Expert: Small Choices Can Lead to Big Health Benefits

Want to live a healthier life? You don’t have to go from zero to hero.

A lot of people I meet underestimate the power of small decisions. You make these all day, every day – and you probably don’t notice most of them. But when you choose wisely – it can make a big difference in your long-term health.

Take the stairs. Pick the hummus and carrot snack instead of the chips. Put the soda back and grab some iced water.

These spur-of-the-moment decisions can help you feel better, stronger and more energized – and they can lower your risk of disease, including cancer.

Let’s look at what you are already doing “right.”

We all like to indulge; it’s part of life. The good news is that you are probably already eating some of the foods that doctors recommend.

My advice? Keep a food diary for a week to see where you are – and to give yourself the proper credit. Keep it honest, though. Don’t change anything from what you would normally eat and drink.

A healthy eating pattern includes plenty of

• fruits and vegetables
• whole grains (such as brown rice, barley, quinoa)
• lean proteins (such as eggs, tuna or chicken)
• healthy fats (such as olive or avocado oils )
• It limits processed foods, red and processed meats and alcohol

Where to start? Baby steps. Add or replace ONE thing in your diet.

• Want to incorporate green juice into your morning routine? Great. Add that one new healthy habit.

• If you are eating red or processed meats more than three to four times a week, reduce it.

• Swap your bacon or lunch meats for turkey bacon or sliced chicken.

• Like fish? I always say, “Go from four legs to two or no legs.” Four legs refers to meats like beef, pork and lamb. And we should limit them in our diet as much as we can. “Two legs” refers to chicken and turkey, and “no legs” options are fish and seafood.

Why are fruits important?

They are nutrient-dense and provide a lot of fiber. Like vegetables, they contain micronutrients called phytochemicals that have anti-cancer properties. They’re also anti-inflammatory and can help your immune response, so they help protect you from bodily changes that produce inflammation.

Do you eat at least three types of vegetables each day?

If you’re willing to, choose veggies that are generally not in circulation at your house. If you always have lettuce, tomato, corn and potato on hand, add broccoli or carrots to your usual meals.

What is your diet missing?

How about beans (like pinto, navy, and butter beans), chickpeas, and lentils? I highly recommend these great sources of fiber and protein. They are inexpensive, don’t include fats and are a great protein source.

What about snacks?

If you simply want to avoid snacking, eat more whole foods when you have a meal. Get full when you’re at the dinner table, not when you’re in front of the TV.

Exercise is a great way to cope with food cravings. If you are craving snacks or sweets, get up and move. Go for a 10-minute walk or do ten squats instead.

Why does this work? Your internal body function changes when you start exercising. Blood that was in your stomach, making you ready to eat something, suddenly goes into your muscles. That redistribution of blood and changes to your metabolism changes your mindset.

Most of the time, your cravings are related to anxiety, not hunger. Many studies show that when people are anxious, they cope through food and drink.

When you address the actual cause of your anxiety, you will start to feel and acknowledge the difference between true hunger, cravings and anxiety.

How to snack better

If you’re going to snack, look for a smart choice in a reasonable portion. Consider a snack like nuts. They’re highly caloric and high in fats. If you’re going to eat 10 nuts, that’s fine. But if you need 30 nuts to feel satisfied, it’s not a good snack for you. Instead, go for homemade popcorn. Popcorn is filling, low in calories, and a great source of fiber.

If you still crave sweets, enjoy a piece of dark chocolate that is 60% or higher in cocoa. Dark chocolate has beneficial phytochemicals. This is about making better choices, not depriving yourself.

If you can’t cut it out, cut back.

Consider what you’re drinking. Most people consume more alcohol than what is considered low-to-moderate drinking by the leading health organizations. If you are drinking every day or almost every day of the week – even moderately – that’s the first thing that you can change. There are many great non-alcoholic beverages. Non-alcoholic beer is the most popular example. But there are many other options like mocktails and non-alcoholic “gin” and “whiskey.”

If you don’t want to quit drinking or switch completely to non-alcoholic drinks, be more selective about when you choose to consume alcohol. If you know you’re going to an event, like Sunday brunch with friends, skip the wine with dinner all week and enjoy a mimosa at brunch. Say to yourself, I’ll indulge today, and when I’m at home or if I go out for dinner later this week, I just won’t drink.

Mocktails are great for those who want to try something tasty and festive without the headache later. When I host friends at home, we usually end up talking about the ingredients in the mocktail, and it’s fun instead of discussing why I’m not drinking alcohol today.

Quit smoking

It goes without saying that tobacco smoking causes cancers and contributes to bone loss and other diseases. Here are some new approaches to help you quit cigarettes or vaping for good.

Exercise: Move more. It’s that simple.

Pay attention to your daily and weekly routine. How many hours a day are you sitting down or lying down? If you have a desk job, you may sit more than six to seven hours straight.

Stand up and move around a bit every half an hour or every hour. When you go to the restroom or to fetch a cup of coffee, take a few extra minutes to walk around, walk up and down some stairs, or do a few squats. Ten minutes of walking is always better than zero minutes.

Small, daily choices may not seem like they would make a difference in your health, but they do.

Sedentary behavior is an independent risk factor for cancer and cardiovascular diseases. Every 2,000 steps beyond your baseline daily movement can lower your cancer risk and cardiovascular risk.

Of course, 150 minutes of daily aerobic activity and weekly strength training will have a bigger impact.

Moving your body every hour of the day is a great place to start.

It’s great to complete the recommended weekly cardio and resistance training hours. But if you sit for hours, you won’t get the maximum health benefits.

The benefits of exercise pile up over time. So, it’s worth it to find an activity, workout, or sport that you really enjoy.  Then, you’ll be more inclined to commit to it long-term and have the right mindset.

Find a workout buddy or a family member to join your daily walks. You can push each other to get up and go when you’re not in the mood.

Your relationships: Good people = better health

Studies show that cultivating your close relationships and community support greatly impacts your mental and physical health.

It may sound silly, but we have scientific evidence to support the fact that we are social beings.

People who live long and healthy lives tend to have strong bonds with their community, families, colleagues and friends. We live our best lives when we give and receive care and companionship from others. Socializing and participating in group activities are enjoyable ways to pass time, but they are undeniably beneficial for our brains and bodies.

Stress management: Hustle culture got it wrong.

Most people don’t understand the importance of reducing stress. It’s not just about feeling better emotionally.

Persistent mental and emotional stress can:

• trigger inflammation in the body
• interrupt your sleep
• reduce your body’s immune response to illness
• raise your blood pressure
• trigger weight gain
• worsen symptoms of depression and anxiety
• contribute to cancer and disease risk.

Develop a good “thermometer” to determine when you’re stressed out.

You may think you’re just tired or have been working too hard. But, if you feel this way most of the time, the problem is likely stress.

It can start with working too hard. It can lead to:

• not getting enough sleep
• feeling agitated and exhausted
• developing an inability to think clearly and feel good

Breaking this cycle can take time. Start with taking five minutes to yourself – slowly breathe in and out. You can do this anywhere – at any time. Slow, controlled breathing for stress relief is shown to lower the risk of cancer. The benefits can be even more powerful if you take the time to meditate and practice mindfulness.

The first step of mindfulness is identifying when you feel stressed when you’re overthinking or ruminating on negative thoughts. You may not even know where the anxiety is coming from. Whenever this happens, wherever it happens, take a few minutes to focus on your breath.

Deep, restful sleep not only makes you feel better the next day. It’s crucial for disease prevention.

When you sleep, your body is recharging and repairing itself. Poor and inadequate sleep contributes to high blood pressure, weight gain, inflammation and other markers of disease risk. Aim for eight hours of quality rest.

How to fall asleep in minutes

Improve your “sleep hygiene.” Avoid caffeine after noon.  Turn the screens off at least an hour before bed. Make your bedroom a calming place where you sleep. Do not watch TV, work on your laptop or eat in bed.

All of these small metamorphoses can have a big impact.

Sure, there are things that you don’t have control over, like your genetics. But what you eat, if you exercise, how you sleep, if you take 10 minutes to decompress when you need it, if you make time for the people you love – the small choices you make each day can have a big impact on your health – and happiness.

By Paola Rossi, M.D., M.S., Clinical Program Director for Lifestyle Medicine in Cancer Control, Sylvester Comprehensive Cancer Center

Information collected and edited by Dana Kantrowitz, a contributing writer for UHealth’s news service.

Learn more about Sylvester’s efforts in lifestyle medicine and cancer prevention.

Tags: control your health, Dr. Paola Rossi, healthy decisions, live healthy, prevent disease, Sylvester Comprehensive Cancer Center