Every day we seem to hear new and often conflicting reports of what is and isn’t good for us, and just like with everything else, this overload of information has its pros and cons. The positive side to this is clear—more people can become aware of potential health risks in life and learn to better take care of themselves. However, many people struggle to keep up with this flood of new information and weed out misinformation or bad advice.

For example, consider the much debated causes of cancer. Over the past few years, we have heard about new discoveries left and right of what can cause cancer, from artificial sweeteners to oral sex. When these kinds of theories come out, there tend to be two ways that people respond to them. One option is to simply brush it off and say to yourself that it can’t possibly be true. The other extreme is to avoid the items in question completely. But to cut out everything that may be detrimental to your health is to live in fear. Can I eat this? Does it have any cancer-inducing ingredients? It would be an extremely difficult way to go about your day-to-day life.

Then the question is this: how should we react to news stories regarding unhealthy habits or products? I believe the best way to go about this is to simply trust your instincts. By now, most of us have developed a basic understanding of what is good and what is bad for us: vegetables, good; water, good; lying in the sun for 10 hours, not so good. In addition to using your common sense, just remember that everything in life is about balance and moderation. You won’t get cancer because you added one packet of Splenda to your coffee this morning. However, if you consume 10 packets of Splenda on a daily basis, the chances of the artificial chemicals harming you may increase.

My recipe for a healthy lifestyle would be to start with the basics. Drink at least 8 cups of water a day, eat your fruits and vegetables, and get a good night’s rest. From there just go with your gut and remember the cornerstone of life—everything, and I mean everything, is about balance. Work hard, play hard. Eat healthy, but feel free to throw in a cupcake here and there. Go to the beach, but don’t lie out in the sun every day. I think you catch my drift. Don’t overthink every action—relax and enjoy life.

Article by Rana Mehdizadeh

Feature Image Source: Parade