Spine and Sports Medicine NYC

• Drink plenty of water (cut the sugary drinks/sodas from your diet)
• Stop eating right before you sleep 
• Exercise three times a week (30 mins or more)
• Enjoy an activity at least once a week (basketball, yoga, golf)
• Instead of cutting off your favorite foods, eat desserts in moderation
• Eat more meals (see 5 eating habits that can improve your workouts)
• Eat protein every meal (see healthy protein alternatives to red meat)
• Cut the excess butter and salt in cooking, add more spices!
• Stock your kitchen with healthy, ready-to-eat snacks 
• Get rid of fatty foods with no nutritional value and stop buying them
• Cut your bread and pasta servings in half and add more veggies
• Weigh yourself once a week, lose weight slowly (it’s natural to take a while)
• Get as much sleep as your body needs (it varies person to person)
• Add a 45 minute daily nap into your schedule
• Eat more fruits and vegetables (make a conscious effort every day)
• Limit your alcohol intake to a glass of wine in social settings
• Celebrate success with a walk in the park or enjoying a concert/social event

• Comfort foods (mac n’ cheese, ice cream, cake) may actually be comforting
• Study in the UK shows that fat intake slows the response to sad emotions
• Fewer neural responses to sadness when eating fatty foods
• Study may provide link for new treatments of mental illness and eating disorders
• Read full story here.

GO HEALTHY! Check out these 7 Healthy Comfort Foods That Relieve Stress 

• Cook at home, from scratch
• Use spices and peppers instead of salt
• Choose low-sodium or sodium-free processed food options
• At restaurants, ask server what foods are made without added salt
• Avoid instant and microwavable foods (usually high in sodium)
• Eat more fresh fruits and vegetables 

Via US New & World Report “9 Surprisingly Simple Ways to Cut Salt”

• Fresh Berries 
• Avocados/Guacamole
• Nuts (Brazil Nuts, Almonds, Walnuts)
• Oranges
• Asparagus
• Chai Tea
• Dark Chocolate

Via RealAge “Foods To Calm You Down Fast”

• Harvard Public School Study showed that a daily serving of 50 grams of processed red meat (2 slices of bacon) was associated with a 51% increased risk of Type 2 Diabetes.
• Substituting one serving of red meat with a healthier protein source reduced the risk of diabetes by up to 23%.

Replace Red Meat with Healthier Proteins

• Fish
• Poultry
• Nuts
• Beans
• Lentils
• Whole Grains
• Low-Fat Dairy

Via Health Finder “Daily Hot Dog May Feed Diabetes Risk: Study” 

Via Fitness Magazine “The 10 Healthiest Foods on the Planet”

• Spinach
• Legumes (beans, lentils)
• Garlic
• Avocados
• Walnuts
• Salmon
• Potatoes
• Dark Chocolate
• Broccoli 
• Lemons 

Via The Environmental Working Group

Here at Spine and Sports Medicine we promote a healthy lifestyle to help keep you looking and feeling great. We always recommend eating organic but we also understand that it gets expensive. This list by EWG highlights fruits and vegetables with the most and least pesticide contamination this year. Hope it helps!