Try 'zebra striping,' sip ginger tea and change your air filter — plus 8 more health tips to help you have a great week

Hello, Yahoo Life readers! My name is Kaitlin Reilly, and I am here to share the best health and wellness tips from around the internet this week.

Groceries are expensive, and one way to cut back on unnecessary expenses is to make sure your produce lasts as long as possible in the fridge. Yahoo Life’s Korin Miller spoke to experts (from a farmer to a food scientist) this week for tips on how to keep fruits and vegetables fresh. One surprising tip is to separate certain foods — specifically, keeping “gassy” fruits like bananas, apples and tomatoes away from things like leafy greens, carrots and cucumbers. Since these fruits give off ethylene gas, they can cause other produce to ripen too quickly — meaning they may be spoiled before you have time to make a big green salad.

Take a peek at your local weather forecast and check out your horoscope if you’re so inclined. Then read up on the small steps you can take to make this week the best yet.

🦓 Try ‘zebra striping’

Many people are looking to cut back on their alcohol consumption, whether that’s going “sober curious” or tackling Dry January. And there’s an easy way to reduce how much you imbibe, even just for the night. Consider “zebra striping,” a term that’s become popular on social media and refers to alternating between one alcoholic drink and one booze-free one during a night out. This way, you’ll reduce how many boozy beverages you have throughout the course of your day, while also staying hydrated, which can reduce the not-so-fun symptoms of a hangover.

Ideally, you’ll want to stick with low-sugar options in between alcoholic drinks, like a seltzer with a splash of cranberry juice or even just plain water to avoid excess calories that come with, say, a can of Coke. Feeling fancy? Try a nonalcoholic adaptogen beverage instead, which claims to give you a mood boost sans booze.

🍵 Sip ginger tea

Heart disease is the leading cause of death in the United States, but using ginger may help reduce your risk, per a study published in the medical journal Cureus. According to the new research, ginger has heart-protective properties, such as the ability to lower inflammation and blood pressure and improve cholesterol levels. While you can add ginger to a ton of dishes — from curry to desserts — a simple way to get your ginger fix is to turn it into tea. Just slice up some fresh ginger, steep it in hot water for 10 to 15 minutes and add a squeeze of lemon or a drizzle of honey for extra flavor.

A bonus for migraine sufferers? Previous research suggests sipping ginger tea may also help reduce pain from these headaches.

🏠 Change your air filter

Your HVAC system works hard to catch dust, hair and other debris in your home, keeping your indoor air quality in check — but it’s not a set-it-and-forget-it kind of thing, experts told the Spruce. You also need to regularly change your air filters, as poor air quality can negatively affect your health, especially if you have asthma or allergies.

So how often should you change out your filters? The Environmental Protection Agency recommends swapping out the filters every 60 to 90 days — but if you’ve never done it before, there’s no time like the present. Oh, and if you look at your filter and see they’re seriously gross, consider changing them more frequently, the EPA recommends.

🍴 Experiment with kimchi

It’s salty. It’s tangy. It’s spicy. Most importantly, it’s great for your gut. Kimchi, a Korean dish made from fermenting vegetables like cabbage, is one of the five foods dietitian Amy Bragagnini, national spokesperson for the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics, recently recommended to Fortune to improve gut health. It’s no wonder: Kimchi is packed with probiotics, beneficial bacteria that support digestion. It also contains fiber, which helps stabilize your blood sugar and reduce bad cholesterol.

Fun fact: Some South Koreans have a separate kimchi fridge that helps with the fermenting and preservation process. But you don’t need one to experiment with the pungent, flavor-packed dish. Need some ideas? Make some kimchi fried rice. Or, you could top a quesadilla with kimchi, as Taco Bell did in 2016, for a unique kick.

🦘 Bounce!

During the COVID-19 pandemic, you couldn’t keep me off my mini trampoline — and now, First for Women is here to remind you that bouncing is not only a true joy, but also a great workout. The reason? Unlike running, using a rebounder will get your heart rate up and still be gentle on your joints. It’s also effective for calorie burning: A 2016 study found that it burns about the same amount as running at a 6 mph pace.

📱 Use technology — the right way

Too much screen time gets a bad rap, especially in the age of doomscrolling. However, a new study published in Nature Human Behavior found that there could be an upside for using technology, especially for older adults. The researchers found that older adults who used smartphones, computers or apps had a much lower risk of memory problems as they aged compared to those who didn’t, similar to how crossword puzzles and reading can keep one’s mind sharp.

But don’t just mindlessly scroll. The key to keeping your brain sharp and mental health in check is to use technology to learn something new, or connect with others.

🍽️ Eat in this order

You know that a healthy plate has a mix of protein, carbs and fats — but do you know in what order you should eat your food? Enter: meal sequencing. Dietitian Katie Drakeford wrote about the research-backed topic for Yahoo Life this week. She says the best way to maximize your meals is to start with protein before moving on to fiber-rich foods and finishing your meal with a quick-digesting carb. So, if you’re having breakfast, go for eggs first, then berries, followed by toast or a pastry last.

Eating your meals in a specific order can help you keep your blood sugar in check, leaving you energized instead of sluggish. And by saving carbs for last, your body digests food more slowly, which keeps you feeling full longer.

❄️ Set your fridge to this temperature

If you’re looking to cut back on utility costs, you may want to consider what temperature you’re setting your fridge at. Too chilly and you could be unnecessarily spending too much on electricity, but too warm and you could risk food spoiling. The answer, per PureWow, is to set your fridge between 35 and 40 degrees Fahrenheit. Doing so will keep your food safely chilled and extend the shelf life of your groceries.

Think colder is better? Nope. Your fridge has to work harder to keep itself cold, which can cause the appliance to deteriorate faster. Plus, food starts to freeze at 32 degrees, which means you could be compromising the quality of your groceries.

💚 Eat asparagus

April is the start of asparagus season, and there are many reasons to enjoy this spring veggie. Just half a cup of cooked asparagus has 57% of your daily vitamin K needs, which helps build strong bones. It also boasts antioxidants and nearly 2 grams of fiber, which is great for your digestive health.

An easy way to enjoy asparagus — and the warmer weather — is to grill it: This hearty vegetable grills quickly and is a nice way to sneak in some green among BBQ staples like chicken and burgers.

🗑️ Be smart about food waste

The last Wednesday in April is Stop Food Waste Day. According to the USDA, Americans waste 30 to 40% of our food supply. One way to combat this problem — besides purchasing only what you will 100% eat — is by using food scraps creatively. Stop tossing peels, roots, stems and leaves of vegetables that would otherwise end up in the garbage. An entire cauliflower, for example, is edible, P.K. Newby, nutritional scientist and founder of Food Matters Media, previously told Yahoo Life. And watermelon rind can be used in kimchi!

🍇 Snack on raisins

April 30 is National Raisin Day, and we get it — they can be a polarizing snack! But there is one big reason to enjoy these tiny treats: half a cup of raisins offers 3.3 grams of fiber.

For a quick breakfast, throw some raisins on top of Greek yogurt for a satiating protein and fiber blend. Or, get whimsical and recreate your favorite childhood snack of ants on a log.