Look Younger with an Antioxidant Supplement

There are so many tropical skin care products available in the market that is used for anti-aging effects. These products contain several vitamins and antioxidants because antioxidants are used to take care of skin and to keep it youthful. The basic purpose of antioxidants is to minimize the effect of free radicals and to protect the skin from the cell damage that free radicals cause. The concept of applying the skin care products on the outer layer of skin is so common; however the oral intake of antioxidants is also useful to have anti - aging effects.

Increased intake of antioxidants is the best way to provide the skin with special care. Natural food items contain antioxidants and you can add an antioxidant supplement in your diet plan as well. The supplement can do lot to improve the appearance as well as the health of your skin. You can get the following benefits by using an antioxidant supplement.

Repair Sun Damage

It is a well-known fact that too much exposure to the sun causes damage to the skin. The skin gets dried if your skin remains exposed to the sun for a long time. Wrinkles and tough skin are common in those who do not use sunblock, and also don't suffice the skin with sufficient amount of antioxidants. Antioxidants promote the blood flow that encourages the growth of new cells as well as improves the appearance of skin.

Wrinkles Appearance Reduces

It is impossible to conceal the wrinkles of skin completely, however with the help of skin care products and by sufficient intake of antioxidants the appearance of wrinkles can be managed and the appearance of the skin can be made youthful. The appearance of fine lines and wrinkles can be reduced if the antioxidants are used on a regular basis.

Anti - Inflammation Effects

One of the most important benefits of the skin care product is anti -inflammation effects and this benefit can be obtained from an antioxidant supplement as well. The supplement that can cause anti - inflammation effects make the tone of skin even and keep the acne at a distance.

Firm skin

The firm skin is liked by everyone and the use of antioxidants improves the appearance of skin and rejuvenates the appearance by keeping reducing the anti - aging effects. You should take care of the skin by using moisturizers and other skin care products in combination with an antioxidant supplement to have greater effects.

These benefits can be obtained by using a good quality supplement in conjunction with a proper skin care routine and a healthy lifestyle.

Tips to Help You Stick with Diet Food Programs

Maintaining a healthy weight is simple math: burn more calories than you gain. Obviously, the key here is to keep tabs on what you eat but this is easier said than done. With all the research going on in the weight loss area, there is no dearth of diet plans but for any of these to work, it is vital you stick to the prescribed guidelines for healthy eating.

Choose the Right Diet Plan
How well you follow a diet depends on how well it suits you. Diet food programs that are extreme in nature ones that drastically reduce your intake of food or completely leave out an entire food group could leave you feeling starved. The discomfort and irritability you experience are enough to make you discard the plan early on. Make sure you study the diet plan and perhaps even ask your doctor about how balanced it is, before you adopt it.

Change Your Lifestyle
Losing weight may be your immediate goal but for lasting health, you need to maintain a healthy weight for the rest of your life. Diet food programs may help you lose weight rapidly, but in the long run, you also need to fix problems in your lifestyle. Take a look at how much exercise you get, your eating habits outside of home and the amount of alcohol you consume all these are factors that play an important role in deciding how fit you stay.

Be Gentle on Yourself
In the initial stages, it may be difficult to stick to the diet plan and you may find yourself giving in to your craving for a sugar-rich pastry or salt-rich potato fries. When you tend to slip up, being unduly harsh on yourself serves no purpose; instead, accept that it is only human to err. Look at what your diet food program suggests as compensation for a high calorie food and try to make amends. The higher the goal you set, the more stressed you are going to feel about slipping up. Instead, aim at a healthy weight loss say about two pounds every week that is not as stressful and easier to achieve. Once you manage to meet this goal, it will give you the confidence to keep going.

Enlist Support
Sticking to diet food programs long term is not an easy task; it calls for quite some self-control. If you are unsure of your ability to stick it out alone, ask for help. Join a weight loss group, or connect online with other people on the same diet plan; confide in your family or close friends a few encouraging words now and then will help you keep going.

After doing all it takes, if you still find it difficult to stick to a particular diet plan, take a look at the other diet food programs available, and experiment with each one until you find one that suits you. As long as you stick by the mantra of using up more calories than what you consume, you should be able to achieve your weight loss goals.

Indonesian Food Health Benefits

There are many beautiful aspects of Asian culture we admire and knowingly or unknowingly emulate working with them on a daily basis. There are those among the countries of Asia which are more popular than others in the west for various reasons. Sadly Indonesia is one of those that gets easily overlooked when it comes to the local culture. Most people see and think of either China, Japan, Korea and Thailand when they think of the term "Asian", however Indonesia can offer a unique and varied culture spread across over six thousand islands. Their art, martial arts such as Silat and history of piracy and naval warfare created a world where nothing is boring or mundane even to the most travel-savvy visitor. Their food is a unique and diverse combination of flavors because of the fact that the islands developed their own versions of common recipes among other things and with the abundance of seafood it also has some very nice health benefits.

The local food has many influences both from mainland Asia and the west because of its lucrative position in respect to naval trade through the centuries. A lot of the spices present in many recipes in the west have been intertwined with the local culture precisely because of that trade such as cloves and nutmeg. One of the most beautiful and healthy aspects of the local food is exactly these spices - they contain much needed protein and minerals the human body uses and on top of that they have the added bonus of tasting great.

Something else the local food uses a lot is rice and that is in abundance - the health benefits here are well-known: it stabilizes the blood sugar levels, it has plenty of vitamins B1 and D as well as many minerals, it is rich in carbohydrates, cholesterol-free and capable of helping out with many diseases by just being part of your daily diet. You can find rice in a lot of the local dishes such as nasi uduk (coconut-milk cooked rice), lontong (banana-leaf steamed rice) and of course nasi goreng which is essentially fried rice. Nasi goreng is considered the national dish of Indonesia and it combines seafood, vegetables and rice in a tasty dish.

There are a lot of fruits containing high quantities of starch in the local diet such as yams, potatoes, cassava, sweet potatoes, taro, breadfruit and jackfruit. These are truly staple foods and because of their prevalence in Indonesian cuisine the local population has a chance to eat healthy. Sadly a lot of the local population has begun emulating the western lifestyle switching from their traditional diets to fast-food restaurants and a sedentary lifestyle which we all know can lead to serious health issues.

There are some truly amazing dishes out there which also have local vegetables. Kangkung is a leaf vegetable which is known for its blood sugar lowering effects. It is used in many recipes in the local cuisine. Other examples include melinjo with its wonderful antioxidant properties. Genjer (not to be mistaken for a corruption of the word ginger) is a plant often used in combination with other plants in curry, soup and salads among other things.

Overall Indonesian food bears similarities to a lot of the mainland Asian cuisine but with its own twist. Thanks to the way the recipes are prepared this makes it healthy and good for consumption on a regular basis. As with all things however this should be taken in moderation as overeating is one of the main reasons for obesity.

This guest post has been submitted by: Vacation-Rentals

By Angela Harpert

4 Tips to Keep Your Heart Healthy

You may apply various measures to increase your human growth hormone and stay youthful and energetic but some diseases like cardiac problems can only be evaded only if you are proactive in your younger years.

Soon after the celebration of 'American Heart Month' in February, the shocking news that heart diseases are largely responsible for human death has left the doctors in a state of shock! Thus, the Heart Lung and Blood Institute and American Heart Association emphasized on improving the lifestyle and eating habits to fight back this deadly disease. Here are some tips provided by the experts to keep your heart healthy:

1. Fitness: Fitness is essential for keeping the whole body healthy and especially keeps the stress level under strict control. Include walk, exercise or meditation for the strong ticking of the heart. Also having a routine lifestyle which includes a healthy and nutritional diet can also work wonders for your heart.
2. Chocolates: We all love chocolates and the good news is, so does our heart! Enriched with anti-oxidants and excellent property of controlling the blood pressure, chocolates are a boon for your heart and for taste buds too. According to British Medical Journal, chocolates are really effective in bringing down the rate of heart attacks as well as strokes. Statistics prove that almost there is a decrease in the chances of heart diseases by almost 37% if you consume chocolates everyday and roughly a decrease of 29% is recorded in the case of strokes. So, get the biggest chocolate bar today and enjoy it.
3. Laugh: Yes, you have heard it right. Laughter is really the best medicine, at least for heart problems. Negative thoughts, tension and stress all contract the blood vessels, which obstruct the blood flow. Whereas, laughing and other positive actions do the right opposite. The diameter of the blood vessels almost increases by 30% to 50%. When the blood vessels expand, it's easier for the heart to pass blood and thus reduces the pressure on it. It has been proved at the European Society of Cardiology's conference, that
4. Yoga: To bid adieu to the heart troubles yoga is a great exercise. It best to beat the troubles like problem of irregular heartbeats and abnormal heart rhythms and improves general functioning of the heart. This fact has been proved by American College of Cardiology's at the 60th Annual Scientific Session.

Therefore, to make your heart healthy you don't need to make a complete change in your lifestyle. If you follow these tips you can possible evade the chances of heart disease and stroked to a great deal.

Brenda Lyttle is a health expert and a freelance writer. In her free time, she loves exploring fashionable outfits. Recently, she came up with her own range of halloween costumes 2012 for couples.

By Brenda Lyttle

Skin cancer vs vitamin D

REMEMBER when we used to lie out in the sun for hours covered in coconut oil?

If you can, you're pre-skin cancer warnings now appear regularly on our TV and billboards.

Slip, slop, slap is the message we've being given.

But, with vitamin D deficiency more common, many people are also wondering if the sun protection message is affecting their health in other ways.

The sun's ultraviolet (UV) radiation is both the major cause of skin cancer and the best source of vitamin D, according to the Cancer Council Australia.

"We need to balance the risk of skin cancer from too much sun exposure with maintaining adequate vitamin D levels," it says.

"Sensible sun protection does not put people at risk of vitamin D deficiency."

Why we need vitamin D and how we get it

Vitamin D keeps bones and muscles strong, as well as keep our immune system robust.

Low blood levels of the vitamin have been associated increased risk of cardiovascular disease, cognitive impairment in older adults, severe asthma in children and cancer.

Research suggests that vitamin D could play a role in the prevention and treatment of a number of different conditions, including type 1 and type 2 diabetes, hypertension, glucose intolerance, and multiple sclerosis.

Vitamin D forms in the skin when it is exposed to UV from sunlight.

It can also be obtained from some foods such as fish, egg yolks and fortified dairy and grain products.

Who's most at risk from vitamin D deficiency

Naturally dark skinned people, people who cover their skin for religious or cultural reasons, the elderly and people who are housebound or in institutional care, babies and infants of vitamin D deficient mothers, people with osteoporosis and those who suffer from milk allergies or adhere to a strict vegetarian diet may all be short on vitamin D.

Certain medical problems, including Crohn's disease, cystic fibrosis, and celiac disease, can also affect your ability to absorb vitamin D from the food you eat.

GET THE FACTS

Measuring Vitamin DThe most accurate way to measure how much vitamin D is in your body is the 25-hydroxy vitamin D blood test.  

How much sun is enough?

A study by St Vincent's Hospital, Sydney; the Garvan Institute of Medical Research, and the University of NSW suggests that exposure of 5 to 15 minutes of sunlight four to six times a week, outside of the hours of 10am - 2pm, is the best way to boost vitamin D.

By Helen Hawkes

Use Variety of Approaches For Best Dating Sites

Online dating as well as matchmaking dating websites provides individuals with much more choices within choosing the best companion and chance to help to make knowledgeable choices prior to these people achieve this. These types of websites make this happen via numerous systems to achieve success: fellow member pictures, comprehensive information, chat services, the messaging program and often audio and video.

Despite the fact that common dating sites are designed to serve life styles, numerous singles need something much more. In the end, it may be hard to meet Christian believers in this contemporary world; therefore dating sites have sprung up to fill up this particular requirement. These types of websites allow Christian believers to meet other Christian believers around the world, in the United States or even within their personal instant city region.

Just like common online dating services, customers possess a multitude of accessible options amongst online dating sites. Some Religious internet dating sites focus on catering any age and denomination, other people tend to be specific in the direction of a particular market, for example individuals more than thirty years of age.

The websites can differ in the manner a person makes his own profile as well as ways to get in touch with other members. There are majority of questionnaires that a person completes to explain himself, however they can differ within the amount of level these people enter.

The websites additionally differ in amount of control these people dominate the procedure. For instance, a few websites tend to be more such as online dating providers as well as match up two persons depending on their answers towards the questionnaires these people complete. The coordinating formula is dependent on the actual website's evaluation of those solutions as well as takes into consideration such factors like demographics, psycho-graphics as well as common pursuits. Nevertheless, the individual manages very well the procedure and may browse the actual listing of matches made by the website within determining who to make contact with.

Additionally, the majority of internet of best dating sites enable their members to do their very own queries depending on what ever requirements these people believe is essential. Based on their own fellow member bottom, the websites after that existing along listing of people who complement individual's criteria.


Additional Christian dating services have a much less positive strategy as well as motivate their people in order to search every other information and choose those they think will be the greatest complement on their behalf.

The queries this kind of websites request on the user profile questionnaires tend to be common compared to about the internet dating websites, and therefore are targeted much more from obtaining the person in order to increase upon his / her personal character as well as pursuits. People may get in touch with one another via a messaging program supplied by the website which guarantees anonymity before individuals will be ready to fulfill one another.

Author Bio: Anna is a person with a passion for writing. She has written many articles on various topics, for more information you can check her other blogs.

Vitamin D Health Benefits

BY: Boris Washington

Vitamin D offers numerous health benefits, which make it the key factor for a healthy and balanced lifestyle. For that reason, we have to take care of the levels of vitamin D in our blood. We already know that vitamin D is essential for the regulation of the calcium in our body, it takes care of the bone density and prevents numerous diseases related to our bones thus preventing bone deformities.

We have to highlight its effects on our immunity. Vitamin D is there to minimize the risk of respiratory infections and regulate the blood pressure. Some recent studies have shown that vitamin D can play a key role in the prevention of up to 17 types of cancers, breast cancer being one of them.

Vitamin D can also increase the serotonin levels, which makes it a great way to deal with depression and other mental health issues. It also prevents diabetes type I because vitamin D can regulate the levels of insulin in our blood. And finally, this valuable vitamin has been recently tested, and the results show that it can help in the treatment and prevention of several heart diseases. As you can see there are more than enough reasons to take care of your vitamin D levels.

One of the best ways to get the recommended daily dose of vitamin D is from the sun, by spending some time exposed to direct sunlight. Sunlight exposure makes our skin and body start synthesizing vitamin D. However, there are many reasons why people don’t get enough vitamin D from the sun. The use of sun blocker creams is one of the reasons. Luckily, you can still get your daily dose of this vitamin from food and vitamin D supplements.

Some of the foods loaded with vitamin D are:

• fatty fish
• cod-liver oil
• eggs
• fortified cereal
• fortified milk

If you decide to take vitamin D supplements always talk to your doctor and strictly follow the doctor's advice. Of course, it is important to do everything it takes to avoid vitamin D deficiency but taking high doses of vitamin D for a longer period of time can be dangerous too. Vitamin D is part of the fat-soluble vitamins group which means that it gets stored in our body so vitamin D toxicity symptoms are quite possible, especially if you take more vitamin D than required.

So, it is recommended to check your vitamin D levels at least twice a year and react in time, no matter whether you are vitamin D deficient or about to experience vitamin D overdose symptoms.

Physicians as a group are leaner, fitter and live longer than average Americans

From the WSJ:

Physicians as a group are leaner, fitter and live longer than average Americans. Male physicians keep their cholesterol and blood pressure lower.

However, doctors are less likely to have their own primary care physician—and more apt to abuse prescription drugs.

Lifestyle habits

Exercise: Many physicians say they "embed" it into their lives, making it a non-negotiable part of their daily routine, often early in the morning before demands pile on. One doctor says he gets up at 4:45 a.m. virtually every morning to train for marathons he runs. "But by 8:30 at night, I have the IQ of a zucchini," he says.

Smoking: Only 2% to 4% of physicians smoke cigarettes, compared to roughly 24% of the U.S. population.

Stress: For all their good habits, it's no secret that doctors are under enormous pressure.

References:

What Patients Can Learn from the Ways Physicians Take Care of Themselves. WSJ.
Chicago doctors talk about healthy habits in their own lifestyle - not surprisingly ladies do a lot better than the guys http://goo.gl/jFf7w

Image source: OpenClipart.org, public domain.

Comments from Twitter:

@IrfanDhalla (Irfan Dhalla): Wonder if they still would be after adjusting for income? MT @DrVes: Physicians as a group are fitter and live longer goo.gl/b5C3

Good and Bad Health Habits in the U.S.: Drinkers Outnumber Exercisers

Participation in sport is associated with a with a 20—40% reduction in all-cause mortality compared with non-participation. Exercise might also be considered as a fifth vital sign, according to the Lancet: http://goo.gl/gyxYf

A CDC study showed that six in 10 American adults were regular drinkers in 2005-2007, but only about three in 10 regularly exercised.

Since 1997, rates of cigarette smoking have declined by several percentage points, rates of obesity have climbed, and rates of alcohol use, exercise, and sleep have remained relatively unchanged.

Men were more likely than women to be drinkers (68% vs. 55%).

The more educated people were, the more likely they were to drink. 74% of people who have a graduate degree were drinkers, compared with 44% of people with a high school diploma.

Adults with higher levels of education were less likely to be smokers, be physically inactive, and be obese and to sleep six hours or less per night.

Twitter comments:

@kcb704: "The more educated people were, the more likely they were to drink." http://goo.gl/JDv1 // work hard, play hard..

@BrettLinda: Hold on... good or bad? RT @DrVes Good and Bad Health Habits in U.S.: drinkers outnumber exercisers http://goo.gl/JDv1

References:

Good and Bad Health Habits in U.S. WebMD.

Images source: Wikipedia, Free Documentation License.

Can You Tell Your Life Story In 6 Words?

Larry Smith and Rachel Fershleiser talk to NPR about the fun and the challenge of capturing real-life stories in six little words.

Some examples related to medicine:

Alzheimer's: meeting new people every day.
Phil Skversky

After cancer, I became a semicolon.
Anthony R. Cardno

Normal person becomes psychotic on Twitter.
Robin Slick

Yale at 16, downhill from there.
Anita Kawatra

References:

Can You Tell Your Life Story In Exactly Six Words? NPR, 2010.
FDA Approves "Alzheimer's CT scan" by Eli Lilly - radioactive agent florbetapir tags clumps of sticky amyloid in brain. WSJ, 2012.

Fish out of pills - Pharmaceuticals in drinking water

Fish out of pills - Pharmaceuticals in drinking water, NationalGeographic, April 01, 2010. Design Editor Oliver Uberti shows what went into the making of an information graphic about pharmaceuticals that make their way into our watersheds and end up in fish. Click here to see the full-size illustration.

A vast array of pharmaceuticals — including antibiotics, anti-convulsants, mood stabilizers and sex hormones — have been found in the drinking water supplies of at least 41 million Americans. The concentrations of these pharmaceuticals are tiny, far below the levels of a medical dose but the long-term consequences to human health are unknown.

The pharmaceutical industry points out the amount of medication in the water supply is the equivalent of a single pill in an Olympic-size swimming pool. Still, if you a have glass of water in Philadelphia, you are drinking tiny amounts of at least 56 medications.

References:

Antibiotics, anticonvulsants, antidepressants and sex hormones in drinking water of 41 million Americans http://goo.gl/HiXa

AP Probe Finds Drugs in Drinking Water. Associated Press.

Drugs in water causing troubling problems to fish, wildlife. CNN.
In U.S., bottled water lacks drug safeguards. CNN.

Pollution: Fish Pharm. NGM Blog Central.

Related reading:

Fish Pharm: Pharmaceutical Waste and the Environment. BitingTheDust, 2010.

Fishing For Answers: How To Choose Fish and Seafood | Summer Tomato http://goo.gl/0OBf
Something in the water - fluoxetine in this river, antihypertensives in that lake - BMJ, 2011.

Jamie Oliver at TED: Teach every child about food

Sharing powerful stories from his anti-obesity project in Huntington, W. Va., TED Prize winner Jamie Oliver makes the case for an all-out assault on our ignorance of food.

How to Exercise WHILE Blogging or Doing Other Computer Work

The exercises below have been adapted from a ProBlogger post. Most of the names have been modeled after popular social media services such as Twitter, RSS, Blogger, etc.

1. Cyber Squats. Set your chair aside for a few minutes and instead move to a semi-squat position with thighs parallel to the floor. Hold for 1 minute.

2. RSS Raises. As you’re sitting at your desk, straighten your knees and lift your legs out in front of you.

3. Ten Minute "Move it!" Break. Alternate jogging in place with jumping jacks – do a minute of each and repeat 5 times.

4. Twitter Tummy Tone. Tighten your abdominal muscles for 30 seconds and then release.

5. Social Squeezes. Tighten your gluteal muscles for 30 seconds and then release.

6. Ten Minute "Move it!" Break. Grab a step stool and climb up and down.

7. Inbox Incline. While you’re sitting with your feet on the floor, raise your heels so you are on the balls of your feet and lower them.

8. Ten Minute "Move it!" Break. Do walking lunges around the house. You can add some weights and do bicep curls at the same time.

9. Blogger Breather. Close your eyes and focus on your breath. Count to 10 as you slowly inhale through your nose, thinking positive thoughts. Exhale through your mouth, again counting to 10. Release all the tension and stress out of your body.

10. Sign Off Stretches. Shoulder shrugs – with your head at your chest, shrug your shoulders up and down. Neck Rolls – relax your shoulders and let your head roll forward. Slowly rotate your head in a circle. Repeat five times.

How to stay healthy while traveling: This is a mnemonic for exercises that can be done with just body weight: PLSS

P ushups
S itups
L unges
S quats


Exercises that can be done with just body weight: PLSS.

Exercise slows telomere shortening (and aging). Telomeres are the chromosome tips which shorten each time a cell divides, making them a possible marker of aging. A study of 2400 twins showed that physically active people had longer telomeres than sedentary people. According to the authors, this provides a powerful message that could be used by clinicians to promote the potentially antiaging effect of regular exercise.


Human chromosomes (grey) capped by telomeres (white). Image source: Wikipedia, public

domain.

If you need any more convincing, please see this "health promotion" video that clearly shows the benefits of exercise:

"Health Promotion" video: Benefits of exercise.

References:

10 Ways to get Fit WHILE Blogging. ProBlogger, 2009.
How to stay healthy while traveling

What's the best exercise for heart health? A combination of weight training and aerobic exercise http://goo.gl/h1YKD and bit.ly/on9sNn

Related reading:

Minimum amount of physical activity for reduced mortality and extended life expectancy: 15 min a day or 90 min a week. Lancet, 2011.

How to live to be 100 - The Secret of the "Blue Zones"

"To find the path to long life and health, Dan Buettner and team study the world's "Blue Zones," communities whose elders live with vim and vigor to record-setting age. At TEDxTC, he shares the 9 common diet and lifestyle habits that keep them spry past age 100."

A Blue Zone is a region of the world where people commonly live active lives past the age of 100 years.

Five Blue Zones have been identified by Buettner:

- Sardinia, Italy
- The islands of Okinawa, Japan
- Loma Linda, California
- Nicoya Peninsula, Costa Rica
- Icaria, Greece

Venn Diagram of longevity clues from Okinawa, Sardinia, and Loma Linda. Image source: Wikipedia, public domain.

References:
Dan Buettner: How to live to be 100+
Blue Zone. Wikipedia.
Uncovering secrets to a longer life. CNN.

Maps:


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4 Healthy Habits Sharply Reduce Risk of Serious Disease

From WebMD:

People Who Follow 4 Simple Habits Sharply Reduce Risk of Serious Disease.

What are those 4 habits? Here they are:

1. Never smoke.
2. Exercise at least 3.5 hours per week.
3. Maintain a body mass index (BMI) under 30.
4. Follow a diet high in fruits, vegetables, and whole-grain breads, and limited in meats.

This is a mnemonic for exercises that can be done with just body weight: PLSS

P ushups
S itups
L unges
S quats


Exercises that can be done with just body weight: PLSS.

References:
4 Healthy Habits That Cut Disease Risk. WebMD, 2009.
Pessimism and Cynicism Appear to Increase Risk of Heart Disease and Death http://bit.ly/synPO
Healthy Living Is the Best Revenge: Adhering to 4 simple healthy lifestyle factors prevents chronic diseases http://bit.ly/564PR
How to stay healthy while traveling

Pessimism and Cynicism May Increase Risk of Heart Disease and Death

From WebMD and Circulation:

Pessimism and Cynicism Appear to Increase Risk of Heart Disease and Death.

Women who scored highest for optimism had a 9% lower risk for developing heart disease and a 14% lower risk of dying.

Optimists were more likely to:

- be younger
- live in the western U.S.
- have higher education
- have higher income levels
- have a job
- have health insurance
- attend church

MOTORS of Your Life

Studies describe a set of wellbeing practices that are correlated with the feeling of happiness (BMJ, WJM). I tried to summarize them in the mnemonic MOTORS because the pursuit of happiness, in its altruistic sense, can be the motor of your life.

“MOTORS” stands for:

Meaning --> find a meaning in what you do for a living but don't forget to set limits around it
Outlook --> have a positive outlook on life. Be philosophical but also focused on success
Time --> spend quality time with F&F (Family & Friends)
Out of of yuppie values --> don't focus on chasing money or prestige
Religious / spiritual practices
Self care practices, like sports or meditation

All these 6 features are correlated with feeling happier, and some of them even with living longer.

References:
Pessimism, Cynicism Can Hurt Your Heart. WebMD.
The American Heart Association journal Circulation, Aug 25, 2009.
Six Tips for Happiness by a Harvard Teacher
Image source: OpenClipArt.org, public domain.

Diabetic Patients on Low-Carbohydrate Mediterranean Diet Avoided Medication, Lost More Weight, and Decreased Coronary Risk Factors

From the Annals of Internal Medicine:

In this trial, the authors compared the effects of a Mediterranean diet versus a typical low-fat diet for diabetes management.

Researchers randomly assigned 215 patients to follow either a low carbohydrate, Mediterranean-style diet or a low-fat diet for four years.

After four years, 44% of patients in the Mediterranean-style diet group required antihyperglycemic drug therapy compared to 70% in the low-fat diet group.

Patients in the Mediterranean diet group also experienced greater weight loss and an improvement in some coronary risk factors.


Video.

Related:
Effects of a Mediterranean-Style Diet on the Need for Antihyperglycemic Drug Therapy in Patients With Newly Diagnosed Type 2 Diabetes. Katherine Esposito, MD, PhD; Maria Ida Maiorino, MD; Miryam Ciotola, MD; Carmen Di Palo, MD; Paola Scognamiglio, MD; Maurizio Gicchino, MD; Michela Petrizzo, MD; Franco Saccomanno, MD; Flora Beneduce, MD; Antonio Ceriello, MD; and Dario Giugliano, MD, PhD. Ann Int Med, 1 September 2009 | Volume 151 Issue 5 | Pages 306-314.
Mediterranean Diet Seems to Improve Cardiovascular Risk Factors After Just 3 Months
Mediterranean diet can protect children from asthma
Mediterranean Diet May Decrease Diabetes Risk

Why to Eat Like a Greek http://goo.gl/Chpwf - Mediterranean diet improves heart risk factors http://goo.gl/DkPhF
Image source: Olive oil, Wikipedia.

5 healthy habits for your children

From Consumer Reports Health Blog: As your tots, tweens, and teens head back to school, you won’t be there to watch their every move—but you can still send them off to the classroom or dorm with some good habits:

1. Eat your veggies.
2. Get some Zzzz’s.
3. Use sunscreen.
4. Drink more milk.
5. Wash your hands.


Video: Children and Sedentary Lifestyle, by the American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons.

Men Who Followed 6 Healthy Lifestyle Habits Cut Their Risk of Heart Failure in Half

From WebMD: The six healthy lifestyle factors associated with a lower risk of heart failure were:

1. Normal body weight
2. Never smoking
3. Regular exercise
4. Moderate alcohol use
5. Diet that includes eating breakfast cereals regularly
6. Diet rich in fruits and vegetables

The lifetime risk for heart failure was approximately 1 in 5 (21.2%) in men adhering to none of the desirable lifestyle factors, compared to 1 in 10 (10.1%) in those adhering to four or more healthy lifestyle factors.

Image source: OpenClipArt.org, public domain.

Calculate Your Life Expectancy

Three scientists from the University of Pennsylvania created a mortality calculator.

Answer some questions about your lifestyle, PMH and FMH, and the calculator gives you an estimate of how long you will live.

The calculator is based on "pure" statistics but you can still get an idea what you should change in your life to live healthier.

The three authors who made the program are Dean P. Foster, Lyle Ungar and Choong Tze Chua, they work at the Wharton School, University of Pennsylvania.

See the Forbes magazine list of The Worst Things You Can Do To Your Body as a slide show.

References:
How Long Will you Live? - UPenn.edu (via Digg)
Life Expectancy Calculator on MSN Money
Fitness Rules: Getting Back Into Shape - Forbes
For Centenarians, It All Begins at Birth - NYT 11/05.
The Living to 100 Life Expectancy Calculator
Image source: pixelperfectdigital.com