Hi, Yahoo readers! My name is Rachel Grumman Bender, and I’ve gathered some weekly wellness tips to help you get healthier and happier. A great place to start is by taking care of your heart.
The new American Heart Association (AHA) report is out, and Yahoo reporter Natalie Rahhal points out some troubling trends: While heart disease death rates overall have returned to pre-COVID levels for U.S. adults, which is good news, stroke deaths among 25- to 34-year-olds are climbing. More research is needed to unravel why, but there are steps you can take to reduce your risk of cardiovascular disease — no matter your age.
The AHA calls them “Life’s Essential 8,” a list that includes a bunch of healthy habits like eating better (namely, consuming more whole foods like vegetables, fruits and lean proteins, and fewer ultraprocessed ones); being more active by aiming to get in 2 ½ hours of moderate or 75 minutes of vigorous physical activity each week; quitting tobacco, if you smoke; and prioritizing sleep, along with getting cholesterol under control and managing your weight, blood sugar and blood pressure.
Before you head out to get some exercise, take a look at your local forecast. And if you’re curious, glance at your horoscope, too. Then choose “one small thing” for a healthier and happier week ahead. Let’s dive in.
🚶♀️ Go on a ‘stupid little walk’
A viral TikTok trend may poke fun at taking a “stupid little walk” for mental health — even if you practically have to drag yourself — but experts say the habit really does help. Walking releases feel-good hormones that improve mood, reduce anxiety and lower the risk of depression. “It’s definitely OK to be in a bad mood as you go,” Melissa Gluck, a psychologist and founder of Gluck Psychology Collective, tells Bustle. “Leaning into it and thinking about these negative thoughts or emotions — or just feeling them — can actually help to process them. Over time, you might start to feel more at peace and regulated.”
🗂️ Get ‘aspirational’ clutter under control
Clutter isn’t always as obvious as a messy stack of papers on the kitchen counter. There are sneaky versions too, like “aspirational clutter.” Think: the exercise bike that’s now become a coat rack or place settings for 12 when you don’t really host any dinner parties. Ann Lightfoot, co-founder of Done & Done Home and co-author of the book Love Your Home Again, gave the Washington Post some tips on how to pare things down: First, identify things you’ll realistically use in the near future, including seasonal items, and separate those from items you know will just collect dust. Next, create a limited space for what you keep, such as a single drawer for your crafting supplies or a small section of your closet for clothes you plan to wear. “If it doesn’t fit,” she says, “choose your favorites, and let go of the rest.” And finally, with regards to the items you’re keeping, write a to-do list or make notes in your calendar to remind you to hop on that exercise bike, throw a dinner party or start knitting a scarf. “If you can’t find the time, it doesn’t get space in your home,” Lightfoot says.
🧒 Hang out with your grandkids
Spending time with grandchildren isn’t just meaningful — it may also be good for your brain. Grandparents who regularly cared for their grandchildren, whether it was babysitting overnight, driving them to activities, cooking for them or helping out with homework, performed better on memory and verbal fluency tests compared to those who weren’t caregivers, according to research from the American Psychological Association. Experts tell USA Today that being an involved grandparent helps older adults stay socially active while using important skills like planning and problem-solving.
🧘♀️ Do this 1 exercise to relieve lower back pain
Got an achy back? Try doing a pelvic tilt. Start by lying on your back with your knees bent and your feet hip-width apart. Next, “take a deep breath in and fill up your stomach, and then exhale as you tilt your pelvis with your hips coming closer to your ribs, and your low abs pulling in and down,” personal trainer Stephanie Mansour tells Today. Repeat 10 times for some back pain relief.
🥣 Make a high-protein breakfast
If your go-to morning meal leaves you searching for a snack an hour later, it’s time to swap it out for a more filling, high-protein breakfast instead. Yahoo Creator and food blogger Ale Graf shares some of her favorite protein-rich breakfasts, including Apple Cinnamon Overnight Oats, which you make in advance, saving you precious minutes in the morning. Graf makes it with rolled oats, chia seeds and plant-based milk, and then tops it with a dollop of yogurt, diced apples and cinnamon. For some added crunch, sprinkle on some pecans. “Perfect for meal prep or busy mornings when you want a quick, nutritious breakfast that tastes like dessert,” Graf says.
Avoid shoveling snow at this age
If you live in parts of the country that are getting heaps of snow, read this before you grab that shovel and head outside. Shoveling snow is riskier than you might realize, especially if you’re 45 and older. The activity carries a heart attack risk, even for people without a history of cardiovascular disease, because it’s physically demanding and cold weather can be hard on your heart. Instead, ask a (younger) neighbor to help or try an app-based service like Shovler and QuikPlow, which Dr. Andrew Choi, director of non-invasive cardiology at GW Medical Faculty and Associates, tells Prevention is like “Uber for snow-shoveling.” If doing it yourself is the only option, Choi recommends using a shovel with a small blade for a lighter load, taking breaks and hydrating.
😴 Take an afternoon nap
Naps are one of those things that you don’t appreciate when you’re a kid and then wish you could take when you’re a sleep-deprived adult. Here’s an excuse to nab one: Even a short nap can do wonders for your brain. A new study suggests that dozing off for 45 minutes is enough to “reset” the brain, clear out mental clutter and get it ready to learn new information. While the study was small, other research has found similar brain benefits to a short snooze.
🍳 Use an air fryer to cook high-fat foods
What can’t air fryers do? They not only speed up cook times, but they may also help improve air quality in your kitchen. New research shows that using an air fryer, even when cooking high-fat foods like bacon, produces fewer airborne pollutants, known as volatile organic compounds or VOCs, than traditional frying methods (the study found that cooking high-fat foods in a deep fat fryer, on the other hand, produces 10 to 100 times higher levels of VOCs). One caveat: You need to keep your air fryer clean; otherwise, those pollutants can start to build up. In the meantime, here are 16 air fryer recipes for inspiration.
🥦 Eat plants to protect your kidneys
Plant-based diets come with a slew of benefits, including reducing your risk of heart disease and type 2 diabetes. Now you can add protecting your kidneys to that list. A new study found that eating a plant-forward diet (basically, prioritizing vegetables, beans, fruits, nuts and seeds and eating limited amounts of meat and dairy) while limiting added sugars and fats was linked to a lower risk of chronic kidney disease (CKD), which is projected to become the fifth-leading cause of death globally by 2040.
🧩 Try a dopamine-boosting hobby
Dopamine, the feel-good hormone, can take a dip in the cold, dark winter months. Experts say that taking up a dopamine-boosting hobby, such as puzzles, can help. “Activities like jigsaw puzzles not only put the brain’s problem-solving skills to good use, but also activate reward pathways in the brain, leading to a sense of accomplishment,” psychologist Leah Kaylor tells Real Simple. “Each time a piece fits correctly, the brain experiences a small dopamine release, reinforcing motivation and pleasure.” Check out Yahoo Games’ free puzzles.