5 Health Trends That Are Not As Good As They Might Seem
The article will talk about 5 health trends to ignore. While these aren’t bad for your health in any way, they might not be as effective as people claim, and you might have more success by doing other things instead!
Juice Cleanses
Juice cleanses are nutrient-heavy drinks that claim to detoxify your body. The truth is, these juices typically do more harm than good since they lack the fiber necessary for proper digestion. That said, juice cleanses can be beneficial if you’re looking to lose weight provided that you take in an adequate amount of calories–otherwise, you’ll experience malnourishment and fatigue.
Furthermore, juice cleanses might make you feel better in the short term because they take your body through a period of caloric restriction; however, once you reintroduce solid foods, your digestive system will be overwhelmed by the fiber intake which can lead to constipation or even worse symptoms.
The first step to eating healthier is learning where your food comes from. If you’re able to acquire fruits, vegetables, and meats that are organic, local, and fresh then try to use them in your cooking and baking whenever possible. If it’s not financially feasible for you to purchase organic ingredients, at least be sure to thoroughly wash all fruits and vegetables with a vegetable brush. If possible, eat meats that are grass-fed instead of grain-fed. Grass-fed beef has higher concentrations of omega-3 fatty acids which make it heart healthier.
Fitness Trackers
Fitness trackers are popular, and for good reason: they offer motivation to stay active. However, relying on these trackers in order to keep track of your daily activity can be a dangerous game since the data they provide is not 100% accurate. For example, fitness trackers cannot always differentiate between different types of exercises or activities–a simple walk to the mailbox and back is logged as exercise.
And since fitness trackers can’t account for variables such as temperature, humidity, or elevation, you’re likely going to see a skewed version of how active you really are during any given day–even if you wear your fitness tracker on both your wrist and waist.
Meditation
Meditation is a wonderful resource that can help reduce stress, anxiety, and depression. However, meditating for hours on end won’t necessarily produce the same benefits–in fact, it could yield the opposite results. If you’re trying to meditate for more than 30 minutes at a time, chances are you’ll become frustrated and struggle to maintain focus. Additionally, meditation for upwards of 30 minutes can cause you to become more susceptible to distractions since it’s proven that the human mind needs a break every now and then.
The best way to incorporate meditation into your daily routine is by setting aside 10-15 minutes every morning before you set out on your day. If you’re having trouble meditating for extended periods of time, try meditating in the mornings when your mind is sharpest. To get started, you can set up a meditation schedule to guide you or simply listen to guided visualizations that will help you relax while breathing techniques are practiced.
Intermittent Fasting
It may be tempting to try intermittent fasting if you’re trying to lose weight. In fact, it can be beneficial as long as you don’t overdo it. In addition, one of the most important factors in your weight loss journey is how much food actually ends up in your mouth. A 2013 study published in the journal Obesity found that taking a break from eating did not result in greater weight loss.
Intermittent fasting can also be dangerous if you don’t eat enough healthy food on non-fasting days to make up for the calorie deficit created during your fasts. For example, if you eat normally on non-fasting days and you fast for 16 hours each day, then you’d be fasting for a total of 32 hours every week which could lead to nutrient deficiencies.
While intermittent fasting may not work for everyone, it is an easy way to lose weight if you don’t mind occasionally giving up breakfast. For those who would rather avoid fasting, there are other weight-loss trends such as juice cleanses and detoxing that you can try instead.
Conclusion
While these five trends may sound like a good idea, they might not be as beneficial as you think. In fact, there are other ways to improve your health that have been scientifically tested and proven to work rather than just relying on tales from people with no real scientific backing.
