Page 20 - Florida Sentinel 1-8-16 Edition

Health
5 Unhealthy Habits To Give Up In 2016 (Here’s How!)
The Health Benefits Of Prebiotics And Probiotics
Here are five habits to work on in 2016:
1. Habit: Eating late at night. Eating late at night is all bad.
You’re generally inactive for
the remainder of the day,
which doesn’t give your body enough time to metabolize what you eat.
Replacement: Drink
half your weight in ounces
each day. Thirst is often mis-
taken for hunger so when
you think you’re hungry; your body just may be in need of more fluids. Instead of reaching for that late-night snack, try another glass of water or even a cup of caffeine-free tea.
2. Habit: Drinking too much juice or soda. We all know
that drinking too
much juice and
soda is bad for our bodies, but that doesn’t stop many of us from overindulging.
Replacement: Drinking a green smoothie a day. Sometimes, you want some- thing to drink that’s cold and refreshing, but still tastes good. Smoothies can be just what you need, and they provide an opportunity to pack in more nutrients and green vegetables. Find tasty recipes that incorporate both fruits and vegetables to maximize your smoothies’ benefits.
3. Habit: Consuming too much salt.
Traditionally, salt is a primary source of food seasoning in the
Black community.
And, that sodium
is a major cause of
high blood pres-
sure or hyperten-
sion. Over 40
percent of African-Americans have this prob- lem, according to the American Heart Asso- ciation, which often develops earlier in life than with whites who have the same disease.
Replacement: Switch your seasoning. Try alternate sources of seasoning such as allspice, cilantro, garlic, rosemary or other natural herbs and spices recommended by the National Heart, Lung, and Blood Insti- tute when cooking.
4. Habit: Watching too much TV.
Your mom was
right: watching
too much televi-
sion can be bad.
It forces you to
be inactive, en-
courages snacking when you’re not hungry, and some studies claim it even negatively im- pacts how your brain works.
Replacement: Get moving. You won’t watch as much television when you’re actu- ally tracking it. Instead of binge watching your favorite shows every day, try the 2/30 rule as a goal: 2 hours of TV and 30 minutes of exercise. You can also incorporate your workouts into your favorite shows, doing ex- ercises while you watch.
5. Habit: Eating too much fast food.
If you’re a part of
the 80 percent of
Americans that
eat fast food,
you’re certainly
not alone. But,
it’s hard to con-
trol what you
consume in a
meal when you’re not the person who pre- pared it. So, even if you’re choosing a low- calorie option, you’re still subject to other issues like unknown ingredients, bacteria outbreaks and poorly made food.
Replacement: Pre-planning your meals. Pre-planning your meals in advance can help you stay on track and avoid making last- minute decisions to eat out. Buy containers that make it easier to transport your meals with you and schedule time to prepare both meals and snacks. On busy mornings, you can just grab them and go.
Prebiotics are found in a variety of plant foods as well as saliva and breast milk. They create balance in gut flora by promoting beneficial probiotic microorganisms to grow and multiply and preventing the growth of harmful bacteria.
Sources of prebiotics in- clude: soybeans, asparagus, ar- tichokes, garlic, tomatoes, greens, legumes, raw oats, ba- nanas, berries, unrefined wheat and barley.
Probiotics attribute to the live micro-organisms in our system by: aiding digestion, fighting off harmful bacteria, making nutrients available for your body to use and keeping the bowels functioning.
Probiotics are available in foods and dietary supplements such as tablets and powders. Other sources include: yogurts, fermented and unfermented milk, miso, tempeh, and some juices and soy beverages.
The Health Damage Of Texting
Although the introduction of smartphones have made our lives easier by having In- ternet at our fingertips, a new study suggests that looking down at a cell phone is equiv- alent to placing a 60 pound weight on ones neck.
A study published in The Journal of Surgical Technol- ogy International showed that the human head weighs about a 12 pounds, but as the neck bends down and for- ward, the weight on the cervi- cal spine (neck) increases with each increasing angle.
Over time, these extra pounds and stress placed on the neck can lead to early wear and tear, degeneration and eventually leading to spine surgery. Having this poor posture can also lead to other problems such as headaches, depression, lung problems and heart disease.
What Can You Do To Prevent This?
• Look down at your phone with your eyes, not your neck. • Hold your cell phone or other electronic devices at eye
level.
• Avoid spending hours a
day hunched over your phone or take frequent breaks.
• Try voice control. A lot of phones come with voice con- trol which can minimize the time spent bending over to text or send an email.
PAGE 8-B FLORIDA SENTINEL BULLETIN PUBLISHED EVERY TUESDAY AND FRIDAY FRIDAY, JANUARY 8, 2016