Healthy Eating Archive

Adults who stay well hydrated appear to be healthier, develop fewer chronic conditions (such as heart and lung disease), and live longer than those who take in less fluid. Still, many older adults have trouble drinking enough water during the day. Adopting strategies like keeping water bottles close by, drinking with every meal, and eating more water-rich foods can help them meet their daily recommended amounts.

A diet that includes fatty fish, such as salmon, mackerel, sardines, tuna, pollock, and cod, has long been touted to support heart health. Research has found that the health benefit from fatty fish appears to be its high levels of omega-3 fatty acids, which can reduce triglyceride (a type of fat in the blood) and increase "good" HDL cholesterol. Omega-3s also slow plaque buildup in arteries that can cause blood clots and may trigger heart attacks and strokes.

A 2023 study suggests that women who practice many aspects of a healthy lifestyle are about half as likely as women who don't to experience persistent symptoms after a COVID-19 infection.

About one in three Americans engages in gardening, and the activity became even more popular during the COVID pandemic. Research suggests gardening provides many physical and mental health benefits. It can boost movement, improve diet, fight illness, smooth mood, sharpen brain function, and strengthen social bonds. Gardeners should wear a hat and apply sunscreen to protect against sun exposure. They should also wear gloves to create a barrier against skin allergens on plants and bacteria or fungi in potting soil mixes.

Two studies found that managing stress and eating a plant-based diet with at least seven servings of leafy green vegetables per week can help improve cognitive function and protect against Alzheimer's disease, respectively.

People can adapt the basic guidelines of the Mediterranean diet to any cuisine they like by choosing mostly plant-based foods and healthy fats. Latin America includes Mexico and more than 30 other countries in the Caribbean and Central and South America. Healthy choices include beans, corn tortillas, plantains, avocados and tropical fruits, as well as small amounts of fish, seafood, and queso blanco (a mild, white cheese).

Muscle dysmorphia is a preoccupation with a muscular and lean physique that is more pervasive in boys. Learn the signs of body dysmorphia as well as ways to encourage positive body image.

A 2023 study involving 300 people suggested that people who kept a garden for one year ate about two more grams of fiber per day, had less stress and anxiety, and did more moderate-to-vigorous exercise per day than people who didn't do any gardening.

Diets high in free sugar—which includes sugar added to processed foods and drinks as well as the sugar in syrups, fruit juice, and honey—are linked to an increased risk of cardiovascular disease.

The carbohydrate-insulin model of obesity considers the biological mechanisms that trigger the body to store too much fat. Eating fast-digesting carbs causes the body to release large amounts of insulin, which causes excess calories to be stored as fat. When fat cells suck up too many calories, there are too few calories for the rest of the body, which causes hunger and overeating. Cutting back on carbohydrates may shift metabolism in ways that promote weight loss without causing excess hunger, while also improving common risk factors for heart disease. The amount of carbohydrate reduction people might consider depends on their specific health parameters.