You're wrong! Drinking water is actually not as good as eating water!
[Introduction] The latest article on the American "Oprah" healthy living website features a summary by multiple experts of 4 outdated health rules that should be broken, and proposes 4 new, more scientific rules and related suggestions.
"Drink 8 glasses of water a day" is a guideline from 1945. However, Dr. Howard Murad, author of "The Water Secret," states that most daily water intake comes from food. For example, fruits, vegetables, legumes, whole grains like cooked oats and quinoa, etc. Watermelon and cucumber are over 90% water and also contain various antioxidants.
Expert Advice: Hydrating with food is better than just drinking water. Additionally, clear urine indicates sufficient hydration, while yellow urine means you need to replenish fluids.
Old Rule 2: Eat 9 servings of fruits and vegetables a day.
New Rule 2: Fruits and vegetables should make up half your plate.
>1 serving of broccoli is 5 florets, 1 serving of spinach is 1 cup, and 1 serving of mango is the size of a fist. Dr. Rebecca Scritchfield, a nutritionist in Washington, D.C., says that calculating fruit and vegetable servings confuses the public and leaves them at a loss.Expert Advice: Give up the tedious calculation of fruit and vegetable servings; just make sure they fill half your plate. For example, a banana with some berries for breakfast, a spinach salad for lunch, and 6 asparagus spears for dinner.
Old Rule 3: Avoid red meat.
New Rule 3: Eating beef in moderation is good for your health.
Red meat contains a large amount of saturated fat and has long been considered a "heart attack on a plate." However, a 2010 study by the Harvard School of Public Health found that the risk of cardiovascular disease comes from processed meats like sausages, hot dogs, and cold cuts, not unprocessed meats like steaks and hamburgers. The real culprits might be salt and preservatives. Red meat is an excellent source of trace element iron and immunity-boosting zinc. Many women are deficient in these two nutrients. Beef is also rich in conjugated linoleic acid (CLA), which can reduce the risk of cancer and help decrease body fat.
Expert Advice: It's best to choose lean cuts. Also, red meat intake should not exceed 3 times a week, with each portion being about 140 grams.
Old Rule 4: A Body Mass Index (BMI) of 18.5–24.9 is the healthiest.
New Rule 4: Eat a healthy diet, exercise actively, and maintain a natural weight.
Doctors often use the Body Mass Index (BMI, a ratio of weight to height) as a tool to diagnose obesity. However, experts point out that BMI ignores the key factor of "muscle mass." A new study published in the journal "Obesity" in 2011 also noted that BMI overlooks hip circumference. Jonathan E. Coodley, a nutrition professor at the University of California, says that a person can have a high BMI but still be very healthy. A study published in the "Journal of the American Medical Association" found that among healthy female participants, even those with a high BMI had a lower risk of heart disease than women with an unhealthy body shape.
Expert Advice: Don't be overly superstitious about BMI. Instead, focus on a healthy diet and 150 minutes of exercise per week. A healthy lifestyle leads to a healthy weight.