3 Surprising Ways that You Could Be Improving Your Health

Ever wish science would surprise you with some unconventional ways to get healthy that don’t take much work? Here are a few counter-intuitive ways to get healthier that may surprise you. If these aren’t on your radar yet, they should be…

Cannabis smoothies, anyone?

Did you know that certain nutritionists and medical experts are beginning to label cannabis as the new superfood? Want to know why? Studies are revealing a connection between cannabis to reducing one’s risk of Alzheimer’s. And that’s just for starters. Then there are the possibilities of it being effective for weight loss treatment. And in treatments for migraines and headaches. Arthritis pains can also be relieved by cannabis, along with seizures for those with epilepsy.

For cannabis’ psychoactive elements to register, the plant must be dried or heated. But this new wave of interest in the plant is not only for its ability to get a person “high.” But also for its dense nutritional content. In fact, CBD oil dispensaries are common in Denver and growing more common around the US in states where medical marijuana is legal. The next step in the evolution of how we see cannabis? Smoothies, anyone? We do it all the time with spinach and other greens… Why not with cannabis? After all, cannabis is packed with powerful health-boosting ingredients like magnesium and antioxidants.

Fast awhile.

Any of this sound familiar? I’d be so fit if only I could get myself to go to the gym. Or I’d drop 10 pounds if only I could stop eating cake… But the if-only’s do add up. And soon, we’re dealing with less-than-stellar health and googling searches about quick-fix fitness techniques. Worried about that fat around your middle? Try doing nothing. That is, not eating at all. It’s called Intermittent Fasting by health specialists and dietitians. What it consists of is a different way of patterning eating habits. It’s less of a diet, and more of a change in the timing of when you eat. Here’s how it’s done: 14 to 16 hours of no eating. Follow that by 10 to 8 hours during which you can eat your regular meals.

Put very simply, minus the scientific terms: When your body is in a fasting state, it burns from fat reservoirs. But it only gets to this state 12 hours after your last meal. Which is why to reach this Promised Land of fat-burning bliss, one must keep from eating for 12 hours. After which, your insulin levels are low, and your body switches from burning sugar to burning from its fat stores.

Sound tricky to implement? Just think of it like this: Have your last meal by 8 PM and then don’t eat until the next day at noon. Take it from Terry Crews, former NFL player and actor extraordinaire, who is also a follower of this eating method.

Say yes to tech.

Rather than just keep us glued to the couch and Netflix, tech can sometimes keep us fit and healthy, too. Everyone has a smartphone, right? But your smartphone can become your very own wearable health tech. For example, download a health tracker app and you can begin to get a snapshot of just how active you are throughout the day. Other health apps provide ways to keep track of calorie consumption, sleep cycles, and more. They are terrific for helping you institute new fitness or health habits into your day. As well as hooking you up with a network of other users who can encourage you in your endeavors.

Fitness is not the only way tech can aid your health. Amazon’s Alexa has been given a wide range of health care skills. For example, if you need instructions for CPR, or reminders to take medication. These and others are just a couple of ways tech could enhance your health and possibly even save your life.