32 Health and Nutrition Tips That Are Actually Evidence-Based

Both health and nutrition are frequently brought up in conversation, although not necessarily in an appropriate manner. It is vital to discover information supported by data before making decisions on your diet because there are a lot of myths floating around about what kinds of foods you should eat and how much activity you should get. This article will discuss some helpful tips for living a healthy lifestyle established by research. You can apply these tips immediately.

Do you find it difficult to differentiate between health and nutrition recommendations supported by evidence and those not? This piece on my blog will assist shed some light on the situation.

It is not always simple to determine if a piece of information is supported by scientific evidence or a single person's opinion. But, on the other hand, it is not hard to be persuaded into thinking that consuming a glass of freshly squeezed green juice daily will restore your body's optimal level of health.

But is it the case? In this post, we will go over some of the best ways to evaluate whether a piece of advice is genuinely supported by scientific study or whether it might be nothing more than an old wife's tale.

The human body is an amazing creation, and we owe it to ourselves to treat it with the utmost respect and provide it with the finest care we can. Because of this, I've compiled a list of some of the most useful dietary suggestions supported by data for your convenience.

So you're considering quitting and starting a diet to lose weight. You've probably been hearing a lot lately about how losing weight may benefit your health and how it can help enhance your life in various ways. But just as with any other significant choice, there are benefits and drawbacks to consider before making such an essential adjustment.

If something doesn't sit well with you or you don't have much energy after eating it, possibly it's not the ideal option for you. One of the best methods to figure out which foods are the healthiest for you is to pay attention to how your body reacts to the foods after you consume them.

Remember that this is only basic information, so before making any major adjustments to your diet or exercise routine, you should always check in with your primary care physician first. Good luck!

This article will highlight some of the most credible evidence-based advice that will give you the best chance of attaining your goals without sacrificing too much along the way. These tips include: improved states of mind, higher energy levels, higher quality of sleep, and the list goes on and on. So let's dive right in!

1. Eat A Balanced Diet

• Include a variety of foods in your diet. Consume various foods, such as fruit, vegetables, legumes, nuts, seeds and whole grains. Aim to consume at least five servings (400 grammes) of fruits and vegetables daily, emphasising eating fresh and in season. In addition, include fatty fish in your diet if you are not a vegetarian; omega-3 fatty acids, which are found in fish, have been shown to help against inflammatory disorders such as heart disease.
• Reduce your intake of salt. You should limit your salt intake daily to no more than 1 gramme (or one teaspoon). In addition, reduce the amount of salt you use when making your meal, reduce the amount of high-sodium condiments such as soy sauce on your meals, and steer clear of salty snacks. Your chance of developing high blood pressure will go down if you cut back on the quantity of sodium in your diet.
• Limit your sugar intake. Your daily intake of sugar should not exceed 50 grammes, which is equivalent to roughly 12 teaspoons. You can accomplish this goal by abstaining from consuming sweets, snacks, and drinks with added sugars, such as fruit juices and sodas. In addition, your risk of getting diseases such as diabetes, heart disease, stroke, and certain malignancies will decrease if you cut back on the sugar you consume.
• Steer clear of harmful fats. You shouldn't consume more than 30 per cent of your daily calories from fat. Instead, avoid saturated fats and choose avocados, olive oil, fish, nuts, and seeds. In addition, steer clear of foods high in saturated fats like red meat, butter and cheese, as well as those high in trans fats such as baked goods and ready-to-eat meals that have been prepared.

2. Stay Well Hydrated

Keep in mind that you should drink eight glasses of water every day. Water is essential for proper bowel function, muscle performance, and immunological and skin health. Your body is composed of 80 per cent water, and you need water to survive. Dehydration, weariness, headaches, dry skin, and a compromised immune system are potential side effects of not drinking enough water.

3. Replace Saturated With Unsaturated Fat

Fats are necessary for maintaining good health and the efficient operation of the organism. However, consuming it in excess can hurt our weight and cardiovascular health.

Some types of fats are better for your health than others, and if you follow some of these guidelines, you should be able to maintain a healthy balance:

• You should consume a moderate amount of total and saturated fats (which frequently come from animal foods) and avoid consuming trans fats. Checking the labels on items can help you identify the origins of these fats.
• Consuming fish two to three times a week, with at least one portion consisting of oily fish, will help you achieve the appropriate amount of unsaturated fats in your diet.
• Instead of frying your food, you should bake it, boil it, or steam it when you cook it.
• Also, remove the fatty part of the meat and use vegetable oils.

4. Exercise Regularly

It would be best if you strived to exercise for at least 150 minutes each week, equivalent to 30 minutes on at least five days per week. The objective is to maintain a level of physical activity, which you can accomplish through walking, running, swimming or performing a Pilates workout at home.

Exercise not only assists you in preserving a healthy weight but also lowers the danger of developing diseases associated with a sedentary lifestyle.

One of the best things you can do for your mental and physical health is some form of aerobic exercise or cardiovascular training.

It is especially efficient at reducing belly fat, which is dangerous since it accumulates around your organs. In addition, reducing abdominal fat may be associated with significant improvements in metabolic health.

Aiming at least 150 minutes per week of action at a moderate level should be our primary focus.

5. Limit Sugary Drinks

Most of the additional sugar that people consume comes from sugary beverages, including sodas, fruit juices and teas that have been sweetened.

The findings of multiple research points to the fact that drinking sugar-sweetened beverages can increase the risk of developing heart disease and type 2 diabetes, even in people who do not have excessive fat in their bodies.

Beverages with added sugar are particularly hazardous to children's health because they can play a role in the development of obesity in children and conditions that, in most cases, do not manifest themselves until adulthood. These conditions include type 2 diabetes, high blood pressure and non-alcoholic fatty liver disease.

These are some examples of healthier alternatives: beverages such as water, unsweetened teas, carbonated water and coffee.

6. Limit Your Alcohol Intake

Over time, consuming an unhealthy amount of alcohol can result in various liver disorders and even liver cancer. In addition, abuse of alcohol can also result in poor judgement, leading to an increased risk of accidents and injuries.

It is recommended that women have no more than one alcoholic beverage per day, while men should limit themselves to two alcoholic beverages per day.

7. Do Not Smoke

Smoking is the primary risk factor for developing lung cancer worldwide. The risk of developing cancer in other organs is increased by smoking, in addition to the risk of developing lung cancer. Additionally, it raises the likelihood that you may get heart disease.

Smoking is detrimental not only to one's health but also to the health of those close to the smoker. For example, inhaling secondhand smoke is a key contributor to the development of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), which in turn causes damage to the airways and lungs (COPD).

8. Eat Fatty Fish

Fish is an excellent food choice for obtaining high-quality protein and healthy fats. It is especially true with fatty fish, such as salmon, which contains omega-3 fatty acids and numerous other nutrients that help reduce inflammation.

According to several studies, those who consume fish regularly have a reduced risk for various diseases and disorders, including coronary heart disease, dementia, and inflammatory bowel disease.

9. Use Extra Virgin Olive Oil

Olive oil that has been cold-pressed and unrefined is considered among the healthiest vegetable oils. It is packed full of monounsaturated fats, which are good for your heart, and potent antioxidants, which have anti-inflammatory qualities.

Extra virgin olive oil may benefit cardiovascular health. Evidence suggests that those who eat it have a lower risk of dying from cardiovascular diseases such as heart attacks and strokes.

10. Practice Safe Sex

It is critical to one's general well-being to attend to one's sexual health and well-being. Utilising condoms during sexual activity is one of the most effective ways to reduce your risk of contracting HIV and other STDs like gonorrhoea and syphilis.

11. Get Enough Sleep

It is impossible to place an adequate emphasis on getting sufficient quality sleep.

Inadequate sleep can lead to insulin resistance, can wreak havoc on your appetite hormones, and can bring about a reduction in both your physical and mental function.

In addition, not getting enough sleep is one of the most powerful individual risk factors for gaining weight and being obese. People who do not receive the recommended amount of sleep have a greater propensity to make decisions about food that are higher in fat, sugar and calories, which may result in unwelcome weight gain.

12. Slow Down

The speed at which you eat affects the total amount of food you consume and the likelihood of becoming overweight.

Research that compares the rates at which people consume food reveals that fast eaters are significantly more likely to consume a greater quantity of food and to have a higher body mass index (BMI) than slow eaters.

Hormones are responsible for regulating not only your appetite but also how much you eat and when you feel full. So it is because hormones send messages to the brain, telling it whether you are hungry or have enough to eat.

On the other hand, it requires approximately twenty minutes for your brain to receive these instructions. Because of this, eating more slowly may give your brain the necessary time to register the sensation that you have reached fullness.

Studies have shown that this is true and that eating slowly can help you minimise the number of calories you consume during meals, which in turn can assist you in achieving your weight loss goals.

Eating slowly is associated with chewing food more thoroughly, which is associated with greater weight control.

Therefore, eating more slowly and chewing your food more thoroughly may assist you in consuming fewer calories.

13. Feed Your Gut Bacteria

Gut microbiota is the collection of bacteria that live in your digestive tract and play a significant role in maintaining general health.

Some chronic disorders, such as obesity and a wide variety of digestive issues, have been related to a change in the bacteria that live in the gut.

Eating probiotic foods like yoghurt and sauerkraut, taking probiotic supplements, and eating a diet rich in fibre when it is recommended are all effective approaches to promote the health of one's digestive tract. Notably, fibre acts as a prebiotic, which provides a food supply for the bacteria in your gut.

14. Don’t Eat Heavily Charred Meats

A diet that includes meat can be both nutritious and healthful for you. It has a very high protein content and is an excellent provider of several nutrients.

On the other hand, issues can arise if the meat is scorched or burned. This charring can lead to the development of hazardous chemicals, which may increase your chance of developing certain types of cancer.

When preparing meat, you should try to avoid charring or burning it. In addition, reduce your intake of red and processed meats like lunch meats and bacon because these foods have been associated with an increased risk of cancer in general and colon cancer in particular.

15. Avoid Bright Lights Before Sleep

You may hamper your body's production of the sleep hormone melatonin if exposed to strong lights in the evening, particularly those that emit wavelengths of blue light.

Wearing glasses that block blue light is one way to help reduce the amount of blue light you are exposed to. It is especially important if you spend a lot of time in front of a computer or digital screen. Another option is to stay away from digital screens for at least half an hour before bed.

It can help your body manufacture natural melatonin more effectively as the evening develops, improving the quality of your sleep.

16. Take Vitamin D If You’re Deficient

Most people do not obtain enough vitamin D.

Maintaining adequate levels of vitamin D can help you achieve optimal health by improving bone density, reducing symptoms of depression, bolstering your immune system and reducing your risk of developing cancer. These benefits are in addition to the fact that insufficiencies in vitamin D are fairly common and do not pose an immediate threat.

Your vitamin D levels may be low if you do not spend significant time exposed to direct sunlight.

If you have the opportunity, it is in your best interest to have your levels checked so that, if necessary, you can bring them up to the appropriate level by taking vitamin D supplements.

17. Eat Plenty Of Fruits And Vegetables

Most of the prebiotic fibre, vitamins, minerals, and antioxidants found in vegetables and fruits can potentially improve one's health.

According to several studies, persons who consume more fruits and vegetables have a decreased chance of developing coronary heart disease, obesity, and other diseases.

18. Eat Adequate Protein

Consuming an adequate amount of protein is essential for achieving and maintaining good health since it supplies the basic materials required for forming new cells and tissues in the body.

Additionally, maintaining healthy body weight is especially dependent on consuming this particular nutrient.

Consuming a lot of protein can speed up your metabolism, which burns more calories and makes you feel more full. It is also possible that it will lessen your desire to munch late at night and satisfy your desires.

19. Minimise Your Sugar Intake

Sugar is added to an extraordinarily high percentage of today's foods and beverages. There is a correlation between high intake and developing obesity, type 2 diabetes and heart disease.

We advise restricting added sugar consumption to less than 10% of your total daily calorie intake. To put this into perspective, the World Health Organisation advises that the number of calories you get from added sugars should make up no more than five per cent of your daily total.

20. Limit Refined Carbs

It's not true that all carbohydrates are created equal.

Carbohydrates that have been refined have undergone extensive processing that strips them of their fibre content. Consequently, they contain a relatively low amount of nutrients and, if consumed in large quantities, might be detrimental to one's health. The majority of highly processed foods are composed of refined carbohydrates, such as corn that has been processed, white flour and added sugars.

According to several studies, consuming a diet high in refined carbohydrates may be associated with excessive eating, leading to weight gain and chronic diseases such as type 2 diabetes and heart disease.

21. Avoid Artificial Trans Fats

Trans fats are artificial fats that are hazardous to one's health and have been strongly associated with inflammation and heart disease.

Since they have been fully outlawed in many other nations, avoiding them should be much simpler now.

It is important to remember that you may still come across some foods with trace quantities of trans fats that are produced naturally. However, these are not linked to the same adverse effects as are connected with manufactured trans fats.

22. Use Plenty Of Herbs And Spices

More than ever before, we have access to a diverse selection of herbs and spices. It is truer than ever before. They not only add flavour, but there is a possibility that they can give several health benefits.

Ginger and turmeric, for instance, possess powerful anti-inflammatory and antioxidant properties, which may improve one's general health.

Because herbs and spices may have significant positive effects on one's health, it is important to incorporate a wide range of these foods into one's diet.

23. Avoid Stress And Stressful Situations

Your quality of life will suffer if you frequently experience negative emotions such as stress, depression, or bad moods. It is because you will be surrounded by negative thoughts and unpleasant sensations, which you will frequently pass on to other individuals in your immediate environment.

Then you will form a negative opinion of each circumstance, and in response to that opinion, you will respond similarly negatively. If you continue in this manner, you will find yourself trapped in a never-ending cycle from which it will be impossible to escape. Because of this, you should arm yourself with positive thoughts to lead a life that is both healthy and of high quality.

24. Lift Heavy Weights

You may strengthen your muscles and improve your body composition with the help of strength and resistance training, two of the best forms of exercise you can undertake.

It is also possible that this will lead to important improvements in metabolic health, such as increased insulin sensitivity, which means that it will be easier for you to control your blood sugar levels, and an increase in your metabolic rate, which refers to the number of calories you burn while at rest.

If you do not have weight access, you can create resistance by using your body weight or resistance bands. It will allow you to obtain a comparable workout that will provide you with many of the same benefits.

Two sessions of resistance training each week are what we propose.

25. Occasionally Track Your Food Intake

Estimating the size of your portions and the number of calories you consume is not a completely unreliable method. Nonetheless, the only way to know how many calories you consume is to weigh your food and use a nutrition tracker.

The act of tracking can also reveal information about your consumption of protein, fibre and micronutrients.

Even though some studies have found a correlation between calorie counting and the tendency to engage in disordered eating behaviours, there is evidence to suggest that people who keep track of the food they consume have a greater likelihood of successfully losing weight and keeping it off.

26. Avoid Restrictive Diets

Diets, in general, are ineffective and are much less likely to perform well over the long run. However, a history of dieting is one factor most predictive of subsequent weight gain.

It is because excessively restricted diets actually lower your metabolic rate, which is the number of calories you burn. As a result, losing weight becomes more difficult.

Additionally, they induce changes to your appetite and satiety hormones, which makes you hungrier and may cause intense desires for meals high in fat, calories and sugar.

The combination of these factors is a formula for rebound weight gain, also known as "yo-yo" dieting.

Instead of going on a diet, you could attempt to change your lifestyle to one that is healthy. Instead of starving your body, you should concentrate on nourishing it.

The switch to whole, nutritious meals, which are inherently more full despite having fewer calories than processed foods, ought to result in weight loss on your part.

27. Get Rid Of Excess Belly Fat

An excessive amount of visceral fat, also known as abdominal fat, is a particularly dangerous distribution of fat associated with an elevated risk of cardiometabolic disorders such as type 2 diabetes and heart disease.

Because of this, your waist size and waist-to-hip ratio may be significantly more accurate indicators of your overall health than your weight alone.

Eliminating refined carbohydrates from your diet, increasing the amount of protein and fibre you consume, and lowering your stress levels (which can lower cortisol, a stress hormone that drives abdominal fat deposition) are all potential measures that could assist you in losing abdominal fat.

28. Eat Whole Eggs

The idea that eggs are unhealthy for you due to the amount of cholesterol they contain is a misconception, despite the ongoing debate about eggs and health.

According to studies, they have little to no impact on the level of cholesterol in the blood of the majority of individuals, and they are an excellent source of protein and nutrients.

In addition, a study that involved 263,938 adults concluded that eating eggs was not associated with an increased risk of developing heart disease.

29. Laughter Is The Best Cure

One ought to make an effort to laugh at oneself and find the comedic element in mundane situations. Eight to ten minutes of a person's time should spend every day laughing. Everyone needs to gain the ability to "rise" above many different circumstances by cultivating a more positive outlook on life.

30. Create A Network Of Mutual Assistance From Your Family And Friends

Everyone must maintain healthy ties with their families and socialise with their friends. Additionally, it is important to remember that healthy relationships with family and friends have a favourable impact on those afflicted with chronic diseases and promote recovery in patients.

31. Meditate

Your physical well-being can suffer as a direct result of chronic stress. For example, it can influence your blood sugar levels, the foods you choose to eat, your vulnerability to illness, your weight, the distribution of fat in your body, and even more. Because of this, it is essential to look for and implement healthy stress management methods.

One of these methods is meditation, which has some scientific data to support its use as a stress management tool and a health improvement strategy.

Researchers found that meditation helped lower LDL (bad) cholesterol and inflammation in a trial that involved 48 persons with high blood pressure, type 2 diabetes or both. The results of this study were compared to a control group that did not meditate.

In addition, those who took part in the meditation session reported improvements in their mental and physical health.

32. Think Positive

A significant portion of the answer to the issue lies within one's self-assurance. According to the opinions of various experts, the human body is a factory capable of producing all pharmaceuticals. Nevertheless, we must understand how to activate them. Therefore, you should compile a list of the tasks you carry out each day and are successful at.

The Bottom Line

It only takes a few uncomplicated measures to improve your eating habits and overall health.

However, to live a healthier lifestyle, you shouldn't just concentrate on the meals you consume. Exercising, getting enough sleep, and maintaining healthy relationships is also very important.

With the help of the evidence-based advice shown above, it is simple to make adjustments to your lifestyle that can significantly affect your general health.