Healthy Habits to Implement in 2019

- Aim at no more than 20 grams of added sugars per day. Allow up to 100 grams of natural sugars (natural sugars are present in dairy, vegetables, and fruits) a day.
Reduce refined grains: no more than 2 slices of white bread or 2-3 ounces of cooked white pasta, white rice, or a medium-size potato a day.

- Aim at no more than 6 hours of sitting a day (including sitting during commuting, during meals, at work, and at home). Use standing desks to alternate between sitting and standing at work or at home. As standing still for longer than 4 hours a day is bad for our backs and our leg veins, be creative and move side-to-side or any other way that does not interfere with your productivity.

- Aim at 15,000 steps a day. Strengthening exercises are essential; cardio- or aerobic exercise alone is not enough, as we lose muscle after age 30 and our metabolism slows down as a result.

- Reclaim muscle by lifting light or medium-size weights for 5-10 minutes a day or 10-15 minutes every other day. Avoid heavy weights that make you hold your breath
and strain.

- Get 7-9 hours of sleep per night. Working at night and sleeping during the day is not optimal and comes at a dear price for your health. 

- Zero cigarettes, no hookah, no vape, and no marijuana.

- Have up to 1 glass of wine (or one beer) per 24 hours for women of any age or men 65 years of age or older; up to two drinks of alcohol per 24 hours for men younger than 65. These limits apply even if you drink alcohol only once or twice a week. While these moderate amounts of alcohol listed above are good for our health, alcohol abuse is a terrible disease that kills 3 million people a year worldwide.

What is the Healthy Habit that you want to implement today in your life?

To your health!
Dr. Anthony