplastics, can reach the water from the plastic in the bot- tles themselves. What's more, 86% of water bottles aren’t recy- cled and America’s annual de- mand for those bottles takes about 17 million barrels of oil.
PAGE 8-B FLORIDA SENTINEL BULLETIN PUBLISHED EVERY FRIDAY FRIDAY, JULY 10, 2020