12 Odd but True Health Tips for Latinos

Share On Social!

Eat healthy. Exercise more. Sleep more. Drink more water.

These tips are all essential to good health, but they’re fairly straightforward with commonsense applications.

Health magazine has new list of 12 health tips that may seem strange, but work.

We break down the implications of several tips for Latinos.

• For healthy teeth, don’t brush after meals. Acidic foods, such as citrus fruits, tomatoes, sodas, or sports drinks can soften tooth enamel. Brushing your teeth after meals can speed up the acid’s effect on tooth enamel and even erode the layer underneath. It is suggested that waiting 30 to 60 minutes after eating will protect teeth better. This is good advice for Latinos, as they generally lag behind other racial and ethnic groups in the U.S. in oral and dental care.
• To eat less, eat more. Grabbing 100-calorie snack packs might seem like a good choice, but they are more likely to make you hungrier than if you ate something more substantial. Choosing a high-protein snack, such as peanut butter or string cheese with an apple will fill you up for longer periods of time and you ultimately consume fewer calories overall. However, be sure to stay away from unhealthy snacks packed with sugar or salt, which research shows are more available in Latino communities.
• Don’t drink diet soda to lose weight. If you are looking to lose weight, you should all sodas all together, regardless of whether or not they are diet. A recent study found that overweight and obese adults who drank diet beverages also ate more calories from food than those who drank regular soda. Latino kids ages 0-5 consumption of sugary drinks is higher than the overall average, which is part of the reason they are more likely to be overweight or obese than their peers.
• Exercise when you’re tired. After a long and often exhausting workday, exercising usually is the furthest thing from your mind. However, getting out and getting moving will actually increase your energy. Fatigue and mood have been proven to improve after a 30-minute, moderate intensity exercise session. Long-term effects of steady exercise will have many long-term health benefits. Statistics show that 81% of Latino men and 88% of Latina women did not get the recommended amount of physical activity, the American Heart Association reports.

Check out the rest of the tips here.