The other day, I walked down the hall and asked my colleagues to name their favo

rite Men's Health tips of all time. Their responses all had one thing in common:
The advice was simple and memorable, such as . . .
* Estimate how much daylight is left by putting your fingers, at arm's lengt
h, between the sun and the horizon. Every finger is 15 minutes.
* Don't have a big enough cooler for party drinks? Drop a few bags of ice an
d 24 bottles or cans into your clothes washer. Simply drain it the next morning.
* Schedule your IRS audit for late Friday afternoon. Assuming the auditor is
human and has a life he won't feel like nitpicking.
* Clean your toilet without a brush by pouring a cup of baking soda and a ga
llon of hot water into it before work. After work, the stains will flush away.
Likewise, you don't have to make big changes in your life to make a big improvem
ents in your health. Here are 15 tips that will make you healthier, slimmer, str
onger, and happier today!
1. Eat Bacon and Eggs for Breakfast
Regularly skipping breakfast increases your risk of obesity by 450 percent. More
over, researchers at Virginia Commonwealth University found that people who regu
larly ate a protein-rich, 600-calorie breakfast lost significantly more weight i
n 8 months than those who consumed only 300 calories and a quarter of the protei
n.
And no, eggs and bacon aren't unhealthy. (Overeating eggs and bacon or anything el
se is what's unhealthy.) In fact, whole eggs contain more essential vitamins and m
inerals per calorie than any other food. They're also one of the best sources of
choline, a substance your body requires to break down fat for energy. What's mo
re, in a recent review of dozens of scientific studies, Wake Forest University r
esearchers found no connection between egg consumption and heart disease. As for
bacon, once it's been cooked it contains just 1 gram of saturated fat per slice a
nd one-third of that is the kind that has no effect on cholesterol levels.
Bonus Tip: The right breakfast will also make you more productive at the office,
so avoid these at all costs: The 20 Worst Breakfasts in America.
2. Tilt Up Your Rearview Mirror
Just far enough to force yourself into an upright sitting position to see behind
you. You ll improve your posture, and soothe your aching back.
man in office chair3. Lean Back in Your Office Chair
Parking your torso at a 90-degree angle strains your spine, say Scottish and Can
adian researchers. Instead, give your chair the La-Z-Boy treatment and recline t
he seat back slightly. The ideal angle is 45 degrees off vertical.
4. Use the Bathroom Stall Nearest to the Door
It has the fewest germs and the most toilet paper, because everyone walks past i
t.
5. Don't Blow Your Nose When You Have a Cold
It can force mucus and germs back into nasal passages and prolong the cold. Use
antihistamines. And please wipe.
6. Stand Up and Stretch Out
Genes in your body linked to heart disease, diabetes, and obesity can be "turned
on" if you sit for hours on end, reports a study in Diabetes. Hit the "off" but
ton by taking hourly laps during TV, book, and Web sessions.
7. Take a Vitamin D Supplement
An Archives of Internal Medicine review reports that 400 IU of vitamin D a day r
educes your risk of an early death by 7 percent. Most multivitamins deliver 400
IU of D, but check the label.
man with dog8. Pet Your Dog Often
Spending time with a pet is more effective at reducing stress than spending time
with friends, girlfriends, or bartenders. Especially bartenders.
9. Steam Your Broccoli
Italian researchers recently discovered that steaming broccoli increases its con
centration of glucosinolates (compounds found to fight cancer) by 30 percent. Bo
iling actually lowers the levels.
10. Lose the Dryer Lint
Taking 10 seconds to empty the lint trap in your clothes dryer can prevent you f
rom being one of the 315 dryer-fire victims each year in the United States.
11. Skip Spray Cleaners
Using household spray cleaners just once a week increases your risk of an asthma
attack by 76 percent, say Spanish researchers. Use wipes instead.
ice cream12. Never Eat Out of the Original Container
How many times have you dipped into a pint of ice cream only to find yourself st
aring at the bottom of the container 15 minutes later? And stop using oversize p
lates, bowls, and cups. Research shows you ll put more food on them, but won t be an
y more satisfied (just fatter).
13. Rent The Hangover 2
Laughing at a funny movie causes blood vessels to dilate by 22 percent, accordin
g to a University of Maryland study. This, in turn, reduces your blood pressure.
14. Tape a Golf Ball to the Back of Your Pajamas
It'll force you to sleep on your side or front. Back sleepers often have blocked
airways, and that leads to a host of troubles, including snoring and apnea.
15. Sleep 7 to 8 Hours a Night
Too much or too little sleep can kill you. A British study found that getting mo
re than 9 hours of sack time a night, or less than 6, doubles your risk of an ea
rly death from any cause.
For more ways to improve your life instantly, click here to check out today's ne
ws! Or have tons of useful stuff delivered to your inbox each morning by signing
up for our