If You Think That You are Being Healthy, Think Again

So you brush your teeth after you eat, you "hover" over public toilets or you snack all day long and think that you are doing a good thing for your body...guess what? You could be causing more problems.

Grazing all day long:
Small frequent meals, we’re told, are the secret to staying svelte, right? Not so fast—and especially if you’re eating late at night. Believe it or not, you could be doing the exact opposite,

"Our bodies metabolize calories much better if we eat during the daytime, within a 10- to 12-hour range," says Satchidananda Panda, PhD, associate professor in the regulatory biology laboratory at Salk. "Many of us eat in a 14- to 16-hour window and often eat dinner late at night."

Try this instead: Eat within a 10- to 12-hour time frame. That means that if breakfast is at 7 am, you should be done eating dinner by 7 pm

Relaxing with your iPhone before bed:
You're hooked on Words With Friends (who isn't?) and playing it right before heading to bed is the most logical thing to do, right? Well....

"Low intensity blue light from a television or computer screen—including a laptop, iPad or smartphone—can alter and delay your body's internal clock,” says Gregory S. Carter, MD, associate professor in neurology and neurotherapeutics at UT Southwestern Medical Center. “That makes it harder to get out of bed in the morning."

Try this instead: Turn off the TV and all electronic equipment—including your phone—an hour before bedtime

Getting your chores out of the way:
If you are like me, getting it all done as soon as you get home is the best way to live, then you have more time for yourself. Right? And Parents, if you believe in the adage "Get Your Chores Out of the Way", the exact opposite is true. You don't give yourself time to unwind, so your body keeps pumping out the stress hormone cortisol. And research shows that higher levels of cortisol lead to more health issues in the long run.
Try this instead: give yourself 20 or 30 minutes to unwind before you jump into something like doing taxes or cleaning the living room.

"Hovering"
Ladies, you have all done it at some point. I have heard (and sympathize). .
The reason the squat-and-go is bad is because it causes the pelvic muscles to contract, which prevents you from fully emptying your bladder. And when you don't do that, you're more likely to get a urinary tract infection. Not from the seat itself.
Try this instead:  use those paper seat liners.

Brushing after every meal:
I need to change this one. I brush my teeth 3 times a day...and recently, I have had my dentist tell me that I am brushing my teeth too hard, as I have soft enamel. Well, I just learned another reason this is happening: brushing too often.
Try this instead: you should wait at least 30 to 60 minutes before you brush.

Washing pillow cases once a week:
That's better than most people, but washing JUST your pillowcases won't necessarily protect you from dust mites . . . which about 10% of people are allergic to.
Try this instead: wash the actual PILLOWS at least once a month in hot water . . . which most people NEVER do.