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Test your healthy habit IQ

father and child doing yoga poses

Most of us know what we should do to keep healthy, but few of us think much about why we should develop these habits. Many experts say that understanding the impact a certain practice has on our health can keep us motivated to adopt it and stick with it. Test your knowledge of why the following tried-and-true health habits actually work, and then try incorporating them into your routine.

  1. Taking the stairs is good for you because…?

Stair climbing offers a challenging cardio workout that keeps your heart healthy. Take advantage of taking the stairs at home and work as much as possible.

  1. You should drink more water because…?

Water helps keep your body temperature normal, lubricates and cushions joints, protects your spinal cord and other sensitive tissues, and gets rid of waste through urination, sweat and bowel movements.

  1. Taking a 10-minute walk is beneficial to your health because…?

Like stair climbing, walking is a convenient and low impact form of exercise that can keep your heart healthy. Even a short walk a few times a day can be good for you.

  1. Sitting up straight is better for you because…?

Having good posture can prevent aches and pains, and it can also reduce stress on your ligaments.

  1. Going to bed earlier will help you…?

Experts say that getting seven to eight hours of sleep a night is a marker of good heart health. Solid sleep gives you more energy and can also help you eat better by regulating the hormones that suppress your appetite for not-so-good food.

  1. Drinking less diet soda may help you to…?

Research suggests the brain reacts to artificial sweeteners in diet soda much as it does to sugary sweets. Ingesting them frequently can increase your desire for high-calorie foods and put you at risk for weight gain.

  1. Having good balance is important because…?

Balance exercises like standing on one leg can help you with neuromotor training, which helps you improve your balance, agility and mobility.

  1. Weighing yourself every week is good because…?

Setting a weekly maintenance or loss goal for yourself and checking yourself against that goal helps to keep you on track and your weight in check.

  1. Having a healthy breakfast every day may help you…?

Eating something high in fiber that includes protein for your first meal will keep you full and energized all day. Need an idea? Try oatmeal, skim milk, berries and nuts.

  1. The best way to become healthier is to…?

Being realistic about building new healthy habits can take some time. Stay focused on your goal, and if you slip along the way, just start again.

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