How to Stay Healthy Even on Crazy-Busy Days

Raise your hand if you wish there were more hours in a day. Hand up? You’re not alone. According to research presented last week at the Population Association of America’s annual meeting in New Orleans, people who work out and prepare their own food on the same day may be dedicating more time to one of those healthy habits—at the expense of the other habit.

Researchers used data from the nationally representative American Time Use Survey to come to that conclusion; they looked at information from more than 112,000 American adults who had been surveyed about their activities during a 24-hour period between 2003 and 2010.

The findings: Women spent an average of nine minutes on their workouts, compared to the average of 19 minutes that men spent on theirs. In addition, women spent an average of 44 minutes on food prep, while men spent less than 17 minutes making meals. That means that the average respondent spent less than an hour of their day on exercise and cooking combined.

By applying a statistical model, researchers found that, in general, the more time people spent preparing food on a given day, the less likely they were to spend as much time exercising. This association, while not causal, “suggests there could be a tradeoff between time spent preparing food and time spent exercising,” says lead study author Rachel Tumin, a doctoral student in epidemiology in The Ohio State University’s College of Public Health. Tumin points out that researchers only looked at one 24-hour period, so it’s possible that the respondents devoted more time to the activity they skimped on during the rest of the week.

Oftentimes, you have to cut back on certain activities to create time for others. But when it comes to your health, you shouldn’t have to make concessions. With a little strategizing, you can fit both fitness and healthy, home-cooked meals into your day.

Quick workouts you’ll love:

15-Minute Workout: Total-Body Toning

 

15-Minute Workout: Core Exercises

 

15-Minute Workout: Get Fit with Cables

 

15-Minute Arm Workout: Armed for Summer

 

 15-Minute Workout: Challenge Your Muscles

 

Healthy meals in 20 minutes or less:

Coconut-Lime Tilapia
Total time: 20 minutes

Photo: Zach DeSart

 

 Feta-Orzo Stuffed Tomatoes
Total time: 12 minutes

Photo: Craig Cutler

 

Seared Scallops with White Beans and Spinach
Total time: 18 minutes

Photo: Mitch Mandel

 

Tofu and Cabbage Salad
Total time: 10 minutes

Photo: Levi Brown

 

Baked Chicken with Mushrooms and Sweet Potato
Total time: 20 minutes

Photo: Levi Brown

 

 

photo: iStockphoto/Thinkstock

More from Women’s Health:
The Benefits of 15-Minute Workouts
4 Ways to Squeeze in That Workout
How to Find 15 Extra Minutes

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For a Healthy Lunch, Check Your Freezer

Frozen food gets a bad rap, but new research suggests that it might be unwarranted: Eating a frozen meal instead of buying your lunch can help improve several aspects of your health, according to new research presented at a conference hosted by the American Heart Association last week.

For the study, researchers recruited 35 overweight people between the ages of 25 and 60 who typically ate a hot lunch from a restaurant or their office cafeteria. The participants were then asked to replace that lunch with a single-serve Healthy Choice brand frozen meal for 30 days. With the exception of their new lunch routine, participants were told to maintain their normal dietary and fitness habits. At the end of the experiment, researchers discovered that the subjects didn’t tend to compensate for the calories they saved at lunch by eating more at other times. In fact, participants lost an average of three pounds. They also saw their total cholesterol drop about 13 points, saw their LDL (bad) cholesterol drop about 7 points, and saw their blood pressure drop about 5 points. As an added perk, participants reported saving an average of $ 4 a day by eating a single-serve frozen meal instead of buying their lunch.

Full disclosure: The study was conducted by the Rippe Lifestyle Institute (a research, communication, and health company) and ConAgra Foods, which makes Healthy Choice, Marie Callender’s, and Budget brand frozen meals. That said, the study is still a good reminder that you don’t have to write off frozen dinners altogether—just check the nutrition facts before you buy them.

“Many people have misconceptions about these foods,” says study author Kristin Reimers, RD, PhD, manager of nutrition at ConAgra Foods. ”Believe it or not, 90 percent of the frozen meals ConAgra Foods makes are less than 450 calories—it doesn’t even have to be a Healthy Choice.”

Many options (not just those made by ConAgra Foods) also contain fewer than 767 mg of sodium, which is the max amount you should have per meal if you want to stick to the USDA guidelines of consuming fewer than 2,300 mg a day. Thinking of taking a trip down the frozen food aisle? Jill Waldbieser, Women’s Health’s food and nutrition editor, points you in the direction of some healthy (and tasty) swaps for your biggest lunchtime vices:

 


Your old lunch: Steamed chicken and veggies
Your new lunch: Kashi Steam MealsChicken and Chipotle BBQ
Contains: White meat chicken, Kashi Seven Whole Grains and Sesame Pilaf, mangoes, roasted green beans, red onion, red and green peppers, and a sweet chipotle BBQ sauce
310 calories, 620 mg per serving (2 servings per bag)
Suggested retail price: $ 6.95

 

Your old lunch: Cafeteria comfort food
Your new lunch: Healthy Choice Slow Roasted Turkey Bake
Contains: Turkey medallions, roasted potatoes, butternut squash, green beans, crispy onions, and gravy

 

Your old lunch: A burrito
Your new lunch: PJ’s Organics Southwestern-Style Chicken Burrito
Contains: White meat chicken, beans, cheese, corn, and rice
380 calories, 690 mg sodium
Suggested retail price: $ 3.50 to $ 4.00

 

Your old lunch: Indian takeout
Your new lunchAmy’s Light & Lean Mattar Paneer
Contains: Organic peas, Indian cheese, basmati rice, lentils, beans, and a spiced sauce
260 calories, 570 mg sodium
Suggested retail price: $ 5.29

photo: iStockphoto/Thinkstock

More From Women’s Health:
10 Healthy Lunch Ideas
Fresh or Frozen Foods?
125 Best Packaged Foods

Lose up to 15 lbs in just six weeks with The 8-Hour Diet. Buy the book!

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Eat THIS for a Healthy Stomach

Researchers have discovered a new way to quit your bellyaching: Eating green cruciferous vegetables like broccoli may boost digestive system health, according to a new study from the Walters + Eliza Hall Institute of Medical Research in Australia.

The researchers discovered a gene called T-bet that lives in the gut, where it triggers the growth of special cells that promote good bacteria, protect you from bad bacteria, and may even ward off digestive system conditions such colorectal cancer and food allergies. Even better? Previous research has shown that a certain compound in green cruciferous vegetables activates this gene and amps up the immune system to help it function at full force.

In light of these new findings, study author Gabrielle Belz, PhD, laboratory head in the division of immunology at the Walter and Eliza Hall Institute of Medical Research in Melbourne, Australia recommends eating a balanced diet with sufficient green veggies—that’s about two and half cups a day for most women, according to USDA recommendations. Examples of green cruciferous vegetables include broccoli, Brussels sprouts, bok choy, and kale. Need some inspiration on how to up your intake? Check out these tasty recipes:

Winter Kale Salad

Photo:Kang Kim

Roasted Brussels Sprouts and Red Onions with Balsamic Vinegar
Photo: Catherine Sears

Stir-Fried Bok Choy

Photo: Kate Mathis

Cheddar Broccoli Chicken
Photo: Mitch Mandel

Collard Greens with Pork Chops and Apples

Photo: John Kernick

photo: iStockphoto/Thinkstock

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The Healthiest Vegetables Ever
23 Ways to Eat Better
The Best Packaged Produce
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The Best Foods For a Healthy Heart

Do your heart a favor and reach for the olive oil: People who eat a Mediterranean diet high in extra virgin olive oil and nuts are 30 percent less likely to suffer from heart disease, according to The New England Journal of Medicine.

Researchers from the University of Barcelona recruited 7,500 people from Spain with pre-existing health conditions such as diabetes, obesity, and other heart-related diseases for their study. The participants were then assigned to one of three groups: two that followed variations on the Mediterranean diet (one added four tablespoons of olive oil per day to their diets, while the other group added 30 grams of nuts per day to theirs) and a third group that was put on a low-fat diet. Both Mediterranean diet groups were discouraged from consuming baked sweets, red and processed meats, and soda. Over the five-year study, the low-fat dieters were more likely to abandon the program than either of the Mediterranean diet groups.

Some experts worry the results might be skewed because participants were also taking medications for their conditions. But Robert Eckel, MD, a professor at the University of Colorado Denver, says that’s not the case.

“This shows that, even in a high-risk group with a lot of hypertension, ultimately a healthy diet works,” he says. “Many people think that if a patient is on a medication they may not need a good diet—not true.”

Add some staples of the Mediterranean diet into your meal plan with these fast and simple recipes:

Top off grilled salmon with an herb-infused olive oil dressing.

Mix pine nuts and olive oil into nutrient-packed couscous.

Up your veggie intake with these roasted Mediterranean vegetables.

Invite some friends over for some party-ready Greek-salad skewers.

photo: Hemera/Thinkstock

More from Women’s Health:
Spotlight: Heart Health
Prevent Cardiovascular Disease: Have a Healthy Heart
Change Your Fate—Starting Now

Want a flatter belly, thinner thighs, and toned arms? To transform your body, buy The Spartacus Workout 2-DVD program now!

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The Healthy Food That Might Be Making You Sick

An apple a day will keep the doctor away…but only if you clean it first. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 23 percent of all food-borne illnesses are caused by contaminated vegetables–that’s 2.2 million out of 9.6 million reported cases. And produce foods–which include vegetables, fruits, and nuts–sicken 4.4 million people a year.

“We eat vegetables raw, so if harmful bacteria is present, there’s no intervention consumers have to ensure they’re safe,” says Michael Doyle, Ph.D., director at the Center for Food Safety at the University of Georgia.

Scary stuff, right? What’s worse is that there’s no way to be 100 percent sure that your food, especially produce, is totally safe to eat, Doyle says. Your best bet is to take the precautions to lower the number of harmful microbes that could be present. Here are 5 tips to keep your healthy foods safe.

Check for blemishes
Fruits and vegetables with bruises, cuts, and nicks have a greater risk of being contaminated with a food-borne illness, Doyle says. Make sure you inspect every surface of whatever item of produce you intend to buy beforehand so that you don’t contaminate other foods in your shopping cart.

Wash before you eat
It’s tempting to sneak a few grapes between shopping aisles, but hold off until you’re home. Doyle says most of the harmful bacteria are located on the outer skins of produce. For fruits like bananas and oranges, peeling the outer layers will leave you with safe food on the inside–just make sure your hands are clean. For other foods, a minute of thorough rinsing will reduce potentially dangerous bacteria.

Cook at a high temperature
You may prefer your veggies raw, but washing them is only half the battle. Doyle recommends cooking vegetables at 160 degrees Fahrenheit to kill most of the harmful microbes. Boiling and steaming will get the job done, but if you’re grilling, heat the outer surfaces well.

Practice safe storage
Don’t let your food sit in your fridge uncovered. Place them in closed plastic containers or Saran wrap and cool them in a temperature of 38 degrees Fahrenheit or less. Doyle says the life expectancy of vegetables ranges from three to four days, so be sure to eat them in that time frame. Keep these closed foods away from raw meat on a separate shelf or compartment so that juices won’t drip on them.

Use your best judgment
When you eat out, you have less control over how your food is picked, cooked, and stored. You don’t see what happens behind closed doors, so unless the menu tells you how your food is prepared, assume the food is handled properly. If you’re at a buffet-style joint, you’re the food inspector. Sometimes food is left out for hours, so avoid things that look brown or wilted.

photo: Baloncici/Shutterstock

More from WH:
How to Wash Produce 101
23 Ways to Add Fruits and Veggies to Your Diet
7 Ways to Boost Your Mood With Food

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When Whole Grains Aren’t Healthy

Think eating whole grains is always a healthy choice? Take a closer look at the nutrition label. Some products labeled with “whole grain” lingo aren’t nearly as healthy as you think they are. In fact, products with the yellow Whole Grain Stamp—a symbol many look for to make healthy picks—are typically the least nutritious, found a recent Harvard School of Public Health study. After evaluating 545 whole grain products and tallying up their nutritional components, researchers found that products donning the label were higher in sugar and calories, and had a heftier price tag, than whole grain products without it.

By law, any product advertising itself as “whole grain” must have at least 51 percent whole grain by weight. However, the remaining 49 percent can include refined grains, and other not-so-good-for-you ingredients. While eating whole grains products, which are rich in fiber and vitamins, can help prevent heart disease, type 2 diabetes and obesity, refined grains can lead to the onset of the same conditions, making it vital to know how to distinguish the good from the bad.

Step one: Read the nutrition label and ingredients list, says Heather Bauer, RD, CDN, founder of Bestowed.com, a service that offers consumers a personalized way to discover and learn about the best nutrition products on the market. Here, Bauer shares simple rules for how to interpret what you’re reading.

Don’t be fooled by fancy language
Ideally, the product should be 100 percent whole grain. Words and phrases like: “Whole bran,” “Multi-grain,” “Made with whole grain,” “A healthy source of whole grain,” and “Made with wheat,” don’t ensure a healthy pick–these terms aren’t regulated by the government, so they don’t actually mean anything. Typically these slogans are printed on the packages to confuse consumers, Bauer says.

Check the order
The first ingredient on the label should be whole grains, but don’t stop scanning there. If sugar or trans fat is the second or third ingredient, it’s better to skip it, she says. The higher up an ingredient is on the list, the more of it is present in the food. So sugar or trans fat in second or third place could mean that you’re eating a whole lot of unnecessary bad-for-you filler.

Follow the 10:1 ratio rule
Check the fiber content and the carb count. For every ten grams of total carbohydrates there needs to be at least one gram of fiber. “If the product has 30g of carbohydrates, it must have at least 3 grams of fiber to fit the bill,” says Bauer. Foods that met the 10:1 ratio tend to have less sugar, sodium, and trans fats than those that didn’t, found the Harvard researchers.

photo: iStockphoto/Thinkstock

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Slimming Whole Grain Recipes
Fiber-Packed Food That Helps You Lose Weight
The Healthiest Breakfast Cereals

The New Rules of Lifting for WomenTransform your body forever with The New Rules of Lifting for Women, a breakthrough fitness and diet plan for women. Order now!

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When Running Isn’t Healthy

Kate Gosselin feels best when she runs 10 miles every other day, according to Us Weekly. But what the 37-year-old mother of eight doesn’t know is that when it comes to vigorous exercise, more isn’t always better. Turns out, people who work out too hard for too long may be less healthy than sedentary people, and are more likely to die than moderate exercisers, according to an editorial recently published in the British journal Heart.

The editorial authors reviewed decades’ worth of research on the effects of endurance athletics. They found numerous studies that showed that moderate exercise was good, but excessive exercise was damaging. For instance, in one German study published in European Heart Journal, researchers compared the hearts of 108 chronic marathoners and sedentary people in a control group. Surprisingly, the runners had more coronary plaque buildup, a risk factor for heart disease.

In another observational study, researchers tracked over 52,000 people for 30 years. Overall, runners had a 19 percent lower death risk than non-runners. However, the health benefits of exercise seemed to diminish among people who ran more than 20 miles a week, more than six days a week, or faster than eight miles an hour. The sweet spot appears to be five to 19 miles per week at a pace of six to seven miles per hour, spread throughout three or four sessions per week. Runners who followed these guidelines reaped the greatest health benefits: their risk of death dropped by 25 percent, according to results published in the journal Medicine & Science in Sports & Exercise.

Forget about chaffing and sore muscles: excessive exercise can cause even more serious wear and tear on your body. During a strenuous workout, your body works hard to burn sugar and fat for fuel. And just like burning wood in a fire, this creates smoke. The “smoke” that billows through your system is actually free radicals that can bind with cholesterol to create plaque build up in your arteries, and damage your cells in a process known as oxidative stress.

“Your body is designed to deal with oxidative stress that comes from exercise for the first hour,” says cardiologist James O’Keefe, MD, Director of Preventative Cardiology at the Saint Luke’s Mid America Heart Institute in Kansas City, and author of the Heart editorial. “But prolonged intense exercise causes excessive oxidative stress, which basically burns through the antioxidants in your system and predisposes you to problems.”

However, O’Keefe insists that this is no excuse to trash your running shoes and take to the couch. “Exercise may be the most important component of a healthy lifestyle, but like any powerful drug you’ve got to get the dose right,” he says. It’s true: exercise—in moderation—can reduce your risk of heart disease, high blood pressure, type 1 diabetes, Alzheimer’s, dementia, obesity, and premature aging. Regular workouts can also promote muscular health, skeletal health, and boost your mood. Overdo it, though, and many of these health benefits practically vanish.

Researchers are still working to define the safe limits for vigorous exercise. The bottom line: if you work out to promote your long-term health and well-being, doing vigorous exercise for longer than an hour isn’t necessary, and is actually counterproductive, says O’Keefe. Use these tips to maximize the benefits of moderate exercise:

If you like to work out every day: Don’t do hard endurance exercise for more than one hour per day, and listen to your body: if your muscles are sore, consider building in a day of “rest” and swap hard-core cardio for walking or stretching.

If you want to work out longer than 60 minutes a day: After the first 45 to 60 minutes of vigorous exercise, switch it up by doing yoga, strength training, or lighter activity like swimming—and don’t race.

If you’re already training hard: Researchers don’t know for sure whether cutting back on sustained endurance exercise (i.e., running more than 25 miles a week for the past ten years) can undo the damage done, and improve a person’s health. (O’Keefe’s guess is yes, though, based on related animal studies with promising results.) If you typically wake up with low energy, see no improvement in your fitness, have you lost your appetite, or have begun to think of workouts as a chore, you might have reached your personal threshold. Use common sense and cut back; like your muscles, your heart may need a day off from daily vigorous exercise. You don’t need to lay around, but stick to walking or yoga instead of your regular workout for one extra day each week.

If you want a work out that helps you live longer: Sprint for 20 to 40 seconds, then let your heartbeat return to normal, and repeat five to eight times. According to O’Keefe, high-intensity interval training can improve your fitness without taking a long-term toll on your health.

If “run a marathon” is on your bucket list, no matter what: “People do a lot of things for reasons besides living longer, like jumping out of airplanes and racing cars. We’re not saying those are bad, but they’re not for your health,” says O’Keefe. The same goes for marathon running. There’s no firm information that running a few marathons is going to hurt you. Just know that competing regularly (i.e., running one race per year for a decade) won’t promote longevity.

photo: iStockphoto/Thinkstock

More from WH:
Quiz: Are You Setting Yourself Up For Running Injuries?
Running for Beginners
Best Workouts for a Total Body Transformation


Reprogram your metabolism, and keep the weight off for good with The Metabolism Miracle. Order now!

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How Healthy Is Your Neighborhood?

Where you live can impact your health—sometimes, in ways you wouldn’t expect.

It’s no secret that too many Americans will find any excuse to avoid movement. Modern conveniences, like cars, or lawn mowers you ride instead of push, have slashed the amount of calories people burn while going about their daily lives. That’s why the American Journal of Preventive Medicine published a supplement outlining how to build communities that encourage their residents to move around more. Because when our neighborhoods have certain features, they enable us to live healthier lives. Like by forcing us to get off our butts and get active.

That said, the mark of a healthy town isn’t just limited to bike lanes and sidewalks. To assess the healthy-factor of your community, check out this list of must-haves. How many items are true of your ‘hood?

1. The barista lives above the coffee shop. When shops and restaurants are incorporated into residential areas, people are encouraged to walk instead of drive, says Katherine Kraft, Ph.D., a contributing author to the AJPM supplement, and healthy community consultant in Princeton, NJ. And that’s a good idea, as people who live in a walkable neighborhood weigh an average of 6 to 10 pounds less than those who live in a sprawling neighborhood, according to a 2008 study published in American Journal of Preventive Medicine. Better yet: streets lined with stores and homes are busier, and more eyes and ears can lead to a safer-feeling community.

2. You can buy an apple at the corner bodega. The closer you are to a food market, the more likely you are to eat fruits and vegetables, and the less likely you are to be obese, according to a 2010 study published in International Journal of Health Geographics. If your closest market doesn’t stock fresh produce, request it, otherwise your proximity won’t be much help.

3. Sidewalks are four shoulder-lengths wide. Walkways built for four accommodate two people walking side-by-side in each direction, which is ideal for walking in groups without interfering with traffic. On more narrow paths, walk in single file, and never veer into the street.

4. You can smell the roses, sit, and window shop. Stroll-worthy streets lined with flower boxes, benches, public artwork, and interesting windows displays are more inviting to pedestrians, says Kraft. If your city’s sidewalks are an eyesore, file your complaint with your state or county Department of Transportation.

5. Paths are lined with more trees than bushes. A University of Essex study found that walking along a green outdoor path led to improved self-esteem and mood, compared to walking indoors. However, bushes offer criminals a place to hide and can compromise your safety, says Kraft. Trees are ideal, as they create a canopy effect to provide pedestrian shade.

6. You’re never in the dark. On average, only 25 percent of local roads are continuously lit, according to a report by the Lighting Research Center of the Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute in Troy, NY. However, well-lit streets foster feelings of safety, and encourage people to walk and bike, even after nightfall. If your neighborhood is poorly lit, carry a flashlight while walking, or attach lights—white in the front, red in the rear–to your bike.

7. The speed limit is 25 or under. Because it’s easier to stop a car that’s moving slowly, lower speed limits can be safer for pedestrians—so long as drivers abide by the rules. If you can’t reroute your walk to a street slower moving traffic, stick to the sidewalk. No sidewalk? Be sure to walk against traffic, so you can see cars coming, even if drivers don’t see you.

8. Car parking is pricy, but bike parking is free. When parking your car is expensive or inconvenient, you’re more likely to walk or bike—especially if there are places to lock your bike, says Kraft. Use a sturdy bike lock to secure your cycle to a bike rack, scaffolding, or light pole, which are ideal for bike parking. Bonus: Outdoor bike parking is always on the house.

9. Crosswalks are clearly marked. According to a 2006 Federal Highway Administration study, more than 20 percent of pedestrian deaths occur when crossing roads or intersections. Safe communities have crosswalks that are clearly defined by pavement paint, flashing lights, and traffic lights with walk signs.

photo: iStockphoto/Thinkstock

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The Healthiest Cities for Women
Fresh Air That Isn’t: How to Tell The Difference
18 Self Checks Every Woman Should Do


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6 Ways to Stay Healthy This Winter

In bleak breaking news: No matter what climate you live in, you’re more likely to die in the winter, according to new research presented at the 2012 American Heart Association’s Scientific Sessions.

Researchers at Good Samaritan Hospital in Los Angeles reviewed four years’ worth of death certificates from seven locations with varying climates throughout the United States. They then compared seasonal death rates, and found that an average of 26 to 36 percent more circulatory deaths (i.e., heart attack, heart failure, cardiovascular disease, and stroke) and deaths overall occurred in the winter months than in the summer months. Interestingly, the seasonal death rate patterns were very similar even in locations with different climates, such as Arizona and Massachusetts.

“Previous studies suggested that the winter increase in death rates was related to colder temperatures,” says Bryan Schwartz, M.D., lead study author and clinical cardiovascular fellow at the University of New Mexico in Albuquerque. “Climate is likely still a factor, but the relationship is much more complicated than simply, ‘as temperature goes down death rates increase’.” Because people acclimate to their climate, mild winter weather may be just as daunting as severe winter weather, depending on what you’re used to. For instance, a Wisconsinite might scoff at a winter low of 30 degrees Fahrenheit, but it could feel very cold to someone living in Los Angeles who isn’t used to that temperature.

Schwartz says the number of circulatory deaths may peak in the winter because the body has to work harder to circulate blood in colder weather, which puts strain on the cardiovascular system. Plus, you’re more likely to suffer a respiratory infection in cold weather. This could increase one’s risk of blood clots and lead to a heart attack or stroke, and push a person who already has advanced cardiovascular disease over the edge.

Increased depressive symptoms and getting too little vitamin D could also explain why deaths rates peak in winter months. But unless you’re elderly or already suffering from cardiovascular disease, Schwartz says there’s no reason for you to worry about whether you’ll survive to see next spring. Still, it’s important to maintain a healthy lifestyle in the winter months, when most people tend to slip, so follow Schwartz’s tips to keep your health intact through the dead of winter:

1. Get a flu shot. This year’s vaccine promises a 70 to 80 percent rate of effectiveness in fighting two new strains of flu virus, so get the shot or nasal spray before you subject your body to the virus that zaps your energy and puts you at heightened risk of pneumonia, a dangerous lung infection that can be deadly if left untreated.

2. Get a pneumonia vaccine, if you qualify. The U.S. government’s Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recommend vaccination for those under age 2 and over age 65, plus smokers, asthmatics, and anyone with heart disease, lung disease, diabetes, kidney failure, organ transplants, or one of these special conditions.

3. Heat up some soup. It’s easy to fall prey to poor eating habits when you’re cooped up inside. But some cold-weather comfort foods such as tomato soup can banish winter blues and boost your immunity: In a study published in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition, 10 subjects ate a tomato-rich diet for 3 weeks, their infection-fighting white blood cells sustained 38 percent less damage from free radicals—atoms in the body that damage and destabilize cells —than when they ate no tomato products. Antioxidants such as lycopene in tomatoes can helping white blood cells resist the damaging effects of free radicals. Here are more foods to boost your immune system.

4. Find an exercise buddy. Inactivity causes one in ten of the world’s premature deaths related to heart disease, type 2 diabetes, breast cancer, and colon cancer, according to a paper published this year in the journal Lancet. The American Heart Association recommends a minimum of 30 minutes of movement a day, five times a week. But don’t let cold feet keep you from a sweat session. Instead, commit to regular walks or gym workouts with a friend for accountability. Aim to work out for at least half an hour every day.

5. Eat fish. Salmon, swordfish, and tuna fish are loaded with vitamin D, an essential vitamin our bodies can naturally produce with sun exposure. However, levels can dip when cold winter weather keeps you undercover and indoors. Not good, considering that low levels of this vitamin have been associated with a 64 percent higher risk of heart attack, a 57 percent higher risk of early death, and an 81 percent higher risk of death from heart disease, according to a 2012 Danish study. So chip away at the recommended 1000 mg a day with 3 oz of fish (154-566 mcg). Not a fan of seafood? Try a cup of milk (115 mcg) or yogurt (80 mcg) or ask your doctor about taking a supplement.

6. Invest in white light. Swap dull bulbs for super-bright white fluorescent lighting to keep your energy up and fend off depression-fueled carb cravings that lead to winter weight gain, which ups your risk of heart disease, diabetes, and other life-threatening conditions. White bulbs fill in for natural light absent from shorter winter days to normalize your circadian rhythm, elevate levels of mood-boosting serotonin, and ward off seasonal effective disorder, a depressive condition that women are especially susceptible to.  

photo: iStockphoto/Thinkstock

More from WH:
The Best Winter Beauty Tips
9 Best Winter Foods
18 Self Checks Every Woman Should Do

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