7 Real Ways To Help Your Body Feel Great

Skip the fads! No juice diets or creepy cleanses here, just seven scientifically proven ways to make you feel a little better.

1. Frequent body pain, headaches, or fatigue? Try The Alexander Technique

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Never heard of it? That's ok. F. Matthias Alexander was an Australian actor who was so distraught over his frequent laryngitis that he essentially locked himself in his house for years to study his own body. He found that his health problems were caused by extreme tension in his neck and upper body, and could be cured by slightly modifying the way he held himself, walked, and performed daily tasks. Turns out, his method works for the rest of us too! Taking a class by a licensed instructor would guarantee results, but for a less $$$ option try reading up on the technique or checking out come youtube videos like this one. Think of the woman's soothing voice as part of the lesson.

2. Struggling to lose weight? Change your dishes.

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A bunch of researchers at Cornell have dedicated their careers to figuring out why we eat like we do, and how to help people eat better. Their studies cover everything from whether you eat more alone or with others, and why, to why your chosen seat at a buffet makes a differences in how much you eat. One of their findings is that people eat less when they use smaller dishes, which makes sense right? Portions look bigger, plate looks fuller, etc. etc. So if you're trying to lose weight skip the dinner plate and see what happens.

Check out their some of their other research on their youtube channel, like this segment on why what's on your kitchen counter might influence your weight.

3. Feeling nervous? Strike a pose.

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Similar to the Cornell research team, other behavioral scientists have found that the way a person holds their body really does impact how they feel. Specifically, hunching over or crossing your arms across your chest might increase feelings of insecurity or nervousness, while standing in a power pose in front of a mirror for fifteen seconds actually increases confidence. Next time you're headed to an interview try looking in the mirror, puffing out your chest and putting your arms on your hips or in a weight-lifting pose. Try to imagine yourself in that pose as you enter the interview. It might feel a bit silly at first, but Bey does it all the time and lord knows it seems to work for her.

4. Side sleeper with back pain? Try a pillow.

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If you sleep on your side and experience frequent back pain your sleeping posture might be the cause! To better align your hips stick a pillow between your knees. To keep your spine in better alignment make sure that your knees are pretty much side by side. Sticking one out over the other causes your spine to twist, and can lead to pain or stiffness. If you really want to go all out, invest in a hilarious nest-like body pillow like this one and tell your significant other they're just going to have to deal.

5. No time (or desire) to hit the gym? We've got you covered.

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I know you've heard it a million times but exercise really does seem to be a key ingredient to a long and healthy life. BUT- that doesn't mean you have to be a marathon runner, or even go to the gym. Recent research indicates that doing the "7 Minute Workout" a few times a week may really be all it takes to get the amount of exercise your body needs to feel great. Download the free app and try it. And if you hate it....well....it was only seven minutes.

6. Sleepless nights? MSG might be the culprit.

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Despite it's deliciousness, MSG majorly messes with your brain and can cause serious insomnia. If you have frequent insomnia try keeping a food journal and look for patterns in what you eat vs. how well you sleep. You probably know that MSG is almost always in fast food, but it's also frequently found in most "take-out" type foods including Chinese food and ramen. If you find that you're sensitive to MSG, most restaurants can make your meal without it if you ask, though it may taste slightly different.

7. Skip the multivitamins, really.

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Unless your doctor has told you that you need vitamins for a specific reason, there's really no reason to take them for three good reasons. 1. Your body can get all the vitamins and minerals it needs from food as long as you eat a healthy enough and diverse diet. 2. There really isn't much research that shows that vitamins actually work to improve health, again, except for people who need them for say, a vitamin-D deficiency. 3. Consumer Reports recently reviewed a ton of common vitamin brands and found that a terrifying percentage of them don't actually contain what they claim to have in them, or can actually cause serious harm. The FDA might not always be on our side but Consumer Reports is. Check out their list of 15 supplement ingredients to always avoid. Something that scientists and doctors agree does actually work? Probiotics. But not all of them. Look for the ones that need to be refrigerated at all times and contain at least 2 billion (yeah that's right) cultures.