Health Tips to Live Longer and Better

I love reading little articles that have tips for living healthier and longer.  There were some neat tips in Parade a couple weeks ago (Sunday, Jan. 27).  As a busy Mom, I can certainly use all the advice I can get! Here are a few things I learned:

  • Do you think smoking or watching TV will shave more time off of your life?  According to an analysis of health records, every hour an adult over 25 spends sitting and watching TV can cut 22 minutes from his/her life span. Smoking reduce life span by 11 minutes.
  • To feel younger, just open your window blinds! Looking out a window onto a natural, outdoorsy scene may reduce blood pressure and other signs of stress.
  • The oldest person to run a marathon was 100 years old! (I was intrigued by that because I’ve run 5 marathons myself and am currently training for a half-marathon in March.)

Do you want to take the entire quiz?  Visit Parade Magazine’s Live Longer and Better Quiz.

They have a similar quiz which helps you think about your heart health. The number of people who are in ideal health really surprised me.  The quiz explained, ‘Nearly 40 percent of Americans think they are in ideal health, when in actuality, less than one percent fall into the “ideal health” category as American Heart Association defines it.’ You can take parade.com’s quiz, Are You Heart Health Savvy? to see how you do.

Their seven tips for better heart health came as no surprise, but I always like the reminder:

  1. don’t smoke;
  2. maintain a healthy weight;
  3. engage in regular physical activity;
  4. eat a healthy diet;
  5. manage your blood pressure;
  6. take charge of your cholesterol; and
  7. keep your blood sugar, or glucose, at healthy levels. To meet the complete definition of ideal cardiovascular health, an individual would need to meet the ideal levels of all seven components.

You might also be interested in the abc news story from Wednesday (Feb. 13): 4 Facts Every Woman Needs to Know about Heart Disease which talks about calcium supplements and its effects on heart disease. I’m really glad I listened to that video segment–worth the six minutes or so.

Yesterday, I did a post on “Yet Another Reason to Avoid Fast Food” because of the new studies that link fast food and asthma.

One more thing before I go. Sometimes when I’m running around the house doing chores, I listen to podcasts while I work.  I really love Monica Reinagel, the Nutrition Diva’s Quick and Dirty Tips for Eating Well and Feeling Fabulous.  Her podcasts are free at ITunes and she talks about things such as: Would you be healthier on a gluten-free diet? Other than fruits and vegetables, what foods should you buy organic? Chicken isn’t always healthier than beef; Is Irradiated Food Safe? How to eat when you are breastfeeding? Tips for getting your kids to eat healthy foods and hundreds of others! She also has a website: NutritionDiva.QuickandDirty Tips.

Anyway, I always love reading (and listening to!) health-tips like these and thought I’d pass those links along.

Have a happy and healthy President’s Day!

2 Responses

  1. If you’re severely out of shape, going to a commercial gym can be embarrassing. They are used in yoga, Pilates, strength training and aerobics. A home gym can be put anywhere you have the free space.

  2. If you’re severely out of shape, going to a commercial gym can be embarrassing. They are used in yoga, Pilates, strength training and aerobics. A home gym can be put anywhere you have the free space.

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