HEALTH

Scientists rounded up a group of usually healthy active young adults to test a Q: What happens when typically active young adults are told to take it easy? They set up a bunch of volunteers with a device that checks their blood sugar levels as well as pedometers and arm bands that measure their activity. They were also asked to keep a food journal.

For the first three days of the study, the group lived normally—that means walking at least 10,000 steps (a number recommended by doctors) and eating fairly healthfully (no blood sugar spikes). Next, they were told to halve their steps for the following three days. So they took the elevator instead of the stairs, got delivery instead of take-out. The kicker? They maintained the same diet as before…but their blood sugar spiked dramatically after each meal. These spikes have been linked to the same test results derived from those who are developing heart disease and type-2 diabetes. Not cool!

The key to staying healthy isn’t necessarily to eat cleanly 24/7 or to put in killer workouts every day. It’s to eat good-for-ya foods with the indulgences that keep you satisfied, and to work a good amount of exercise into your daily routine. We’ve got a few easy ways to give your health a good-for-ya boost:

1. Make easy swaps – real fruit instead of fruit snacks, brown rice instead of white, Greek yogurt instead of your typical variety

2. Help out around the house – Unpack the groceries for mom, unload the dishwasher, take the trash to the curb and Fido for a walk

by Erin Miller | 2/1/2016