Stop using mouthwash, always use dental floss: Experts share their do’s and don’ts
Sleep
DO NOT DO buy a sleep tracker for serious problems
They’re fine if you’re just curious about how your lifestyle is affecting you. “A lot of people are interested in measuring the effects of coffee late in the day, or the impact of alcohol on sleep,” says Alice Gregory, a professor of psychology at Goldsmiths who specializes in sleep. “And that’s all very well.” But they’re not helpful if sleep has become a real problem. In fact, they can make things worse.
Obsessing over data can lead to an unhealthy preoccupation with achieving optimal sleep—orthosomnia. “People are getting information that is sometimes unreliable,” Gregory says, “and then they become very concerned about aspects of their sleep that they really don’t need to be concerned about.” Sleep stages like “light,” “deep,” and “REM” aren’t as meaningful as the apps would have users believe.
DOING go to the doctor
They should be your first port of call, Gregory says. Medical professionals can help you access proven resources, such as the Nice-approved CBTi program, Sleepio. “There’s data to support its effectiveness,” Gregory says, “as a good first-line treatment for someone with chronic insomnia.” They can also check to see if sleep problems indicate other issues, such as anxiety or depression.
Diet
Do NOT count calories
There’s evidence that tracking your food intake on an app to help you reduce the number of calories you eat can be very effective in helping people with obesity, says Dr. Alaina Vidmar, a pediatric endocrinologist and obesity specialist at Children’s Hospital Los Angeles. The problem is that dietary restriction doesn’t work long-term. “People just get bored of it and stop doing it,” so it’s usually something they “maybe do for six to eight weeks.” That said, what works is certainly very individual. “For a lot of people, the dietary intervention that works for them is the one they can use on an ongoing basis.”
USE a continuous glucose meter
Vidmar uses CGMs to treat patients with diabetes, which is what the devices were designed for. A sensor sits on your upper arm and sends real-time updates of your blood sugar levels to your phone. But in her clinical research, working with “younger, larger-bodied adults,” she’s also seen their benefits as a tool to help people make sustainable, healthy lifestyle changes: “There’s a growing body of research showing that they can really lead to improvements in overall health.”
One of the key benefits is that you can see in real time which foods are causing blood sugar spikes and which are best for your own deeply personal metabolic health. “And we’re learning a tremendous amount about how food interacts with, say, time of day,” Vidmar says. “That’s a really important way for us to understand how to nourish our bodies and how to teach families how to nourish their children’s bodies.”
Vidmar’s only caveat is that laypeople need to learn how to use and interpret the near-constant data they receive: “We need to carefully educate people about what this tool is and how to use it so that it doesn’t become disruptive and cause anxiety or stress.”
Skin
DO NOT buy eye cream Anjali Mahto, dermatologist at Self London, says: “It’s not an absolute must-have in a skincare routine, as many face creams are formulated to be safe for use around the eyes.” Active ingredients such as hyaluronic acid, ceramides and peptides in face creams, she says, “can effectively hydrate and nourish the delicate skin without causing irritation.”
However, we should be careful with creams that contain “powerhouse ingredients” such as retinoids, or exfoliating acids such as AHAs and BHAs. “Just use a basic moisturizer on the eye area,” says Mahto, who CereVe Lotion around her eyes. “It’s unscented and very hydrating. Other good options are La Roche-Posay Toleriane, Cetaphil Daily Hydrating Moisturizer And Paula’s Choice Barrier Repair Moisturizer.”
USE sunscreen around your eyes
The best thing you can do for this delicate area, says Mahto, “is to wear a broad-spectrum (which protects against UVA and UVB rays) sunscreen daily. Sunscreen protects the skin from UV rays, which can accelerate aging and lead to wrinkles, fine lines, and pigmentation — especially around the eyes.”
Don’t skimp on the SPF level – choose at least 30 – and, says Mahto, “Apply liberally all over your face, including your eyes. Sunscreen helps prevent collagen breakdown and maintain skin elasticity, and reduces the risk of skin cancer.”
Two good options for the eyes: La Roche-Posay Anthelios ultra-light fluid SPF50+ and Eucerin Sensitive Protect facial sunscreen SPF50+.
Teeth
DO NOT rely on mouthwash
According to Dr Mick Armstrong, chairman of the British Dental Association’s health and science committee, mouthwash is not a substitute for proper tooth brushing. In particular, avoid products that contain alcohol or the disinfectant chlorhexidine. These products are designed to kill bacteria. They also kill the beneficial substances that actively promote oral health.
“There’s just no scientific evidence that they do any good, but they can do some harm,” he says. They can’t do anything to move the substrate that collects on the teeth after eating, which the bacteria feed on. Not all the bacteria are killed, and their feeding produces acid that is harmful to the teeth.
Some mouthwashes can make your teeth more susceptible to stains, Armstrong says: “For example, if you use chlorhexidine and then drink tea or coffee.” Other mouthwashes may be milder, offering an instant, fresh mint flavor with added fluoride, but if you brush properly, you’ll get all the fluoride you need from your toothpaste.
Use dental floss
The best thing for everyone, Armstrong says, is to spend two minutes twice a day flossing your teeth: “If you’re going to spend time on oral hygiene, spend it brushing and flossing all surfaces of every tooth.” Unlike mouthwash, flossing does more of the good work of brushing — physically removing food and plaque.
Power supply
Don’t fall for the health hypothesis of ‘plant-based’ nutrition
Many foods labelled vegan or plant-based are ultra-processed and high in salt, fat and sugar. “After all,” says Duane Mellor, spokesperson for the British Dietetic Association and registered dietitian, “table sugar is both vegan and plant-based.”
Organic is another health-halo term, but organic plant-based milks aren’t the healthier option, says Mellor. “Organic certification rules mean they can’t contain any fortified nutrients. So an organic soy or oat milk can’t have added calcium, B12 or iodine – important nutrients that we get from cow’s milk and that are added to many non-organic versions.” To be considered a “good source” of these, you need to have 15% of the RDI per 100ml.
Eat at least 20 different plants per week
“Aim for at least five servings of fresh, frozen, or canned fruits and vegetables a day,” Mellor says. And it’s best to make three out of five vegetables.” If you’re into optimal nutrition, variety is key: “Some researchers suggest eating upwards of 30 different plants a week,” because each plant contains different beneficial micronutrients. They don’t have to be organic—in general, there’s no hard evidence that they make you healthier, Mellor says.
Her
DO NOT use too many supplements for your hair
Neil Harvey, chairman of the Institute of Trichologists, says that products promising fast-growing, longer, stronger hair can “do more harm than good.” If you haven’t been diagnosed with a specific deficiency, excessive supplement intake could actually cause hair loss. Harvey says: “Targeted blood tests are the best option to find out if they’re going to help.”
Too much vitamin A and selenium can lead to increased hair loss, and too much vitamin A or iron can be toxic.
Buy a shower head filter
If you live in an area with hard water, Harvey says, the water from your shower leaves behind mineral buildup on your hair every day, “and the buildup can make your hair frizzier, more brittle and more prone to tangles.”
Over time, the effect will slowly build and get worse. “A simple shower head filter removes these minerals, leaving both skin and hair looking and feeling healthier, and color-treated hair lasting longer.”
Menopause
DO NOT spend money on expensive menopause supplements
While some supplements contain an appealing-sounding mix of botanicals, vitamins and minerals (such as sage leaf, ashwagandha root and isoflavones), Dietician Laura Clark isn’t sure if they help with various menopausal symptoms: “While there is some research to support certain substances, the results are quite mixed and studies vary in the amount of active ingredients.”
The truth, she says, is that the industry is largely unregulated — claims made by such products don’t have to be backed by credible scientific research — and no supplement will replace the good foundation you get from eating a healthy, balanced diet.
Take a step back and look at your eating habits with curiosity
“What drives your eating behavior?” Clark asks. “Are you eating the way you think you are? Is there a balance of food groups that helps you feel better? What do you notice about the relationship between your eating habits and your ability to recognize hunger and fullness cues? If we really observe what we eat, we can spot patterns in how it makes us feel, like noticing how refined carbs keep us hungry, while protein and fiber-rich vegetables keep us going between meals..“
Instead of taking supplements, we would all be much better off focusing on the basics: “Eat a varied range of fibre from fruits and vegetables, plant proteins (legumes, lentils, nuts, seeds) and whole grains, and omega-3 fatty acids. These are most easily absorbed in the “long” form from oily fish, but are also found in nuts and seeds, such as walnuts, chia seeds and flaxseeds.”