5 Counterintuitive Health and Beauty Tips

by Charlotte Andersen

Want whiter teeth? Brush less!
Want whiter teeth? Brush less!

Trying to zap zits? Hoping for whiter teeth? Find out when the best strategy to conquer these and more pesky problems is to ignore your instincts.

1. If you want to banish bloat...
Drink more! When you're retaining enough water to make Shamu jealous, drinking even more H2O seems like the last thing you should do. Do it anyway! Bloating happens when your kidneys sense dropping fluid levels and order your body to hang on to all the water its got. This can happen from over-indulging in salty snacks or from skipping water after your super-sweaty spin class.

To calm your kidneys and slip into your skinny jeans, drink water throughout the day. Every little bit helps, so don't worry if you can't swallow the recommended 64 ounces (eight 8-ounce glasses) of water per day. According to experts at the Mayo Clinic, "the eight-by-eight rule isn't supported by hard evidence, but it remains popular because it's easy to remember." The rule should state: "Drink at least eight 8-ounce glasses of fluid a day," because all fluids count toward the daily total.

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2. If you want whiter teeth…

Brush less! According to a recent survey conducted by the American Dental Association (ADA), "90 percent of respondents mistakenly believe they should brush after every meal when the ADA recommends only twice a day." Brushing too often can erode the enamel on your teeth, making them weaker, more prone to cavities, and less white. Be especially cautious after eating acidic foods such as tomatoes or citrus fruit, as brushing immediately after can push the acid deeper into your teeth, causing further erosion.

To keep your pearly whites, well, white, the ADA recommends waiting 30 minutes after drinking OJ or eating other acidic foods to brush your teeth. In a hurry? Chew a piece of sugar-free gum instead. The xylitol has been shown to reduce acid on teeth.

3. If you want to drop a dress size…
Gain weight! This doesn't mean you should curl up with a pint of Ben & Jerry's this weekend. That would translate into gaining fat, and the weight we're talking about is lean muscle mass. Many women notice that when they start a regular weight-lifting program, they gain weight yet look smaller. This is because muscle tissue is more dense (tightly packed) than fat. So while the number on the scale may go up, your jeans size goes down.

4. If you want to be happier…
Spend less time talking about your problems! "When we feel dissatisfied or frustrated by something, we respond by engaging in an exclusively human behavior-we complain," says Guy Winch, Ph.D., in an interview with Psychology Today. "We complain about things large and small and do so with great frequency. This should surprise no one. What is surprising is that although we all invest prodigious amounts of time complaining, almost all of it is wasted. We do practically nothing to resolve our complaints."

It's a vicious cycle: The more someone complains the less likely they are to fix the problem, and the more likely they are to feel worse about it. According to Dr. Winch, this happens because of something called "learned helplessness," a psychological state that describes what happens when people believe they have no control over their environment. "When we become convinced our actions will not have the impact we desire, we cease our efforts and become passive and helpless," Dr. Winch says.

This doesn't mean you should always bottle up your emotions. Experts says there's a fine line between venting and complaining. While there's nothing wrong with blowing off some steam to a friend, be careful not to get caught up in a negative downward spiral. And don't forget to count your blessings on occassion-research shows that expressing gratitude is one of the most powerful ways to boost happiness.

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5. If you want fewer breakouts…

Eat more chocolate! Chocolate gets a bad rap when it comes to acne, but the National Institute of Health says it's not warranted. "There are many myths about what causes acne. Chocolate and greasy foods are often blamed, but there is little evidence that foods have much effect on acne in most people."

The truth: Chocolate is actually good for your skin! The flavonoids in dark chocolate can help reduce inflammation and redness, protect the skin from sun damage (less wrinkles!), and help resolve acne by improving blood flow to the skin, according to a 2007 study published in the International Journal of Cardiology. Just be sure to keep your serving size in check. Subjects in the study were given 45g of dark chocolate per day. That translates to about 1.5 ounces, which is the amount in one standard-size Hershey's bar.

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