Sitting Your Way to an Early Grave?

A new study has found a direct correlation to the amount that a person sits through the day and their lifespan. Researchers at Louisiana's Ochsner Health System analyzed the health and activity of 120,000 people from 1993 to 2006.
Sedentary was considered sitting 6 plus hours per day versus less than 3 hours per day. Sedentary women were 37% higher risk of death over the 14 year span. Sedentary men showed a 17% increase.

Exercise showed some extension of their lifespan but did not bring it down to the level of the 3 hours or less of sitting. Adjustments were made for smokers and body mass index.

Jay Brooks is the author of the study and an oncologist. He recommends for people that sit at their job, to get up and "expend energy."

Maybe stand while on that phone call. Pacing while in a meeting sounds healthy now!

Getting Bright Ideas

Psychologists at Tufts University gave puzzles to solve, in a limited time, to two groups. One group had a standard light bulb light up partway through the test while the other group had a fluorescent light come on. The ones that saw the light bulb were 50% to 70% more successful at the puzzles than the ones with the fluorescent light.
The researchers running the study felt that the image of the light bulb representing an idea is so entrenched in our society that seeing one come on actually stimulates our creativity.
I say put them in meeting rooms, class rooms, libraries and any place we need to have an epiphany.

Mental Health without Prozac

British researchers earlier this year looked at the mental state of 1200 people. This was a compilation of 10 separate studies which looked at the effect of walking, cycling, fishing, farming and gardening on mental health.
Everyone showed a benefit from adding time outdoors but the young and mentally ill saw a greater boost to their self-image. The largest benefit for all came when they exercised in the open air. The studies showed that only 5 minutes per day was all that was needed. A co-author of the study, Jo Barton, said, “There would be a large potential benefit if people were to self-medicate more with green exercise.” Areas with water such as streams or ponds showed more benefit than just green areas but there was measurable improvement in all cases.
Teenagers, with their emotional turmoil, have a tendency to go to the mall but should take up an outdoor activity such as surfing or hiking.
I love my Tai Chi (tai qi) in the park!

Cell Phones Do Pose a Health Risk

June this year a study from the World Health Organization's International Agency for Research on Cancer found that there is a 40% higher incidence of glioma or meningioma (2 forms of brain cancer) for heavy cell phone use. The study was on 12,000 people, some in good health, between 2000 and 2004.
The biggest thing to note was that heavy cell phone use was 30 minutes or more per day. More and more people are shifting to cell phones for everything so 30 minutes in a day is not heavy use.
No studies are out yet regarding blue tooth which does reduce the signal strength and thus the risk.
Texting looks better every day- just not while you're driving!

Bottled Water

Something to remember when choosing where to get your drinking water. Tap water has to pass strict state, federal and local requirements before it gets into your home.

Bottled water does not. And many of them are simply filtered tap water, such as Dasani and Aquafina.

The Natural Resources Defense Council found that about 1/3 of bottled water brands they tested had chemical contaminants above the the state limits.

So the choice is tap which is free and regulated for purity or bottled which is a gamble on the benefits and costs more than gasoline by the gallon.

I haven't even started with the toxic BPA in the plastic bottles.

I say save your money and if you don't like the flavor get a home filter.

Summer Foods and Skin Foods

Summer is officially here and we should eat appropriately. Summer time means more heat and sweating so we need foods that cool and replenish our fluids. It is perfect that watermelon comes ripe in summer. It is the coldest of fruits and full of fluids.
All fruits are cooling so be sure to eat a lot of fruits and drink plenty of healthy fluids.

Some summer foods even help us maintain healthy skin. Watermelon, nectarines and cherries are 3 fruits high in lycopene which helps our skin deal with sun exposure.

Lycopene is also in tomatoes. Cooking them actually concentrates this nutrient so cook some veggies in tomato sauce for a side dish at your next barbecue.

Almonds have been shown to help us fight the sun's rays with their high vitamin e content.

Tuna has selenium a nutrient that preserves elastin (which keeps our skin more youthful), and reduces damage from UV exposure.

Eat smart for a fun, healthy summer.

Essential Oils Thwart Germs - Dr Weil's Daily Health Tips - Natural Health Information Blog

Essential Oils Thwart Germs - Dr Weil's Daily Health Tips - Natural Health Information Blog