15 Ways to LIVE Healthier
By: Trevor H. Davis
1. Adjust Sleeping Time - Life expectancy may be reduced by sleeping more than eight hours a night. A study found that people who get only six to seven hours sleep a night live longer than those who sleep eight hours or more, or less than four hours.
2. Drink Tea - Recent research studies reveal the antioxidants in tea may inhibit the growth of cancer cells, support dental health, increase bone density and strengthen cardiovascular health.
3. Drink Red Wine - One glass of red wine a day may have certain health benefits by protecting against certain cancers and heart disease, and can have a positive effect on cholesterol levels and blood pressure.
4. NO Smoking – No brainer here. Did you know, within one year after quitting, the risk of a heart attack falls to about half that of a smoker?
5. Relax – It helps reduce stress-related conditions such as depression. Try yoga or meditation.
6. Exercise Frequently - Exercise is known to reduce the risk of heart disease, high blood pressure, osteoporosis, diabetes and obesity. It keeps joints, tendons and ligaments flexible, and contributes to mental well-being by helping treat depression, relive stress and anxiety.
7. Eat More Fruits and Vegetables – They can help ward off heart disease and stroke, control blood pressure and cholesterol, and prevent some types of cancer.
8. Be Optimistic - Researchers found that optimistic people decreased their risk of early death by 50%.
9. Take Vitamins - A good multi-vitamin contains a full assortment of vitamins with minerals, amino acids, herbal extracts, and other specialty nutrients.
10. Do More Crunches - A study of 8,000 Canadians found that individuals who could do the most sit-ups in 1 minute were also the least likely to die over a period of 13 years.
11. Eat Frequently - A study in the British Medical Journal found that people who eat six or more small meals a day have 5 percent lower cholesterol levels than those who eat one or two large meals. That's enough to shrink your risk of heart disease by 10 to 20 percent.
12. Eat Nuts - Harvard researchers found that men who replaced 127 calories of carbohydrates--that's about 14 Baked Lays potato chips--with 1 ounce of nuts decreased their risk of heart disease by 30 percent.
13. Olive Oil!!! - Men whose diets include as much as 2 ounces of olive oil a day have an 82 percent lower risk of having a fatal first heart attack than men who consume little or none.
14. Eat Berries - Strawberries, raspberries, and blueberries are all loaded with salicylic acid--the same heart-disease fighter found in aspirin.
15. Get Pricked - Acupuncture appears to trigger the endorphins that help the heart relax and fight off stress, researchers say.
