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A recent study of more than 6,000 adults found that people who smile the most live the longest and enjoy better health. Happy people make healthier diet and exercise choices. People with an optimistic attitude are less likely to suffer a stroke, have a decreased risk of heart attack, are less affected by stress, and are less likely to suffer from depression. Research also suggests that having a positive outlook on life gives your immune system a boost and could increase your longevity.
Who knew a simple smile packed such a healthy punch?! But what if you’re not one of those naturally happy people? What can you do to lighten your mood and live a happier life? Give the following suggestions a try and watch your happiness soar!
- Small steps. Start with one thing in your life that creates negative feelings and take steps to change your attitude. For example, if traffic delays send you into a foul mood, pick up a book on tape and tune in while you’re commuting. Every time you turn a minus into a plus your happiness quotient will go up.
- Plan to laugh. Start collecting things that make you laugh: funny photos, books, movies, YouTube videos. When you need a laugh, pick an item from your collection and let ‘er rip!
- Smile. Make a point of smiling. Smile at people when you walk down the street. Smile at the checkout clerk at the store. Smile at people you know and at perfect strangers. When you smile at someone, most people will smile back. You’ll feel happier and so will they!
- Take a walk. A daily dose of fresh air and sunshine is proven to elevate mood.
- Share a laugh. Spend time with happy people or join a laugh club. Happiness and laugher are contagious.
- Positive thinking. Squelch negative thoughts as soon as they occur and concentrate on thinking positively. Rephrase your inner talk and replace “I can’t” with “I can.”
When it comes to your health, you can reap giant rewards by making small changes in your daily routine (see our previous post). If you want to live a healthier lifestyle, take it one small step at a time. In a year, all those small changes will add up to a healthier, happier you!
- Get moving. It only takes 10 minutes of moderate exercise a day to get started, but make it count. If you’re not sweating by the end of your workout, you need to pick up the pace. If you’re short of breath or in pain, take it down a notch. As you build stamina, gradually increase your exercise time and intensity.
- Quick smoking. Sure it’s hard; but you can triple your chance of success by combining medication with counseling. See your doctor and join a support group.
- Relax. Deep breathing exercises are an instant stress reliever and effective in reducing anxiety. Decreasing chronic stress reduces your risk of heart disease and high blood pressure. Breathe in through your nose to a count of 10; then exhale slowly through your mouth. Repeat 5 to 10 times. If you’re breathing correctly, you should feel more movement in your stomach than your chest.
- Snack healthy. A study by the American Dietetic Association found that people who snacked once or twice a day lost more weight and kept it off. Obviously, you have to make healthy choices when you snack; but snacking keeps your hunger under control so you don’t overeat at mealtimes.
- See your dentist. According to a study by the American Heart Association, having your teeth professionally cleaned once a year can reduce your risk of heart attack by 24% and lower your risk of stroke by 13%.
- Volunteer. Volunteering gets you out of the house and interacting with people. It also gives life a sense of purpose. But mostly, doing something for someone else just makes you feel good!
Even if you’ve been neglecting your health for years, are woefully out of shape or have added more pounds than you care to admit, you CAN improve your health, live a healthier life, and increase your longevity by taking a few small steps down the road to good health TODAY. Too often, when people decide to take charge of their health, they think they need to “fix” everything at once. Overwhelmed by the scope of the task ahead, they either fail to get started or don’t stick with it. Either way, they doom themselves to failure before they start.
Getting fit doesn’t have to turn your life upside down. You can start out by making small changes in your daily routine. As you become comfortable with each improvement in your lifestyle, add another small change. Each small success will encourage you to take the next step. In no time at all, you’ll find yourself striding down the path to a healthier lifestyle and feeling better about your health and yourself!
Next time: Healthy changes
If you have high blood pressure, your doctor has probably already warned you to cut back on salt; but a new study indicates you should also decrease your sugar intake. Researchers at the University of Colorado in Denver found that people who consumed 74 or more grams of fructose daily had higher blood pressure than those who cut back on sugary foods and drinks. Researchers believe that a high-sugar diet activates hormones that cause blood vessels to constrict which can lead to hypertension and increase your risk of heart attack or stroke.
Seventy-four grams of fructose (sugar) are approximately equivalent to each of the following:
- 2 cans of Coke
- 2 regular-size Snickers bars
- 24-ounce can of Arizona Lemon Ice Tea
- 4 Twinkies
- 3 chocolate peanut butter Power bars
- 4 frosted cherry Pop Tarts
- 2 1/2 containers of Yoplait strawberry yogurt
- 3/4 pint Ben & Jerry’s Cherry Garcia ice cream
- 3 oranges
- 3 apples
- 3 pounds of raw carrots!
We all have bad habits we’d like to break, but it’s not easy to stop doing something you’ve been doing for years, even if you know it’s bad for you. Most of us include breaking a bad habit on our list of New Year’s Resolutions, but few of us are successful in accomplishing our goal. If the same bad habit keeps cropping up on your list of New Year’s Resolutions year after year, give these habit-breaking tips a try:
- Pick your rewards first. Before you start on a program to break a bad habit, choose a series of graduated rewards. Pick out a small reward that you can give yourself every time you engage in positive behavior with increasingly bigger rewards to encourage long-term success. For example, if your goal is to tone up your body and get rid of excess flab, reward yourself with a relaxing bubble bath after every gym workout. Treat yourself to a massage after every 30 workouts. For that magical moment when you reach your goal, start planning a weekend getaway to a warm, sunny beach resort and start looking for a new bikini to wear while you’re there. Planning and shopping for your ultimate reward will help you maintain enthusiasm and steel your resolve to achieve your goal when the going gets tough.
- Change your routine. Making even minor changes in your daily routine helps build self-discipline. Self-control is the key to breaking any bad habit. Making small changes in your life gives you the confidence to make larger changes.
- Plan for setbacks. Changing a bad habit is tough. You have to expect the occasional setback. Advance planning can help you avoid setbacks or at least navigate them quickly and get back on track. For example, if you’re trying to drop a few pounds, avoid the cookie aisle when you shop and stock up on healthy fruits and veggies. If it’s not in the house, you can’t eat it. Pick up some low-fat yogurt and sugar-free popsicles for those moments when you crave something sweet. If you have supplies on hand and have already decided how you’re going to handle potential problems, you’re more apt to stick with your program.
- Forgive yourself and try again. Nobody’s perfect. Don’t let one tiny failure doom your plans. If you fall off the wagon, don’t give up. Forgive yourself and get back on the horse! Every day is a new day and a new opportunity to succeed! If you keep at it; you’ll succeed.
There’s a song Bing Crosby sings in the classic movie White Christmas that goes:
If you’re worried and you can’t sleep; just count your blessings instead of sleep and you’ll fall asleep counting your blessings.
That’s good advice during the holidays or anytime. Christmas is a joyful time of year, but it is also a very emotional time. Many people get a little teary-eyed or feel a bit melancholy during the holidays. Counting your blessings is a nice way to boost your spirits and refocus your mind on what you have instead of what you miss.
Drinking 2 to 3 cups of coffee a day is another way to fight the blues. In a Mayo Clinic study, coffee drinkers were 15% less likely to become depressed.
Our favorite cure for the blues is baby pictures. A baby’s gummy grin is contagious. You can’t help but smile at the photo of a cute baby and there’s a reason for that. A University of Wisconsin-Madison study showed that looking at baby pictures turns on the part of the brain associated with positive emotions. Now you have a reason to haul out those cute photos of your grandson and pass them around. You’re not bragging; you’re spreading holiday cheer!
All of us here at A.M. Warner Insurance wish you and your family a very Merry Christmas. When we count our blessings, we count each of you among them.
There always seems to be too much to do during the holidays and never enough time to get everything done. There is shopping to finish, presents to wrap, baking to do, Christmas cards to get out, packages to ship, children’s concerts to attend, relatives to visit, and on and on and on. It’s no wonder that most people don’t get enough sleep during the holidays. Who has time to sleep?!
Unfortunately, studies have found that when we lose sleep our health and ability to function suffer. Lack of sleep can reduce our ability to focus our attention and remember things by as much as 50%. Sleep loss also increases insulin resistance which can lead to diabetes. Inability to get the 7 to 8 hours of sleep we need each night can cause increased weight gain and exacerbate depression.
Most people have occasional trouble sleeping but nearly 50% of older adults battle insomnia 2 to 3 nights a week or more. Chronic disease, medication and changes in sleep habits as we age are usually to blame when seniors lose sleep.
Dr. Oz recommends weight loss and increased exercise if sleep loss is caused by chronic disease. When medications interfere with sleep, talk to your doctor to see if a medication change is possible. Changes in sleep habits are best addressed by sticking to a firm sleep schedule, eliminating daytime naps and removing all light sources from your bedroom. Even small amounts of light can interfere with your body’s production of melatonin, the hormone that helps us stay asleep so we can get the recuperative sleep we need.
Chilly winter winds are already blowing and the worst is yet to come. When the temperature drops, our skin requires a little tender loving care. Outdoor cold and indoor heat leach the natural moisture out of our skin, causing it to itch and flake. If you want you skin to remain soft and supple during the winter months, follow these tips:
- When you get out of the tub or shower, pat yourself dry and moisturize immediately. Skin absorbs more moisture when it is still damp.
- Keep shower and bath water lukewarm. Hot water dissolves natural oils.
- During the winter, skin suffers as much from dry indoor heat as it does from outdoor cold. Use a moisturizer that contains niacinamide (vitamin B3) which helps to thicken and protect the skin. Dermatologists recommend Olay and CeraVe moisturizers.
- Use a lip balm that contains glycerin or shea butter with at least a SFP 15 rating. It will soak into the skin, unlike waxed-based lip balms that merely sit on the surface or flavored balms that actually dry the lips. Moisturizing lip balms also don’t need to be applied as frequently as popular flavored wax-based balms. Dermatologists recommend Blistex 5 Star Lip Protection and Aveeno Essential Moisture Lip Conditioner.
- Glycerin and hyaluronic acid are the two ingredients that lock in moisture and plump the skin and (bonus!) won’t clog pores. Look for these ingredients when you purchase moisturizer and lip balm products. Dermatologists suggest Cetaphil Daily Moisturizer and Neutrogena Oil-Free Moisturizer.
- Sunscreen is still important in the winter to protect your skin from harmful UVB and UVA rays. Dermatologists recommend sunscreens with a minimum 30 SPF rating.
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