Treat Yourself
Healthy indulgences you can feel good about
SOMETIMES INDULGING feels like giving in. But a few
of your favorite luxuries actually may have health benefits. We
asked Susan Biali, M.D., author of Live a Life You Love:
7 Steps to a Healthier, Happier, More Passionate You
(Beaufort, 2010), to name some of her favorite healthy
indulgences.
Dark chocolate
Packed with flavonoid antioxidants, this sweet treat may lower
blood pressure and "bad" LDL cholesterol, raise "good" HDL
cholesterol and improve your body's response to insulin. The cocoa
in chocolate may even improve the quality of your skin, according
to Dr. Biali.
"Me" time
As Biali sees it, taking time for yourself is a "basic right"
central to living a balanced life. "If you don't take personal
downtime to rest and recharge, pretty soon you won't be of much
real use to anyone, especially yourself!" she says.
Red wine
Consume your favorite merlot in moderation (for women, this
means one 4-ounce glass of wine per day and for men, two) and
you'll benefit from its high concentrations of the antioxidant
resveratrol, which can decrease your risk of heart disease and
stroke.
Sleeping in
While getting a few extra winks is akin to laziness in our
culture, we're more sleep deprived than ever and it affects our
health, immunity, mood and even our weight, Dr. Biali says. "I
strive to get eight hours a night, and grab the opportunity to
sleep in on days off . It's essential to maintaining the pace of
work and travel in my life. I couldn't survive without it."
-By Allison omas