Health
Health, happiness and helping others are vital parts of free and responsible society, Founding Fathers taught
It’s well known that Ben Franklin was a morning person. In his “Poor Richard’s Almanac,” he famously said, “Early to bed, early to rise, makes a man healthy, wealthy and wise.”
But what did Ben Franklin do when he got up early? What was his morning ritual?
That is less well known. In his autobiography, Ben Franklin wrote that the first thing he did when he woke up each day was to ask himself the following question: “What good shall I do this day?” (See the video at the top of this article.)
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I love Ben Franklin’s ritual.
For most of my adult life, my default morning thoughts included questions such as, “What annoying tasks do I have to do this day?” and “What terrible things have happened in the world that I’ll read about when I open my laptop?”
A.J. Jacobs, a New York City-based bestselling author (shown at right), spent a year “living” the Constitution — which included getting closer to the lives of America’s Founding Fathers. Shown at left Ben Franklin. (iStock; A.J. Jacobs)
Nowadays, I try instead to do what Ben Franklin advises: I ask myself, “What good can I do today?”
Written on a piece of paper, it now hangs over my desk as a reminder.
This new habit is the result of the year I spent recently trying to live like the Founding Fathers. I wrote about the wisdom I learned in my new book, “The Year of Living Constitutionally.”
“The Founders’ idea of virtue meant public-mindedness. A virtuous person puts the interests of others before their own interests.”
As Franklin’s morning ritual implies, the Founders were obsessed with the idea of virtue.
Nowadays, the word “virtue” has a bit of a cringey and fusty ring to it.
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I hear the word most often used in the phrase “virtue signaling,” which is not a compliment.
“Virtue signaling” refers to someone who is ostentatiously trying to show off how righteous they are by, for instance, loudly asking a waiter about the living conditions of the bees that produced the honey for their oatmeal.
“The Founders’ idea of virtue meant public-mindedness,” said Jacobs. “A virtuous person puts the interests of others before their own interests. A virtuous person focuses on those two key words in the Constitution’s preamble: ‘General Welfare.’” (A.J. Jacobs; iStock)
In the Founders’ era, the word virtue had no such mixed connotations.
Virtue was a cherished ideal. In his book “First Principles,” Thomas E. Ricks writes that the Founders used the word virtue about 6,000 times in the collected writings from the Revolutionary era.
That’s more often than the word “freedom.”
“I almost wish the Constitution had a Bill of Responsibilities.”
The Founders’ idea of virtue meant public-mindedness. A virtuous person puts the interests of others before their own interests. A virtuous person focuses on those two key words in the Constitution’s preamble: “General Welfare.”
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I think we’re due for a resurgence of virtue. I know I could use more of it.
As a rule, I’m too focused on my individual rights. Rights are wonderful, and I’m grateful that I live in a country that puts an emphasis on individual rights. But rights come with responsibilities.
I almost wish the Constitution had a Bill of Responsibilities.
A.J. Jacobs, pictured at left with members of his family, “lived” the Constitution for a year — which included sharpening his own quill pen, at right, and growing closer to the meaning and intent of the Founding Fathers. (A.J. Jacobs)
The idea of public responsibility, I believe, was more ingrained in the 18th century and didn’t need to be spelled out. You were expected to sacrifice for your community.
If there was a fire, you were expected to be part of the bucket brigade, helping to save your neighbor’s house. If you were a man, you were expected to be a part of your local militia.
“If I’m depressed, I find the best thing to do is to help others. It gets me out of my head.”
When my wife and kids and I wrote a Constitution for our family — an exercise I fully recommend — we included a Bill of Rights, but also a Bill of Responsibilities.
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It’s not about being saintly.
Service actually wasn’t opposed to happiness. It was integral to it.
Jacobs is shown with an “Election Cake” offering as part of his “Year of Living Constitutionally,” the title of his most recent book. He writes that service to others “wasn’t opposed to happiness. It was integral to it.” (A.J. Jacobs)
As Jeffrey Rosen, president of the National Constitution Center, has said, “Happiness wasn’t about feeling good. It was about doing good.”
I find this observation to be true in my own life. If I’m depressed, I find the best thing to do is to help others. It gets me out of my head.
Jacobs, pictured here with his wife, spent a year living “constitutionally” — and wrote about it in his new book. (A.J. Jacobs)
That piece of paper over my desk serves as a moral North Star and helps tamp down my Larry David side.
When I start to get angry about something silly — such as my Instagram post didn’t get enough likes — I can look at the phrase and get a reality check.
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It reminds me of the big picture.
“The Year of Living Constitutionally: One Man’s Humble Quest to Follow the Constitution’s Original Meaning” by A.J. Jacobs (2024) is published by Crown.
Super-processed, packaged foods have become prevalent in U.S. diets — and experts are warning of the potential effects.
Recent research has shown that 60% of Americans’ daily caloric intake comes from ultra-processed foods (UPFs).
A study published by the BMJ revealed that exposure to UPFs was associated with 32 poor health outcomes, including mental, respiratory, cardiovascular, gastrointestinal and metabolic complications.
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Some of the linked conditions include cancer, heart disease, metabolic syndrome, non-alcoholic fatty liver disease and type 2 diabetes.
While America’s diet is 60% ultra-processed overall, registered dietitian nutritionist Ilana Muhlstein warned that consumption among American kids is even higher than that.
Nutritionist Ilana Muhlstein says that more than 70% of American kids’ diets consist of processed foods. (iStock)
“With children, it’s actually over 70%,” the Los Angeles-based expert told Fox News Digital. “That is really wild when you think about it.”
“What we eat defines how our cells work, how our organs work, and we’re seeing a strong decline in mental health and well-being.”
Muhlstein explained that people are not consuming the vitamins, minerals or healthy fat sources as previous generations.
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Instead, today’s kids are ingesting “plenty of fat” that comes from ultra-processed seed oils, fried foods and sugary foods, she said.
“We’re actually seeing that this next generation might be the first generation to … have a shorter lifespan than their parents due to nutrition and lifestyle factors,” Muhlstein said.
Studies have shown that consuming ultra-processed foods is associated with 32 poor health outcomes. (iStock)
Studies have shown that providing children with a nutritious diet improves their mental well-being, behavior and academic achievement, noted Muhlstein, who teaches a kids’ nutrition course called “Raising Balanced Eaters.”
The goal isn’t necessarily to get to 0% ultra-processed foods, Muhlstein noted, as that would likely be unrealistic.
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“But right now, if we’re seeing that kids are eating about 70% ultra-processed foods and only 30% of their calories are coming from whole foods, the goal would be to reverse that.”
The nutritionist encouraged parents to follow the “80/20 rule” when feeding their kids, which would include 80% of whole foods like eggs, fish, meat, fruits and vegetables, and 20% of not-so-nutritious foods like chips, cookies and ice cream.
Healthier alternatives for kids
Muhlstein listed a few alternatives for ultra-processed foods that are popular with kids.
This includes using marinara sauce instead of ketchup on foods like chicken nuggets and French fries.
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“[Marinara] has fewer ingredients [and is] much lower in sugar,” she said. “You actually see chunks of tomato, some basil, maybe it’s made with some olive oil or another healthy oil and some salt.”
Substituting ketchup with marinara sauce is a simple way to transition kids away from an ultra-processed diet. (iStock)
“It’s still creamy, it’s still red, it’s still tasty, and it’s one step closer to less processing.”
For popular processed foods like chicken nuggets, which have been “all blended up and mechanically separated,” Muhlstein suggested switching to chicken strips and gradually moving toward baked rather than fried.
Even at a barbecue, the expert recommended the simple, healthier decision of choosing a hamburger over a hot dog.
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“Hot dogs are usually made with nitrites and nitrates,” she cautioned. “We actually have incredible research to show that they increase the risk of certain cancers.”
“When you can go from a hot dog to a hamburger, that’s usually just ground beef … with some seasoning,” the expert went on. “It’s already a nice step in the right direction of less processing overall.”
When feeding kids, a hamburger is a healthier choice than a hot dog, the nutritionist said. (iStock)
Muhlstein encouraged parents to take these transitions “one step at a time” and to “be really joyful” about the experience to boost their child’s attitude.
Failing to address a child’s eating habits and assuming they might “grow out of it” could cause long-term consequences, she warned.
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“If you’re not exposing your kids to flavors and textures beyond chicken nuggets, sugary yogurts, French fries, hot dogs and pizza, it’s very unlikely that they are going to establish a better palate and a healthier relationship with food moving forward.”
The nutritionist encouraged parents to follow the “80/20 rule” — 80% of whole foods like eggs, fish, meat, fruits and vegetables, and 20% of processed foods like chips, cookies and ice cream. (iStock)
The expert recommended sitting down for family meals, noting that it’s one of the most “well-researched” ways to reduce eating disorders.
This includes turning off the TV and electronics during dinner, she said, as studies show TV-watching during meals leads to higher consumption of UPFs.
“Only three to five family meals a week can lower a person’s risk for eating disorders,” she said. “It’s [proven] to bring a healthy, positive relationship around food, especially if you can make the conversations lighthearted … keep it somewhat positive.”
“It’s a great way for the family to connect, for the kids to see their parents eat a wholesome meal, and for everyone to return to more meals and less mindless snacking.”
Sleep is known to have amazing health benefits – but how much shuteye is too much?
The answer isn’t so straightforward, Dr. Chris Winter, a Virginia-based neurologist and sleep medicine specialist with Mattress Firm, told Fox News Digital.
“This is to some degree an impossible question to answer,” he wrote.
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As with food and other lifestyle factors, Winter explained that the ideal amount of sleep is a “dynamic range.”
Sleep durations exceeding 11 to 12 hours might prompt concern, the expert said. (iStock)
“What is too much food for me might be an amazingly inadequate amount for an Olympic swimmer,” he said as an example.
For the average adult, sleep durations exceeding 11 to 12 hours would be considered “too much” and would start “prompting questions about sleep quality and sleep consistency,” Winter said.
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While getting too little sleep can cause many negative effects, an excess of slumber can pose risks like sleep inertia, which is the feeling of grogginess that occurs after sleeping in for too long.
The sleep specialist recommended catching up on sleep when there’s been a deficit. (iStock )
“For many individuals, it’s less about ‘too much sleep’ and more about compensatory sleep,” he said.
“In other words, you got inadequate sleep during the week and are trying to ‘make up’ for the lost sleep on the weekend.”
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Sleeping too much on a regular basis is more a reflection of “inadequate sleep quality” overall, Winter said.
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Even so, the expert recommends catching up on sleep when there’s been a deficit.
“Studies have shown that if you pay that sleep debt back quickly, it probably keeps the deficit from impacting your health,” he said.
Sleeping too much on a regular basis is more a reflection of “inadequate sleep quality” overall, the sleep doctor said. (iStock)
“While it should never be Plan A, making up lost sleep via napping or sleeping in, when possible, can be a good fallback plan.”
Although some studies have suggested negative health outcomes from both inadequate and excessive sleep, Winter emphasized that it’s better to get too much sleep than not enough.
“Trying to create consistency in sleep is important, too,” he said.
“Sleeping a different seven hours every night is not nearly as healthy as sticking to the same seven hours night after night.”
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) recommends that adults get between seven and nine hours of sleep per night.
Breast cancer diagnoses are spiking among younger women, a new report reveals. (iStock)
Fox News’ Health newsletter brings you stories on the latest developments in health care, wellness, diseases, mental health and more.
TOP 3:
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